Birds of Paris

Birds of Paris, birds of London, birds of New York and possibly India(?) are raising a ruckus right now in my studio, though I can't think why? The AC is on high and no one is going hungry... Birds in London are upside down in the Underground at South Kensington station. Don't ask me why. I had nothing to do with it. Olha took me along to the Royal Academy Summer show and we started bird watching - there were many onsite. That started it.
Everafter I saw birds everywhere and wanting to bring them home, like this appropriately named plaster of Paris number on sale at Comptoir de Famille.

I Am...Love

August will be "I Am Restraint" month regarding ice cream. Have you seen Tilda Swinton in I Am Love? Tilda is the absolute epidomy of restraint. Except when she dives into a plate of luscious shrimp and throws caution to the wind. (spoiler) Then all Hell breaks loose.
I could say the same thing happened in Maine when I dived into fried clams. And I'm someone who proudly proclaims I do not eat 'fried foods'. Oddly enough in the same movie, Tilda's gorgeous son, Flavio Parenti, shows restraint when his sister (in London) offers him a lemon macaron. He refuses. Restraint gets him nowhere in this case, but I don't want to give it all away. I have no problem showing restraint with macarons in Paris.After all they're everywhere, even if some flavors are seasonal. I have an impulsive nature. I like to dive in to a painting headfirst and anything. I look for the waterwings later. This is not a good idea (re:lessons learned in Maine), so I'm showing you thumbnails first.

Fortnum & Mason

Back to London today!

And Fortum & Mason located at 181 Picadilly - quite a unique department store focused mainly on gourmet foods.

I was enroute to the #14 bus back to Chelsea one evening stopped dead in my tracks by these amazing windows at F & M.

I love the giant, glitzy Champagne glasses bigger than the actual Champagne bottles.

Lots of mini bottles of champers for one celebratory person.

A glorious fountain of candies...

It doesn't have to be Xmas to bring out the candy canes. Who knew?

Another fountain full of tea tins and teapots - this was spinning...

With a teapot topper...

Stacks of cookies supports this teapot's lid!

A plethora of perfumes...

The ever British 'brolly' with the ever British teapot dangling down + a tassel. Who thunk this one up..?

Deco girls, girls, girls...

Simply too divine...

Stacks and stacks of exquisite fine china teacups...

Tea Time at Fornum Mason, watercolor, 9" x 11"

I want to paint them all.

Cupid shows up on the scene - very 'Vickie'...

And stacks of JAM jars bien sur. Ode to jam.

These charmant, mysterious boxes were so enticing I went back to buy some the next day. They were all in the window display. Only a few remained on the floor.

What's up with that F and M?

"Manners for Women" - what makes them think we need that? Still, forgivable since the window is adorable.

Fortnum Masons windows are worth the trip to London alone. Do go by all means!

BONJOUR FORTNUM MASON!

Why I love Paris

This was going to be a post on cafe tables
There are an awful lot of cafe tables
In Paris.

In fact there are a lot of round/rond things in Paris. And Parisiens adore them unreservedly like this pool in the Palais Royal

The Parisien macaron is a prime example of abject adoration of rond-ness.

It makes sense that the cupcake would also be the recipient of mass adoration

Lunettes rond? Bien sur. Absolutement essential.

Velos=rond.
Parfait.

Heavens there is even a Rond Point on the Champs Elysees

Guerlain Meterites Perles = macquillage parfait pour les femmes francaises

YSL adored the rond shape sprinkling it on this delightful frock

Rond Cs on these Chanel buttons=absolutement parfait

Tartes up the whazoo in Paris=rond aussi

Another trendy gateaux is the 'cake' (pronounced 'keck') or loaf as we call it. What do Parisiens place on top of this rectangle?
A citron rond evidemment

OK, there is no denying Parisens adore also unreservedly their quite vertical Eiffel Tower. What is one to make of this? A little variety is the spice of life non?
Is adoration of the female breast the root of all this rond-ness?

Hmmm...

All this rather complex in depth research has made me aware that I love to paint round things. And that must be why I love Paris non?

I'm making an effort to use the lessons learned in the Maine workshop last week. Thumbnails first!

A Priori The, 9" x 11"

I'm using new watercolor paper, new palette and new colors

A Priori The,  9" x 11"

All done/terminee