05 May 2013

Scene at Larvotto


Larvotto Beach at dusk.

04 May 2013

Théâtre des Muses


How adorable is this!  A tiny theatre on the Boulevard Jardin Exotique called the Théâtre des Muses.  It has 100 seats and puts on plays and comedies and gives classes in theatre for children and adults.

03 May 2013

Dusk


Last rays of the sun before nightfall.

02 May 2013

Cruise Liner


This is typical of some of the massive cruise liners that call in to Port Hercule on a regular basis.  This photo was taken from the forecourt of the Grimaldi Forum.

01 May 2013

Hotel Hermitage


Part of the facade of the beautiful Hotel Hermitage, overlooking Port Hercule.  This was taken from the terrace of the Restaurant le Saint Benoit.

30 April 2013

Blake - Fixing the supports


We're back at Blake's Monaco studio today.  Here he is fixing the metal rods that will hold the various parts of the sculpture together.  When this is completed, it will be sent to the foundry in Italy to be cast in bronze.


29 April 2013

Mulberries


We're in Cap d'Ail today at the Pointe des Douaniers.  The restaurant, Le Cabanon, is behind us, the car park off to the right - Monaco is to our left.  I think these are mulberry trees - they form a wonderful horizontal canopy of shade in summer.  I'm not sure of the name though - perhaps someone knows?

28 April 2013

The Yacht Club of Monaco rises ...


The new Yacht Club of Monaco is getting nearer and nearer to completion. As you can see it's beginning to look like a yacht iself. It's due to be finished at the end of this year with a grand opening in summer 2014.  You can see another photo by clicking on the link. The design is by Lord Norman Foster.

27 April 2013

Bistrot le Bouchon


A table is being prepared at Bistrot le Bouchon on Avenue Princesse Grace.  Super ambiance, good French bistrot food. You can check their 17 euro menu on Facebook each day (click link).

26 April 2013

Bikes


A bike is a good way to get around when you crew on a yacht - or if you own one ...

25 April 2013

The Buzz of the Port



This is a longer shot of the diveboat we saw yesterday. (see small pic) 

There's something so relaxing about wandering around amongst the boats -  look at their names, look at the reflections in the water, look at the people working on the big yachts.  You don't have to own a yacht to enjoy the buzz of Port Hercule.

24 April 2013

Dive Boat


Get the wet suit ready ...

23 April 2013

Triplets


Identical boats in Port Hercule.

22 April 2013

Watch your Step - 2


We saw this man the other day hanging over the other end of his boat - he's doing it again! Life on the water ... in Port Hercule.

21 April 2013

Lunch


Pizza delivery.

20 April 2013

Telling Tales: The Art of Creating Stories in Images and Words


Yesterday was the 5th and last day of a superb Photography/Writing Workshop in Monaco called:
 
Telling Tales: The Art of Creating Stories in Images and Words

With Nick Danziger, award-winning photojournalist, author and documentary filmmaker and Rory MacLean, best-selling author.

It was fabulous, inspiring, exhausting - we each worked on a specific project and left with the tools to put it into practice.  This is probably the only course where writing and photography are combined. It was such a privilege to be taught by and work with Nick and Rory - they really cared about us and our projects and that we should learn as grow as the course progressed.  Do click on the links above to read about the work of Nick and Rory.

There will be another workshop, I believe in September, in Monaco, so if anyone gets the chance, I'd say --- don't miss it!   Click on the link where you'll find contact details to reach Nick. Note - the workshop is in English.

Thank you Nick and Rory for a truly great workshop.

And thankyou to my fellow participants, wonderful talented photographer Tiziana from Monaco who cooked a regu to die for one evening.  To Jon (that's going to be a wonderful book!)  and Claire from the UK and her photographs representing poetry and to beautiful Elisa from Hongkong who has an old soul and will enchant us with her future work. 

The first photo was taken by Nick Danziger.  The one below by me.



19 April 2013

Watch your Step!


Port Hercule

Careful, Monsieur ...

18 April 2013

Stars 'n' Bars - Legs Eleven


Well, not quite eleven, but isn't this fun. 

17 April 2013

Cloud Roll


We have the most glorious weather at the moment but suddenly, a couple of days ago around 10h30,  this low cloud rolled in and hung just above the water.  And then it went ...

16 April 2013

Blake - the Wax Creation


Today Blake is pouring warmed wax into a mould that is the beginning of a new Angel creation.  Later he will join the delicate pieces together along with internal rods to hold the sculpture together.  Then it will be sent to the foundry in Italy to be cast in bronze. We'll see more of these processes another time.

Click on the link to see the beauty of a finished Angel by Blake.




15 April 2013

The Tender Touch



Such a gentle and tender touch from a beautiful young woman to a little Westie, who is lunching at a neighbouring table at Bistrot le Bouchon.

