Travel Notecards

Monday, 3 December 2012

Carrick Hill, Adelaide, South Australia; welcomes Australian Artist Jeffrey Smart

If any of you are heading to Adelaide, South Australia any time soon (or even if you are an Adelaidian for that matter), now is a great time to visit the gorgeous English Manor style house known as Carrick Hill Estate.

This majestic former home of the Haywards was built after two of Adelaide's most prominent families came together in marriage, Ursula Barr Smith and Bill Hayward. It is situated only 10 minutes from the centre of the city and upon completion in 1939 became one of the Hayward's four homes.

Much of the oak panelling found throughout the house was purchased by the Haywards at a demolition sale of an English mansion in Staffordshire, England.

Ursula and Bill Hayward were prolific art collectors and lovers, and many of the artists whose work fills the house were their close friends...Artists such as Nora Heysen, Sir William Dobell, Donald Friend and Sir Russell Drysdale.

French and British art also grace the interior of Carrick Hill, as well as some of the finest 16th to 18th century oak furniture found anywhere in Australia, including a carved oak panel from France dating back to 1600.

Now until February 24th is the perfect time to visit Carrick Hill as it is currently housing part of the Jeffrey Smart exhibition, 'Master of Stillness'.

South Australian born Jeffrey Smart has been described as 'Australia's iconic master of the urban vision' and one of Australia's most important modern day artists.

The exhibition is showing concurrently across two venues in Adelaide, Carrick Hill and the Samstag Museum at the University of South Australia. Together these venues feature over 60 of his works from 1940 to 2011.

Carrick features his early work produced in Adelaide during the 1940's, while the Samstag is showing work Smart produced from 1951 onwards in Sydney and in Tuscany where he is now living and working.

Master of Stillness will also be making its way to Victoria, touring to the TarraWarra Museum of Art in Healesville, December 21 to March 31, 2013.

Carrick Hill Estate

46 Carrick hill Drive

Springfield

©Copyright Millie Brown 2012

Friday, 9 November 2012

La Butte aux Cailles; a village in Paris, France

La Butte aux Cailles, celebrated for it's street art
Check out Miss.tic's art here

My recent stroll through the streets of La Butte aux Cailles area on the left bank in the 13th arrondissement of Paris was not my first, however it was the first time I was lucky enough to have crossed paths with Jean-François.

La Butte aux Cailles, once a working class suburb of outer Paris is now known for its contemporary art scene as well as its rich history and hip atmosphere.

If its your first visit to La Butte aux Cailles head to see Jean -François in his store Paris-Mythique before you hit the cobbled streets of this quaint yet quirky area of Paris. (Directions below).

Not only is Jean-François a great source of information, but his shop Paris-Mythique stocks fabulous books, guides and maps to both Paris and La Butte aux Cailles, as well as books on the artistic community whose street art decorates this now inner 'village' of Paris.

Grab a map and ask Jean-Françpois to direct you to the best of this art as well as other points of interest.

He can also fill you in on some of the historical stories of the area, including the first ever human piloted hot air balloon flight by François Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes, they landed the balloon right here in La Butte aux Cailles (not far from Place d'Italie) in 1783.

Some of the most interesting streets of this area are; rue de la Butte aux Cailles, which is the main 'strip' and where you will find most of the cafés, bars and restaurants, a great place to chill out for either a drink or a meal, rue des Cinq Diamonts, rue de l'Esperance, rue Daviel and Villa Daviel for its tiny village houses.

The eclectic 'Station Arret Faculatatif'

Shopping

Station Arret Faculatatif
For the eclectic and incredible; you may even find that stuffed bat that you have been searching for all your life, or maybe just a tiny slipper for some wall decoration.
10 rue de l'Esperance

Les Abeilles
A world of honey; you could spend hours in here tasting every type of honey imaginable, from orange to the Tasmanian leather wood. Or maybe its a cough elixir or a mosquito repellent you are after. Fabulous!
21 rue de la Butte aux Cailles

La Clarière
An Atelier where the owner creates and sews beautiful old world nightgowns, childrens wear, and other gorgeous creations from vintage French linen. There are also brocante items such as divine french plates. A charming and wonderful find in this equally charming part of Paris.
8 rue de l'Esperance

Directions to Jean-François and 'Paris-Mythique'
Get off the metro at Corsivart (line 6), head over the street and you will see stairs heading up the hill, climb them and you will reach rue des Cinq Diamants, Jean-François is at no 43.

