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Paris is OK
PBer Carolyn wrote and asked if I was OK?
She'd seen pictures of armed soldiers in the streets of Paris.
I've seen Parisians walking their little dogs and eating ice cream cones.
No soldiers.
The cafes were full up on Saturday, a nice sunny day.
In the Marais everyone was carrying orange BHV sale bags.
Me too.
I fell hard for this little Cotman travel watercolor box on sale. Reduced from 72€ to 28€.
My excuse? I will paint in cafes (my new year's resolution is to sit in a cafe now and then).
I've had these travel sets before.
At least 15 years ago same box in a different color. I wish I could still fit into that Agnes B. top...
Paris pastry chefs are busy gearing up for Easter/Paques so I had to go to a tasting on Friday at Christophe Michalak Masterclass 60 rue Faubourg du Poissonniere. 75010
Michalak always puts a unique, whimsical twist on classic French desserts.
Like this grilled croque monsieur sucre Michalak created on the spot on his new Panini toaster for us to taste. Inside Valrhona chocolate ganache, citron vert and banana sprinkled with caramelized sugar. Yum.
Sunday night I was running to catch an early show of Whiplash and looked in at Un Dimanche a Paris full of people buying chocolate.
A quick look inside Grim'Art, a pen shop. Addressing lots of envelopes, pens and calligraphy have become a recurring obsession.
By the time I got to the Odeon, Whiplash was sold out. Parisians are going to the movies folks.
Walking home I passed the 3-day vide grenier/brocante(outdoor antique market) at Mutualite-Maubert.
I used to be obsessed with silverware before pens and envelopes took over my life...
I went and saw Whiplash tonight. Excellent.
When I came out of the theatre the cafes were filled with people.
Still no soldiers.
Notre Dame is beautiful as ever too.
Paris IS OK people!
You look (timelessly) tres chic!
ReplyDelete....oops... And of course it's wonderful that life goes on, as it must. I am intrigued by the sweet version of a croque monseieur. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI love that pic of you!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am happy to see that life..does..in fact..go on..
But I have found..with my years..that life does in fact go on..if it's not about you..straight on ..you..Sounds direct..but ..it is a truth to me..
On a happier note one of my daughters picked up her son at school one day and said:"do you want to go home or shall we see a movie?"He picked movie..
Paddington..and they loved it!
So much so..that..
Today ..in my emails I had a photo of Noah..trying to gulp a Bonne Maman mini marmalade I brought over with scones yesterday..She said he was trying to be Paddington..guess I have to see the movie now..
and guess who I thought of:)?
Le p'tit Cotman..trop cute!
I can't believe I forgot to say..I love M.Michalak:) because of :"Qui sera le prochain..etc..":)..your art..and my mom's silverware.
ReplyDeleteJ'aime Paris ! You make me love Paris !
ReplyDeleteGreat watercolors and your night shots are excellent - I love to look at the cafes & the patrons.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that things are normal there & I certainly hope that they stay that way!
Nice "vintage" shot of you, too :)
Ah...how I would love to be that 'vintage' me...
DeleteParis is not easy on the bod.
Well, at least you are there - on your island!
DeleteLove my island...it should be called Ile St. Ice Cream.
DeleteGood to see Paris being Paris! And regarding pens and ink, which are my latest obsession: You MUST try to find some de Atremis Document brown ink (all the "comment" inks in this line are waterproof) for sketching....I have a tiny sample and have actually ordered it from Germany, where it is made, hoping it will arrive in my lifetime. Actually, I'm beginning to hope I still want it when it comes because I'm growing quite fond to the melting lines from my Maron non-waterproff ink. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post today Carol! And I love the picture of you ...very special !
ReplyDeleteLove your post! Great to see life as usual, especially my old stomping ground Le Hibou...oh to be there now! Sitting outside in the winter:))). And the sweet Croque, who knew! Enjoy yourself, you lucky lady!!!
ReplyDeleteyou make me miss Paris so much!!! Le Hibou was two steps away from my apartment and was our regular hangout. Plus Odeon theatre
ReplyDeleteI know that paint set ... cannot wait to see your watercolours from cafes... maybe an interior of some of those sweet cafes???...
ReplyDeleteThat's a brill idea Felicity! I never thought of doing cafe interiors...why not? It's going to the top of my 2015 To-Do list.
DeleteBig Merci!
The interior of Angelina"s was my favorite of the 2014 "Sketch Letters". I loved the colors of the walls and the details.
DeleteOh dear...at was a tough one Marilyn!! ;))
DeleteThat chocolate tarte with the caramelized pecans!!!
ReplyDeleteTo die for gorgeous!
That's such good news. Although of course there is always a security presence on the streets of Paris. We had a lovely lunch at Le Hibou last year. Sadly I remain unfamiliar with the works of Christophe Michalak -but he is on the wishlist for next trip. And I don't think I've heard of Whiplash.