14 April 2013

Blake - and Bling



It's always such a treat for me when celebrated Canadian sculptor Blake invites me to his Monaco studio to take photos of work in progress. 

In the main photo, you see Blake's assistant, a sculptor herself, applying gold leaf to the interior of this sculpture in his new series, Phantom.  The first in the series, 'Phantom Sky' was exhibited at the recent Monaco-Japan exhibition. (see photo below)

Blake has written about the Phantom series:

'We have gone Las Vegas!
Bling has entered into the realm of the Phantoms!

This new series of sculptures place great value on the interior space within us, it is an exploration of our inner selves and the ideas of our emotional and spiritual psyche. By bring the interior to our attention I place a high value on this area of our intellect and emotional being, by covering it in gold I add physical, symbolic and material value to the work.'



13 April 2013

Instant Summer


Miami Plage, Larvotto

We seem to have suddenly gone from a long wet, chilly winter to instant summer - notice I'm not complaining.  This guy is preparing mats on the beach.

12 April 2013

Cherry Blossom 2


Cherry blossom in Monaco. Yesterday, we saw it from a distance, set against the backdrop of the sea.  Today, up close and personal.

11 April 2013

Cherry Blossom


Cherry blossom outside the Japanese gardens on Avenue Princesse Grace.

10 April 2013

People Watching ...


Walking the dog ...

09 April 2013

La Note Bleue - Anemones


You'll always find beautiful flowers on the bar of La Note Bleue on Larvotto Beach. Here - bright red anemones.

08 April 2013

Could this be Spring at last?


After all the rain and wind and chilly days, this was Monaco yesterday - glorious sunshine that made us all wonder if spring has finally arrived.

This photo shows the far end of the beach - in the background you see Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and beyond that Menton and Italy.

07 April 2013

Eze Village and Cap Ferrat


I walked down from the village and along the Moyenne Corniche to get this shot.  Although I was quite a long way away, the 24-70 mm lens did pretty well.  The strip of land you see out to sea, is Cap Ferrat. Someset Maughan used to  love there.  in 2012 Cap Ferrat was named the second most expensive place to live in the world - after Monaco!

06 April 2013

Eze Village - Donkeys


These two donkeys are usually to be found half way up the main slope that leads to the village. Presumably this is their winter grazing - it's just below the village.

Let's hope the restaurant behind them doesn't decide to serve donkey in their 'brochettes.'  As if ...

05 April 2013

Eze Village - Restoration


All the streets in Eze village are beautifully restored like this. It really is an enchanting place - although my personal preference is for a more authentic, and dare I say it, less touristy village.  You are more likely to bump into a foreigner in Eze than a Frenchman - certainly in summer. But of course that is because it is so beautiful and it draws the visitors. And of course without the appreciation of its beauty it might never have been restored - and crumbled as other villages have -  so there are always two ways of looking at things. Like life ...

This archway includes the entrance to the gorgeous Chèvre d'Or.


04 April 2013

Eze Village - Pause Café


This bar/restaurant is just inside the archway that leads to the old village.

03 April 2013

Eze Village - Grab the Moment!


Any work that needs doing in Eze Village involves lugging the materials and the tools up the narrow streets and then lugging everything, including any waste materials, back again.

As I walked up this little street, the guy with the beard who is plastering under the sign 'le troubadour' looked right at me. He has a marvellous face and I should have taken his photo at that moment but I thought I'd do it on the way back down.  But by then he'd gone. Grab the moment! Applies to everything in life, doesn't it?



02 April 2013

Eze Village - The Old Auberge


This  wall with its wondrous colour and worn out sign never fails to entrance me.

01 April 2013

Eze Village - Notre Dame de l'Assomption 2


The interior of the beautiful Eglise Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption in Eze Village.




31 March 2013

Eze Village - Notre Dame de l'Assomption




A corner of the beautiful neo-classical church of Notre Dame de l’Assomption which was reconstructed between 1764 and 1778 after the original fell into ruin. It was classified as a National Monument of France in 1984.





30 March 2013

Eze Village - the view from the Chèvre d'Or - 2


Can't resist showing you more photographs of  the restaurant of the Chèvre d'Or.  How's this for a view of St. Jean Cap Ferrat whilst enjoying a wonderful lunch or dinner. Flowers by Perrine.

29 March 2013

Eze Village - Reflection at the Chèvre d'Or


We're back in the restaurant of the Chèvre d'Or today, looking at tables and the silver sea reflected in  this engraved glass.  Lovely isn't it?  And on the right one of Perrine's flower arrangements.

28 March 2013

Eze Village - Sun and Shade


Thick walls, narrow streets - they knew how to build a village in medieval times to create shade and so protect themselves from the sun.

Talking of sun ... where is it?  Yet another rainy day here.
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