Turner et ses peintres au Grand Palais

Finally today I was able to see one of the most awaited exhibitions of the year: that of Joseph Mallord William Turner, a.k.a. JMW Turner, the great English artist of the 19th century. 

At the Grand Palais you can see Turner's paintings, but also those of his masters and rivals, all of who he took as inspiration from the day he graduated from London's Royal Academy of Arts till his very death bed in 1851.

Prolific artist indeed, he left 300 paintings, plus 20.000 drawings and watercolors and became the most important British landscape painter of his time. However, he always knew how to stay open to the work of others, learning without copying, giving shape to his unique artistic freedom that had its creative peak during the final years of his life. You can see this very clearly in the exhibit, specially when comparing his paintings with the works of Nicolas Poussin or those of Claude Gellèe (a.k.a. le Lorrain), which are absolutely outstanding. To prove it, just see his "Le Debarquement de Cleopatre à Tarse," which is breathtaking...!

Disembarkation of Cleopatra at Tarsus.

You can also see paintings by Tiziano, Rembrandt, Veronese, Watteau, Pierre-Henry de Valenciennes and by the English Thomas Gainsborough, August Well Callcott, Richard Parkers Bonington, among others. But most of all, I was impressed by Jacob von Ruysdael's "Sea Storm," which has an incfedible force!

Of course, I also adored some of Turner's paintings, as for example "La Plage de Calais," or his very own "Sea Storm."

Beach of Calais

The exhibition will be opened till May 24th and then will be taken to the Prado Museum in Madrid, from June 21st till September 19th.

Shutter Island

It's been so long since I've seen a high-impact-psychological thriller this catching!

I've just arrived from having watched Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" at the movies and I must tell you that it's tremendous and really good.

It's based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, who already wrote other novels which were adapted for cinema as "Mystic River" and "Gone, baby, gone" and has Leonardo di Caprio playing the main role. He's fantastical, as his fellow cast members: Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sidow and Michelle Williams.

The movie is dark, dense and long (2 hours 20 min, but you won't notice...), not at all a walk in the park... in fact, it's quite the opposite: the story develops on a prison for lunatics located on an impossible-to-escape island, 18 km from Boston during the 1950s...

But I won't tell you more, or I'll kill all the intrigue...

Just one thing: di Caprio may date the model of the season and change her for another as he ages... and this not because of this good looks, but simply because he is "a big star, maybe the big one..."

Sanremo Festival: Final Chapter

After five intense nights and the special appearance of guests from all over the World, from Jennifer López to Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson's choreographer and a dozen songs... Sanremo Festival ended in a complete scandal!

And everything because of the televoting!

Let me tell it to you: in the past, music specialists, singers, composers and producers were part of the Jury. But for some time now, it's the people voting from home who decide who wins... They even have the power to put back in contest those who were previously eliminated. This is what happened with the trio of Prince Emanuele Philiberto de Savoia, who's a really nice, distinguished guy, but he sings like a dog... even worst, he's not even singing at all and he's just starting at this. I appreciate his effort... but there were a lot of really talented professionals in contest, such as Enrico Ruggeri or my favourite Malika Ayane, who have been doing music since childhood!

So, huge scandal at the Ariston Theatre, with the orchestra tossing to the air the pages of the scores while the audience was booing loudly... Never-before-seen here!!!

Malika was eliminated and the three final contenders were the Prince's trio and two other young singers, known here for having participated in other TV contests.

Back to televoting... and the winner is...?
Valerio Scanu, an almost twenty years boy with a romantic ballad... 

Valerio Scanu, the winner.

The runner-ups?

The trio!!! Can you believe it?

This morning people were already talking about some kind of cheating, involving the purchase of hundreds of telephone votes... By who? It's a mystery now...

Anyway, Malika Ayane won the Critics Award, which she totally deserved.

For next year's Festival, I would avoid the televoting or at least, put it under surveillance. 

As for the hostess, Antonella Clerici, she brought the highest ratings in the history of the broadcast of the Festival. However...
How can I put it...?

