Jour Du Macarons 2010

The best truck in the world is parked outside at 72 rue Bonaparte.

It is 10 am on Saturday, March 20th in Paris and Jour du Macaron is about to begin!Your bear-in-the-street is here to report on this auspicious occasion. The line waiting for FREE macarons is relatively short at 10 o'clock. Bear knows French people like to sleep in on weekends. Bear studies the list of 26 flavors! A man directly in front online mentions that...ahem...last year there were 36 (!) flavors of macarons to choose from. Bear keeps his trap shut.

 

Inside pandmonium reigns, only because of the anticipation and decision-making processes going on. The Pierre Herme staff are serene and impeccable as always.

Bear decides to follow the K.I.S.S. principle and choose 3 free macarons of just 1 flavor at each PH boutique. The Mogador (passion fruit + milk chocolate) is Bear's favorite.

He knows from past experiences what can happen to a little bag of precious macarons - tragedie strikes! He has brought along the Alice box to keep his macs safe and sound.

On to the next one! More macarons svp.
 

At the Vaugirard Pierre Herme again the tension is palpable but the lines are shortish - it's just 10:30 am and Frenchies are still getting their zzzzzzs.

Outside the kids are tasting their free macarons.

Bear is saving his treasures for later.

At the rue Cambon PH, bear does a little fashion watching. He loves this tres fem ruffled skirt and the rossettes on the knee socks. French lines are the best.

Inside Cambon PH they only sell macarons. Bear chooses caramel - miam

Bear discovers to his dismay, that he must get a stamp on his mac card at each shop. And if he visits all 6 Pierre Herme shops and gives a donation bien sur to Alliance of Rare Diseases and if there are sufficient macarons left at the final destination, he will WIN a free box of 36(!) Pierre Herme macarons! Why oh why did Bear not read the fine print in Fr. on his card? It's a macaron marathon and he is missing rubber stamps from the first 2 visits.

On to the next one. Bear attempts to go to Galerie Lafayette PH and gets lost in the twisty-turny Metro ending up more lost at Etoile.

Enfin inside Publicsdrugstore PH Bear finds a very short line!

Wake up Parisiens!

Some Parisiens are awake and testing out their winnings dans la rue...

Bear heads for the PH Trocadero. Bear is having a heart attack from all this mad macaron chasing around Paris.

Bear is getting to know the Paris Metro awfully well...hmmm

WTF.

Enfin the 58 avenue Paul Doumer Pierre Herme.

Inside Bear grows impatient as 2 very large boxes of macarons are filled.

In fact 2 Parisiens have won the contest and hit all 6 Pierre Hermes! They are doing a small dance of joie! Bear heads home for lunch, with big plans to continue the contest after eating.

French Girl has made an exquisite salade de Lentille with saumon fume. Bear immediately launches into his adventures pursuing the PH macarons.

French Girl reminds Bear that this is The American Way, to sit down to a meal and talk business, business, business.

The French Way is to talk cuisine, cuisine, cuisine.

Oh. Bear shuts his trap.
 

Bear has to backtrack to the first 2 destinations and get the stamps on his mac card. Then he heads to last Pierre Herme desitination, Galeries Lafayette. It's 4 pm and the line is long. Bear is humming to himself. Doodly-do.

Some mac lovers are napping on line exhausted from waiting, but Bear stays fully wide-awake and praying the macs will not be finished by the time he gets to the counter.

VOILA! mon dieu Bear wins!
 

Bear goes for 1 of each of 25 flavors +. Bear can not believe his good fortune.

Bear's FAB dance card with all of the stamps from each

Pierre Herme boutique.

Ah...a sea of beautiful perfect macarons.

Very lovely non?

What's even more lovely is Pierre Herme's amazing generosity on this day. Not only is a charity remembered and given it's due, but the people of Paris get a chance to taste these fantastic cookies. There are many kids on line, who normally would not be able to buy such a deluxe dessert but Jour du Macaron is their chance to partake and enjoy.

BONJOUR PIERRE HERME et BIG MERCI!