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04

May

We’ll Always Have Paris

by Meredith Mullins on May 4, 2020

We’ll always have Paris.
© Meredith Mullins

Travel Inspiration in Times of Change

“We’ll always have Paris,” said Humphrey Bogart, melting hearts as he stood on the Casablanca tarmac and said a final goodbye to Ingrid Bergman.

That memorable film line became a metaphor for a cherished time that remains in memory no matter what the future brings. Such a thought seems particularly relevant now . . . in times of COVID.

Those of us who live in Paris—or who seek travel inspiration from the City of Light—take these words literally and metaphorically. We will always have Paris.

As Hemingway said, Paris stays with you.
© Meredith Mullins

We have its history, monuments, artistic pulse, café charms, fine cuisine, lush gardens, haute couture, open markets, cobblestone streets, romantic bridges, and delicate light. The memories are alive.

Visions of Paris stay in our memory.
© Meredith Mullins

But change is one of those life constants. At the moment, for our own health and the safety and health of our fellow humans, we in Paris are in confinement. We are allowed to venture out for one hour a day, and our path is limited within one kilometer of home.

These regulations, now in the seventh week, inspire self-reflection and a change of life rhythms, with almost-daily “Oh, I See” moments.

Two questions rise to prominence.

  • What do I miss about Paris during confinement, even though I’m here?
  • What new discoveries have I made because I have had to change my way of life?

The magnificence of Paris gardens in years past (Jardins des Bagatelles)
© Meredith Mullins

Five Things I Miss About Paris During Confinement

 

1. The Arrival of Spring

The confinement orders came just as spring was beginning its burst. No matter what the winter weather, spring always arrives right on schedule at the end of March. Buds open and fill the air with remembrances of past springs. Barren trees become leafy in a visible fast-motion timelapse.

Memories of past springs, with vibrant color in all parts of the city
© Meredith Mullins

This year, the famed Paris gardens and parks were off limits, so my vision of spring was realized with the few blossoming trees or sprouting flowers within my Île Saint-Louis neighborhood.

A purple paulownia peeks through from the closed Square Barye
on the Île Saint-Louis—a reminder that spring is here.
© Meredith Mullins

Still, with so many sunny days in a row, there was no doubt that spring had arrived.

A moment of spring on the west end of the Île Saint-Louis
© Meredith Mullins

2. Music . . . Everywhere

On most days in pre-COVID Paris, I didn’t have to walk far before I heard a musician. The street artists are in the long metro tunnels, under historic arches, and on the romantic bridges.

Musicians are part of the fabric of street life in Paris.
© Meredith Mullins

Now, the streets are silent, except for an occasional balcony musician, decibel-heightened radio, or pianist practicing at home, the sound muffled through the walls.

An echo of muted music
© Meredith Mullins

The world is eerily quiet. Don’t get me wrong, I love the quiet. But the world needs the universal power of music.

Missing music in the streets of Paris
© Meredith Mullins

3. The Cast of Characters

Who would have thought that I would miss the crowded metros and buses of daily life in Paris? But I do.

Could I really be missing the crowded metros and buses?
© Meredith Mullins

The long rides were my time for random thoughts and endless character study. The cast of characters is diverse—every face holds a story.

The fascinating faces of the Paris metro
© Meredith Mullins

Now, I just watch the empty buses zooming by, keeping to their schedules. And, for reasons I can’t quite explain, I try to remember the varied (mostly less than noble) smells of the metro since I haven’t been underground for months.

Bus drivers are well protected on the nearly empty buses.
© Meredith Mullins

4. Café Life

Café life is the heartbeat of Paris. You meet friends. You stop at undiscovered cafés when you’re wandering. You dash in for coffee at a zinc counter or linger at a terrasse table while reading Proust or writing poetry. It’s just what you do.

Café life—the heartbeat of Paris
© Meredith Mullins

Now, I look at the stacked chairs and the closed curtains and wonder  . . . when.

Le Lutetia on the Île Saint-Louis: temporarily closed for business
© Meredith Mullins

5. The Art of the Flâneur

The concept of aimless wandering is a part of Paris culture. Many writers have mentioned its infinite rewards. Getting lost to find new paths and hidden treasures is one of the best ways to explore Paris.

