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Photo Exhibition at Ashawagh Hall

The photo exhibition at Ashawagh Hall last weekend, sponsored by Hampton Photo Arts and curated by Laurie Barone-Shaefer, has been deemed a success by one and all. Over 50 photographers, ranging in ages from 9 -81, exhibited a wide range of images and a number were even sold  - including Laurie's. 

SOLD: Towd Point ©2012 Laurie Barone-Schaefer

Peter showed two of his architectural HDR images, one of the New York Skyline and the other of Montparnasse in Paris. 

"New York Skyline" © 2009 Peter Tooker

"Montparnasse, Paris" © 2010 Peter Tooker

I exhibited "Spring", a flower photograph printed on metallic paper, and "Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill", two images framed together of a Coast Guard Cutter braving Bill's waves and dodging surfers off Montauk Point.

 "Spring" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

"Montauk - Post Hurricane Bill" © 2009 Claudia Danforth Ward

 

Once again it was great fun to see everyone's work and to get to know some of the other artists first hand. 

Thanks again to Dave, Ben, and everyone at Hampton Photo Arts, and of course, the indefatigable Laurie. 

 

Paris Travel Journal 25 December 2010

I woke early after seven hours sleep and rose to write a Christmas post. It was fun to create a slide show of the pictures we took from La Grande Roue and to post it from Paris! You have to love today’s technology. The free WiFi in the apartment made it all possible.

Peter and I decided we wanted to return to the Cité station of the No. 4 Métro to photograph it using tripods this time. We left the apartment around 10:15 a.m., spent 45 minutes photographing the station and then moseyed on over to Notre Dame.

As always the square in front of the cathedral was filled. Peter took some HDR pictures of the church. It was bitterly cold, rendering my camera nearly useless, so we decided to duck in to one of our favorite places in Paris, Le Flore en l'Ile on the Ile St. Louis.

We were seated at the same table Peter, Sally, Bill and I ate at three years ago, when we’d just arrived in Paris for Christmas. Peter ordered a chocolat chaud and I had a vin chaud à la cannelle; Peter had Oeufs Bacon (eggs and bacon) and I had a very satisfying Potage aux Légumes (vegetable soup).

Bracing ourselves against the ice-cold wind, we walked along the right bank to the Louvre where Peter was in heaven photographing the pyramid and all of the Louvre’s architectural detail - in HDR (High Dynamic Range) of course.
I did my best to get a few photographs and wait patiently, although it was a test, because the cold went right to my bones. Once we were out of the shadows of the palace, the sun felt warm by comparison and we enjoyed walking through the Tuilleries with throngs of Parisians out for a Christmas stroll. We exited the jardin on to the rue de Rivoli and stopped at a sidewalk café to warm up with yet another vin chaud.

It was now 4:00 p.m. and we headed to the Tour Montparnasse to be there for sunset. The tower is the tallest structure in Paris and has the fastest elevator in Europe. It’s located in the 15^th Arr. (our “hood”) and its 210 meters of steel and glass are built above the Montparnasse-Bienvenue Métro station. The 56^th floor is an indoor observation floor and, on a good day, an outdoor observatory can be accessed from the 59^th. Sadly, the observatory was inaccessible this day because of ice. As cold as it would have been, we would have preferred to be able to photograph Paris unimpeded by glass, but we still tried … with expected results – reflections.

Sunset was brilliant – the bright yellow sun slowly crossed the horizon line making the sky around it flame red. The city below showed itself only in dark shades of charcoal black and gray. I stayed with some of the camera equipment and watched the sun’s entire decent. Once the sky was black, the city’s lights began to twinkle below and I became aware of the train tracks of the Gare Montparnasse below by watching the headlights of moving trains entering the station. We spent an hour in this tower over looking all of Paris, identifying all of the places where we’d been and those that would be on our list for places to visit tomorrow.

When we returned to the streets, we were surprised by how busy they were, but then again we were at one of the seven train stations in Paris and people were coming and going. Once again we returned to the apartment to review our photos of the day, enjoy our panoramic view and partake of another of Peter’s wonderful smorgasbords – sliced sausage and apples, foie gras with pear jelly infused with sauterne, brie and blue cheeses, and, of course, a crusty baguette. It’s so nice to be able to “go home” after a day out on your feet, to relax and plan the next day’s events.

