Petit Dejeuner Bleu et Blanc

Bleu et Blanc Petit Dejeuner, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Usually C. and I meet at cafe Le Luco for a tea or coffee.

I've painted some of my best cups at Le Luco...

But last trip C. invited me for Sunday petit dejeuner at her place.

If you've visited Monet's house at Giverny, you can't forget his egg-yolk yellow dining room or all the blue and white porcelain he collected.C. told me her Grandmother encouraged her to start collecting mismatched blue and white porcelain when she was a girl. Some of the pieces we ate off belonged to her Grandmere...
Why does everything seem to taste better in France and look better too?
Every table setting reminds you of a Bonnard painting.
And every plate of oranges makes you think of Matisse?
One good reason is the soft, bluish, diffuse, reflective light in France...
It's not something you can pick up at your local art store.
Paris grey skies are unbeatable...
But you can start collecting mismatched blue and white china.
I have :)
MERCI C. !

Barbara Bleu 2

Barbara's Blue Cup with a Caramel Macaron, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

I borrowed this cobalt blue and white Russian Lomonosov teacup from Barbara "Bleu" to paint.

I've written about Barbara before... She plays the cello and loves all things bleu!

I used her bleu kimono as a background to take some photos of her...

Barbara looks like I imagine Colette looked...

Everything in Barbara's studio on the Ile St. Louis is blue, bleu, blau!
When Barbara plays Bach...
She of course sits in her Bleu chaise/ chair.
She takes music notes in a blue notebook witha blue pen...
The flowers in the blue vase were not blue...
Barbara paints occasionally, always in blue.
Note the blue matt and blue frame :)
I first met Barbara par hasard / by chance.
We shared an overnight couchette from Venice to Paris more than 2 years ago.
Barbara Marcinkowska is an accomplished cellist and music festival organiser.



BONJOUR Barbara Bleu!

Les Blancs...

Les Blancs, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

I noticed "Les Blancs" or whites much more in Paris this trip,

since I was searching for the perfect French plain yogurt!
Les Blancs can mean a bunch of things in French...
Just a few:
Les Blancs de echecs / white chess piecees
Les Blancs de poulet = white breast of chicken
Les Blancs Mouton = white sheep
Les Blancs = referring to white wines
You would Battre Les Blancs if you were making a Bechamel sauce...
Les Blancs des Quimper
Les Blancs = a play by Lorraine Hansberry
Painting les blancs objets is no piece of cake.
I need more practice...
The last time I showed you this shop window it was full of bleu cafe bowls.
If you can find the post you win a prize... I can't find it :(
YAY! I found it!
No wonder..it was called, "Not Macarons"!!!
They seem to always have a theme to their windows...
The shop's name is PORTOBELLO on 56, rue Notre-Dame des Champs in the 6th eme...
Close to rue Vavin

Everytime I pass this shop it's closed :(

Next time I can check their hours here :)

Desperately Seeking French Roses...

Rose Tea, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

I decided before I went to Paris I was going to seek out EVERYTHING ROSE!

Here's a few of my rose acquisitions waiting to be painted.The china rose teacup came all the way from Provence...
Naturally I kept seeing rose this and rose that everywhere I looked :)
Little girls and rose buds are an unbeatable combination!
This rose-colored pull/sweater was pretty cool too...
Ballerinas were all over Paris - this pale rose pair caught my eye...

Laduree Rose Macaron with Rose Tea, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

And not to forget Laduree's rose macarons!
These petals are from AU NOM DE LA ROSE and I didn't show you the candied rose petals or rose jelly. More Paris rose stuff to come...

The 27th New York Orchid Show

Laduree Green Boxs with Orchid, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Last week the 27th New York Orchid Show was held at Rockefeller Center..

I've been going for years but this was the first time I came home with 3 orchids!!!

Now I have to figure out how to paint them!
Look! A Granny Smith Apple green orchid...
Tell me if you know the correct name.
I don't know any names or anything about how to take care of my new orchids...
But Google will help I'm sure.

They always have an exhibit upstairs of the prize winners from The New York Orchid Society..
Downstairs they sell the plants...

Don't these remind you of the good ole' Prom days..?

A baby orchid I couldn't resist...

Not for sale :)

POMME GRANNY 2

I promised there would be more Apple GREEN Paris pictures.

When you start looking for something, suddenly it's EVERYWHERE!

Why is that?

