Browsing the auctions in Provence this weekend I came across this wonderful mid-century oil painting of an innocently sweet St. Tropez harbor. I love this genre of painting.. naive, color-saturated and slightly impressionist paintings of the south of France depicting a simpler time before color TV and cell phones, the internet and Twitter. I've collected a few of these and love them dearly. I'd like to bid on this one. While daydreaming about what I'd do with this lovely painting, I designed a possible room to house it. Take a look!
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note all the old wooden sailboats in the harbor in the fifties... today there are speedboats and
huge yachts lazing in the sea around St. Trop.. but this painting shows a simple and more
innocent time, before the jet-setters discovered this sleepy fishing village and
Brigit Bardot filmed "And God Created Woman" here (banned in most theaters in
the US at the time it was released in the 60's) |
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Lotus Flower wallcovering by
Studio Printworks is the
perfect background for this
painting... with lots of white
space and the fresh linear
design, the painting will
be able to breathe yet be
surrounded by beauty also |
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Indian Sand by Little & Greene
is the perfect paint color in a high gloss
for the trim and fireplace |
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Secret Shell by Little & Greene is the perfect color for painted floors in a high gloss |
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Inner Shell by Little & Greene is
another great pink to use for
trim and accent colors |
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two more beautiful paintings up for auction from the fifties of the
area surrounding St. Tropez in the South of Provence..
these are of the Var coastline and remind me
so much of the time we lived there |
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stunning fabrics I would use for window coverings and for tablecloth/cushions... the top is from Osborne & Little I think (cannot remember for certain, sorry!) and the bottom is the perennial favorite of Kelly Wearstler trellis |
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adding to the 50's vibe is this wonderful Eames era
cattail floor lamp in the iconic color of the
fifties... turquoise! I found this on eBay |
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a very quick and simple sketch of how I would use the
different elements in the room to show the painting
off to its best advantage.. what do you think?
pretty colorful, non? |
After all that daydreaming I decided it might be time to go fix something lusciously lemony for my husband for dessert... and found this recipe at Cote Maison... even the French are looking for easy recipes these days!
Tarte Citron au Fromage
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
125 g of butter cookies
125 g of graham crackers
125 g butter
1/2 salt
300 g of fresh cream cheese
1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
1 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 packet of gelatin
PREPARATION
1. Place the gelatine in a bowl with cold water.
2. In a blender, cut the cookies into crumbs. Melt butter in saucepan or microwave. In a bowl, mix the crumbs and melted butter until mixture is sandy.
3. Butter a large pan with removable bottom (diameter 25 cm approx.). Divide the mixture of biscuits, press the bottom of a ramekin to properly mix the dough. Make up the edges slightly. Place in the fridge.
4. Take the lemon zest finely with a knife zester; reserve in half for decoration by placing them in the fridge in an airtight container. Squeeze half the lemon.
5. In a small saucepan, heat lemon juice, remove from heat and fold in the gelatine so they are dissolved.
6. In a mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese. Gradually add condensed milk, vanilla, lemon juice and half the zest. Beat until smooth.
7. Pour the lemon cream over the dough and place it back in the fridge for at least one night.
8. Take out 20 minutes before serving and garnish with remaining lemon zest.
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although I must admit Mlle. Bardot probably
didn't indulge in too much of this
luscious Tarte Citron au Fromage
by the looks of these photos of her
on the St. Tropez beach in the 50's!
do you love those outfits.. you could
wear them quite chicly today |
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St. Trop harbor today, with this little map showing
it's command of the Riveria to the east |
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