What I did on Easter Monday and a Fish Tail

Easter Monday in Paris it poured all morning. It even haled 'petit peas' and then the sun came out briefly mid-day. More about that later.

It's pouring right now by the way.

The sun came out when I went to the pool for a swim (without my umbrella). When I left it was pouring again. Public pools are open on national holidays in France by the way.

I went off to a different aquarium for some fish research. This time I brought my umbrella. Naturally the sun came out.

Aquarium de Paris is not in an art deco building. It is underground, huge and spectacular.

A winding labyrinth takes you from one glorious tank to another. Wow.

Later on I was invited by my landlord to attend a glorious concert of Russian orthodox chants by Les Choeur des Nouvelles Voix de Saint-Petersbourg singing Russian orthadox chants. Out-of-this-world gorgeous!

Sung in the very beautiful Église Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile.

Immediately after I ran to get fish of a different matter.

Chocolate fish (or fritures) to give my landlord, concierge and kind pool attendant.

L'Atelier du Chocolat has closet-sized shops all over France with 3 in Paris. They started in Bayonne, France's original chocolate city and their specialty is thin leaves of flavored chocolate (citron, ginger, pimente, noisette, etc.). You can buy bouquets of the various flavors. You can also pick up an excellent cup of hot chocolate while on the run.

I discovered L'Atelier du Chocolat created the crazy hen-sailors sitting on life preservers I saw at Bon Marché. They have a nautical theme for Easter. Clearly it was a special order. