Bonne Année Etc. !

Have a lovely wonderful HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY !

XXXXX Carolg & Bear

Les Sapins de Noel Paris, Il Gelato del Marchese

I saw all these sapins de Noel(Christmas trees) yesterday in Paris.

A listing lit tree in Herme's window.

Chocolatier Patrick Roger's snowy chocolate sapin at Place Saint-Sulpice. Perhaps the same price (75 euros) as a real pine tree but no forest was harmed and completely recyclable.

On rue de Seine, Gerard Mulot's golden-wrapped marron glace sapin.

His shop is always a don't-miss in Paris.

And his stub-your-toe, it's so real, chocolate log (buche de noel) has to be a winner no?

Mad hatter Marie Mercie on 23, rue Saint-Sulpice 75006, has an adorable sapin full of her inventive chapeaux(hats).

Yummy no?

Across the street a leather Xmas tree.

Little fold-out paper trees in a kiddies shop on rue Mabillon.

Alternative trees in a fleurist on rue des Courcelles.

Everything you could possible dream of.

Real sapin too by the way.

I fell hard for the Santa rat but Bear back home said NON!

Look! Sapin-green gelato!

In 3-day old new gelato shop, IL GELATO DEL MARCHESE 3, rue des Quatre Vents 75006 I discovered yesterday. I ordered nocciola(hazelnut) and an espresso. When they weren't looking I popped some gelato into my espresso. YUM.

They offered me a complimentary Mandarin gelato which did taste just like the REAL thing.

Molto elegante inside. They are from Roma and I wish them molto fortuna.
I wish you all Molta Fortuna, Bonne Chance and HAPPY HOLIDAYS PBers!!
Thank you so much for all your visits and kind comments in 2014 :)
xxx Bear and Carolg

Bear's Berthillon Noel

When Solli invited Bear for an ice cream at Berthillon's Salon de Thé this Sunday no way was he going to stay home.

I'm showing the sign as a reminder to myself not to misspell BERTHILLON AGAIN. (Clue - there is no extra i in Berthillon).

There were not so many people when we arrived at noon. By the time we left it was packed. The big boat thing in the center is the pastry case.

Surprisingly, though most don't know it, this ice cream flavor menu is digital. The flavors change daily. Yesterday there were only half as many parfumes available as shown here...perhaps because it was Sunday?

Bear tried to order the 'Coupe d’enfant'(kiddie size) but you can't fool the staff at Berthillon.

So he picked the anniversary flavor '60s' mainly because it was passion fruit + vanilla + spices. Very nice indeed.

Solli's friend Clara got sorbets pammlemousse and peche(grapefruit and peach). While Solli got marron glace( a special Christmas flavor) and the best pistachio I've ever tasted in Paris.
Someone was wishing they could send theirs back for an exchange.

Solli is an expert ice cream taster since her company insisted she taste, shoot and visit every ice cream shop in Paris for a full week and then report back. What a tough job.

Solli says the metal cups(coupes) at Berthillon are preferred to paper cups. They keep ice cream from melting. Who knew?

She also noted the spotted marble tables match the marble floor. Sharp eyes! I completely missed that. Does the marble keep the metal cups cool?

I was surprised the only Christmas decorations - a case full of decorative shiny globes.

A closer inspection revealed silver decorative balls, Victorian on their little pedestals. They do look like scoops of ice cream. Do you know what these are?

On departing a lingering look in the pastry case is essential, though most people only think ice cream, ice cream ice cream when they think of Berthillon.

FYI Berthillon has possibly the best tarte tatin in all Paris.

Another break-your-heart Berthillon Tarte Tatin picture.

Another well-kept secret is Berthillon's tarte fine au pomme - an open tart of deeply caramelized apple slices for a mere 2,50 euros, same price as one dip of ice cream and maybe healthier if you're into rationalizing like some people. What do you think?

My ode to Berthillon's tarte fine au pomme.
FYI it's still possible to get a Paris Sketch Letter gift subscription in time for the holiday believe it or not. Someone requested one yesterday so I scanned the personalized December letter and emailed it, to be printed out in time (with the actual letters to follow). Who knew?

Shine Bright Like A Diamond

'Shine bright like a diamond'

'Like diamonds in the sky'

Paris Christmas STREET LIGHTS

Never cease to delight

More than 130 streets are lit up in Paris for Noel.

'Paris illumine Paris'
Paris lives up to it's name "Ville Lumière"

A complete list of streets HERE.

 

Early December to beginning of January, Paris City Hall will switch on the lights from 5 PM till 2 AM each night.

I love Printemps 'street' of lights along Avenue Haussmann better than their window decorations...

Diptyque too has spectacular lights over their original shop on 34, blvd Saint Germain.

Lite-up trees along blvd Saint Germain.
More lite-up streets in the 6th arron:

Rue de Rennes illuminée de la Place du 18 Juin 1940 au Boulevard Saint –Germain

Rue d’Assas de la rue de Rennes à la rue du Cherche Midi

Rue Notre Dame des Champs de la rue de Rennes à la rue de Fleurus

Rue St Placide, entre la rue du Cherche Midi et la rue de Sèvres

Portion de la rue de Sèvres à proximité du Bon Marché

Bd Saint-Germain de la rue des Saints-pères à Odéon ainsi que la place Saint-Germain des Prés

 

A spectacular lite-up tree at Notre Dame one very chilly Dimanche with PBer Gretchen...

At Un dimanche a Paris these edible trees - their buche de Noel.

Some Paris shops go to town with the lights...

A little restaurant on the Island gets into the act...

What to wear in Paris now?

Follow these French girls example: All black, big brand bags (2 if possible), branded knitted cap, boots, no scarf.
At the end of my street, Sully-Morland and quai de Bethune, a rather unspectacular display of flashing lights on 4 trees. Still nice to see when I get home after a walk through Paris' drizzle.
"Shine bright like a diamond" Paris !