... I've never seen anyone worst dressed on stage than her...!! Poor Gai Mattiolo, who was in charge of her costume design... All those dresses had nothing to do with a slightly overweighted woman... in fact, they made her look fatter!

However, she seems to be what the Italian people want... apparently...

Audience and orchestra protesting...

C'est la vie.... Vanités de Caravaggio à Damien Hirst

This afternoon I had the pleasure of visiting an interesting and yet fascinating exhibition... that of the Vanitas (or skulls, as they are known in Spanish), an exploration of the complex bonds between life and death, reflected in the many ways of Art: paint, sculpture, jewelry and photography.

At the Musée Maillol of the Rue Grenelle, since February 3rd, you are sure to find long waiting lines by its doors. I've got my tickets on the Internet (bought them at the FNAC site) so I was able to skip the lines but not the resentful glances in all those who were still waiting to get inside...

The whole point of the exhibition is to prove that death is one of our many lives... so all those skulls are there to symbolize the fragility of life itself, pushing us to live more intensely the present. 

It's moving and horrifying to see how, from the very first of the Vanitas (that of Jacob de Gheyn, circa 1603) to 2009's diamond-incrusted skull of Damien Hirst (worth 50 million dollars), including Caravaggio's "Saint Francis meditating" or the fabulous painting by Zurbarán, most of the artists have taken the matter seriously, in a way free of God and Religion...

Caravaggio's Saint Francis meditating

I was impressed by the Basquiat and Robert Mapplethorpe's self-picture, who already ill, photographed himself holding a cane with a skull in its handle.

A special paragraph must be dedicated to the jewelry collection by Codognato, a famous dinasty of Venetian jewelers who, since the 19th Century, have been including skulls in all their pieces: earrings, necklaces and, of course, rings.

I saw amazing paintings, as Paul Cézanne's " Nature morte, crâne et chandelier" or that of George de la Tour, so unique with his use of light...

Paul Cézanne's Nature morte, crâne et chandelier

I returned with my soul and spirit full of beauty and art. And I couldn't help but think of "Memento Mori," which in Latin means Remember you'll die...

But it was worth it and I was released from my childhood fear of skulls.

In fact, as I was leaving the museum, I bought a souvenir t-shirt with a print in front.

Can you guess what it had?

A skull, of course!

Sanremo Festival: Chapter 1

As a child, one of the most awaited events was the Sanremo Song Festival!  I wished for it with a mixture of excitement, pleasure and curiosity...

Do remember that I lived in Montepulciano, a small, antique and chic town, but a town after all, where nothing ever happened, and by the end of the 60s... Internet was very far from existing in my life!

Anyway, I loved preparing my dolls for the big event, to sit them next to me in front of the TV set (which, obviously, was black & white). Beautiful night dresses and gowns were required. I loved it all... the music, the singers, the scandals...

Many decades have gone by now and I come across the Festival once more... I thought I have forgotten all about it... But I'm in Europe, and I've been to Italy the past couple of days, and EVERYONE there was taking about the big musical event of the peninsula! 

So I decided to take this week to enjoy this incredible kermess: a true symbol of my beloved Italy in 2010.

To begin with, Festival's nights, which used to be three, are now five.

The live broadcast lasts three hours minimum and has already shown princes (Emanuele-Philiberto de Savoia, already a winner of 2009 Dancing with the stars, is presenting with Tuscan singer Pupo and a tenor a lousy version of "Italia, amore mio," which, in case you don't know, is about the exile of the Savoia, ex kings of Italy), queens (yesterday's guest of honor was Queen Rania of Jordan, stunning in her black Armani Privé, who happily talked about her humanitarian work, relaxed and visibly in love with Italy), Susan Boyle (the talented English singer who's a complete success in spite of her looks) and even Dita Von Teese (the famous stripeuse presented a show in which she ended with an olive in a huge Martini glass, with almost no clothes on - but hey, not entirely naked... it's the RAI, remember?).

Dita Von Teese

Special Guest, Queen Rania of Jordan

And then, of course, there's the singers, all of whom present new songs to compete for the grand award of this year's Sanremo Festival, which celebrates its 60th edition. 

