Art Class in the French Countryside... as seen through pictures

Marchutz School of Art, Aix-en-Provence 

Mont Sainte Victoire 

the scene I chose to paint 

in the process 

clean-up

John Gasparach, my art instructor 

final product 

I hope you enjoyed my "art class as seen through pictures." I leave for Rome tomorrow! 

Keep checking for updates, and become followers.

miss you! 

A Bientot,

Molly 

France in the Fall October 2010

Aix-en-Provence in October 

As I headed home from my last class on Friday, I noticed an older man walking slowly in front of me. It was not his pace that caught my eye, but rather his French "aura." This man, taller than myself, wore a tailored pair of khaki's, a navy wool sweater and a knitted red scarf. His round tortoise-shell glasses only illuminated his thick silver mustache and rosy wind-brushed cheeks. Carrying a large wooden basket filled with baguettes and a variety of produce just purchased at the daily farmer's market, the gentleman was probably walking home to "reposer" in his French abode. I could not quite pinpoint the man's age, but I had to guess he was somewhere over 65. Trying to guess this man's age led me to ask myself the question: I wonder if he is being effected by the recent reforms passing through the French government. He did not seem to be upset or disheveled due to the recent riots taking place all over his country. This man, however, was relaxed and moving on with his everyday life- similar to most of the residents I have seen here in Aix-en-Provence. Over the past three weeks France has been in a state of crisis trying to pass a bill changing the retirement age from 60 to 62. I have seen two protests in town, but what I have seen does not even compare to the riots reported in cities like Paris, Lyon and Marseille. The gravity of France's political situation became clear to me when I traveled to Marseille for my required study abroad immigration doctors visit. In light of this retirement age controversy, I have been reading articles in the news about government employed workers striking and abandoning their jobs in acts of protest. When we pulled up to the immigration office in Marseille, it was apparent that the garbage collectors were one of the government-sponsored groups who were striking. Piles of trash lined the streets and were taller than some of the students in our group. All of the bus companies were on strike as well, and we had to take the metro home to Aix. These strikes were a major inconvenience and health hazard because of the trash. I am happy the strikes were much more subtle in Aix-en-Provence. Our trip last weekend had to be cancelled due to extremely violent riots in Lyon, France. Massive groups of young students were protesting by vandalizing stores and schools. The police had to suppress the masses with tear gas two days before our scheduled weekend in Lyon. Mainly, it is groups teenagers and young adults who are most enraged by this two year bump in the retirement age. It made me wonder if these kids really foresee themselves being too weak at the age of 60 to continue on for two more years. I read an article by a 14-year-old French girl with the title "what does trashing my school have to do with the retirement age." Another article read, "The French are merely bored." It has been since 1968 when the country of France last came to a major standstill. Luckily now though, my host-mother, Danielle, showed us the newspaper this morning with the main article stating, "the French troubles are over." I think that the government's next battle should be reforming the law passed by Napoleon III around 1848 stating that workers were allowed to riot and protest... Just some food for thought.

Fountain in Aix-en-Provence 

This Fall I have seen so many different fashions and trends that separate American and French styles. The French women and men alike sport all different types of Birkenstock sandals. That was one of the first trends I noticed when I first arrived in France in September. I was confused why all the men and women I saw were wearing all the same shoes. Boots and high-heeled boots are very popular in Aix. There seem to be more shoe stores here than clothing stores. Coming to France, I was nervous about the legendary chic "French Fashion." Everyone told me that the French women dressed with great sophistication and always wore black. The women I see here in Aix, I think dress a little different than the women walking away from a show at Paris Fashion Week. I remember the women in Paris wore very high heels and designer handbags. In southern France the women and men dress for practicality more so than making a fashion statement. The women here do not only wear black, but they do accessorize very well with different scarves, boots, glasses, hats and jackets. I was so worried about wearing the 'right thing' in France before I left America, and now I realize the French are just as practical as we are at Sewanee on cold fall days. Zara and H&M are extremely popular stores. The French love UGG boots also, because they are so rare and expensive here. Whenever Kathleen or I wear our UGG boots out of the house, our host-mother tells us how much she loves them. In America, UGG's are expensive, but not $350 American dollars-- like they cost in France. Who knew boots that everyone thought were "ugg-ly" in 8th grade would be such a French fashion statement. Puffy coats are very popular here as well as the very chunky knit scarves. I do tend stick out of the crowd with my Patagonia fleece and bright yellow North Face backpack... but I can live with that. 

Hotel de Ville, Aix-en-Provence 

I was so surprised to see so many dogs when I first came to Aix-en-Provence. It is rare for cities to have an abundance of Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. I usually associate big dogs with living in suburbs or in the country. Westies are also very popular here; there are a few shops around town that have these dogs as their mascots. For as surprised as I was that the French had so many dogs, I was even more surprised how many owners do not pick up after their dogs. Luckily, the street cleaners spray the streets every night, but it was still very startling at first. France in the fall has been very temperate and enjoyable, aside from the riots. I am glad that we were hardly affected by them at all. I love getting the chance to walk through the different markets and shop around. I also joined a gym. It is comical because the machines are pretty old, but it gets the job done. It has been nice getting back into the swing of things. 

