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Monday, March 05, 2007

Les Fleurs.

Chocolate Bunny with DaffodilsChocolate Bunny, watercolor,
We've had a tiny sniff of SPRING last week for 2 WHOLE days in New York City...sigh Shop doors were wide open. People were walking around WITHOUT their jackets.
Watercolor study for the Russian Tea Room Easter menuWhile everyone else was stripping for Spring, I was indoors painting daffodils and chocolate bunnies.

Faberge Eggs at The Russian Tea Room Oh and Faberge eggs for THE RUSSIAN TEA ROOM!
They have a beautiful collection by the way.

Easter menu for The Russian Tea Room Remember when I wrote about eating Thanksgiving dinner at RTR last November. Well, they "discovered" my story. So while I obsessed on Fauchon last week at Paris Breakfasts, I was secretly rushing to finish menu art for them: Easter, Valentine's Day and Tea Salon menus.

Bunny pillows at Les Fleurs Boutique in ParisThe cold weather has come back and made us put our hats, coats, mufflers and gloves back on, but I'm sticking with my bunnies and daffodils! I found these bunnies at Les Fleurs, 3 Passage de la bonne Graine 75011. I'm going back to Paris end of March
Thank you PBers for buying my watercolors :)
I want to see all the Easter/chocolate shenannigans and I'm going to visit Les Fleurs too.

French chocolate Sardines from the Bonbon confiserie
Evidently chocolate fish are very BIG for French Pacques / Easter and I want to know why..? It's all strictly for research mind you.
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21 comments:

  1. Heidi Malott9:05 AM

    I am surprised with myself...but the chocolate fish look great. It seems unusual, but there is something appealing about them!? Have a wonderful time in Paris, Carol! My husband and I are still dreaming of the day we go:) Ah, Paris in the springtime!! Maybe I should put some money away from my oils for Paris. Love your watercolors! ~Heidi

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  2. Anonymous9:09 AM

    OH! And SHRIMP. And no one has ever been able to explain it to me, either, although I have tried. Something to do with Lent? The fish are probably connected to the Poisson d'Avril.

    Carol, go to A la petite Fabrique, one of my favorite chocolatiers because they actually make the chocolate on the premises, which is rare but smells wonderful. At Easter, they always have the most delicious chocolate shrimp. They're near the Bastille. I'll email you the address, if you want.

    Adorable Easter bunny paintings!

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  3. ShabbyInTheCity9:22 AM

    I want to go with you-take me! I can carry your, uh, camera bag-or paintbrushes...I promise I won't talk much...I mean my mouth will probably be full of chocolate anyway, I'll just walk quietly beside you-No-behind you,yeah-you won't even know I'm there!

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  4. Parisbreakfasts9:39 AM

    Shabby anyone who wants to come along to Paris can join me!
    Just don't expect to travel in my very small suitcase, filled with paints enroute and chocolate boxes on the return + CHOCOLATE SHRIMP for Ms. BLAME IT ON PARIS!
    Maybe I should start Paris - patisserie/painting tours...
    Hmmmm...

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  5. Ilva9:52 AM

    don't you do "april's herring" on april the 1st?

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  6. Anonymous10:33 AM

    Yes HMMMM.. Paris - patisserie/painting tours...What a kick that would be. ;-)
    I see a bit of Fauchons snuck into your paintings today. ;-) I love the Faberge egg you painted...and your Daffodils....
    It was so beautiful yesterday that I was out photographing my Daffodils thinking how pretty they would be painted in a watercolor, and low and behold I find this morning that Carol has done that very thing. Congrats on your menu Art. Beautiful work. Can't wait for the new blogs and paintings that will come from your up coming trip to Paris. Very happy to have been of help there.. :-)
    Goodness, so much packed in this post today.
    Cris in OR

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  7. Parisbreakfasts10:42 AM

    THANK YOU Criss

    There was so much Fauchonerie last week..I'm catching up.

    And really, Paris Breakfasts readers ARE sending me to Paris!!

    It's a very nice thing :)

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  8. Anonymous10:43 AM

    Great images--love the RTR artwork you did--congratulations, Carol! So, you're heading to Paris end of March...I'm heading to...Ohio!!!?? for work. (What's wrong with this picture!) Have a blast! We'll look forward to what else you come up with.

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  9. Merisi10:52 AM

    They chocolate fish were big for Christmas in Vienna also. I don't get it. ;-)
    Sending you a spring breeze from Vienna (while secretly dreaming of Venice),
    Merisi

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  10. Gypsy Purple11:12 AM

    Wow...The Russian Tearoom...all of these looks great!!! Love the eggs....I`m jealous...going to Paris without me??? Not fair!!

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  11. Anonymous1:57 PM

    GORGEOUS GORGEOUS GORGEOUS!!!!

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  12. Helene9:12 PM

    Lucky you...I am trying to go back in June for a big family fiesta. The chocolate fish tradition is a blend of the Poisson d'Avril on the 1st and the symbol of christianity. It is not really clear which came first so it is a blend...!

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  13. Unknown9:34 PM

    Love those little chocolate bunnies.

    And the poisson d'avril, too.

    Lucky you, Carol, that's a great time to be in Paris. I hope the last two weeks of May are, too. Only `0 weeks to wait!

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  14. Anonymous10:04 PM

    Nice. Helene said it all ie the fish tradition. It looks like you are going to refill again in lots of goodies on your next trip. Too bad I will only be there by mid-April!

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  15. Jeanne6:25 AM

    So very lovely indeed.
    Everything you share is beautiful.
    Blessings~

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  16. Merisi6:31 AM

    It's past my cappuccino time, and I am missing you(r post). Am a little worried, according to a little bird painting I own, "Sometimes the early bird gets frozen stiff!". Hope you are under warm covers or, better, the weather turned to spring over there, too!

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  17. Anonymous10:10 AM

    You are my inspiration! How great about RTR and Paris! I love the Easter bunnies.

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  18. Anonymous10:12 AM

    I checked with my French daughter in law about the fish and she said she didn't really have a good explanation but it could have something to do with fasting during lent and only being able to eat fish. I also wondered if it had to do with Jesus after the resurrection grilling fish for the disciples by the sea of galilee....I kind of like that answer myself! Jerie

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  19. Jen6:39 PM

    You know, being half French and having lived in Paris most of my life I'd never even wondered about the chocolate fish! Apparently it comes from John 21, 1-19... wherein apparently, John gives a meaning to the prophesy of Ezequiel: with the resuscitation of Christ is born a new world where fish sympbolise the Baptised who come alive as they come out of the water (loosely translated from the French!). Now I know why you get bags of "friture", or little fish, every Easter. And bells. But that's another story....

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  20. Anonymous7:16 PM

    Chocolate-Fish, so incongruous, it reminds me of another Paris fave - JP Hevin's chocolate-cheeses!
    yum so delicious, once you get over the slightly weird idea. just think of it as cheesecake enrobed in luxurious chocolate, but with a little hint of roquefort or epoisses coming through for a kick. You should check them out next time you're on rue vavin.

    AproposPig

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  21. Anonymous3:38 AM

    Carol, are you sure those fish (looking like big sardines)are for Easter?... When seeing them,I wondered whether they could be for Fools'Day (April 1st)... when paper fish are hung in people's backs. -Maybe fishing the fools there-.
    Maybe... only suggesting it... because I have never seen that kind of chocolate fish before...
    But in that shop, they definitely want to be different, whatever the event, either Fools'Day or Easter !!!

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