My personal favorite?

Malika Ayane. Lovely song. A true symbol of today's Italy. Her father's from Morocco and her mother's from Milano... When I was little it was enough to come from Naples to be considered a foreigner...

Thank God the World changes...

I must say something about the Festival's hostess: Antonella Clerici, a very blond, curvy Italian of 46, who used to have a daily cooking TV show around noon.

She moves very spontaneously around the huge stage (which no longer is black & white but instead very colorful and full of lights) and is not afraid to laugh at her own gaffes. 

I'll keep watching tonight and tell you all about it tomorrow...!

Malika Ayane's song

Mardi Gras

Today's Mardi Gras, a celebration that I've always found intriguing, even as a child.

Today's the last day of the Carnival season, before Lent begins tomorrow. So we can say that's the last day to celebrate before the 40-day-period of prayer, fasting and penitence. 

Mardi Gras is the name given to the famous Carnival celebrations in New Orleans, Luisiana and Mobile, Alabama (US). The name derives from the French and could be translated as Fat Tuesday and it's always celebrated before Ash Wednesday.

Tradition in US began when Louisiana was conquered by the French. There are documents circa 1699 mentioning Mardi Gras celebrations, although it is hard to point an real origin date. However, by 1743, it seemed a quite established tradition. Along all these centuries, authorities tried to ban the festivities, but Mardi Gras would reappear stronger than ever... even in spite of the restrictions.

After the Katrina disaster, New Orleans' Carnival celebrations were a bit humble, but they were never cancelled or postponed, because they occupy an important role in the city's cultural tradition.

Happy Mardi Gras to you all! 

Year of the Tiger...

Happy Chinese New Year!!!
And good luck to all of you belonging to the sign of the Tiger!

The tragic death of Alexander McQueen...

I've just arrived home wanting to write a post about my lovely afternoon of window shopping around the trendiest boutiques in Paris, in spite of the cold winter day, full of snow...

But as I checked my mail, I got a message from my producer, Carla, with the saddest news... Alexander McQueen was found dead, after killing himself at age 40.

He was so talented... It's worth remembering him and let's hope his soul may find eternal peace...

Born in 1969 in London's East End, son of a taxi driver, at an early age Mc Queen started making dresses for his three sisters and then announced his intentions of becoming a fashion designer. He graduated from the prestigious St. Martins College of Art & Design of London and his talent soon caught the attention of Savile Row's tailors Anderson & Shepard. He then worked for Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli before opening his own boutique. 

With his own brand he became famous among the British thanks to his revolutionary designs, supported by a loyal clientele with many fashionistas, as stylist Isabella Blow, who also committed suicide three years ago.

In October 1996 he won the Best British Designer of the Year Award and later that year he was chosen to replace John Galliano as Head Designer at Givenchy, because of his "brilliant creativity and craftsmanship." 

In 1997, year in which he presented four collections for Givenchy and two for his own brand, he shared the Best Designer Award with John Galliano.

In December 2000, Francois Pinault's Group, owner of Gucci, bought his label, which allowed him to quit Givenchy and LVMH which, he said, limited his creativity. 

Also considered an "enfant terrible," his talent and artistic vision transformed him into one of the big names of fashion design of all time.

McQueen's style was brutal but lyric, gothic yet sensitive, as if becoming from a Fairy tale. His critics, none the less, accused him of being too gore and misogynic. 

However, his designs always had a certain femininity that attracted clients as Björk or even the Duchess of Westminster.

In 2003 he launched his first perfume, Kingdom, and a Men's Collection done to order at Savile Row. 

He also presented collections at Paris' Fashion Weeks and had stores in the main cities of the Word.

Rest in Peace, Alexander.

Images of his last Spring 2010 Collection.

You can see the entire photos of the runway show here.

Valentine's day!

Next Sunday's Valentine's day, a world feast to celebrate love and lovers!
Take this week to prepare for the occasion and surprise your significant other...
There's much to do: buy sexy lingerie, prepare a candle-light dinner, imagine erotic encounters and much, much more!
Let you imagination run wild...