 

Paris Travel Journal 24 December 2010

The sky was still pitch black when the alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. and it was just beginning to show light when we left the apartment around 8:40 a.m.  What on earth could get us to wake up with an alarm on a holiday like this? Answer: The Monet exhibition at the Grand Palais. I was able to get tickets before we left the states, but the only time available was at 9:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve Day – so I took them.

For a solid two and a half hours, Peter and I floated through the exhibition listening to the story of the evolution of Monet’s life and art. I can’t find the words to describe the pleasure of being in the presence of so much beautiful art. I came away with an increased respect for painters of all styles but particularly those who follow the Impressionistic style. When I would look closely at one of Monet’s painted canvases, all I would see were strokes of color – wonderful color but with no real form. It wasn’t until I would stand back that the strokes came together to form water, seaside cliffs, or a fête in the streets of Paris. To one who cannot even draw, this is magical, especially as the result is so pleasing to my senses.

When we left the Grand Palais, the snow was once again trying to turn to sleet but we decided to walk the Champs-Elysées anyway. There were tiny one-room white-wooden shops lining the boulevard all the way to the Place de la Concorde where we could see the La Grande Roue (Ferris wheel) turning. We made that our destination, stopping only once for a quick snack – a blini topped with a dollop of caviar and a shot of ice-cold vodka.

The views from La Grande Roue are wonderful. You can see all the way along the Champs-Elysées to l’Arc de Triomphe, and looking east, we watched people amble through the Tuilleries to the Louvre and in the distance we could see the towers of Notre Dame. Of course, La Tour Eiffel stood out clearly, framed at its base from time to time by the golden statues on the Pont Alexandre III. Three turns of the wheel and we were back on terra firma. Since we didn’t have all of our photography equipment with us, we decided to head back to Montparnasse to retrieve it.

We were starving when we reached the street from the Métro and found a fabulous brasserie on Avenue du Maine called Le Petit Sommelier. It was warm and crowded on this Christmas Eve, a perfect place to take refuge from the increasingly cold and nasty weather outside. We started with the chef’s homemade foie gras with onion jam – yum. Peter had rare entrecôte that melted in his mouth and I had a superb poulet rôti. By this time it was 2:30 p.m. and the weather was just plain miserable so we decided to call it a day and ordered dessert and coffee. The dessert Peter selected was a medley of sweets that included macaroons, a really dense fudge brownie, and a small crème brulée. Filled to the brim and ever so happy, Peter and I bundled up against the elements for the ten minute walk home.

  The remainder of the day we spent looking at our photos and Peter’s videos, writing for the blog and just staring at the Parisian skyline. On cue La Tour Eiffel lit up at sundown and began dancing at 6:00 p.m. Somehow we stayed awake until 10:00 p.m. when we finally gave in to blissful slumber.

 

Paris Travel Journal 23 December 2010

The day started later than we would have liked but then … who cares, it’s only us. Jet lag sleep is a challenge and we both truly began to sleep around 3:00 a.m. So we woke up with the “sun” which rises here around 8:40 a.m. Organizing the camera equipment, preparing coffee, getting accustomed to the bathing arrangements, and testing internet connections, all took time, so when we finally sallied forth it was after noon. By then, the snow had started and it felt very festive.

First order of the day? Lunch, of course. I’d spent part of the morning reading the Journal D’Or which is a record of comments left by prior renters of the apartment. There were lots of recommendations for local eateries; we scouted a few and then hunger for a good meal overcame us and we tucked in to the nearest brasserie. Sadly the results were disappointing – dry pork chop and a quiche lorraine with salmon in it – doesn’t that sound very Californian? Oh well, onward and upwards.

We found the Métro (No. 4) that took us to l’Ile de la Cité. The Métro stop is called Cité and it’s wonderful. From the stairs, when we looked down, we could see the tracks that curve as they enter the station, trains coming and going, the lamps with frosted round globes, and everything reflected in the tiled ceiling – we were in geometric heaven and spent at least 20 minutes photographing the station.
When we finally reached street level, we found the snow was considering turning to sleet – but we moved on to Notre Dame.