I went for petit dejeuner at a friend's house and what was she wearing?
On rue de Renne in this housewares window...
Pylones had an apple-shaped purse in Pomme Granny green...
Here a market basket - you can be IN at all levels of chicness in Paris.
Evidently Le Petit Prince is permanently chic in his Granny Smith apple jump suit on rue Saint-André-Des-Arts.
These porte monnaie /wallets are Pomme Granny verte/ green but it was the mint green marshmallows that caught my eye in this chic rue St. Honore accessories shop...
So pretty much from neck to toe you can be garbed in Paris' hottest color.
Marie-Noelle supplied me with Apple green cars, bikes and almond dragees, so you can ride in it, sit on it, drink tea in it,
spritz yourself with it and eat it along with actual Granny Smith apples! :)

TODAY I AM ONE YEARS OLD !

Today Paris Breakfasts is...
ONE YEARS OLD!!!

I've done a gazillion things in my life.
Just to name a few, I've designed shoes in Italy and Spain and sportswear in the Orient and on 7th Avenue, I've written and illustrated travel books and a kid's book, airbrushed pharmaceutical advertising art, painted chef's portraits and jackets,made wine promotion artwork, shot special events photography at the James Beard House and for food publications...
AND I've even day-traded during the "Big Bubble"!
But none of them has been as much fun or as rewarding as posting 5X a week on ParisBreakfasts. And thank YOU for showing up and responding to my watercolors and my Paris dreams

Here's my first post- In May '05 I was given a mini assignment. While enroute to a watercolor workshop in Provence, I was to research as many Paris cafés as possible. Equipped with a Sennielier sketchbook, a non-digital camera and a Paris By Arrondissement map I set out.
Hundreds of photos and sketches later, I knew I was hooked.
After a week of 2-3 petit déjeuners every morning, afternoon snacks and evening apéros running from café to café, my head was turned around. I was not ready for pretty pink houses or the village perché of Provence.

And I'M STILL HOOKED ON PARIS!!!

The "M" Word...

Laduree Green Box with Macarons, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

I've been back 2 weeks from Paris and I haven't mentioned the "M" word once!

Don't worry! There are still plenty of macarons all over Paris. In fact EVERYWHERE I went I found macarons in all shapes and sizes.

Directly across from my hotel on 79, rue de Seine was a Champion Supermarche They have DAMN good macarons - a 12-pack costs 6.50 Euros.I bought them as still life models but they served double duty - and very tasty they were :)

These jazzy babes are from patisserie Gerard Mulot. I bought them as models, but when the vendeuse asked, did I want them in a boite/box or for right now in French, I just mumbled, oui, oui and they ended up in a sac /bag.

Later on they were all cracked and a mess, so I tossed them.

Lecon learned - never go for emporte /take-away again.

When Corey heard I'd thrown out the macs, she begged me PLEASE rescue them from the trash !!!! but I forgot. I made it up by getting her 2 Pierre Herme macarons - a rose and a caramel.

Here is the new Christophe Felder macaron book with an accompanying mac hanging in a window.
I did buy the Laduree book the first day I arrived :)

BEAUTIFUL!

Laduree Macarons with a Peonie, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

CLICK on this picture Please for a mac movie...

Marie-Noelle kindly sent me this Renault commercial called "Les Gourmandises" See LES MACARONS are EVERY WHERE !!!

FRAISE TAGADA...

FRAISE TARADA at Le Saut du Loup, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

On Palm Sunday, I met up with M. for a promenade around Paris.

The weather was unbelievably sunny and every single Parisien was outside,

occupying every single cafe seat

and every single spot on the grass at the Tuilleries gardens.

We escaped into the Musee des Arts Decoratifs nearby to have tea.

This picture from Le Saut du Loup's website shows their streamlined, geometric, black and white dining room. I want to set the scene here...

When the super, elegant tea arrived, alongside came this triangular-tray contraption laden with free goodies, and the conversation turned to candy memories.

Besides sugar cubes and rock-hard so-called "chocolate chip cookies" was

FRENCH PENNY CANDY!

Back left - pink La Guimauve (marshmallows).

And on the front right are the reknown FRAISE TAGADA!

These strawberry-flavored marshmallows are as loaded with memories for French kids as Proust's Madeleine.
M. says the "tagada" part comes from the imagined sound of horse hoof beats
ta-ga-da, ta-ga-da, ta-ga-da
Haribo created Fraise Tagada in 1969 -1 billion of these candies are sold per annum in France!
Immediately after, I kept seeing Fraise Tagada everywhere!
The candy stall pictured above is at the Odean Metro station.
And at the candy shop, BLEU DANS L'ILE, with the huge array of caramels...
Here they're being sold on the Pont Neuf
Forget the view!
Take a good look at the penny candy

All kinds of stories lurk in these penny sweets.