Wedding in Paris, on a cold Saturday...

I've just returned from a grand Parisian wedding....

Five-hundred guests in the Hotel Gueneguad of the Rue des Archives, which holds the Maison de la Chasse et de la Nature. Paul-Charles Ricard, heir of one of France's most important industrial families, wed this afternoon, at the antique and amazing Saint Eustache church, with his all-time girlfriend, Alice Déchelette.

Saint Eustache Church is famous for having the largest organs in France. Its construction began in 1553, in the heart of Paris, near Les Halles but it was finished almost a 100 years after, in 1637.

Louis XIV, Colbert, Molière, among others, were baptized there.

So back to the wedding, it was Jean-Paul Gaultier himself who designed the dress of the bride and that of the mother of the groom, who's a dear friend of mine and one of the most important ladies in Parisian society.... and a very beautiful one. As the bride is very young, only 23, Gaultier thought for her a dress inspired in a classic ballerina, with many tulles and a cashmere cache-cour to resist the cold of winter.

In her hair she used big roses in pastel colors, à la Frida Kalho. A very fresh and juvenile look.

The mass was sensational, with organ concerts of Bach and Vivaldi, and a soprano singing Schubert's Ave Maria, bringing everyone to tears!

For a change, it was raining outside, so we had to run to get ready for the grand soirée.

An enchanted winter garden was "built" on the huge terrace of the Hotel Gueneguad, kind of resembling Narnia. Of course, tout Paris was there, from the famous millionaire and art patron, Francois Pinault to Dita Von Teese, girlfriend of Louis-Marie Castelbajac, musician and son of designer Jean-Charles. Among other guests were Roselyn Bachelot, Rachida Dati, the Rothschild, the Boucheron, the Guerrand Hermés, the Bragance and even Inés Sastre.

All the women wore their best diamonds and rocks and couture dresses from Dior, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino...

I wore my black Valentino dress, the same Jennifer Aniston wore to the Golden Globes this year... which I already had.

Francois Pinault, who sat at my table, followed the football match between Bordeaux and Rennes, which he owns, by phone and all the while he was telling us of the new exhibitions to be opened in Paris, specially that of Lucien Freud, who has not been showing his art here for 15 years. That's to open on March 10th.

After an excelent dinner with Chateau Petrus wine, we went to the dance floor below, to dance to the music of the DJ of "Le Baron," one of Paris trendiest discos.

I danced a little but I came back home early to be able to share all of this with you.

Good night!

Paris, Paris...

February in Paris, cold and rainy... but beautiful all the same!

February is the month of the Winter Holidays and French ski areas and resorts, such as Courchevel (the St. Tropez of the snow) are full of people... it seems that there's a lot of snow this year! 

And for those who stay in town, as myself, there's plenty to do too. 

To begin with, many exhibitions in museums and galleries. And then, there's the many charming and unique restaurants, such as the one at the Hotel Costes, or L'Avenue, or the old Stresa, or Al Dente and, why not, the lovely Brasserie Lipp, at St. Germain, a classic. And to have the best foie gras in all Paris, L'Ami Louis. I do go often, but I usually ask for the grilled chicken... a pity, really. In all those nice places you feel like home, which is just what you need in winter, when it's cold and grey outside.

Another thing to do, of course, is going to the cinema. There are plenty of new movies now and it's best to go see them on the theaters around Champs-Elyseé.

Today, for instance, I went to see "A serious man," directed by the Cohen brothers. An exceptional film about the Jewish religion and the many questions Larry, the main character, poses to three Rabi unable to answer him. 

It's worth seeing it, with its black humor and all...

Have a good night sleep!

New Beauty Section on our Blog!

Dear readers!

Due to the many requests and questions we've been receiving, we want to tell you than from today we have a new section: BEAUTY, entirely dedicated to subjects related to beauty, personal care, health and well-being.

You can find it on the left column of our blog.

We really hope you like it and enjoy it!