Is Oscar French at Heart?

It's been two weeks since my last post, and I did promise you more pix from Paris.

Above are two versions of the same shot.  The top one is a "painted" photograph, texturized with French Kiss Textures, and the bottom one is simply a snapshot, processed in BW/sepia. I'm always amazed at how processing changes the personality of a photograph.  Both have their charm, because, after all, both are taken in Paris!!  Which one do you like better?




Meanwhile, I'm still basking in the glow of the Academy Awards.  What with "Midnight in Paris", Hugo" and "L'Artist", I'm thinking that this year, Oscar was a little "French at Heart"!!


This Oscar winner isn't French, but it has some French in it and it certainly has a French sensibility.  A friend sent it to me today, and I watched it at breakfast with two of my loved ones.  You might do the same. [I'd suggest that you watch it full screen on Youtube, preferably with a little one on your lap.]

And speaking of French films, our most recent one last night was "Avenue Montaigne".  I give it a 5!!


à bientôt, mes chers,


dawne

Chartres

wonky little house in front of the cathedral

We chose to go to Chartres on this Photo Tour, as one of our guests had studied it in school,  and wanted  to see the cathedral that was so famous.  Built around 1200, it is an exceptionally well preserved architectural tribute to the genius of the unknown architect who designed it, and to the men who built it over a 65 year span. The majority of stained glass windows are still intact, and there have been very few changes to the architecture.

  I used to teach about this when I covered the Gothic era in Art History,

["Height, Light and Pointy Bits",as my students would learn to define it. Indeed, an inordinate number of my former students still refer to backsides as "flying buttresses"!].  

I had been a few times before, but never had the time to discover what a charming town Chartres was. Interesting windows...

school boys...

sweet boutiques...

antique stores...

and tea across from the cathedral

at the cozy Café Serpente

where the owner's wife displayed her huge collection of teapots and coffee pots.  I'm smitten with teapots [being somewhat shaped like one],so I was thrilled to find this little feast for the eye.

While we were there, we stayed in the cozy farmhouse 

adjacent to this beautiful château, owned by a Russian man who visits alone for only three months a year.  The other nine months the château is empty!  Hmmmm...Do you think he could be talked into a Bloggers' retreat???

From here we go to Paris!


Oh, I'm working up my nerve to do my first giveaway!  I just won something on a blog giveaway, and I want to pay it forward.  Next time...


A demain, copaines,
dawne