Friday, November 16, 2018

Paris Calendrier de l'Advent

While you all are tearing your hair out over which canned pumpkin filling to buy for Thanksgiving, Parisians are searching madly for the right Advent calendar to buy while they last in the month of November. When I bought that print at the map fair I had a potential ADVENT LETTER FOR NOVEMBER in mind. Time to do a bit of research...
You don't have to go far to find them. In the metro posters of 24 days of beer no less?!
The old fashioned Advent cards are aplenty. I think they're printed in Germany but I could be wrong. Quelle ordinaire.
Louvre's Carousel shopping mall is a good place to hunt. L'Occitane always has nice ones though usually with a more Provençal theme.
A charming Advent from COMTESS DU BARRY, though i wish it was filled with their tins of foie gras instead of chocolate.
PATISSERIE FREDERIC CASSEL OF FONTAINEBLEAU has two calendars on offer, both filled with his devine chocolate. Red seems the preferred color for these containers of  24-days of goodies. More on Fontainebleau later...
At the NATURE store in the Louvre  24 days of seedlings and DIY terrarium plantings. Most unusual
Along with French chocolatiers the cosmetic industry goes wild with designing Advent boxes. This one from JO MALONE goes for a mere 350€
Mini chocolate bars from MAXIM'S.
A reindeerish theme at upscale MAISON DU CHOCOLAT. Most of the time the contents are not as thrilling as the container IMHO.
I expected le LOUVRE to have their own calendar. They did not sadly. More mini chocolate bars from LE CHOCOLAT DES FRANÇAIS.
On to my November letter Advent design. I cleverly thought I'd use 'my' house (if only it were. I'm in a tiny 20 meter maid's room at the top in the back. Not complaining at all mind you!) but this building is honestly not very interesting to look at and has way more than the required 24 windows to draw :((
I picked out an old 17th century engraving instead. But it was way too complicated to draw!
Monthly tearing of hair time.
Right under my nose...watercolors of the Louvre I've done without a moan or complaint.
What's more, when I pulled out the give-away Louvre guide there was the perfect window fillers!
Ta Da! Your November Advent letter is in the mail as of yesterday! You will have to cut open the windows yourself I'm afraid. (And perhaps flatten out the crease under a pile of books for several months...ahem). Still I must say I'm rather pleased with the end result. What do you think?
Today is the 1st day of the 3-day SALON DU IMPERIAL CHOCOLAT AU CHATEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU and I am going toute sweet. Complete report to follow. If you're in Paris you should go too. It will be an elegant affair with the top chocolatiers onsite .Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast. If you'd like to receive Parisbreakfast watercolors, letters 💌 and mapin your mailbox 📮, look in my Etsy shop. 
BEAR 🐻❤️says Hi 

18 comments:

  1. I have vague memories of actually having had an Advent calendar..but I could be confusing my memory w/ all the ones I got or made our daughters when they were little.
    This year..I have my first in years and years..Bonne Maman.

    Carol.. this is a most fabulous Advent calendar..certainly the nices..most original one I have ever seen hand made.
    I think you're onto something..
    Call The Louvre.
    Génial.Unique.Magnifique.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Malheuresement...Mona Lisa's lawyers have already contacted my lawyers ;((

      Delete
    2. I had the Bonne Maman one last year. The different jams that I do not have available to purchase are really good.

      Delete
    3. I noticed:) Thank you..looking forward to it!

      Delete
  2. Rob and Bonnie10:24 AM

    Love your advent calendar ❤️❤️❤️

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is perfect. I asked if it was the Louvre. I should have immediately known. I can hardly wait to get it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I went to the Louvre every day to draw. Its so close. Only a 10-minute metro ride.

      Delete
  4. I can't wait to see it. How fun for you to think of this clever idea.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Perfect ending! The process of coming up with ideas is so interesting. I used to go with the first idea but now I appreciate the delaying, stewing, fretting, daydreaming, empty mind phases. Sometimes I am brave enough to say to myself, "That is a great idea, now forget it. Thetime is not right." S.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rarely is the 1st idea right for me though I start out very excited.
      Then it fizzles or proves undoable ;((

      Delete
  6. Bonnie in CA12:21 AM

    What a GENIUS idea to create your advent calendar. ������������
    Fabulous!
    Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love advent calendars. I sometimes forget to open them but hey, it's fun opening more than one a day to catch up. I have to say Europe does much better advent calendars than the US. Ours are all the flat ones, at least in my neck of the woods. When we were in England we saw some similar to those elegant ones you showed here. Music boxes with different songs every day, drawers, all sorts of stuff. Hmmm. Maybe a new idea for NEXT YEAR's art sale! I think the Louvre should hire you to do theirs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jeanie!
      No Thanksgiving-turkey distractions here...its a Huge business!
      Pre-Xmas gifts

      Delete
  8. Really enjoying your advent calendar creation.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Barry and Maureen9:41 AM

    Carol, I love your building! Et votre quartier, Ile St. Louis. How lucky you are! Is 20 metres as small as I think? It is a chamber du bonne then?

    Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your dinde, if that is on the menu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes very very small but I dont mind a bit
      Dinde is hugely popular in France as a filet...rarely the whole bird..

      Delete
    2. Maureen10:18 PM

      It makes me think of the bonne room in Le Divorce. The view from that height must be wonderful & then you get to walk across the bridge.

      Delete
    3. Yes I LOVE crossing bridges!
      Amazing. Everyday many times.
      Always full of surprises.

      Delete

Love hearing from you