A sunny cold Sunday afternoon in Paris in late autumn, 5th arrondissement, Place de la Contrescarpe. People are sitting on the “Terrasse du Restaurant Delmas”. Listening to the piano player, chatting with friends, looking at the passersby. Is there a better thing to do on such a fine day?
Le Pianiste Place de la Contrescarpe - Paris V. Watercolor Painting, 9,5 x 12 in - 24 x 30 cm
©estandrea 2010 purchase information: you can buy this original waterpainting, please contact me cestandrea at gmail dot com if you are interested!
Today, January 7th, 2010, snow has fallen during the night, all the cars in my street are white, a very unusual sight. It’s minus 6° C, which is very cold for Parisian standard. People have packed their Christmas-window decoration away (we did too), and you can see discarded Christmas trees in the streets, waiting to be picked up by the garbage removal. A friend of mine always says: “January is the longest month”, she means that it seems to stretch out forever.
Yesterday was the 6th, which means that many families celebrate Epiphany, buying a “galette des rois”, a fine filo pastry cake, with a filling of marzipan. This cake traditionally comes with a golden papercrown and hides a “Fève” which means “bean” but is not a bean. Probably it has been in former times, but now it is a little ceramic figure, representing the miniature holy Mary, or a bottle of wine 
or a little animal or whatever. So,the person who picks the part of cake with the “Fève” in it, will be the king. King of the day.
Yesterday was also the start of the winter sales here in Paris. So, again, the metro is crowded with people on a shopping trip, hunting for their favourite designer clothes at a reasonable price. In my favourite little boutique “Cinabre” on Boulevard Voltairebought a calf-long plum colored wool skirt, and a fine black wool top, made by a Japanese designer, plus two bonnets (hats), one rasperry colored and flowerpotshaped:) , the other grey and more like a “casquette”, oh and a pair of earrings, all at a very reasonable price. I’m wearing this now, and will soon brave the cold outside. Waiting for spring already….. Have a wonderful week!
PS: just an information which might interest you, if you also promote your art via Zazzle: I stop working with Zazzle as one of my readers ordered postcards with my prints, and was very disappointed about the bad quality of the paper. I then decided only to sell my original art or original prints on demand, do the printing myself on first quality art paper and deliver a certificate of origin with it.
Lovely, your pianoplayer painting! This gives hope for better seasons to come.
You are so right about januari the longest month of the year so i have decided to take my holiday next week.
XXXm
Martine, I imagine you lost in felt next week:)
Andrea, I love this painting. It is so Paris! Capturing those people in the cafe and the piano player is brilliant!
My last trip to Paris was exactly 3 years ago and I remember those sales – and even enjoyed some of the deals myself. That year it was warm, though. We had our winter coats and couldn’t wear them during the day. I miss my trips to your wonderful city, however you have taken me back in a very special way with wonderful views through your very special eyes! Thank you, my friend!
Your work is so beautiful!
Kim, I hope we’ll see each other in Paris next time, and then it should be warm too, so that we can sit outside in one of those cafés! Thanks for your motivating comment, I love to share Paris with you. The thing is that I can only post one post a week like this, as these drawings and paintings are not done in an hour, but I really appreciate the slow and thorough work for now.
Andrea, I know we will see each other in Paris next time. When we do, you can share YOUR Paris with me in person, and that is great motivation for me to get back there.
I know many people must think you just whip up these paintings and voila there is something beautiful from Andrea’s world. It is not the case at all, I understand that bit all too well. There is so much to your work which is done and is not seen…that is the way with art, isn’t it? I am amazed you get one of these a week! Slow is good, but you know I believe that!
Wonderful painting, Andrea, and an informative post. Thank you for the “heads up” about Zazzle.
May the year ahead be full of creative moments and joyful adventures for you both.
Patricia, thanks and I wish you the same, creative fullfilment and happy encounters!
Happy New Year. the moment you have shown us here is warm even if the temperature is not. I was going to ask you about Zazzle but you are a step ahead of my thoughts. LOL. Must be all the new fine clothes. Winter in Connecticut is being Winter, for years it was wet cold freezing rain but this year snow, snow, snow more tonight. I will bath in the warmth of your paintings and wait for spring. enjoy pjc
Happy new year Peter, thanks for your smiling comment:) and oh, we have snow here now too! It is brightening the world.
i,m allready dreaming of summer seeing this andrea:-)
xxx
Me too, Klaproos, but first of all I dream of spring, comes March I become another person with more energy:)
What alovely image!
Feels like being in the centre of it….
Yesterday we ate real French cake. Someone at out tennis club always brings it from France. We had the cake and drank Champagne.
I live in a lane which is called Driekoningenlaan , I call my husband and 2 kids the 3 kings. I just love the whole thing about it!
Hello Marianne, living in Driekoningenlaan with 3 kings, have French cake and Champagne, that looks like a lovely life to me:)
Andrea, So sorry about missing this post. I didnt know it was posted. I guess my link isnt working anymore.
)
Its lovely. The painting. I understand the work that goes into a painting. Thats why I dont post much or post them as I go. Oils take so long to dry and move on. Look forward to more of those snow pix.