Aix = Apricots

This was going to be a post about the marchés in Aix. Instead its a study of the color apricot/abricot. You never know...

Aix is such a warm beautiful town in Provence.

There are many areas with no tourists...especially if you get lost

Just you and the warm, apricot architecture.

Une homme toute en abricot presque...

An apricot pup visiting SALON COTE SUD. Next year I will wear apricot too

An apricot wall inside Cezanne's house from a year ago. I'm in good company ;))

I fell in love with this apricotish wall on rue Mazarine a year ago. I went back and its still as beautiful.

This year I painted it.

Voila.

The apricot view out my window, over the central marché at Place Richelm, after climbing 5 tortuous flights.

Rows and rows of apricot houses...

Rows of tarte d'abricot at Salon Cote Sud

These unforgettable, apricot gents line the Cours Mirabeau. A don't miss!

An exhibit of French artist, Nicholas de Stael's Provence paintings was on at musée HOTEL DE CAUMONT. Plenty of delicious apricot here.

Drop-dead gorgeous color blocks of slathered paint to blow you away. My first encounter with his sumptuous  work. On till Sept 28. Don't miss it if you visit Aix.

Back out in the street more warm, toasty colors.

I didn't expect to fall so hard for a Paul Boulangerie pot of apricot jam on the Place. After numerous visits, I succumbed and it tasted damn good. Don't ask why I left the half-eaten jar behind, thinking it would be so easy to find in Paris. Not! Only mini-sized jars so far. Clearly I'll have to go back to Aix. The new June pique-nique letter is on Etsy. Get French abricots in your mailbox. Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast.  If you liked this post please share with another Francophile.

Bonne Week-end

Salon Cote Sud - Aix 2018

Last year I missed out on SALON COTE SUD AIX. Not this year. And it was the 20th aniversary to boot celebrated with their own sparkling water.

Its always a bright, uplifting 4-days of color, color, color. Here BENSIMON shows they do more than shoes.

The architectural, decorative fair is always held in Aix's Parc Jourdan - Avenue Anatole France with 260 exhibitors onhand to entice you.

I fell hard for these gypsy floral prints.

From VENT DE BOHEME.com sold totally online. I'd happily do my whole place in their pink roses.

BLOOMON.fr delivers fresh flower bouquets with vase to your door monthly from the Netherlands lasting 10 days. I ordered one. Report to follow.

Natural fibers, straw used inventively

More color, more pattern. All giving off positive, summery vibes.

À table! Everything for the right Frenchie atmosphere.

The Talents area displays the latest from the hottest French designers.

So playful.

This year I was not going to miss out on the miles of savory/sweet tartes from JOUVAUD LA MAISON.

I ate lunch early to miss the lines.

A plethora of sweets, ice creams.

',

I loved FRUIDORAIX.com perfect illustration of what exactly the famous Aix calisson consists of - a base of 46% melon confit! Their candies have varied flavored icing on top - citron, framboise, abricot, pistache, cassis, all provençal flavors.

Like all of Aix, SALON COTÉ SUD's centerpiece in its refreshing fountains.

Aix, once a roman spa town, is home to over 100 fountains! Have you been? It's Cezanne's home too. A must if you love Provence. More Aix-en-Provence to come. Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors are on Etsy. Let me know if you'd like to receive Paris in your mailbox. Cheers, Carolg

David sent me to La Tete dans les Olives, not cheese shops

When I asked DAVID LEBOVITZ where he got the anchovies for his fabulous Pasta Puttanesca recipe, he said go to LA TETE DANS LES OLIVES, 2 rue du Coedic, 14e.

Mission accomplished last Saturday. What a delightful epicerie! Pick out your Sicilian olive oil.

Taste everything in the shop. There's an open jar of whatever you like. Definitely try the crema de pistachio.

Every Monday the famous Sicilian lemons and other fresh vegetables are delivered. I figured while there why not get a bite?

The blackboard offered 5-6 different antipasti (7,50€). Idiot moi, I said, "I'll have the antipasti" forgetting to choose. I was thinking the lentil salad with tuna and pecorino sounded nice...

Instead I got capers, 2-3 kinds of eggplant and some other mysterious condiment, all tasting wonderful. Bread is home made on the premises. Its probably best to leave it up to the chef anyway.

I left La Tete dans les Olives with a 350 gram jar of anchovies that should make lots of David's pasta puttanescas. You don't have to refrigerate it - they're preserved in salt. Its too big for my tiny Frigo.

On the corner of rue du Couedic and Avenue du General Leclerc I had spotted a huge china shop.

Irresistable. Three floors of goodies.

Et pas cher!

Naturally you think at these prices everything must be made in China. Not at all. M.P.Samie china is all made in Limoges. The red coffee cup said take me home. I did (2,50€).

A good way to get through chilly Paris winters is with a red-checked table cloth. The new red cup will assist.

I was going to do Paris cheese shops for the June map

But on second thought that seemed silly.

Parisians love nothing better than to picnic by the Seine at the earliest opportunity. I see them out there daily.

First the thumbnail doodle. Second what do they eat?

By the way, if you're around, you can attend a grand pique-nique at Domaine Chantilly, June 23rd.

Voila! The June fruits of my labors. I recommend for your picnic the Brie de Melun from MOF fromager, Laurent Dubois. I'm off today to pique-nique in Aix-en-Provence at COTE SUD SALON VIVRE. More to come. Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors are available on Etsy. Let me know if you'd like to receive Paris maps in your mailbox. Cheers, Carolg