Nicolas, original art, 9" x 12"Have you noticed how almost every corner in Paris has a Nicolas wine shop?
Of course every single Paris coin also has a boulangerie, café and patisserie too.
And shoes shops - that's why Paris has so many corners.
If you love wine you've come to the right place!
Here's a wine shop in the 6th arrondissement that was formerly a...cremerie. What does that mean? A butter shop? Did they just sell creme before the discovery of cholesterol? Tant pis as they say.
Peter's Paris took me to this very old wine shop on his Montmartre tour.
I love the old facade and awning.
By the way, did you know when you're eating your petit dejeuner at your hotel in the celler and wondering why, that you are actually sitting in the building's old wine celler or cave? Yep, it's true!
Look! This very old wine shop has some new tricks up it's sleeve. Anything you see labeled "Bio" is another word for organic and rather chic these days in Paris. Correct me if I'm wrong on this.
Here's another oldish wine shop in the Passage Panorama in the 9th.
Do tell what this wine poster is about. Owls and wine? I need help here.
In the same window an adorable owl. W'as up?
A keyboard paired with Bordeaux. Who knew?
More of the same... Everyone goes to great fuss and bother with their windows in Paris. I just wish there were subtitles.
A nice end to a busy day is a stop in a wine bistro, usually identifyable by wine casks outside and red checkered cloth. You don't necessarily need a reservation either. You just waltz in.
Do come in!Moi...I'm in the backyard munching on worms for my disasterous foray into the blog bcontest arena this week. But I may pop in for un verre de Brouilly quand meme...
BONJOUR PARIS VINS!!!
Was the wine from Dijon? The symbol of Dijon is the owl. You can find statues, "owl tours" of the town and other owl "stuff". I couldn't read the origin of wine that is in your photo......just a guess on my part!
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid post. Yes, we found Nicolas shops everywhere in the city; fabulous wines for just a few euros! Now, go rinse the taste of worms out of your mouth with a good Cotes du Rhone! By the way, a Cremerie is a cheese shop.
ReplyDeleteM Baker
Hi,
ReplyDeleteThis may be bit long to explain. It has many puns.
The poster says "...prix Hibou-riffants" as a pun for "...prix ébouriffants". A "hibou" is an owl, hence why the owls on the poster and in the display. The owl says "OUHOUH" which is also how someone calls out someone else (although written HOU-HOU). In the poster, you will notice that one owl says "c'est chouette". "chouette" is another word for owl (different species) but in that context it means "cool". And to finish, "ébouriffer" means to ruffle up which is what birds do but also means in vernicular French "astonishing/mind blowing/breathtaking"...
BTW, "Bio" is not another word for "organic", it is the exact translation. "Organique" has a different meaning.
Merci Beaucoup Anonymouse, for the excellent and much needed translations and information.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the word "bio" what I meant was that in the US we say organic, never bio, but to look out for it if you are so inclined while in Paris.
Again
MERCI!!
You buy cream milky products in a cremerie: yoghart, creme fraiche,cream, fresh cheeses etc,
ReplyDeleteIn that wine cellar in Montmartre there's a little place at the back where you can have charucterie with your wine, sit down and chat.
Susan
Merci for this lovely shop tour. It's a pleasure visiting your Paris for a few minutes every morning. I especially liked your series of paintings of dogs at cafes and thought of them whenever I read about coverage of the Obama's visit to Paris--I imagined the President and First Lady strolling through one of your scenes. Caterinya
ReplyDeleteHellow Carol, I'm delighted with your lovely comments about Paris, they bring me back memories from my student stay in the 68ies...
ReplyDeleteIn any of your next reports, I hope you speak about "Berthillon", I adore ice creams...
Regards from Spain,
Tatiana
Enjoy that verre de Brouilly!
ReplyDeleteI love Brouilly - the only red wine served chilled. Perfect red for a summer day!
Sante!
Candice
Bon Jour, Carol
ReplyDeleteI adore your Paris Breakfast blogs, they keep me in touch with one of my favourite (if not the best) cities in the world...
Merci, merci, merci for your beautifully creative efforts!
