more ART, more CHOCOLATE, more JARDINS

So there's been an exhibition of Andy Warhol at the Grand Palais for the past couple months and I finally got around to going with my friend Alice - another assistant. I guess this is the largest Andy Warhol exhibition ever. They had hundreds of his paintings collected.

I asked the guard if I was allowed to take photos and he whispered back, "As long as no one sees." :-) The guard in the Marilyn Monroe room was pretty vigilant, so that was a loss, but here's one of Ethel Scull. She wasn't famous at all but it was the first significant step for Warhol in that it was his first money-maker. She hired him to do these portraits for her. She posed in a photo booth and he added a little color, and voila! I kind of like it.

Also liked this one of Carolina Hererra because I think she's beautiful in it.

So evidently ever since he was little, Andy Warhol (used to be Warhola) was really into magazines, celebrities, and pop-culture. And he never strayed from those interests! He started getting really famous people to want pictures from him when he began his Interview Magazine. Here are some covers over the years. Can you spot Michael Jackson, Jack Nicholson, Sylvestor Stallone...?

There were a lot of paintings of designers or movie stars that I didn't even know. Alice and I both agreed we should've brought along a friend who had 10 years on us.

In all of his work, I liked the color he used, and thought it was a cool and novel idea - definitely gets the consumerism, pop-culture, and magazine mix across. However, after a while it feels pretty shallow. But I did like seeing his art and learning a bit more about it.

And I'm happy to report that just before crossing Pont Alexandre III to head to the Grand Palais, I targeted my last Tour de Chocolat stop, Michel Chaudun.

Which was delish, and came with a pamphlet that talked all about how to savor the chocolate on the tongue.
I am going to admit that I'm getting a little chocolated out. It's a good thing Paris is over because my stomach needs a break.

And finalement, you've seen this park over and over again, because I go there over and over again. I woke up Thursday at 6:45am to the sunrise. This was my porch view (from my room on the 5th floor).

It was so exhilarating, I got right up and went immediately for a run. Unfortunately by the time I reached the park (15 min later) the weather had shifted to morning fog. But growing up in the bay area, I sort of am partial to mystical morning fog:-) Plus the water was really still and mirror-like because the fountains weren't on yet. And it was especially cool being one of 3 people in the entire park since it just opened.

I'm gonna miss you Parc de Sceaux!