Aix Farmers Market

I am off to my art class now. Hope you have a lovely fall afternoon in America, or wherever you are reading from. Carve a pumpkin for me for Halloween, because I will be in Rome on Sunday October 31st for Fall break! Kathleen, David and I are traveling to Rome, Florence and Venice for 9 days! 

So excited! 

I'll be sure to update everyone soon! 

Miss you lots! xo

Molly 

I love Brussels (october 6- october 15)

Hello again!
I apologize for the long delay. I have not written in about two weeks and there are many stories to tell. Last Wednesday, October 6th, was my 20th birthday. It was quite a busy day with three classes starting at 9am and ending around 8pm. It was strange to spend a birthday not surrounded by all my friends or family. However, it was still a pleasant birthday. Kathleen and I went to a restaurant called 'Le Passage' which was located here in Aix. 'Le Passage' was a delightful restaurant and the night was not too cold, so Kathleen and I sat outside. Later that night we met up with one of our friends, Allie, who is in the Vanderbilt program. The three of us sat at a cafe on Cours Mirabeau and people-watched for a few hours. Also, I returned home to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a note from my mom. Thank you! It was a gorgeous arrangement of red roses and pink lilies. Overall, it was a very enjoyable 20th birthday.

at lunch in Brussels

Our homestay mom, Danielle, returned Monday after her 3 week hospital visit. We are still not sure what her illness was, but we are just happy she is healthy and things are back to normal. The whole hospital situation taught me a lot about French customs. When she came home she seemed upset that we had 'made ourselves at home' and were 'relaxed.' In America we strive to make people feel welcomed and want our homes to be 'a home away from home.' The IAU program director, Dr. Chanda, explained that the French are very particular about guests in their home. I think now, that Danielle may have been embarrassed that Kathleen and I knew the 'ins and outs' of her home when she was not there to oversee our actions. The language barrier did not play to our advantage during those few days of her transition home. It was an awkward couple of days. Delphine, Danielle's daughter, was so generous and told us we could use everything in the home as long as we did not have friends over (which we did not). Delphine's relaxed attitude compared to Danielle's uptight ideals about her home shed light on the relationships between different generations in France. After a few days, everything was back to normal and our meals have been pretty good. I will admit, her strength is laundry, but we have really enjoyed some of her meals. We always have amazing salads to start and sometimes we have interesting French cuisine for dinner. She has not been eating with us because she has been tired aka "fatigue." She told us that her doctor required that she does calisthenics after her three weeks of bed rest. I think that might be a lot of work for an older French woman. I hope she will start eating with us soon just to get more experience in French conversation. We have noticed that the French woman here rarely eat and rarely work out. I think it is pretty easy to get sick when you do not have any of muscle or a strong immune system. On a positive note, in my art class we have been painting out in the Provence countryside. I have really enjoyed getting the chance to learn how to paint in France. We have gone out three times in the past two weeks. I usually set up my easel with views of Mont Sainte Victoire. This mountain was a common theme in many of Cezanne's paintings.

The Grand Place, Brussels 

For my birthday, my main present from my mom was a trip to Brussels, Belgium. When researching places we wanted to go, Kathleen and I looked up a variety of cities ranging from Zurich to London. I am so happy we chose to visit Brussels. We took an early flight on Friday morning on Brussels airlines leaving from Marseille, France. I loved Brussels immediately when we landed. The airport was so nice, clean and accessible. There were so many stores there... I wanted to start shopping immediately. (Do not worry Mom, I restrained myself.) We walked outside and all the taxi's were luxery cars i.e. Mercedes-Benz, BMW etc. I felt very special arriving at the Brussels Marriott Hotel in the backseat of a Mercedes. Even though the taxi was a little pricey, it was a great way to see the city and get an idea of where we were situated. Our cab driver was very talkative and told us the history of the city and the best places to visit. It was so nice to stay in a hotel with two big beds and fluffy seats and a television. It was very similar to all the other hotels in America, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Before leaving on Friday, Kathleen's mom told us about these articles published by the New York Times called: "36 hours in...". The New York Times tells all the best restaurants, bars and places to visit when visiting a city for 36 hours. This guide was a life-saver. After checking in, Kathleen and I went to this amazing recommended restaurant for their famous "moules-frites" which in English is mussles and french fries. The name of the restaurant was 'Aux Armes de Bruxelles' and was located on this quaint little side street. This 80 year old restaurant reminded me of 'Galatoire's' located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The rich wooden booths and chairs along with the white marble was very glamorous. We each ordered the standard fresh bucket of mussels in a white wine and cream sauce. I had never had mussels before, and I absolutely loved them. Later, Kathleen and I visited on the Grand Place which is the main square in Brussels. The town hall is located in the Grand Place along with other buildings dating back to the 10th century. In the summertime there is a famous flower show where they cover the whole square with flowers in a pattern and call it "the flower carpet." I definitely want to see that one day. All of the buildings had gold adornments and the most beautiful flower boxes. We sat at a Belgian cafe and tasted a famous Belgian beer. Brussels is known for their chocolate and production of some of the finest beers like Stella Artois, Leffe and Jupiter. It was nice to try beer with a real taste and history as opposed to what is served in fraternity houses. It made me appreciate the experience so much more. We walked around a little more then returned to our hotel to change for dinner. Another restaurant that was suggested on the 36 hour guide was a more modern spot called, 'Kwint.' We each had different entrees that were known for their truffles. The restaurant had a neat copper sculpture hanging from the ceiling that was the length of the whole restaurant. Very tired from our flight, we went home to plan our activities for the next day.