Desiree
With regard to your “chouvette” inquiry, if I may offer the following:
In mythology, owl eggs were supposed to cure drunkenness, so maybe...in reality, it's probably more to do with owls being frequently spotted at vineyards,
where they would likely find prey. About 7 vineyards in California are currently reference owls as part of their name: Barking Owl, Burrowing Owl,
Night Owl, Thirsty Owl, Owl Ridge, White Owl, Barking, and Bubo Cellars, Bubo is the Latin word for "owl" and the name for the goddess Athena's
magical owl. On a Bubo Cellar bottle appears this explanation: Throughout history owls have been regarded with prosperity and good fortune, the owls
inhabit Bubo vineyard create an aura of good fortune and provide a natural method of controlling pests. And last but in my opinion the very ‘least’
about an hour from my home in Shelby, North Carolina in Shelby, is Owl's Eye Winery with a stylized owl wearing a monocle on its labels;
of course, the winery was started by an ophthalmologist! http://www.owlseyevineyard.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10&Itemid=17
Perhaps the French relate with the owl for their shared wisdom of wine, and its value? “avec des prix hibou-riffants”
Or else, an owl is just an owl...un hibou est un hibou?
Carol: I am so glad that your topic broadens to wine, shoes, dogs.... all my favorites. (except your beloved macaroons.. Sorry).
ReplyDeleteIn-May
Oohoo, what a wonderful pohost! :-)
ReplyDeleteWould you believe me when I tell you that Vienna has also wine shops galore? Many of them offer a place to sit and "taste" with all sorts of wonderful little bites, from olives to quiches! I was invited to a Christmas party in one of these wine shops last December, and I tell you that was quite something, and not only for the wines and the big selection of cheese (yes, many French ones), great atmosphere, there amongst the bottles! :-)
Hi Carol...my mother-in-law goes to a Nicolas wine shop in Muswell hill, North London...:-)
ReplyDeleteI see that a lot of explanations are given for the owl. I have nothing to add, but maybe it's linked to the address or the name of the shop? Anyhow, they seem to sell foreign wines, the one in the front seems to be a rioja!
ReplyDeleteYes, brouilly is an excellent choice, you can drink it more or less cool, depending on your thirst and the weather! :-)
hello pb!
ReplyDeleteI am going to Paris for the 1st time soon, in july. I am very excited, but also nervous that I'll stick out. I was planning on wearing tracy feith skirts and normal boyfriend sweater. Will I step out in the street and feel completely under or over dressed? What exactly should I wear anyways? I am young so I won't wear heels. Thanks and I appreciate a reply!
Hi, Carol! I love this watercolor! And yes--to answer your email question to me--this is better! Looks very unobtrusive this way--what you were asking me about. Not bad at all--good job! (I'm on the road at a watercolor workshop, and my email doesn't let me "send," but I can receive, so I'm replying here--sorry 'bout that!)
ReplyDeletexo
sue
I love your blog..it's so colorful!!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see, smell and taste Paris for the first time. You have give me some useful ideas about places worth visiting.
I’ve read your blog for awhile and love it! I love how you show so many great pictures of Paris and the people and what you saw. I would love to live in Paris for a while too!
ReplyDeleteWe buy our Brouilly from a woman wine maker, Nicole Chandron. Not the Brouilly plunk of Paris bars this. So yummy. Hey, but I always like the stuff in the bars, too.
ReplyDeleteI Don't get the owls but I'm always partial to them. Had a beautiful children's book from Italy about owls. Just fabulous drawings.
xxx
We ordered both the Bistrot book and the Brasserie book. So pretty. We must eat at each and every place.
ReplyDeletexxxx
I love your blog because it reminds me of the 6 months that I stayed in Paris. As you know, it was a daily visual feast. Some days you capture things that trigger off memories for me.
ReplyDeleteSusan
I must say "NICOLAS" is one of your finest pieces. I especially like the street sign you put on the upper left side.
ReplyDeleteNice touch.
wow..
ReplyDeleteso nice..
hope to go paris one day...
so romantic..
love the two dogs..
Tellement mignon!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Thanks sooooo much for my daily (well, 5 daily) PB! I have them first thing, with my morning coffee, and they cheer my day, no matter the weather.
ReplyDelete