The Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley in France has immaculate gardens, exquisitely designed and carefully maintained, delighting the eye in every direction. In addition there is a prolific flower garden with blooms destined for the château. In every room and corridor there are fascinating flower arrangements, every bit as interesting as the furniture… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #120: Flower Arrangements
Category: versailles
Happiness as Anarchy #108: Dress Up Parties
If there’s one thing I love more than dress ups, it’s dress up parties. This evening’s opening party for Daniel Kneebone‘s ‘Alice-ism‘ (part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale) was a dress up event, and boy did people dress up! There were queens of hearts, rabbits, mad hatters, and all kinds of other fabulous creations.… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #108: Dress Up Parties
Happiness as Anarchy #94: Unsolicited dress-ups
I popped along to the Foto Biennale opening this evening in Versailles costume (doing a little promo for the next show on the 20th September in Ballarat). I was lucky enough to find my favourite after hours loading zone park outside Karova (heavy rock venue), where there was quite a queue of young people dressed… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #94: Unsolicited dress-ups
Happiness as Anarchy #88: A Tuned Piano
It’s only fitting to talk about pianos on day #88 (because pianos typically have 88 keys). I was fortunate enough to play tonight’s gig on a little baby grand that was tuned yesterday. Not only that, it was in a beautiful room with a lovely audience. Seems the very definition of harmonious.
Happiness as Anarchy #87: Cultural Change
It tickles my fancy when I play a Sarabande that at one stage it was illegal. Bach’s Sarabande – the one I play is part of the fifth French suite – is a beautiful, restrained piece of baroque keyboard music. It doesn’t get much more refined that this in the classical musical world. However …… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #87: Cultural Change
Happiness as Anarchy #84: Fixing dripping taps
If there’s one way to feel a sense of accomplishment, it’s through successful plumbing repairs. Today I successfully changed the washers in not one, but three dripping taps. I am filled with a sense of achievement and a new calm permeates the house in the absence of drips interrupting the aural environment. If only my… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #84: Fixing dripping taps
Happiness as Anarchy #80: Sewing
I’m making an 18th century costume for my new show, Les Femmes de Versailles (The Women of Versailles), which has its first outing next weekend in Castlemaine. The dress has been quite a process – making hips, a giant skirt, stomacher (the fluffy bit that covers the front), jacket, and ruffles, lots of ruffles. I’ve… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #80: Sewing
Happiness as Anarchy #71: Sleeping like a log
There’s something very satisfying about waking up feeling like you’ve slept well. I never get enough hours, but I love it when I’m physically exhausted and wake up in exactly the same position as I went to sleep in. As though I fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow and I didn’t budge… Continue reading Happiness as Anarchy #71: Sleeping like a log