Still twinning towns

Went to the Saatchi Gallery Start Art Fair 2014, where I was mistaken for a VIP (used the wrong entrance) and got a preview of the show. Rather dispiriting; its a showcase for Asian galleries and seemed to this jaded old artist to be a regurgitation of British painting many years ago only probably rather better executed. Not unpleasent - just sad.

Much more happily then caught up with Frequent Esperaza Visitor (FEV) Chris Cunningham at the Serpentine where we went for a glimpse of Marina Abramovic - see her blog on Marina at Midnight at serpentinegalleries.org
I'd never seen an artist with two bodyguards before. Wonder if you can get them on HelpX?

 Chris was on very fine form - had a great time talking about the show and then wandering through the park chattering non stop



Also there was young Max (another FEV) seen below, looking marvelous despite the recent blood extractions needed for his latest artwork. Artists today, eh...

The evening was spent gloriously with more FEV's, Vina and David from Gallery 291 in Hackney. We dealt with lifes major issues till late into the night.




All out FEV's send love and expect to be back sooner or later :)

You can take the girl out of Esperaza...

Bob and I are in London - and so, hurrah, are Max and Andrea, visiting Jude. Here we all are at Tas in London Bridge, eating Turkish food and drinking Turkish wine. It aint TyRex! All send love and expect to be in Le Vrais Esperaza soon

Sunday lunch and Vide Grenier

 Margo and Theophile came to lunch - actually they brought it with them :) - and Theo and Sylvie dropped in, assuming the role of child-careers very swiftly and efficiently.
And the vide- grenier was terrific, as they always are in Esperaza. The weather forecast was dire but the sun persisted. Here my new bathmat in situ...

....and my new lamp, ditto.What joy!!

Caught up with the gossip whilst doing the tour. It seems that missing the post-town-commerce event last night was a smart move. The meal materialised only partially and very late, allegedly for reasons that it would be libelous to write; many people drank a great deal to fill the time whilst waiting, to their deleterious cost today; there was a downpour at midnight resulting in the crowd being moved into a cellar; at least one participant was taken home by the pompiers after a fall, resulting in a deal of blood-soaked bedding this morning. A night not to be forgotten, though some of the shaky participants couldn't remember much.
Feel so virtuous.

The circus is in town, parked by the vide grenier - heres a camel, theres another tethered rather surrealy by the river along with a llama and some ponies. The camel shown here was with a camelette - a foal? Whatever, a baby - as is the lion below, only she has cubs. Very new, difficult to snap as they slept and they wont let you too near the cage.

Bizarre saturday

Esperaza has a sort-of Chamber of Commerce called OSCAR - an acronym for something I cant remember - and yesterday the town was handed over to them. Electricians, plumbers, masons, and the like vied for the opportunity to make baseless promises (you may detect the voice of a woman who cant find a plumber)
Our Kat was doing portraits in the street to general acclaim -
and here we see one company who had set up a sprinkling system (as used in TyRex) for cooling in high summer. It was staffed by an under-occupied plumber who showered anyone foolish enough to walk past.

The most popular stand was set up by the fishing association. They plonked a very large pool in front of the post office and filled it with trout they'd caught in the Aude at Esperaza. For two euros you got a rod and could catch fish - they did, too -

After this I went to swim with Andy and Lou, taking tea with Mike and Barbara (who are off today, alas) and enjoying the very pleasing company of young James, below - :) The day was rounded off with dinner at the Creperie with Kat, Leo and Toby where the laughter was immoderate.

wildlife

 idiot fledgelings are causing chaos in the house and garden - have to remember to close doors or they come in and the parents get frantic - nice to have a safe cat-free zone for them though:)
Weather broke last night in a kind-of storm, distant rumblings and flashings and a bit of rain. Cool breeze today but still sunny, so far.
My neighbour Vincent is a committed fisherman and brought me this trout from the river.
                  Heres a handy hint; never eviscerate a trout with a blunt knife.

Johns farewell

 Heres our Sian looking fairly sensational at the TyRex last night - John took me, Kat and herself for a very good dinner there. There were new people in charge though I don't know if its for good or just for the evening. We all enjoyed our food very much:)

 And we enjoyed a lovely sunset and this beautiful moon. Weather continues hot with balmy nights.

special effects

Delicious dinner at Kats last night where we experimented with the camera settings. This is called 'paint'. Not how I'd have painted it but it beats the monochrome sepia thang which is really creepy. Janey and Pam go tomorrow, John on Friday and Bob today, leaving me and Kat to look after things.

Chateau lunch and Bureau apero

 John, Andree, Bob and I had lunch at the Chateau des ducs de Joyeuse in Couisa - totally fab venue with remarkable food to celebrate Johns forthcoming birthday and Bob and my wedding anniversaire. Here is Andree telling me to put that bloody camera down, or words to that effect :)

Below neighbours Jeanette and Louis joined us for a drink - they are leaving for the Cote d'Azur on Weds., so it was a good-bye till October. Our other neighbours came too; Kat, Pete and Nel, Leo and Toby.
I'm stupified by food and wine. Exercise tomorrow.

Last few days at a glance

 The dinning table where we wined and dinned Janey and Pam and John (Bobs brother) a couple of nights ago where I forgot to take photos -

 Corynne, the birthday girl, snapped in the creperie where we ate last night -








 Two of the marquetry treasures I bought in the vide grenier in Fa today -

 Mr Rushton in the market today with Mrs Rushton

 Sylvie, spotted at the fripperie -

 Fish in the lake at the Poulet au Velo were we had a terrifically good lunch with John Marshall and his friend Hilary, new boy in town Richard, the Rushtons, plus Bob and John. Et petite moi, getting bigger all the time.

dans la rue

 Just back from Montpelier (glorious town BTW) to find new mayor addressing old mayors street changes - with a bulldozer:) He has also reopened the toilet by the station, behind TyRex, which has been closed for at least a decade. Very good move. Not necessary to post a photo but I might.

Sunday very mixed

 John joined us for lunch in the garden and brought stupendous cakes... lovely afternoon but alas, news of
 my brothers death arrived shortly afterwards and Bob and I headed for the hills; balm for the soul.

in the evening happened upon Ian - who has a new office at the end of Biekes impasse:)

 

Alas, alas...

Dr Simon St John Beer, 10th April 1952 - 1st June 2014