Brussels Marriott Hotel 

Brussels Market

Kathleen at Lunch... Moule-Frites

Kwint Restaurant in Brussels 

tartines at Le Pain Quotidien 

On Saturday morning, after waking up in our extremely comfortable beds, we ventured off to this breakfast spot. 'Le Pain Quotidien' is known for its brunch and has famous locations in Paris and London. When we walked in they had a patisserie in the front and in the back an outdoor restaurant surrounded by glass windows. There was an AGA (the English oven we have in New Jersey) in the restaurant... reminded me of home. Kathleen and I ordered different tartines, which are a form of open sandwiches. My tartine was so delicious, with thin wheat bread, goat cheese, arugula, pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Kathleen designed a great travel guide to all the spots we wanted to visit on Saturday. I know I always say that Kathleen is an amazing traveller, but she should seriously be a travel guide. She is an unbelievable  navigator. We first visited the 'Church of our Lady on the Sablon' which was right across the street from where we ate brunch. Known as an "Artistic Treasure,"the church is adorned with beautiful stained glass windows and archways. It was my favorite Church that we visited. We walked up to the 'St Jacques sur Coudenberg' which resembled a Roman temple but was turned into a Catholic church in the early 1800's. The 'Royal Palace of Brussels' was one of the most beautiful sites. As our cab driver explained to us the day before, it is the official palace of the King of Belgium, but he lives north of the city in the country. Though the King does not live in the Palace, he still goes in every day, using the Palace as his official office.  The 'Parc de Bruxelles' was located at the end of the Royal Palace and reminded me of a smaller version of Central Park in New York City. The 'Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule' was another stunning cathedral we saw. This 11th century Gothic church was located on the top of the Treurenberg hill and had a great view of the city. Following our schedule very closely, we took the two metro rides to the famous 'Atomium' in Brussels. The 'Atomium' was presented at the World Fair in Brussels in 1958. This icon symbolizes an iron crystal that has been magnified 165 billion times. I am happy we decided to visit this site, because I had no idea how big it was in real life. Back in our hotel room, Kathleen and I decided to go to another restaurant that was famous for its moule-frites. The meal on Friday was so amazing I was excited to see how another restaurant prepared them. Again, we chose a restaurant recommended by nytimes. Located right on the Grand Place, 't Kelderke' was known for its French/Belgian cuisine. This 17th century brick-arched cellar was filled with locals and tourists alike. We were greeted by the owner of the famous restaurant and seated within ten minutes. We ordered moule-frites with the same white wine and cream sauce. It was interesting to compare the two meals from friday to saturday night. I actually enjoyed the mussles at 't Kelderke' more because the broth was less creamy and the mussles were a bit bigger. It was a very memorable meal. Later that night we decided to go to this famous bar called "Delerium Cafe." Delerium is another brand of Belgian beer which is known for its pink elephant symbol. This bar was in the Guinness Book of World Records for having more than 2000 different types of beer. The place was filled college students from all different ethnicities. It was a cool spot because it had decals and pictures of all the different offerings all over the walls. They played all classic rock songs from America and i was funny to see the Europeans sing along to all the words.

Church of Our Lady on the Sablon 

In front of the King's Palace 

On Sunday morning Kathleen and I went to the Belgian Chocolate museum where we learned how chocolate was made and the history behind it. It was very informative and the free samples were not too bad as well. (haha). We went to go see the 'Manneken Pis' which is a statue of a little naked boy urinating in the fountain. "Manneken Pis" translates to "little man pee." It is surprisingly one of the most famous attractions of the city. They dress the statue up in little costumes from time to time, as seen below. On our walk to the comic museum, 'Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinee', we saw the hundreds of runners in the Brussels half marathon. All these finished runners were walking around the city with silver cellophane to keep warm after the race. The comic museum has hundreds of original sketches from famous French and Belgian comics such as 'Tin-tin' and the 'Smurfs.' We walked around the city and had coffee in the lobby until we had to leave for the airport. Our flight was only one hour and I actually really enjoyed our last hour or two spent in the airport in Brussels.

Manneken Pis 

Delerium Cafe 

I loved Brussels so much. It was such a beautiful city without the overwhelming and noisy quality that most cities have. The streets were not congested and it was very quiet and peaceful. All of the restaurants we ate in were so delicious and taught us a lot about the history of Belgium. Thank you so much mom for this trip. I could not have asked for a better weekend.

View of Brussels 

Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule

Atomium