Petit Dejeuner Bleu et Blanc

Bleu et Blanc Petit Dejeuner, watercolor

 

Usually Claire 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 visit Monet's house at Giverny, you will not forget his egg-yolk yellow dining room or all the blue and white porcelain he collected.
Claire told me her Grandmother encouraged her to start collecting mismatched blue and white porcelain when she was a little girl. Some of the pieces we ate off belonged to her Grandmere.
Why does everything taste better in France and look better too? 

Every table setting reminds you of a Bonnard painting.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.

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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 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, watercolor

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...
Rose Macaron with Rose Tea, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"
And not to forget 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

Orchids, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2" Last week the 27th New York Orchid Show held at Rockefeller Center.

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

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 Ganny 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 Plastiques window.

Pylones has an apple-shaped purse in Pomme Granny green.

A market basket - you can be 'IN' at all price 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.
You can be garbed from neck to toe 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 an actual Granny Smith apples!

Today I am one year 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. Sportswear in the Orient and on 7th Avenue. I've written and illustrated travel books and a kid's book. I airbrushed pharmaceutical advertising art. I painted chef's portraits and jackets. I made wine promotion artwork. I 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. 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!!!