68th Grand Prix de Monaco - Flavio's Force Blue

This is former Renault team boss, Flavio Briatore's little runaround. Following the Singapore scandal in 2008, he was banned from working in F1 until 2013, but he's been given special permission this year to enter the paddocks at the Monaco Grand Prix.

Force Blue is 207.5 feet long. The former owner was Roy Speer of the Home Shopping Network.

It's often hard to get a side view of the bigger super-yachts in Monaco's port as they are moored tight up next to each other but I happened to be in the port the other day, whilst there was no other boat alongside Force Blue. The guy in the smaller photo was whizzing about on his little craft organizing where boats were to be moored, checking papers and so on.

I'm off to the Grand Prix today - photos tomorrow.

68th Grand Prix de Monaco - Getting past the Barriers

Monaco is encased in steel. Above you see the barrier to just one apartment building on the port - we are at the rear of Palais Heracles. If you click HERE you will see the ticket that everyone needs if they are to enter any building along the race circuit. Your name must match that on the official list held, in this case, by the two ladies you see above.

This is where I'll be going on Sunday to see the race - 11th floor and overlooking the Start/Finish line. Lucky me, eh? But don't worry I'll take pics to share with you on Monday. Don't forget to watch it on television - there is no Grand Prix race like the glorious Monaco Grand Prix.

In the other photo you see one of the barriers in the casino gardens. Obviously these gates will be closed early on all race days.

68th Grand Prix de Monaco - Flower Power

All roads lead to the Principality of Monaco this weekend for the 68th Grand Prix. We are at the roundabout at St. Roman which is where Monaco meets France on its Eastern border. I'm standing in Monaco and photographing France (most obvious in the smaller photo)

And to greet the visitor, why a Formula One car made of flowers, of course.

ART MONACO - the Kiss

Last day at ART MONACO although we may pop back from time to time as there is more fascinating art to show you from this fabulous exhibition. We are leaving because it's Grand Prix time!

I don't know the name of artist whose work is shown above, but I recall all his paintings featured Spiderman - presumably that's Brezhnev being kissed?

In the photo below you see the glorious work of the Armenian artist, Vahram Davtian. This is called Red Circus. This artist is represented by the Noah's Ark Art Gallery in Lebanon.

ARTMONACO: The Lady with the Fishnet Tights

All the art displayed today is represented by the Cain Schulte Contemporary Art Gallery in Berlin. In the top photo you see snippets of the work of Lars Theuerkauf and in the smaller photo and the one below, you see the paintings of Chris Leib.

The lady with the fishnet stockings was a visitor.

ARTMONACO - Girl with the Fish in her Hat

She intrigues me - I love this painting - and so wish I knew the name of the artist. I thought I was being clever by photographing the signature but it's impossible to read. If anyone knows, tell me and I'll credit the gallery and of course the talented artist.

P.S: Thanks so much to Robyn Gordon of ArtPropelled who told me that the artist is Lisa G and the painting is called The Black Ribbon. You can visit Lisa G's blog to see more of her beautiful work, by clicking on the link. Thanks Robyn! Lisa G is represented in France by Galerie d'Art le Cameleon in Antibes.

ARTMONACO - the Discussion

The night of the vernissage. Is one the artist and one a buyer? Is one the owner of a gallery and the other the artist? Will we ever know?

ARTMONACO - Living World

This is a small portion of a large sculpture called Living World Series by the Taiwanese artist, Ju Ming. It was bought to ARTMONACO by the Kalos Gallery in Taipei, Taiwan.

ARTMONACO - Three Glasses of Wine

Two men, three glasses of wine. I'm sorry but I don't know the artist - not shown in the catalogue.

ARTMONACO - the Art of Roman Shustrov

I loved this sculpture. In fact I loved everything on offer by this Antibes Galerie d'Art le Caméléon.

This sculpture is by the Russian artist, Roman Shustrov, and is made of papier maché.

ARTMONACO - Reflections at a Vernissage

Opening night conversation.

The freak waves of two days ago have done a ton of damage along the coast. 10 metre (33 feet) high waves between Cannes and Nice. Click HERE to view the waves and damage in Monaco.

ARTMONACO - the Visitor as Art

Sometimes those viewing the art are as interesting as the art itself...

ARTMONACO - Bruce Denny's Interaction

As you walk towards these shiny figures you think they must be ice sculptures or at the very least glass, but in fact they are made of an unbreakable substance (I forget the name). Bruce Denny is a British sculptor, living and working in London. You can read more by clicking on the link.

The small photo on the left is the one I hoped would work but it is not as sharp as I wanted, hence using another as the main shot.

ARTMONACO - Waiting

The majority of these paintings are by the young Russian artist, Nikolai Blokhin who is represented by the Downey Gallery in Sante Fe, New Mexico who brought his work to Monaco.

The young lady waits - it's early. Later, the V.I.P visitors will arrive and her wait will be over.

The Historique Grand Prix

We're leaving ARTMONACO just for one day, as it's time for the Historic Grand Prix. This is held every two years and is always two weeks before the famous Formula 1 race. The atmosphere for the Historic is brilliant - everyone is relaxed, the cars, of course, are wondrous. I wandered around the paddocks the other day photographing the cars as they were being unloaded.

In fact I was photographing the green car in the main photo when he stopped and asked me to unchain the area where I was standing so he could drive in and park. I was happy to do so...

It's race day today. Vroom vroom.....

