Summer in Paris

Oh frabjous day. Calloo callay! In the breezy 70s today after super hot Wednesday when it hit 100.

Lots of happy tourists cruising the Seine.

I never realized how many bags people carry/wear in this town till I started drawing them. Three is the norm. Be prepared.

Metalic sandals are IN. Preferably in gold. Golden running shoes too are hot.

Kenzo has hand-painted cartoony dresses for Summer in Paris.

The Nerides counter in Galeries Lafayette is featuring The Three Bears this summer...

They also have 'fascinator' hats as the British call them, for weddings and other celebrations.

I guess a pineapple summer bag is a must-have.

Or you could carry a bag of cherries and share.

Tomate de cerise will do. Tomatoes are fruit ya know.

Speaking of fruit, new perfumer, Candora has grapefruit and red fruit aromas along with ginger and rose in their new shop on 1 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe.

A plethora of pinky Rosés are out. How does one choose? They are all beautiful if you buy according to the prettiest label, which is how women are supposed to buy wine!?

The coolest drink this week was at Il Gelato del Marchese. Bubbly water + mint leaves + lemon and cucumber slices + ice cubes.

Serve yourself some perfection.

I tasted their avocado + ricotta gelato. Double perfection.

How are you staying cool during the heatwave. 

Is it true you should drink hot liquids instead of cold?

A little more Amsterdam

Dank je (thank you) again to HOLLAND TOURIST OFFICE for inviting me to visit Amsterdam last week.

Such beautiful cheese and so many opps to taste..

Tulip bulbs in the Flower Market

Of course waffles.

Speculaas with an A. In Belgium its spelled with an O FYI. They both shared Flanders at one time, home of the spicy, gingery cookie impossible not to love.

Amsterdam's gingerbread houses. Even easier to love.

By chance I wondered into the Begjnhof enclave. I saw flowering trees down a dark entryway (door on the right) and popped in. Best way to make discoveries when you travel is follow your intuitions.

160 canals and counting in Amsterdam

My canal watercolor..

Endless bikes.

The famous herring place

Exactly in front of the famous SEAFOOF BAR.

I had to run in for a bowl of their inimitable lobster soup (made from the shells).

A stunning display of legs and claws but no time to linger. The train was waiting.

I grabbed a tram forgetting they move slow as tortoises.

With just two hours to explore after the Small Wonders exhibit, I grabbed a pedi-cab to get me halfway to Central station. Bumpy ride but fun.

A beautifully carved old facade on one of Amsterdam's narrow pedestrian streets.

To-die-for beautiful Copperplate calligraphy in Amsterdam's shop windows. I've taken calligraphy up again the last 6 weeks to make your envelopes prettier, but there's a long ways to go. Practice, practice, practice. I hope you enjoyed a little more Amsterdam. I hope I'll get back again soon! Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast.  If you'd like to receive Parisbreakfast letters and maps in your mailbox, stop by my shop. You can now do 'guest checkout' without registering.

Bon journée.

Small Wonders, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

On Thursday I was invited by Holland tourist office on an 'up-and-down' trip (same day go-return) to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.  We would see two new exhibitions. One on Middle-Age micro-carved Miniatures, SMALL WONDERS. For a closer look - go to Small Wonders.nl The other exhibit on new Photography of the 19th century. Lunch first at restaurant RIJKS, creator of many small wonders like this green gazpacho. 

Surprise desserts at Rijks, recently awarded a Michelin star.

The museum's restaurant is not at all small and situated in the facing courtyard.

With a secret back door that takes you directly inside the museum.

Newly renovated in 2013, the interior is full of natural light and airy in contrast to the outer architecture.

Going up the stairway to the new exhibits I was surprised by flower-like lights that 'bloom' open and shut while moving up and down.

Just in front of a beautiful case of china.

Inside Small Wonders - these 16th century Dutch micro-carvings can be the size of walnuts.

Often referred to as prayer nuts, they come from the Delft workshop of Adam Dircksz.

Astonishing. Exactly the size of real peapods. Each pea opens to reveal the life of Adam and Eve. See the link under the first picture for a magnified view.

The display rooms are high ceilinged and wide

Yet designer Aldo Bakker has found a way to make a large space intimate

You are drawn in and focus all your attention on these exquisite small objects. Many fit easily in the palm of your hand.

If you live in Toronto or New York, Small Wonders Exhibit has been in your city.

We were lucky to have curator Frits Scholten who brought these 60 pieces together and knows all their stories, show us through the exhibit.

Mostly devotional objects, these were treasured and passed on as family heirlooms, so their condition is excellent. A tiny magnifying glass was only recently discovered hidden in this box.

I was enthralled with this little bust. These objects are all carved from Boxwood from Picardie, a very dense, very fine wood that does not easily splinter.

A carved bead! The figure pops up and down out of the head.

Saint George and the dragon lent by the Victoria and Albert museum.

Curator Scholten said, "l have studied many dragons." 

If you get to Amsterdam please see the SMALL WONDERS exhibit on until 17 September. And do not miss the rest of the RIJKSMUSEUM either. Or the green gazpacho at restaurant RIJKS! All bucket list material.

Here's a small Paris chocolate bowtie for Parisbreakfast fathers out there.

Do you want more Amsterdam? 

Please say so in the comments below.