If a guided tour of the area is more your style, then Jean François is also the person to organise it for you.

I think you'll love La Butte aux Cailles!

Millie xx

Monday, 5 November 2012

The village of Gorbio in Hipstamatic

Gorbio sits perched in the steep hills high above the mediterranean sea.

Charming, tranquil and narrow medieval streets, doorways dating from the 6th to 17th centuries, ruins of a 13th Century chateau......

it's all in the details.

How to get there;

No 7 bus from gorgeous Menton, or better still take the car (if you have one).

Map of French Riviera

Millie xx

Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Beach and Picasso anyone? Culture and art, Cote d Azur, France

It's not all just sea, sun and beach fun on this gorgeous stretch of the mediterranean!

This area of France drew to it many great 20th Century artists; Picasso, Chagall, Renoir, Matisse.....amongst others.

They came, saw, stayed and made their art, and because of this the coast is dotted with many wonderful museums brimming with their masterpieces.

So throw off that beach gear, clean the sand from your toes, and soak yourself in some French Riviera culture.

Musée Matisse

164 avenue des Arènes de Cimiez

Nice

Musée des beaux Arts

33 avenue des Baumettes

Nice

Musée National Marc Chagall

Avenue du Docteur Ménard

Nice

Musée Picasso

Chateau Grimaldi

Place Mariéjol

Antibes

Musée Renoir

chemin des Collettes

Cagnes sur Mer

Millie xx

Related Reading

(available for sale on this site via Amazon)

Matisse The Master: A life of Henri Matisse: The conquest of colour 1909 - 1954 by Hilary Spurling

Marc Chagall, 1887 - 1985: painting as Poetry by Ingo F Walther

My Life: Marc Chagall by Peter Owen

Renoir: His life & works in 500 images by Susie Hodge

Related Reading

(not available for sale on this site)

Life with Picasso

Françoise Gilot

Picasso my Grandfather

Marina Picasso

Picasso's War

Russell Martin

Essential Picasso

Laura Payne

Renoir's Table

Previous posts on the Cote d Azur

Hotel Welcome in Villefranche sur mer, France

Find a Spa, Cote d Azur, France

Institut de Français, Villefranche sur Mer, Cote d Azur

Villefranche sur Mer, France; The early morning swim

Charming fishing village of Villefranche sur Mer, Cote d Azur, France

Menton, Cote d Azur

Anjuna Plage Privée & Papaya Beach, Cote d Azur, France

Some downtime in Villefranche sur Mer, France
Walking the coast of the Cote d Azur
Still walking the Cote d Azur

Sunday, 28 October 2012

Charming 2 and 3 star hotels, Cote d Azur, France

Gorgeous Plage du Buse, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Monte Carlo is in the far background.

When you walk into a 2 star hotel you know it is not going to knock your socks off in it's creature comforts, but basic hygiene and cleanliness should be a given, no matter what the star rating. Unfortunately this is not always the case, and I've come across some pretty horrid ones in my time!

So, while recently visiting some of the smaller 2 and 3 star hotels on the Cote d'Azur, I 'braced' myself for the usual disappointment,....however, I am happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised....each one of the hotels listed below was charming, spotlessly clean, well positioned and importantly the reception was warm and friendly. The staff were more than happy to show me their various rooms and facilities, and I was even invited to prolong my visit for a glass of champagne at one of them!

Recommended 2 & 3 Star Hotels on the Cote d'Azur

Beaulieu sur Mer

Hotel Riviera (2 star)

Hotel Select (2 star)

Hotel Frisia (3 star)

Villefranche sur Mer

Hotel de la Darse (2 star)

St Jean Cap Ferrat

Hotel L'Oursin (2 star)

Roquebrune Village

Hotel Les Deux Freres (2 star)

(Note the above hotel in Roquebrune has a 50% discount for the 2012 / 2013 winter season). For a room with a divine view book room no. 1, not large but the view sure is)!

Note; I have been advised by some of the hotel proprietors and the tourist office that the star classification for hotels in France is to change and hence the stars given to the above hotels were given prior to July 2012 and may be subject to change within the new classification regulations.

Cleanliness is next to Godliness...I'm all for that! (especially in hotels) :-)

Millie xx