The art of Paris wandering offers endless treasures.
© Meredith Mullins

At the moment, we cannot wander too far. Next week, we will be given more range to roam, but any kind of expedition must still be done with caution, not with full-fledged freedom. It will be a while before the art of the flâneur will return in free-spirited form.

Many undiscovered paths await the flâneur.
© Meredith Mullins

Five Things I Discovered During Confinement

Even living within the one kilometer confinement radius, the world continues to expand. Not just with the tsunami of internet culture, but with the new discoveries on the daily one-hour walk. Little by little, the world presents itself in new ways.

1. Taking the Time to See

I have discovered more about my Île Saint-Louis neighborhood during confinement than I have in the 15 years I have lived here.

Detail at #51 rue St Louis en l’Ile, one of the historic Hôtel Particuliers
© Meredith Mullins

Confinement time warp is a luxury. I have stopped to look at the door carvings, the plaques proclaiming personalities past who lived in this building or that, the historic streets and 400-year-old buildings, and the hidden courtyards and sculptures.

The St Genevieve statue on Pont de la Tournelle (by Paul Landowski, who was also the sculptor of the Rio de Janeiro Christ statue)
© Meredith Mullins

I had walked by these things many times, but I had never really stopped to see.

2. The Rhythms of the Neighborhood

Since I have spent every day at home, I have become more in tune with the rhythms of the neighborhood. I feel like an ancient settler, trying to predict the path of the moon or the movement of the tides by repetitive observation.

 

The regular rounds of the Republican Guard . . . but now on empty streets
© Meredith Mullins

Now, I know what times of day the Republican Guard clip clops along the island streets. I know when the grocers take their breaks. And I see the empty buses cruising by at the same times each day, since there is nothing to deter their schedule (no traffic and no delays for people climbing aboard).

Our ultra-safe Île Saint-Louis grocer Abdel
© Meredith Mullins

3. The Peace of Empty Streets

The cityscape changes when people are removed from the equation. Now, everything can be seen in its purest form . . . and in solitude.

The quiet of empty streets
© Meredith Mullins

4. Reflections on the Seine

The Seine river has been very quiet. There are few boats, so the surface is calm. The water so clean, you can see bottom.

It seems no one has ever seen the bottom of the Seine before.
It can be done.
© Meredith Mullins

As a result, the reflections dance in a whole new way.

Pont Louis-Philippe: Reflections on the Seine
© Meredith Mullins

5. The Taste of Berthillon

Last, but not least, I admit that I am slightly addicted to Berthillon ice cream, which is a tradition of the Île Saint-Louis. The main Berthillon store has been closed—deemed “nonessential” by the city.

However, last week, a window opened offering Berthillon ice cream cones. It was an odd sign that “normal” might not be too far away.

Berthillon is back! The light at the end of the tunnel.
© Meredith Mullins

To all the OIC Moments readers, stay safe, healthy, and sane. Travel inspiration can come in many forms during these challenging times. And, as you see . . . we’ll always have Paris.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/France (Paris)

13

Apr

Virtual Traveler— A Journey of Note

by Meredith Mullins on April 13, 2020

The New York Philharmonic pays tribute to front-line healthcare workers. (Watch below.)
(Courtesy of New York Philharmonic/YouTube)

The Healing Power of Music and the Performing Arts

Much of the world has been “sheltering in place” for a while now. Some of us have lost count of the days, and, in fact, might not even be sure what day of the week it is.

Our exotic travel consists of taking the garbage out or exploring a closet that we haven’t visited for years.

As a result of this change in our daily life, we are becoming expert virtual travelers—happily wandering the rabbit hole of the Internet.

The arts find a way to build community in times of struggle.
© Meredith Mullins (in collaboration with Opera Fuoco)

The good news is that artists and arts organizations are providing a rich offering of music and theatre when we most need it. (See also last week’s OIC for the opportunities offered in visual arts.)

More importantly, the arts seem to be bringing us closer together (metaphorically speaking, of course) in a time when the spirit of community has never been more important.