By now dusk was upon us, the square in front of Notre Dame was teeming with people, a stream of which was entering the cathedral so we joined them. The sheer magnitude of this structure always gives me pause. As our eyes adjusted to the dark and our cameras adjusted to the warmth, I had time to consider my other senses and found to my immense pleasure that I could hear a choir singing. We ambled along the north aisle and when we got to the crossing I found a seat where I could see and hear the choir rehearsing. Peter went blithely off to photograph all the nooks and crannies that he could. Sitting in this magnificent cathedral, listening to the choir sing Adeste Fideles and staring at the glorious south rose window, brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.

Evening had fallen upon us by the time we left the church, and the snow was once again snow. We walked east to see the flying buttresses and then decided to cross the Pont de l'Archevêché and walk along the left bank to where the Pont Neuf meets rue Dauphine.
A walk that would have taken us 10-15 minutes took twice as long because we couldn’t stop taking pictures of “Our Lady of Paris” in the snow. 

When we went to cooking school with Patricia Wells in 2006, she had Juan Sanchez join the wine class on the last day. Juan owns a wonderful wine shop in the 6^th Arr. called La Dernière Goutte (The Last Drop) which we try to visit whenever we’re in Paris. 

It’s on one of the most charming streets (rue Bourbon le Château) in Paris and just oozes with character. As Juan wasn’t there we moved on to the Boulevard St-Germain and tucked in to a bar to dry off and warm up over a proper cocktail.

The Métro brought us back to Montparnasse and our wonderful apartment. Too tired and cold to do anything more, we hung up our wet clothes, wrapped ourselves in warm bathrobes, and watched the lights of Paris and the Tour Eiffel. For dinner we started with a little foie gras accompanied by chilled Muscat de Beaumes de Venise and then nibbled on a variety of sliced salamis, and cheeses with a crusty baguette. Fresh radishes with Isigny beurre and salt filled the vegetable requirement of our repast.

What a wonderful day all around.

 

 

Sisters in Paris - The Painting

Sisters in Paris - Painting by Barbara Andolsek

Barbara Andolsek has painted yet another of our photographs, this one Peter took (haha!) of two sisters in Paris on Christmas Eve in 2007. The sisters are marveling at the "dancing diamonds" of the Eiffel Tower, having just enjoyed a long leisurely lunch at the Jules Verne Restaurant. Looking forward to walking along the Seine on a chilly Christmas Eve, back to a warm apartment at the back door of the Louvre, the sisters enjoy, a memory-making moment of togetherness in The City of Light.

 

Merry Christmas

From Paris!

La Tour Eiffel Dressed in Dancing Diamonds

Paris Christmas Eve Day

Peter and I started the day soon after sunrise (which is at 8:43 a.m. here in Paris) at the Grand Palais. We'd purchased tickets before we left the states for a 9:00 a.m. entrance to the Monet exhibit. What a wonderful way to spend a morning - with hundreds of Monet's paintings. When we finally left those hallowed halls it was just before noon. It was still gray with snow flurries, and we decided to walk along the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde to check out the ferris wheel. The boulevard was lined with tiny one room white-wooden shops selling everything from scarves to spices, from crepes to caviar - which of course is where we stopped for a quick pick-me-up - a blini with a good dollop of caviar and a shot of ice cold vodka.

When we reached the Place, we decided there's no better time than the present, so we climbed on board the ferris wheel to see what we could see. I'm sure this is spectacular on a clear, sunny day but we really enjoyed this perspective on what appeared to be a black and white Paris. We could see all the way down the Champs-Elysées to l'Arc de Triomphe; la Tour Eiffel was framed at times by the golden statues on the Pont Alexendre III; and, to the east the Tuilleries led to the Louvre and in the distance we could even see the towers of Notre Dame. We hope you enjoy the views too.

  

Merry Christmas one and all.

Happy Christmas Eve

From Paris!

La Tour Eiffel on Christmas Eve

 

Champs-Elysées - Christmas Eve

 

Snowing in Paris

Our lady ...

Notre Dame in the Snow ©2010 Claudia Ward

Salting the banks of the Seine ...

The Banks of the Seine ©2010 Claudia Ward

More later!