My 1st travel excursions at age 6-7 were to Anthony's Drug store in Elkins Park to puruse the stacks of penny candy. That was when penny candy actually cost 1 penny :(
My search for adventure has never ceased since those days, thanks to penny candy :)

Here's a funny thing about France, bourne home to me last trip.
The French are unafraid to be exceedingly silly!?
Our concept of them as the ultimate in chicness went right down the drain
Or rather I'll suggest they can be supremely, chicly silly when they choose to.
I showed you all their silly Easter shenanigans...
Here a top French pastry chef, Christophe Felder ( his new book is on macarons) demonstrates how you can use Fraise Tagada in a sophisticated cocktail!
And he's got a cookbook creating more recipes from penny candy!

For the absolute heights of silliness and not to be outdone by Lindt's Gold Bunny car, here is Renault's Twingo covered completely in FRAISE TAGADA!!!!
Now I ask you,
What do you make of that?
Pretty silly, non?

CARAMBAR Caramels..

CARAMBAR , watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Over tea with M. at Le Saut du Loup, the conversation turned to the penny candy M. ate as a kid. "CARUMBA" caramels were a favorite of hers, or so it sounded to me...

A day later while killing time to go visit Barbara Bleu, I spotted this bonbon shop, BLEU DANS L'ILE

The vitrine/window said,

DELICES ET SUCRERIES DES REGIONS DE FRANCE... ET D'AILLEURS
Translated loosely it means, delights and sugary sweets of regional France and elsewhere...

I asked the owner if she had CARUMBA caramels?

She corrected me, You mean CARAMBAR caramels?

Oui, bien sur!Et voila - a sort of caramel Tootsie Roll...

This tiny shop was packed with all kinds of other caramels!!!
Vanille, Fleur de Sel, Beurre Sel, Chocolat, Cafe, even in pop form... Oh my...
You ask why the blurry picture?
Your knees would be shaking too in the midst of all this caramel!
MAJOR YUM! To illustrate what a BIG caramel fan I am, years ago I used to attend the Lotte Berke Excercise class on 67th street. The entire 1 hour class I fantasized rushing over immediately to Bloomingdales to buy some Dalloyau caramels.. And I did too! REGARDE!/ look Caramel mice!!!
DO NOT DARE TO ASK IF I BOUGHT ALL THESE DELICIOUS EXAMPLES!
I did buy a pack of CARAMBAR and entrusted them to Barbara to give to M.
She immediately started munching away on them!? HUMPH!
I have a feeling M. never saw a single CARAMBAR :(
Please visit the CARAMBAR site for some giggles.
And you can buy CARMABAR right on Amazon! No kidding!

Marquise de Sevigne Chocolat

Box of Marquise de Sevigne Chocolates, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

I mentioned last week, that when C. emailed me in Paris to please bring her back some French chocolate, my immediate response was no, no, no!

I bring back only EMPTY choco boxes to use in my still life watercolors...

But the last minute...

After all Marquise de Sevigne Chocolats shop is next to my hotel on 62,rue de Seine.

Before heading out to CDG airport I stopped in for a little box...

Everything is French blue, blue, blue inside and out at Marquise de Sevigne.

Marquise de Sevigne, a 19th century French aristocrat, is celebrated for the sharp wit and vividness in her 30 years of correspondence to her daughter, Madame de Grignan.

The chocolate shop has cleverly taken her ecriture/writing and turned it into a wall of chocolate descriptions.
And those chocolats have won many prizes.
I'm a big fan of their hot chocolate...
Like so many French chocolate shops they have a big selection of teas to drink with your chocolate.

A few chocolatey quotes from the Marquise's letters to her dear daughter:

"If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you.
But you have no chocolate!
I think of that again and again!

My dear, how will you ever manage?"

And...

"Please believe that I love you as much as the chocolate we shall savor together".

Merci C. for making me stop in for that box of French chocolates.

Now why didn't I get myself a box too?! :)

Pomme Granny (Verte)

In some ways Paris is a small town.

If a trend / tendance is going on you see it EVERYWHERE!

This particular shade of green kept turning up.
I first spotted it on this Chanel cologne poster for CHANCE.

And how do I know the color is "Pomme Granny Verte" or Granny Smith Apple Green?

