A Taste of Philadelphia

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I hadn't been to Philadelphia in so long that I couldn't even pin down the date, but when I heard about the Impressionists exhibition at the Art Museum, and its focus on their indefatigable cheerleader and art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, I knew I had to go. This was bound to be something different.



It absolutely was. I'd been enjoying those painters since elementary school on and Sunday visits with my parents to the Metropolitan in New York, but I had no idea that Durand-Ruel worked so feverishly to push their art in France and the United States. He was their champion, and it's no exaggeration to say that he discovered them.



I took the advice of someone at the museum and had a 4 PM ticket. The galleries weren't crowded--just as she had predicted. So I had plenty of time not just to enjoy the Renoirs and the Monets, but to read and absorb the informative wall placards that took me through his life and career. There's a stunning room of Monet's Poplars but my favorite painting of his was more meditative, a portrait of his wife, perhaps because it matched my mood (I was nursing a migraine).



Following Durand-Ruel's story through the galleries, I was astonished at how heroically he worked to get the Impressionists exhibitions, to sell their paintings, to make them known, loved, and even famous. He risked bankruptcy more than once, and his efforts were Herculean. Fun fact: The American painter Mary Cassatt offered to lend him money at one point....

You probably won't need the audio guide. There's more than enough information on the walls and you can study and appreciate the paintings without someone telling you what to look for--unless that's your thing of course.

My dinner wasn't French-themed, but close. I ate at The Rose Tattoo Cafe not too far away, which takes its name from the play by Tennessee Williams. It's one of the most unusual restaurants I've ever eaten in. The two-story main room suggests NOLA's French Quarter with its wrought iron balconies and vines, creating a romantic, subdued, relaxing, quietly festive mood. The staff was friendly and helpful with the menu, and I got there early because I wanted to make sure I could take photos without bothering diners.










My meal was everything I could have hoped for, starting with unique seared Provolone and a terrific South African Riesling which I stuck with because it was so good. The seared scallops were served with fingerlings, sauteed leeks, and smoked bacon in a creamy sauce to die for. I'd go back for both dishes any day. Fine food, great art, what an afternoon and evening!





Lev Raphael's 25 books in genres from memoir/travelogue to mystery can be found on Amazon. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.












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