Paris is..?

 I took a long walk this morning and asked myself,
What is Paris to me? Joggers!

 Boots!

 Les touristes everywhere. Some are French.

 Scooters. Kids on scooters and grownups.

 The long corridors of Haussmannian buildings.

 The curvy corners - 3 at one fell swoop.

 Les balcons!

 And pots of muguet from Un Jour de Fleurs to put on your balcon.

 FROMAGE!

 Lapin.There are bunnies everywhere for every occasion in Paris

 Paques/Easter is long gone but the chocolate rabbits remain

 Les ardoises

 La formules

 Petit dej'  For researche and to paint

 Patisseries - I'm doing 'Polonaise' researche

 Les porte-etiquettes are Paris

 Polka Dots!

If I get a place in Paris it will be full of polka dots/pois.

French Girl said she will decorate. I'm not so sure she would approve of polka dots.

 Coccinelle bring happiness and polka dots - double joy

 Stripes and scarves ARE Paris

 Who doesn't covet Repetto ballerinas?

 Cadeaux!

 If the vendeuse asks you,
'is it a cadeaux/gift?'

toujour dit, 'OUI!'

 Paris l'arbre have their heads chopped off -
from the revolution?

 I asked French Girl,
'How come so many manifestations(mani), greve, strikes?'

She said, 'It's our tradition from the Revolution!'

Oh

 Les doudous

 Tous les mamans and les gosses/kids

 M A C A R O N S !

 L'aire frais.
I thought Fr Girl was crazy to open the windows every morning.
Now I know she's not so crazy. Fresh Paris air is nice in the mornings.

Doing l'escaliers/stairs is essential anywhere but especially in Paris where you eat croissant for petit dej' and dessert dessert dessert.

What is Paris to you?

La Galerie des Gobelins

 Photo by  Louise Chauchard of Raids-Patisserie


Do you know Raids-Patisserie?

You should.

 Louise Chauchard/Raids-Patisserie is the best Parisian pastry expert par excellence I know. Her analysis of Paris pastries are some of the most interesting and most creative. Her photos are delectable.

 Our plan tea at La Galerie des Gobelins at posh Plaza Athenee.

 Louise arrives and I'm instantly smitten with lust for her velvet Repetto ballet bag.

 Getting in La Galerie des Gobelins is not a piece of cake. Even for cake bloggers par excellence. You need to reserve a room(€750) to take tea the salon. Outsiders have a snowball's chance in hell. The pastries by top chef Christolphe Michalak look divine in the case but. We're told we can wait (and pray) for a non-reserved seat for non-residents.

Louise is not best pleased and suggests we go elsewhere.
(I would have waited forever but nevermind).We head to Champs-Elysees to

 Bar Le Lucien in Hotel Fouquet

 Louise shoots our amuse bouche/little mignardises starters.

 The tray of pastries arrives!

 Louise chooses.

 While we wait Louise digs into her exquisite ballet bag.(maim miam)

 And proudly shows me her point shoes, which hurt like Hell she mentions in passing. One must dance if one is to eat pastries all day long.

My only thoughts are, how I can grab the bag, abscond with it and race for the door? But this isn't an option. Louise lets me know I can come and take a free first ballet class if I'd like.

(Hahahaha)

 Louise's violette-framboise macaron 'sandwich' arrives. She thinks the raspberries are too big and doesn't care for the way they are 'spitting out the jam', ahem.
It tastes better than it looks...not too sweet.

 My choice is not so successful.

 It's a knock-off of Pierre Herme's superb Montebello but more to come later.

 Perhaps the most delicious desserts lurk in the ladies loo at Bar Le Lucien.

 I instantly fall in love with this drawing by Maxim's artist SEM.

 Will we ever be allowed into La Galerie des Gobelins to taste Michelak's FAB desserts?
This is the question that haunts.
I've considered going daily and hanging out in the lobby till midnight and making a general pest of myself.

What do you think?

Do you know someone who can get us in?

Do tell.

Meanwhile the teddybear lollies will sadly go unlicked by us experts :(

Please visit Louise at Raids-Patisserie and explore.
You do NOT have to reserve a room first.

You're allowed to PIN too!

Paris Printemps!

 Fauchon has a new Spring tea - the vert parfume

 Everyone in Paris hopes to have a balcon no matter how small and on that balcon must go little pots of flowers/herbes.
*Remind me to water French Girls pots!!
If the drizzle ever stops.

 More lush flowers from fleurist Eric Chauvin.

 Springie fuchsia shoes from ARCHE.

 Fuchsia tables at Au Nom de la Rose on rue Cler

 Printemp's windows again have flower heads this year.

 In all colors.

 Flower-colored macarons at Galeries Lafayette

 For new bebes born in the Spring (or anytime at all) you must have gifts of dragee/candy-coated almonds at the babtism.

 Sweet springie bebe shoes.

 Adorb bebe in Natalys vitrine

 Buy DIY herbes for la balcon at Les Marche les Enfant Rouge + a very good Mediterranean sandwich as well.

 Tuesday, 1 May is muguet day!

 Put a SPRING in your step!
With new pointie toed ballerinas or pots of muguet or macarons or anything at all! Now if the rain would just go away and come back another day.