Modern Art Collection New Hanging - Centre Pompidou

After seeing Giacometti we passed through half of the Modern Art Collection at Beauborg, seeing the years 1905-1960 on the 5th floor. It's the re-hanging of the permanent collection, with huge impressive showings of Matisse, Delaunay, Leger, Picasso, Mondrian and so many others. There was a whole room of Fauves other than Matisse which I really appreciated too.

I was really happy to discover a painter I didn't know, Kupka, who had 2 magnificant paintings on display.

L'Atelier de Giacometti - Centre Pompidou

I went to the Giacometti expo at Beaubourg today with 2 friends. It was really great, jam-packed with sculpture and his fantastically haunting paintings. I bought the book of the expo and hope to get back again before it closes, although no guarantees...

Applesauce

Making applesauce has become one of my standards. I tend to make it at least once a month - whenever my DH and I haven't coordinated well on our shopping and both of us come home with kilos of apples, or when I notice more than 2 old and wrinkly apples in the fruit bowl.

It's really simple and always yummy.

Rabbit is Rich - John Updike

I've been reading John Updike's Rabbit is Rich for the past few weeks. I've been working my way through this amazing series since last Spring, and it's an amazing series of books. I love the human qualities of Harry and his family who have tons of imperfections but are likeable anyway. It's really impressive to see a series that is created where each book is so powerful, and it's clear to see why these books have won the Pulitzer and so many other prizes.

Ferdinand Hodler @ Musee d'Orsay

I went to see the Ferdinand Hodler expo at the Musee d'Orsay today, cutting it close (as the exhibit ends tomorrow) but pleased I actually got one of the Parisian art things I want to see accomplished.

Ferdinand Hodler is the Swiss impressionist-period painter who never had much success in France, but is hugely respected in Switzerland. I really liked his portraits, the works he did on working people (woodcutters and the like) and most especially the landscapes. His work is very different from Georgia O'Keefe but I found a lot of the same power and grandeur and boldness to it.

Crêpes

I made crepes this morning for breakfast. My DSS told me last night that Feb 2nd was crepe day - I have no idea for what reason, but he wanted them and I'd found a recipe a few weeks back and I'd been wanting to try making them, so I didn't need much pushing.

The recipe was pretty easy - 2 eggs, 150g flour, 250ml milk, pinch of salt, spoonful of rum. Butter on the crepe pan and away you go... The hardest part is getting the pan hot enough to cook but not burn, and moving the batter around fast enough to make a thin crepe right away. I ate mine with sugar sprinked on, my DH had sugar and whipped cream, and the DSS had caramel spread on his...

They were good, everyone was happy, and I'd make them again!

Top Gun

This one is embarrassing, but my excuse is the DSS... I thought he'd like the movie since it's action and Tom Cruise (he really liked Mission Impossible).

It was less action than I'd remembered and the plot and acting were weak... Plus the music, hairstyles, clothes... totally 80's. Almost a trip down memory lane, but we watched w the French soundtrack, not English, so there wasn't even that pleasure...