Music Gives a Soul to the Universe (Plato)

The power of music, whether at home or in the concert halls of the world, is a universal force. In these “stay-at-home” times, distance has not stopped the music. The virtual traveler is invited to just sit back and open ears, eyes, and heart.

The virtual traveler can be transported from the comfort of home.
© iStock/Martin DM

Musicians and orchestras around the world are performing . . . from their homes. The virtual performances show how much music means to the musicians . . . and how much it can mean to us, the audience—a message straight to the soul.

Bolero was a popular choice among orchestras, as the New York Philharmonic (watch below) and the National Orchestra of France (watch here) both chose this dramatic Ravel piece for their first virtual performance (a good steady rhythm to keep everyone in sync).

The New York Philharmonic dedicated their performance to the front-line healthcare workers who are risking their lives every day.

If video does not display, watch it here.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra reminded us that spring is here, even if we can’t breathe it in, with Copland’s Appalachian Spring (watch it here).

The Norwegian Arctic Orchestra paid tribute to their native son, Edvard Grieg, with a Praeludium from the Holberg Suite (watch it here).

A rare look at each musician’s part in the whole
© iStock/bizou_n

And the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra brings it home with Hang on Sloopy, the official rock song of Ohio (watch it here). Let’s all hang on.

With all of these virtual orchestras, it is a rare privilege to see the musicians highlighted as individuals. We better understand how they play their instruments and how each instrument’s part is interwoven into the whole.

Music is a unique art, where much can be layered in each moment. This new form of performance helps us to feel that special quality.

Virtual Voices

Choirs and choruses around the world are reinventing their way of performing during this time when physical concerts are not possible.

The Camden Voices, a choir from the U.K., found a new way to stay in touch with a virtual performance of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors. Their celestial harmony and song lyrics like “Show me your smile” and “Just call me up cause I will always be there” are particularly meaningful in these times of isolation and stress.

If video does not display, watch it here.

We are also serenaded by singers around the world, who have taken advantage of YouTube and Instagram to provide a song a day to keep our spirits up or a live mini-concert from home.

For example, listen to Rufus Wainwright (watch his quarantunes here) or Keith Urban (watch here). And if you’re a New Yorker missing one of the iconic Washington Square Park street musicians, know that Colin Huggins, a regular in that park, has moved his mobile piano indoors to continue to provide his music (watch him here).

For that often-needed humor, creative musicians and YouTube masters are offering some lockdown parodies.

If video doesn’t display, watch it here.

If video does not display, watch it here.

The Digital Stage

The Kennedy Center is streaming performances from the archives on the corona-safe digital stages of YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Don’t miss:

If video does not display, watch it here.

Lincoln Center’s online offerings include concerts, pop-up classrooms, dance, songs, puppetry, and paper weaving.

The center is also sharing a selection of master classes from female filmmakers, including Agnès Varda, Ava DuVernay, Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola, Greta Gerwig and more.

The Magic of Performing Arts During Corona

For the virtual traveler in search of culture, here is a sampling of organizations providing solace for the soul.

If video does not display, watch it here.

A Grand Finale

As with any good musical composition, we end this collection of culture with a flourish. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Ode to Joy) is a perfect way to lift the spirits. The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra finds a way to reach our souls from a socially acceptable distance . . . and somehow gives us strength.

For me, it was as if the whole planet lent voice to that final chorus.  Oh, I see. In these tumultuous times, the virtual traveler can seek solace, connection, and inspiration through arts and culture.

We will get through this together . . . with a little help from our friends.

If video does not display, watch it here. 

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/The World's Music/Worldwide Sites

06

Apr

Virtual Traveler— See What You Can See

by Meredith Mullins on April 6, 2020

Yes, you can SEE music. Take a ride in the video below.
© DoodleChaos

At Home with Art and Culture

If you find you’re still in your pajamas at three in the afternoon, or if you have started your own bar crawl by putting a glass of wine in every room of your home, or if you have finished all of Netflix, or you have cleaned every closet … twice, STOP!

It’s time to become a virtual traveler and explore the world’s art and culture in the comfort of your home. The physical doors of arts venues are shuttered during this time of “sheltering in place,” but artistic organizations and artists are rising to the challenge.

