Cafe terrace at night

Cafe terrace at night
Originally uploaded by t-cat1

It can be quite startling; when you have admired a painting for years and then you suddenly find the scene the artist painted in real life, often decades or centuries later.
I had such a revelation recently in Arles, where I found "La cafe de nuit" - Vincent Van Gogh's "Night Cafe" depicted in "Cafe terrace at night"

On this beautiful, balmy June night there weren't as many stars in the night sky as when Vincent painted it, (September 1888) there are now street lights and cars cruise down the adjacant street.

Nevertheless, It was beautiful, and I drew in a sharp breath of excitement and recognition. I waited for the night sky to set in so I could try and photograph the cafe from the angle he had painted it. Here is my best attempt....

Life is beautiful sometimes....
t-cat x

Un jardin sur Mediterranean

Roquebrune
Originally uploaded by t-cat1

I wish photographs could also capture scent. The fragrances that hovered in the air above the beautiful gardens in Roquebrun over Cap Martin were just heavenly

t-cat x

sleepy Munchy

sleepy Munchy
Originally uploaded by t-cat1

I know I have blogged this question before, but I ponder it again and again and again....I wonder what he is dreaming about

Kirschen

Kirschen

Today I bought some cherries (Kirschen) at the Kleinmarkthalle, (Frankfurt am Main's very beautiful daily market) from my favourite fruit and vegetable stall.

I bought these cherries because of the colour. A light scarlett red, with the ombre and clarity of venetian glass. They reminded me of paintings, of snow white's lips, of the colour of a new dress I bought in the sales (that my husband still has not seen)of passion, beauty. I just had to have these cherries.

"Ein bischen sauerlich" (A little sour) warned the always pleasant and very helpful young man who is usually there every day. He pointed to some sweet cherries; scarlett and magnificent, the kind I usually buy.
"But the colour of those ones is beautiful" I replied in German pointing back to the sour cherries. So he gave me one to try. Sour it was and magnificent. Be delightful in pancakes for Sunday evening as we watch the World Cup final.

If indeed I can bear to remove them from their ornamental purpose!

Life is beautiful sometimes
t-cat x

Portraits of Paris, June 2010 107

Portraits of Paris, June 2010 107
Originally uploaded by t-cat1

t- cat has just returned from three glorious days in Paris, and before that four days in St Petersburg.

Full reports to come....
Life is indeed beautiful sometimes

t -cat x

The beauty of flowers, friendship and a lion

A very beautiful friend gave me some flowers yesterday. They are deep red (t-cat's favourite colour, red is for fire, danger, passion and love)and the flowers were still unopened buds when she gave them to me.
"Take them home" she said, "And they will open up, bloom and prosper like our friendship has. They will be beautiful"
She is right, today they are coming into full bloom, they are indeed beautiul, inspiring and welcoming, just like our friendship.

Someone else thinks the flowers are beautiful too. My magnificent lion.
He was captivated by them the minute I arrived home with them...Life is beautiful sometimes
t-cat x

Pizza shop ceiling, Volterra, Tuscany

Pizza shop ceiling, Volterra, Tuscany
Originally uploaded by t-cat1

The ceiling of a Pizzeria in Volterra, Tuscany. Eating a simple Pizza under such breath taking frescoes makes life beautiful indeed.
Buon Appetito !