To meet, Neo - a dog who has travelled from Switzerland - he's with the Fancy Racing Team - CLICK HERE.

Theme Day - Statues: the Giant Dwarf

We're at ARTMONACO, a fabulous exhibition currently taking place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. 70 galleries from 52 different countries are presenting 2000 works of art.

This piece, a wooden sculpture, is called Giant Dwarf by the Turkish artist, Yasham Sasmazer. Yasham was born in 1980 in Istambul where she lives and works. The sculpture was brought to Monaco by Berlin Art Projects who represent her. Unlike the dwarf, Yasham normally sculpts children. Quote: 'Sasmazer’s wooden sculptures are life-sized, realistic depictions of children from somewhere between a dream and a nightmare.' It's worth clicking on her link to read more about her somewhat unsettling work.

To see statues featured by other City Daily Photo bloggers from around the world please click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

ARTMONACO - the Living Sculptures

Last night was the opening of ARTMONACO in the Diaghlev Exhibition Hall at the Grimaldi Forum. This is a 35-thousand square foot space and is displaying 2000 pieces of contemporary art from around the world. And last night 'le tout Monaco' was there and it was the best fun, meeting up with friends and seeing some amazing art. All the usual suspects were there, of course - Picasso, Leger, Chagall, Warhol but also aboriginal art from Australia, photography - for example, David LaChapelle's Last Supper was on display. I'll show you one or two examples over the next days.

First tho, we were greeted (last night was the V.I.P evening) not only with champagne but by a living female and male sculpture, both painted gold. Is she posing with her parents in shot below?

Top Marques - the Lazareth Bike

Lazareth is a French company that makes bikes and what they call 'derived vehicles.' They will also make an out-of-the-ordinary vehicle with 2, 3 or 4 wheels to your specification. Every bike or vehicle is fully built and assembled by hand. Click HERE to read more.

Top Marques - the $1 million Luxury Armoured Car

You want an armoured car? You want a luxury armoured car? Let me introduce the Prombron (it used to be called RussoBaltique) and is made by Dartz, a Latvian company that has been making luxury armoured vehicles for VIPs for over 100 years. It is the oldest armored car brand in the World. Lenin's famous 1917 speech was given from a RussoBaltique armored car. Other famous clients include Trotsky and Tzar Nicolas.

At previous Top Marques exhibitions in Monaco, the leather interior of the Prombron was derived from the penis of the whale - the inspiration for which was Aristotle Onassis' yacht Christina O, which had bar stool seats made from sperm whale foreskin. Happily, after massive protests including one led by Pamela Anderson, Dartz now use artificial leather and are promoting a Save the Whale campaign on their rather bizarre website - take a look HERE.

This is a $1 million plus bullet proof vehicle with gauges encrusted with diamonds and rubies, and even an exhaust system made from tungsten. It has gold-plated, bulletproof windows and even bulletproof wheels.

Just what we need to pop down to the supermarket...

Top Marques - Loris Capirossi's 1934 Ford Coupe

No prizes for guessing this is my favourite car at the show. It was tucked away in a corner, no signs, no notices. I asked someone nearby for information and was directed to the far side of the exhibition where I talked to the UK Racing team and learned that this gorgeous car is a 1934 Ford Coupe, totally restored as you see. It's owned by the well-known Italian motorbike champion, Loris Capirossi. Loris Capirossi lives in Monaco hence the local number plate.

Top Marques - Razor Red!

Supercars and photographers go together. Here is one of the more interesting photographers - I love the red ensemble: hair, skirt - even the bottle top! She was photographing these two cars parked outside the Grimaldi Forum.

One is an PPI R8 Razor GTR based on an Audi A8. Former racing driver and race commentator Ellen Lohr drove the limited-production car during the show. Coincidentally I used to look after Ellen's dog, Bob, which has nothing to do with anything really...!

Top Marques - the Shoes and the Atomik

Remember the small white car we saw yesterday - you see it again in the smaller photo - it's the Atomik which I gather is a Fiat 500 electric car. Then I noticed the shoes...

Atomik Cars unveiled this electric all-wheel drive version of the Abarth 500 at Top Marques. Running as an EV, the car travels from 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. It now goes into a limited-series production of 50 units.

The publicity for this car shows it photoshopped onto the moon but no one quite knows why. 'Fly Me to the Moon' I suppose - and of course wearing these shoes.

Top Marques - the Little Cars

Here we are with the little cars - the Mini, the Brabus and the Atomik. I thought the last one was a Fiat which shows how much I know!

Top Marques - the $52,000 Golf Cart

This is Garia's Soleil de Minuit and is advertised as 'the most expensive golf car ever made by a manufacturer.' It's made at Valmet Automotive in Finland, which is where the Porsche Cayman, Porsche Boxster and Think City are made.

Aside from the pedigree, the golf car features a built-in refrigerator, a carbon roof, two-colored hand-stitched luxury seats, alcantara roof lining and an exclusive personalization program where you can have the Garia painted in your favorite color or matched to your other car or cars.

The cost $52,000 or 39,000 euros. Let's hope your golf is as good as the cart!

Top Marques - the Decorative Lady

Helmut Hartung in Andorra built this rather strange car that goes really fast (300 km/h). The seats he got from a wrecked Boeing! Helmut is the owner of a German company famous for its high quality motor cycle helmets.

He had the right idea tho in promoting his dream: two pretty girls draped over the car all day which meant it was constantly surrounded by photographers.