Start by SEEING Beethoven’s 5th by Doodle Chaos, where animated line riders show you the beauty of fearless flying, flipping, and falling in rhythm, including the power of pauses between notes.

 

If video does not display, watch it here.

And keep going—it’s easy! Now, more than ever, the Internet brings the arts to you.

An at-home re-creation of “The Absinthe Drinker” (original on the left)
Can you name the painter?
© Erick Paraiso/John Pichel

Old Masters . . . and New

At this important moment in history, organizations are responding quickly to fill the arts community void by adding creative ideas for arts engagement to their other online opportunities.

To keep your artistic spirit alive and well, the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles launched an artistic challenge that has inspired people around the world. Based on a Dutch project (Between Art and Quarantine), the museum asks you recreate an artwork from the Getty collection using whatever you can find in your confined world at home. Take a look at the Getty twitter feed or the Dutch Instagram site.

The J. Paul Getty Museum challenges you to recreate work by the masters
(for example, Van Gogh’s Irises) with things you find at home.
(Courtesy of the J. Paul Getty Trust and Cara Jo O’Connell)

In addition, the Getty is providing access to art books, online exhibits, podcasts, and videos. Discover the current exhibits of Michelangelo, the Bauhaus, and Ancient Palmyra.

Virtual Visits to Museums

Although virtual museum tours were around long before the corona crisis (note that Google Arts and Culture has put more than 2,500 museum and gallery collections online), the well-known museums in the U.S. are all offering additional online culture to be enjoyed while observing your “stay-at-home” mandate. Here is a sampling.

New York’s Museum of Modern Art has temporarily closed its doors,
but has expanded its online opportunities.
© iStock/rarrarorro

New York Museum of Modern Art

The Museum of Modern Art in New York presents a new virtual art experience each week, such as exhibit openings and home movies. Take a look at the schedule, which includes upcoming exhibits of Félix Fénéon, Donald Judd, and Dorothea Lange.

You can also participate in online art projects, such as coloring the tracings of Louise Lawler. Download the drawings here, and then post your finished work on social media with the tag #DrawingwithMoMA.

#DrawingwithMoma
© Meredith Mullins

New York Metropolitan Museum

New York’s Metropolitan Museum offers a range of its publications free online for a limited time, as well as a digital digest that includes videos, articles, concerts, and art-making activities for the whole family.

Washington’s National Gallery of Art: Silent for the moment
© Meredith Mullins

National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.)

The National Gallery of Art has virtual tours and video introductions to the current exhibits (Degas and the Opera, Raphael, and Early European Open-Air Painting), as well as a tour of the highlights of its collection. The museum also provides lessons and activities for home study for all ages, including special resources for kids.

Time for art projects at home, inspired by the great art museums
© iStock/Pokec

National Portrait Gallery (Washington, D.C.)

The National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. offers seven online exhibitions. Don’t forget to visit the popular portraits of Michelle Obama, Jacqueline Kennedy, and Eleanor Roosevelt, as you virtually tour the “First Ladies Exhibit.”

Jacqueline Kennedy from the National Portrait Gallery “First Ladies” Exhibit
© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

Digital art workshops are also offered free of charge, as are coloring pages of some of the famous portraits in the collection for your own artistic expression.

You’ll find virtual tours, videos, and interviews at many other museums in the U.S., including the Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), Boston Museum of Fine Arts (featuring Ancient Nubia and Gender Bending Fashion), High Museum of Art (Atlanta), Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago (featuring El Greco), and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The new meditation: coloring. Try your hand at coloring a drawing of Frida Kahlo.
(Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery)

Oh I See: The Times Are Changing

In these tumultuous times, seeking solace, connection, and inspiration through arts and culture is a natural path. Unlike the current toilet paper shortage, there will always be more than enough opportunity for the virtual traveler to see the best that the world has to offer in this expanded community of visual arts.

Let the journey begin.

Stay tuned next week at OIC Moments to discover what the virtual traveler might find in the world of music and the performing arts.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

 

Art of Travel/The World's Art & Design/USA/Worldwide Sites

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