While window-gazing one night I discovered this fantastic floral shop and their windows were full of this green and full of green apples! Herve Gambs is design leader in Paris. He delivers his silk flowers and scented candles to your door just like any other florist delivering fresh flowers.

More on him to come...

Every time I see this green gateau of Dalloyau's I can not resist taking a picture!

I have no desire to taste it - AT ALL!

It look's like a green LEGO, but I've seen it on every trip to Paris, so it must be a winner. Qui sait? It is Pomme Granny green FOR SURE!

Guy's underwear in Pomme Granny Verte ?????

HELLO?

When your "FRENCH" friend, M. shows up for lunch wearing almost Pomme Granny Verte, you know this is a trend not to be ignored..

Mariage Freres never lets a new color trend pass them by.

They grab it and run with it...or their teapots do anyway :)

Seen in a little stationary shop on rue Saint-André-Des-Arts...

Don't ask me what this is - I've no idea.

But it is Pomme Granny Verte

More Paris GREEN pictures to come...I promise

Les Comptoir...

Caramel Macarons, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

When you arrive in Paris on a Monday morning, be prepared for many shops to be closed. Fortunately Les Comptoirs Richard keeps 1 of their 6 shops open for just such an emergency! Boutique La Fayette - Paris 9 ème 10, rue Lafayette

It was my 1st visit, so I didn't know what to expect from a Paris coffee boutique...But their window told me I would not be disappointed :)

The LES COMPTOIRS shops come under the umbrella of Cafes Richard, who supply Paris' many cafes and restaurants with coffee.
Even so, inside they have tea, chocolate bars, hot chocolate, and coffee of course. Plus everything you could dream of to make them. Cookies too...
And those adorable Petal cups I wrote about before I left...well you can buy them here, plus the exact same cups you'll see in any Paris cafe.
They have a gazillion kinds of tea - you choose from the blackboard.
And coffee beans from everywhere! Naturally ground fresh for you.

Could you PLEASE open up in New York City!!!

PAUL Boulangerie

Petit Dejeuner at PAUL, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

Melissa asked me, would I please visit the chain of boulangerie/patisserie, called PAUL this trip. Since it was right across the street from my hotel on rue de Seine, I had petit dejeuner there.

I knew you'd like a good look at PAUL's menu...

*Note the petit dejeuner is called "Le Parisien"

That one is for us ParisBreakfasts readers!

I do have a problem with the French insisting on calling Danish pastries, "Viennoiseries"

I took this up with Merisi from Vienna, but I forget her expert response - maybe she'll come to my rescue here...

PAUL has kindly sets up this demo tray in the entry so you know what your getting.

Did I mention that PAUL had over 300 French farmers planting wheat over 3,500 hectares (8,650 acres) especially for their rustic-style products...

I think in fact I went all out and got "Le Continental" = The Works!
When C. emailed me in Paris requesting I bring her back boxes of French chocolate,
my immediate response was,
NON! NINE, NIENTE, NADA, DE JEITO NENHUM (Portuguese for NO WAY!)
My bags are filled with what Marcel Proust calls Remembrances of Things Past..True, I do bring back empty chocolate boxes, but that's for still life usage.Do you think Paris cafes have my picture up?
WANTED DEAD or ALIVE for stealing sugar cubes etc!
Petit Dejeuner at PAUL, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

M. says many cafes no longer put their name brand on glasses etc, like Cafe de Flore, so they won't find a new home. The spoon is from Italy by the way...
I thought I'd steal a shot of the PAUL dining area...

I love the way PAUL uses old graphics and typography on their outdoor signs..
Soooooo French!

THE PARIS BREAKFASTS DIET !

Petit Dejeuner at Laduree, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

OK, so what's THE PARIS BREAKFASTS DIET you ask?

First step is get yourself over to Paris for say 5-7 days.

Simple right?

At least as far as most diets go...

Next step is very pleasent too.

During those 5-7 days you want to have a good "Parisien" "petit" dejeuner EVERY DAY.

No skipping is allowed on this diet!

The "Parisien" petit dejeuner might also be listed as it is here, A La Francaise. Any number of appealing, seductive menu titles can be used to draw you in. Nevermind, just go for it!

I certainly did! Sometimes in the name of research for my Paris Breakfasts readers I had 2-3 so-called petit dejeuners in 1 day!! Please appreciate what I go through for y'all!

While at Dalloyau doing Easter egg research I did double duty and went upstairs for their petit dej'.

What don't I do for you?

A labor of love...

