La Rentree

     

It's that time of year again in France.

'La Rentrée' when everyone returns from vacance.

And the kids go back to school.

This is a big, big deal here.

Department store BHV in the Marais is back-to-school central.

It was packed on Saturday.

Did every family in Paris decide to go shopping for school supplies yesterday? Does every child have to have a Tann's schoolbag? Evidently. They've been making schoolbags since 1978. Vintage Tann's satchels go for a small fortune.

This is a famille affair.

Dad has to show up to help pick put the right notebook color.

Shopping baskets are brim full. I'm wondering if this is a whole year's school supplies?

How to choose from so many colors?

Ever wonder where the fancy kids shop, Bonpoint got it's name?

From the little award cards given the best students. Do they still give them out?

They still use little chalk boards called ardoise that's for sure.

Every window in Paris has back-to-school themes now.

You can find French vintage school labels on Etsy at La Belle Ville.

French kids clothes are darling. I wish this came in my size...

'Day Dream' sweater at BHV. I day-dreamed my way all through school.

'If Carol would only focus and stop gazing out the window' my report card said again and again. I'm still window gazing. It's work now. Still day dreaming too :)

I found this darling vintage French ABC book on Etsy for my new September Sketch Letter...

It's still in the works of course being that time of month.  A lot of French regional candy research was required for this letter. A lot of research candies have gone mysteriously missing.
I think Bear ate them...

Blanche Neige

Everyone wants to know what to wear in Paris for their upcoming trip.

White white white

White cardies, white shirt, white T is forever in Paris. 'Evergreen' in fact. Aways a class act.

White T shirt tails hanging out works fine.

Upstairs at WH Smith a bevy of French girls in white tops combing the English-French books.

Did Annie Hall/Diane Keeton make the white shirt chic? Or was it Chanel? Or both? What ever Frenchies are hot to buy books with English text on one page with French on the other at WH.

I thought, "Ha!" This will be Great for my French, but all the footnotes are in French. The sales person informed me these books are for French learning English not the other way around. Never mind. I bought a book of contemporary American short stories. But if you want to know how to sound like Annie Hall or Sabrina from Breakfast at Tiffanies but in French you've come to the right place.

Back to the ever-present white T-shirt. Worn with the shortie denim jacket. Perfect.

Where to get your white T? Take a look in forever hot Colette but buy maybe back home. This T with absolutely zero on it (unless you wear it inside out so the label shows) is 155€ ouch. It has Charlotte Gainsbourg's name on it. Go figure.

A plain and simple logo T at Colette is 60€. Still ouch. 

Better bring your own Fruit of the Loom with you to Paris to be safe and not sorry.

A white sweater will do fine.

Uggs with white cuffs in August. What is there to say? Mystifying.

Vans are hot hot hot and nothing new (in Colette's vitrine) but plenty of white 

Please do not ask me where, who, what, how to get these little cute numbers with the white soles. No clue.

They could be baskets by Jeremy Scott for Adidas which probably cost an arm and a leg and would go perfectly with your Fruit of the Loom nothing T.

There's a lot of white in the new movie, Sils Maria. It takes place in the Alps.

Kristen Steward carries it in her V-neck FOTL. I fell asleep and woke up at the titles so pleeze tell me what happened at the end!

Keeping on to 173, rue Saint Honoré you'll find the perfect trés chic matching all-white china at Astier de Villatte.

White food is an essential on top of your white plates while wearing our white Ts.

It's Magnums 25th birthday this year. The white chocolate pop is actually called 'White' in the freezer case so you know white is really in. Best to bring the essential accessory with a permanent white T on, your French Bull dog, non?

Mamie Gateaux Tea

When you see a tarte au citron at PB (ParisBreakfast) you know it's Afternoon tea time.

And now for something completely different.

This is not your gloriously deluxe hotel tea salon.

Au contrary.

Mamie Gateaux (grannies cake) is a darling place in the 6th that reeks of les French grandes meres at 66, rue du Cherche-Midi 75006

With the best of home-baked (fait maison) goodies. Lemon meringue pie! Wooee.

Le cheesecake. How Parisians love this.

Le British crumble is a standard items on Paris menus. 

No cupcakes, whoopie pies or macarons in sight. YAY

Our darling waitress.

Did I say PBer Sue of Portland, Oregon invited me to tea? We both thought our adorable waitress

Stepped right out of Vermeer's Girl with a pearl earring.  She was tickled pink.

All the staff at Mamie Gateaux are attractive and attentive.

And whirling dervishes most of the time to keep everyone happy. This place is buzzing on a Saturday afternoon.

The prices won't break your bank account.

Sue had a 'tea Gourmand' - a variety of bite-sized delicious desserts. And my lemon pie. Course I was not planning on eating dessert and announced it soon as we sat down. So much for best-laid plans ho hum.

Mamie Gateaux pastry chef loves the witty touch like a cookie fork. Sue's chocolate mouuse had a cookie spoon.

The shop is part-brocante as well as salon de the and sells the old style crockery and vintage books.

All the kids back-to-school books are a hoot.

I contained my drooling since a French vintage ABC was waiting for me at home. The next time I visit (soon I hope) I'll bring along my own stash of fresh mint to put in my glass of Perrier. Otherwise this is an adorable place for a rendezvous. Not to be missed.