ReplyDeleteHeartening and beautiful post, Carol. I assure you I am still on the lookout for that "vintage" pic of you,
ReplyDeleteand will send asap when I find it. I think it was a Polaroid.Have fun with your new/old paintbox.
Happy and joy and a post we all need to see! Love your shopping trip -- pens and art supplies and silver and pastry. Honestly, you are my fantasy today! Whiplash is on my schedule, too -- it's playing at odd times, so will see next week. Really excited about it.
ReplyDeleteAh, BHV. My favorite. Sigh. Just big, huge, sigh! I think if you decide to quite your job as brilliant artist and chronicler of Paris life that you should be a personal shopper for us Americans who aren't getting over to your area!
Carol, this post is so filled with a zest for happiness and beauty. Thank you for sharing that atmosphere and sensitivity with us.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fun to acquire a new watercolor set? No matter how many I might already have, a new one is always an excitement.
Great to see the photo of you amidst your painting, too!
xo
So true Frances. I spotted that box across a crowded room.
DeleteA coup de foudre
Thank you.
ReplyDeletebefore my office moved to the new World Trade Center (aka Freedom Tower) we worked in Times Square and seeing police in full riot gear - visors, submachine guns, flac jackets - became common place .. sad but true … so glad to hear Paris is coping …
ReplyDeleteI am glad that you are doing well,and still doing the tough job of tasting those pastries for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks as always for the peek into Parisian life,and ooh,that includes you Miss Carol.
Thanks for all you do.
Thanks for this post...glad to know that you and Paris are OK. Pastry will always triumph! Thoughts are with you.
ReplyDeleteMost beautiful blog.
ReplyDeleteNot only loving Notre Dame,
but drooling over the paint box sale
as well.
You are so lucky to be in Paris! Would you say that you will stay there for the rest of your life? I ask because this morning I woke up and could see a partly cloudy sky from my pillow with brilliant rays of sun coming through. For some reason, I thought of Paris even though I have not ever been there. I am thinking of where one would want to be for the rest of one's life. For you, is it Paris?
ReplyDeleteI love that photo of a younger you. Why do we want to still look like we did back in time? How do some women seem to be able to look the same? Wish I knew.
YES yes and yes !
DeleteSlowly the city comes back to life.
ReplyDeleteHappened here in NYC.
Just more aware now.
Real estate has never been higher .
This too shall pass.
Wasn't 'Whiplash' mind blowing? Wow!!!
I'm glad things are getting back to a perhaps a "new normal", at least for the near future. How lovely to be able to sit outside at a café in winter. I admire the French for that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for showing some scenes of Paris. The pen store makes me want to book a reservation now! And I love that movie theater & that whole area of Paris. Can one ever have too many paintboxes, I ask you?
ReplyDeletePaintboxes are like lipsticks. You buy them whether you need them or not. Fun!
DeleteAs usual your blog today left me drooling... But also today, jealous. I've wanted that little Cottman Watercolor travel kit for twenty years. You will do amazing things with it
ReplyDeleteThats too long to wait
DeleteThey are on sale on Amazon
Buy it!
It would seem there is always a festival of food in Paris and something to celebrate - Viva la Paris!!
ReplyDeleteThink I will wear my blue and white striped top today xxxx
thank you. gorgeous post. can’t wait for my 10 weeks beginning in mid april in the marais and then the 6th.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding us that terror can not win. It may make us grieve our losses, but LIFE always wins over death and destruction.
ReplyDeleteDo you have pen recommendations? I'm experimenting currently, but mostly frustrated. And there's no lovely pen shop just around the corner to help me out.
Pens are so personal like paintbrushes. You have to find the one that fits yr needs. Its a process like teying on shoes. It's taken me a while but now I finally like italic pens...I use to hate them. Experiment and find your own true pen
DeleteMerci!
ReplyDeleteWhere Concinnity Meets Quotidian.
studied elegance meets the everyday
Hello and thank you soooo much for that vote of confidence for my impending trip to Paris!!!! Merci!
ReplyDeleteNice post Carol - and of course, life goes on, just with more awareness and perhaps a little more wariness. Glad to hear all is well with you. Love your goal of sitting in cafés more often - my favourite pasttime in Paris for sure!
ReplyDeleteI love Paris even more. Hugs to you, Carol. Terrific post.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Carol! Have just linked to it in my weekly blog post. Cheers from across the Channel.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Carol, Rich Nuckolls shared your blog with me. I am one of the painting instructors in Giverny this year. I'm organizing a group for June 4-11 and hoping the recent tragedies in France will not dissuade people from joining in on a remarkable opportunity to paint at Monet's Gardens. I believe you have been there before and know how wonderful it is. If you know of anyone who might be interested in participating, they can learn more on http://www.artcolonygiverny.com/ Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI see Clotilde from blog Chocolate and Zucchini in one of the pictures! Love her, and you!!
ReplyDelete~cg