Here's another carte / menu for the visiting wannabe "Parisian".

Don't be fooled :(

No Parisien in their right mind is gonna eat all this for P.D.

Nevermind that.

Stick to your diet!

The last morning of my trip I felt courageous.

I sashayed into the Hotel Meurice just for a cup of chocolat chaud nature..

This "cup" is more like a very generous soup bowl. Limoge too...

The silver pitcher could well serve a table of 10 easily.

AND they load up your table with beautiful croissants and confiture/jam as temptation, but more about that later...

So you're wondering when does this %$#@ PARIS BREAKFASTS DIET begin?

As soon as you get home, that's when!

Your petit dejeuner/ petit dej'/BREAKFAST is now gonna be PETIT!

1-2 boiled eggs (just the white please!)

1 apple/pomme

1 cup of hot chocolate (that's allowed and it can be some hot chocolate you dragged home)

1 chocolate friture if you have any left...

All this is eaten enroute to the pool or gym or where ever you go to sweat off all those Paris PDs.

You can save the eggs for AFTER your workout.

That's allowed.

I guarantee you, after 1 week you will lose weight, without question!

I am...Ooops I'm late for the pool!

BONNE CHANCE!

A Fish Tail...

I've reached the tail-end of my Parisien Pacques/Easter research.

No pun intended...

These swimmers were in Gerard Mulot's vidrine/ window.

Not just chocolatiers had their fish on display.

I spotted this huge fish sculpture one night in a galerie window.

You can order it in a variety of sizes.

Or find a more managable size and edible too at Gerard Mulot's.
This print shop joined in the April tradition with a window full of poissons prints.
The story goes on the 1st, you'd run around pinning paper fish on the back of unsuspecting folks, like your teacher or parent.A kind of April Fool's day joke, called Poissons d'Avril. No one bothers anymore but there are still plenty of fish to be seen in the chocolate shops and galleries...
Blame It On Paris asked me specifically to find her a chocolate shrimp...
I hope a Langoustine, (an overgrown shrimp) will do.As part of the April fish tale - small cello bags of chocolate friture or little fish are sold. They're made to fill the big hollow chocolate eggs, hens, bunnies or this school of fish. They're straight forward dark chocolate shapes and yummy. I succombed in the name of research and brought home 2 little bags - seashells, snails, shrimp, turtles and fish of course.
I wish I'd brought more...
Here's marbelized chocolate fish again from Gerard Mulot...
And finally the "FISH n'HEN" from Jean-Paul Hevin, joined together as he says in a shot-gun wedding and filled with those chocolate fritures.
Where are the Fritures? Here what's left of mine - Fritures are really little fried fish oft served in Provence!

HAPPY EASTER !

LOOK! Chickens! Eggs! Bunnies! Shellfish!?

Whatever it takes to make your Easter a happy one.

These were at Chocolat Mussy in the Marais.

Di Overton sent me there. Thanks Di

I saw wildly colored BOWS all over Paris for Easter!!!

These were at chocolatier Christian Constant's.

You can barely find Gerard Mulot's poules/hens for all the pink and blue bows!

These Christian Constant bunnies had their bows blowing in the wind, like a certain American folk singer...

Pierre Herme's ribbons were wired!
This Gerard Mulot mom and baby fish are ready for the Easter parade! :)

La maison du chocolat loves the big bow on a chocolate squirel for Easter?!

Dalloyau had "windy" bows too inside their shop...

Overall Gerard Mulot had the most festive, fun, excessive Easter goodies.
He celebrates Easter with bows up the whazoo just like French painter Watteau!


HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

More Parisien Funny Bunnies...

Bunnies have invaded Paris along with the chickens and the eggs.

True the chicken lays the chocolate eggs, but the bunny is the UPS guy who delivers the Easter baskets, right?

This is a bunny pail instead of a basket for your choco eggs!?

Don't ask me what these bunnies do?

It became an automatic response in Paris.

See bunny = shoot it

Ask questions later

Humm...another mysterious bunny accessory in the Marais shop, DOM...
I loved this soft toy bunny in Hediard's window!
Do you think Tiffany's would do such a thing?
There's a nice silly side to the French that transcends snobism and elegance at all cost.
Admittedly the red and black Easter egg is pretty chic!
This old fashioned plaster painted bunny in a bonbon shop on Isle St. Louis..sweet
More adorable if mysterious bunnies in a kitchen shop on rue de Rennes... Are these book ends? Doorstops?
They're for sale but as what? If you know please tell me.
Now I can totally relate to these bunny artist etc. chocolate bars in L'Epicerie.
This elaborate bunny escaped from a Moliere play. He was found lounging about in a Marais bag shop.

