Lunch at La Collective Parisienne

Bill and I discovered the restaurant La Collective Parisienne by accident, while strolling though our beloved Marais.

Now we feel the pride of ownership. A Toronto friend rephrased this for us. He said, "Is that your local?"

Bill had noticed a menu written on a window. The food looked interesting and the price of a three course lunch was 12 euros. We went in and were invited to sit.

Nice place. Airy. We arrived at noon and were among the first to arrive. Within a half hour the room was full.

Later, we learned from the internet that the place is staffed by its members: a combination of professionals and volunteers. That might account for the improvisational air.

A first course of zucchini in vinaigrette. Simple and good.

On another day a first course of tomatoes in vinaigrette, enlivened by fresh herbs and dried flower petals.

Bill and I never tire of watching chefs at work.

Claude plating today's main course: chicken on rice.

And here is the main, set before me, on its pretty plate.

Another main: merguez (North African) sausages with an Israeli stew. That's a poached egg on the right.

For Japanese Day, last Friday, another member became chef, cooking a main of marinated tofu with mushrooms.

In a small room, with tables close together, it is easy to fall into conversation with adjacent strangers.

Blessed is the meal that ends in coffee.

Another pretty plate bearing a small slice of spice cake sprinkled with powdered sugar and flower petals.

One day recently was Italian Day. We conversed in Italian with our server. When I went to pay, she cautioned me, "Don't go. We have a surprise."

A regular customer, a professional singer, stood and belted out a stirring rendition of 'O Sole Mio', to rapturous  applause. Lunches to be continued.

How to Visit Rome

Bill and I have just finished a guidebook to Rome. It is in the form of a blog consisting of nine posts. We've been working on it for years. When we visited Rome this past spring I had a list of photos that we needed. I got them. This has been a labour of love. Hope you enjoy it.

    H O W   T O   V I S I T   R O M E

Link to Part One: Start at the Pantheon

B. R. Ammazzate in Rome

When Bill and I are walking in Rome we always keep an eye out for graffiti by B. R. Ammazzate.

I feel a spark when I see one of his drawings of a Euro bill,

or a drawing of a name. Note the small-case "t".

Or one of his phrases: Non credo. "I don't believe."

Or one of his signatures -- the "t"s like crosses. When we posted his work in 2017, his nephew wrote and told me the artist's name is Enzo Romano and that he lives in Palermo.

One morning Bill and I were climbing Via Rasella to get to the Barberini and I noticed an Ammazzate head.

And another head a few steps on.

So Ammazzate was here before us and left us this trace.

Two Ammazzate faces, in context, placed at eye level.

Looks like someone tried to erase this one and gave up.

Because the one on the right is undisturbed.

Continuing up Via Rassela, I've not seen an Ammazzate like this one before.

Here is the face.

Love at first sight with this face, further up the hill.

Right at the top of the Rasella. We're at the museum.

We'll leave you with this lovely drawing from Via del Gesù,

and what we think of as an Archaic Smile, found on Via del Vaccaro, near Santi Apostoli.

* * * *

More Ammazzate: 

Link to our first Ammazzate post, 2017.

 

Bill Viola in Rome

The recently renovated 17th century Palazzo Bonaparte situated in Piazza Venezia is now dedicated to art and sculpture.

The palace was bought by Letizia Bonaparte, Napoleon's mother in 1730.

John and I spent an enchanted morning in the palace in June looking at Icons of Light: a retrospective of works by video artist Bill Viola.

Entering we encountered a copy of a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte as Mars the Peacemaker by Canova.

Mr. Viola has magic in his videos. In Observance, 2022, he presents a line of mourners (?) viewing something disturbing: a victim of violence, a perpetrator?

In The Greeting, 1995, Viola interprets Pontormo's Visitation: a painting of Mary, pregnant with Christ meeting Anne, pregnant with John the Baptist.

In Ascension,  2000,

the artist  films a man plunging into water

and then rising up in a kind of apotheosis -- all in extreme slow-motion.

Water Portraits presents three figures submerged dangerously under water.

John took a seat in a room with four large video screens. Let's look over his shoulder at two of four Maryrs.

Martyr: Fire The martyr sits in a chair 

while he is enveloped in flames.

Martyr: Water

The martyr is pulled up by the feet

through a torrent of water.

The only other light in the rooms is the gentle illumination on the decorative frescoes.

On the opposite wall we see the Martyr: Earth.

The film is shown in reverse so the dirt is seen to fall upwards, freeing the figure.

It was stunning to re-enter the brightness of Piazza Venezia with the Vittoriano framed in the Bonaparte entrance.