Monday, April 20, 2009

ça m'énerve

Patisserie Stohrer Paris 5" x 7"
Notice everyone in this picture has brown hair  Parisien Anne told me most Frenchies have brown hair not blonde. Being a former brunette, I came home, changed my hair color to brown.Quelle disastre!Ca m'énerve/it annoys me
 On Sunday there are lines EVERYWHERE at the marche on rue Montmartre waiting for oysters. Especially on Sundays. Ca m'énerve
Just walking down rue Montorgueil (which I finally learned to spell and pronounce) is plein du monde!
It's Sunday. At Pain De Sucre you get on line just to browse. This is a line I don't mind getting on. This is the 1st time there's not much of a line at the crêpe stand. Course I don't really want a crêpe right now...
c'est la vie. ça m'énerve Lines form along the Seine on Sunday, in the pedestrian walks. Well amost lines.Did you know scooters are still big in Paris? And not just kids. If you have a scooter, by all means take it next trip. I would, if I had one... You can take your scooter on line at Patisserie Gerard Mulot on Sundays.
 You can NOT take your scooter here. I'm just guessing.
Have you ever just walzed in and bought macarons without waiting? Ca m'nerve
Same deal at Pierre Herme. Be sure and wear your 'standing' shoes.
At the Paris cinema.
Oh Forgetaboutit!
Even the birds at the Sunday Marche de Oiseaux are on line.
"Arrête de me pousser"
(STOP pushing me!)
Are you ready for the Monday lines at the metro?

31 comments:

  1. True! One needs a STRATEGY to avoid lines! NEVER think of having to buy anything on weekends! And forget about ATM's on weekends too! (I live in the very touristy Abbesses part of Montmartre).

    Here's a little correction for your 'orthographe' - "plein du monde" and it's an accent on the e in "crêpes." But maybe you don't do accents!

    Love your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, you should paint those birdies...without the cage.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You make me laugh.

    Thank you.

    The French are so defensive when they're wrong. You are so refreshing...!

    More power to you!

    Grace

    ReplyDelete
  4. enjoyed...lovely series of photos ;0

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes, my wife and I strolled into the Rue Bonaparte Laduree on Sunday afternoon, 26 October last year after lunch at Cafe de Flore; no line either place. Well, there was a short wait at Cafe de Flore but we were standing next to Dennis Hopper so who cares? But we were the only customers in Laduree and could take our own sweet time selecting flavors and boxes and chatting with the charming woman behind the counter. It was the same when we had breakfast at the Laduree in Harrod's in London; very few people. October is a good month for travel.

    M Baker

    ReplyDelete
  6. Who isn't defensive when they are wrong Grace? It's universal me thinks...
    Tanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I may have to stop reading you blog because I'm getting so hungry for Paris I can hardly stand it! Your posts are like putting a macaron on a plate in front of someone and proclaiming that it must not be eaten. ;)

    Incidentally, I went to both of the Rue Bonaparte Pierre Herme and Laduree stores on a Monday morning just after they opened and there were no lines. I was disappointed, to be sure, but I managed to get over it and buy some delicious treats.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Brenda9:29 AM

    Hi Carol,
    I am so enjoying all your Paris shop front articles, particularly the
    Moulin de la Vierge. I just got back Saturday from our 5 day trip to
    Paris and so loved everything! Took lots of pictures and didn't eat as
    much as I wanted! I even managed to not have a line to wait in at
    Laduree on Rue Bonaparte or at the Pasteur metro Pierre Herme.
    Must be good timing!

    ReplyDelete
  9. "didn't eat as much as I wanted!"
    That's the first time I've heard that!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Waiting in long lines is a short price to pay for being in Paris. I cannot wait to go back.. Lovely post.. thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. love those birdies--and the Stohrer awning color there. Beautiful, Carol!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Are those flavored marshmallows in the first pic? I love handmade flavored marshmallows. They look so pretty sitting in those jars.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The joys of the big city, although I think Paris is the king of the kids when it comes to lineups. Makes you learn patience though! xv

    ReplyDelete
  14. Don't forget the lines at the grocery store, at the veg markets, to get gas...indeed, there are lines everywhere here. When I first moved here, it drove me crazy. Now I'm really not even bothered by it -- and look for lines, in fact, to find out what the best boulangerie/boucher/etc. is...!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Très drôle this post! Living in Paris, I don't realize I often have to go on line. It's horrible when I see how much time I spend on line! Oh, mon Dieu!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Very cute...stay away from lines today. I can't stand them too.