Another Dozen Eggs...

This is a double yoke post (no pun intended)

Here are some of the more unusual eggs I saw in Paris..

A huge macaron egg in Gerard Mulot's window! YUM

These Laduree pastel soap-like colored chocolate eggs are really filled with ganache of cherry, rose, pistachio...

Look-a-like candy egg candles in a shop on rue de Seine just down from Gerard Mulot..

Silly eggs are from Dalloyau's Collection 2007 introduced just like French couture.

A beautiful giant egg full of Madagascar chocolate-flavored tea from Les Contes de The and seen in the Comptoir Richard window.

La maison du chocolat had these lush egg-shapped gateaux/cakes in their windows

A chocolate smashed egg shell from Jean-Paul Hevin...

Egg town at Dalloyau Luxembourg on 2, place Edmond 75006.

I just missed this chocolate egg hunt in the Luxembourg Gardens by a day and sponsored by Valrhona chocolates!

Quelle domage :(

Or The Egg...

The chicken or the egg.

Which came first and how do you choose among Paris' bounty?

This egg basket is from Gerard Mulot..

The egg is the oldest, most universal symbol of fertility and re-birth.

In 18th century France, taking an empty fresh eggshell and filling it with chocolate became the custom.

A big lacy egg from Dalloyau waiting to be filled with chocolate goodies...

I loved this fully developed rooster exiting a big egg, with friture/little choco fish applied.

Fun-painted chocolate eggs with bunnies from Cacao et Chocolat.

Laduree's classic chocolate eggs - the pastel soapy ones come later.
The bumby egg (Les Oeufs "Amandes") has an almond coating...
A nice demonstration of the size of eggs you can buy in Marquise de Sevigne's window.
The foiled covered little eggs on the far right would go inside the bigger hollow eggs.
I wish I knew the height of the big egg on the left, but a baby would certainly fit inside...

A very serious gold leaf limited edition egg from Pierre Marcolini.

This egg comes with papers - identifying it's credibility for those seeking rarity and snobism.

The "COQUE EN CHOC" is from Jean-Paul Hevin...

The egg cup is Harcourt glass not chocolate, made to suit this refined egg filled with hazelnut cream.

Chocolate eggs for breakfast anyone?

The Chicken Or The...

I saw loads of chocolate Parisen chickens everywhere.

These were at chocolatier Christian Constant's.

Chocolatier Gerard Mulot is a huge fan of the chocolate chicken...

Both roosters and hens were in residence.
Here's a hen clutching her chocolate egg!
Hens like chocolate too :)

More chickies from Gerard Mulot..
*Note the wild colorful bows tied around them...

These elegantly sculptured hens were nesting at Dalloyau's .

A very big papier mache hen in a Marais patisserie...
Is she the Mom to those other chickens all over town?

Fauchon had this big paper rooster in the window!
These are mostly pretty silly looking chickens you'll have to agree..?

They left their couture outfits at home...

The strangest chicken of all was this combo number at Jean-Paul Hevin's - called the "Poule n'Fish"

Not only is "it" carrying a box of chocolates eggs, but the interior is full of fritures/small chocolate fish!

Bonjour Bunnies...

I'm back to report on the bunny situation in Paris.

LOOK!

The Lindt Gold Bunny as a soft toy in Paris - mignon/cute !

Here he is with his brood.

*Note all the bunnies get to wear bells in Europe so you can hear them coming making deliveries...

This was the FIRST bunny I spyed in Paris...

Half and half white chocolate and dark chocolate - unusual non?

He was sitting in Amorino's window - the Paris gelato chain!

These handsome lapins/bunnies were sitting in Dalloyau's window.

They're hollow and full of assorted fritures/ chocolate bits..

This unidentified dark chocolate bunny was grazing in a bookstore window full of kid's Easter books at Librairie Chantelivre, 13, rue de Sevres.

Not to be overlooked Laduree's pale green chocolate bunny!
I barely stole a picture of this unusual chocolate bunny by Daniel Mercier in la Grande Epicerie. If they catch you photographing it could easily be the guillotine...
This Gold Bunny watercolor now graces the cover of ChocolateZOOM.
In reality, he's sitting in Switzerland at this moment!
Many more Parisien bunnies, chickens, eggs, fish etc to come before Easter is over...
I better hurry!