 

 

Our View in Paris

We've rented an apartment in Paris for Christmas in Montparnasse (15th Arr.). When we arrived yesterday it was to a chilly, foggy, and gray Paris, none of which disturbs us, and in fact, we think it added a "je ne sais quoi" to some of our photos.  

We selected this apartment for the view (and the price) and it truly is quite wonderful. 

 Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde ©2010 Claudia Ward
Eglise du Dôme ©2010 Claudia Ward

 As many of you probably know, the Eiffel Tower lights up at night, but every hour on the hour it puts on a special light show, which my sister dubbed "dancing diamonds" when she was here three years ago. We could lie in bed watching that show last night. What a wonderful way to drift off to sleep, heavy with jet lag and yet light with anticipation.

"Dancing Diamonds" on the Eiffel Tower

Today it is snowing and we can hardly see la Tour Eiffel at all. Off for some more adventures.

 

 

First Trip to Paris

Have I mentioned that I'm a Francophile and that Paris is one of our favorite places on this earth? Of course I have. The other day I was speaking to a woman who will be going to Paris for the very first time at the beginning of next year. I sighed, remembering the first time I went to Paris and the thrill of experiencing this beautiful city for the very first time. I've returned a number of times since and have compiled a small list of things that we especially love to do when we're there. They're little things but they give us immense pleasure - and to us that is what Paris is about - pleasure.

We usually fly trans-Atlantic overnight and arrive early in the morning. Once we've collected our luggage, made our way to the center of Paris, and dropped our bags at the hotel or apartment, we're always eager to see the Seine and get something to eat. Now a tradition, we always walk across the Pont Neuf to the Ile de la Cité, stopping on the bridge to take in a full 360° view of the city. There's something incredibly comforting about seeing la Tour Eiffel through sleepy eyes in the early morning light.

We walk eastward along the island slowly taking in the grandeur and magnificence of Notre Dame Cathedral but intent upon eating before all else. At the east end of the island a small bridge transports us to the Ile Saint-Louis and a brasserie call Le Flore en l'Ile. It's always welcoming and the food is perfect in every way, whether roast chicken, an omelet, or quiche. A lasting memory I have is of the smile that came over my nephew's sleepy face on his first trip to Paris as he took his first sip of chocolat chaud on a freezing cold December morning.

Sainte-Chapelle with it's remarkable stained glass windows may be our next stop if the sun is shining, if not we'll make it there another day. To see the upper chapel of Sainte-Chapelle bathed in sunlight literally takes your breath away the first time you see it and its always intriguing to the eye and satisfying to the senses.

A walk along the Seine, at river level, is a pleasure at any hour but it's particularly special in the early morning on a Sunday. The city above is still asleep and the only sounds you hear are the muffled sounds of a random car passing, and your footsteps on the cobblestones. 

Peter and I get on the water everywhere we go and we always take at least one trip on the Bateaux Les Vedettes du Pont Neuf. They are conveniently located on the Ile de la Cité and we will often use the bateau as a respite from walking around the city. On these boats you get an incredible perspective of the city, it's bridges, and much of its history -it's just beautiful and so pleasant to be gliding along the Seine.

Photography is a passion of ours and Paris loves to have her picture taken - she doesn't have a bad angle. Two places we love for their vista perspectives on the city are l'Arc de Triomphe and Trocadero. You can climb to the top of the arch and find that you are at the center of a star, with 12 avenues radiating from this hub. You can see all along the Champs Elysées, past the Place de la Concorde, through the Tuileries to the Louvre on a clear day. And in Trocadero, the central terrace of the Palais de Chaillot between its two wings creates the perfect frame for the Eiffel Tower - a sight and perspective that surprises us pleasantly with its splendid drama.

But most of all we love just walking the streets and gardens of Paris, taking in the distinctly different sights and sounds. The Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens are two of the most beautiful in the world and Parisians live in them, they don't just pass through. Watching children ride the carousel in the Tuileries and ponies in the Luxembourg Gardens, sail model boats in the fountains, and run happily hand-in-hand, while basking in the sun, is always a pleasant way to spend and hour or two. 

So Rose, here's to you and your first trip to Paris. I know you'll be working but I hope you at least get to Le Flore en l'Ile for a chocolat chaud.