Monet Exhibition

I didn't post yesterday because it was not a very exciting and adventurous day!  When school starts next week, I doubt I'm able to post every day....so for those of you that read every day, think of this as more of a trial period. 

Yesterday I slept late, went and got some groceries, and did laundry.  I wanted to make some soup, so I got my list together and headed out.  I bought all kinds of vegetables in hopes of making a veggie stew.  Well, I got home and realized that I don't have a good knife or a vegetable peeler.   All I have are dull flatware knives.  After I halfway peeled and cubed my potatoes and chopped the onion...I had had enough!  Turned it into a creamy potato soup instead.  It was pretty delicious despite the obstacles!  

Headed to the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais today for a Monet Exhibition.  It will only be here until the middle of January and a friend of mine told me it was excellent and that I should go!  I arrived around 12:30 to what seemed like a rather short line.  Compared to the line at the Louvre that day I went this was a piece of cake.  

WRONG.

There were three lines.  A line for people with a special museum pass, a line for people who bought their ticket online, and the line I was in for sore losers that were going to buy their ticket there.  I thought about purchasing mine online, but I don't have a printer so it wouldn't have done much good.  The exhibition had limited space so they were allowing a group of about 20 people in every 10-15 minutes.  When its 28 degrees outside, 10-15 minutes is a loooonnnggg time.  The security guards alternated who would be going in.  The people with the special museum pass and the people who had already bought their tickets were able to go in 2 or 3 times before us (the crazy people without tickets).  I stood in line for 2 HOURS.  These must be some pretty damn good paintings for me to stand in line in the freezing cold, in front of a few French natives who obviously don't wear deodorant, next to a young girl smoking like a chimney, and behind a woman with a furry coat that kept blowing in my eyes.  

Thank goodness it met my expectations.  It was WONDERFUL.  I got a self guided headset which was definitely worth it.  There are so many tidbits of information that make it so much more delightful to wander through crowded rooms full of tourists and church groups.  You were not allowed to take pictures, of course, but I was able to sneak a couple for my readers!!! Okay, they were taken with my phone...and most are not centered, but you will take what you get....alright?!  

There were around 200 paintings.  A few of the most popular ones weren't there, but it didn't make a difference....they were all incredible.  His portrayal of light on his subjects and scenery was fascinating.  And I didn't know this until today, but he painted many of his pictures of the same scene but different times.  He painted three versions of "Haystacks", and two of "The Fisherman's House at Varengeville" and "Sunrise" using different times of day to show the different lights and shadows cast.  And in the winter of 1892 I believe, it was so cold that the Seine River froze over, and it inspired many of his paintings including "Ice Floes." Many of the works were borrowed from various cities in the United States for the exhibition!  I expected most to come from Paris and the Musee d'Orsay, but probably half were from home.  

Pictures of the Grand Palais...

Just outside the Christmas market was still happening on the Champs Elysees so I stopped to have a chocolat chaud.  

Hopped on the metro and checked various locations to see if I could find some Happy New Years hats or horns for tomorrow night.  No such luck!  Did find some cute toothpicks and a good cake recipe to share with Marie-Cesare.  I'll be sure and let you know how it turns out.  

Ashleigh texted me and said they are going to the Jardin du Luxembourg tomorrow so I'll probably join! It is "suppose" to be sunny.  Was able to Skype with Taylor and Margaret today which was exciting! I always love hearing from friends back home!  

Happy New Years from Paris!! I won't have the chance to post tomorrow night, but I hope you all have a safe and wonderful New Years Eve celebration!