    ReplyDelete
  17. This is my virtual vacation...to France! Thank you for the postcard, and the great writing...I love that you are about like I would be; how to say that? And taking pictures of chocolate! And Easter egg colored birds!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great pictures of Stohrer in the rue Montorgeuil! They make my favourite jambon à l'os in Paris!! Such a treasure!! :-)

    Kisses from Paris!

    xoxo

    www.chicsetera.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi, I just started reading your blog and I think it's really nice. Even if I've never been in Paris, your paitings and photos let me feel the mood of the places you describe.
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love the painting!
    I've read "A Movable Feast" countles times and Hem is always mentioning the oysters - I've never seen them sold the way they are in your photo - in a stall. Neat!
    (I've never even eaten an oyster!)
    Love the shot of the birds!

    ReplyDelete
  21. At a cupcake place in Newport Beach, near where I live, called Sprinkles there is always a line to buy cupcakes, always. At first when I went there, I had a very American attitude ... the line annoyed me. But the cupcakes are so good, I lost the attitude and stopped being annoyed. Now I know that when I go to Sprinkles, I will stand in a line because good things come to those who wait.

    Then ... I learned from your blog that when I wait in line, I am not American, I am French! Now, I scoff at all those silly people grumbling about standing in line for a cupcake. Be French! :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. asuncion ananda3:22 PM

    FIÉRE D'ÊTRE BRUNE!!!!...;D ;D ;D

    ReplyDelete
  23. Your newsletter always brightens my day. I don't know where you come up with such nice ideas but I really enjoy them all and look forward to each. I'll be looking at things in a very different way on my next trip.
    Have a great day.
    Merci
    Rich

    ReplyDelete
  24. Of course you will have to line up now and then... but it may be worth it?

    Stohrer, did you know that the founder (Nicolas S) invented the famous Baba au Rhum somewhere around 1730? Not my favourite cake! I prefer the macarons, like you!

    Next time in Paris you can borrow my electric little scooter!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Is that a new gray Laduree box or have I just not seen one before?

    ReplyDelete
  26. Always a teacher...10:13 PM

    Your enthusiasm for Paris is contagious and your photos and paintings are amazing! Love your blog, but not the typos and errors in French and English (this is from a former French teacher!). A few examples from your last two postings (corrections in parenthesis)

    Quelle disastre (Quel désastre)

    Walzed (waltzed)

    Marche de Oiseaux (Marché aux Oiseaux)

    salviary gland (salivary)

    Chaussons aux pomme (pommes)

    Quelle triste (Que c’est triste)

    Station Sevres-Babylon (Sèvres–Babylone)

    Station La Motte-Picot (La Motte Picquet Grenelle)

    Va cherche (va chercher or va, cherche)

    Vienne vite (viens)

    rapidment! (rapidement)

    Parisien Anne (Parisienne)

    orphange in Madacascar. (orphanage, Madagascar)

    bonbonniere, patisserie, Herme, Gerard, metro (bonbonnière, pâtisserie, Hermé, Gérard, métro

    ReplyDelete
  27. I've managed to get to Laduree without standing in line a few times. Usually right after work during the week or early in the morning. The rue Royale one tends to look more busy than it is because it's so much smaller but I find you wait less if you go there, instead of the Champs Elysees location :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. We queue all the time here in the UK. I went out shopping today and when l read your newsletter l counted up that l had queued at each one and time was about 20 minutes at each one but they are getting longer as they cutting staff all over. So at the supermarket there are only 2 tills now. as they didn't have enough staff. I think we're so used to waiting we don't even think about it. And you do meet some nice people to have a talk with, so l meet people in lines every time l go out.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi - I am a grown woman (very grown - 45 yrs) and I have been scooting on my Razor from my parking spot blocks away to my office, on the Westside of LA. Who knew I was being so Parisian..? I DID scoot to work, that is, until I got laid off in this nasty economic downturn (ca m'enerve!).

    ReplyDelete
  30. Well, if it's on a sunday and I'm not in a rush then I don't mind the people nor the lines...

    But this is actually a little funny. When I lived in Montpellier I learnt it was survival of the fittest at the patisserie every morning.
    As a swede I would never cut in line or raise my voice - in our culture those things are very frowned upon. We are a lot like the japanese..:)
    The french at least in the south, were just the oppposite. He who ordered the loudest was served first and no one had a problem with this. You can imagine my chock!
    But eventually I integrated fully :) What's a girl to do when she needs her morning croissant!?
    But living in N.Y which is even more bustling and where people are even more "aggressive" I can definatley see where you're coming from.

    Be well
    Mia

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous11:17 AM

    Sorry, but even with Disney-esque lineups, I can't wait to get back to Paris!! 2 years and counting... I'll esp line up for a wonderful macaroon!!

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you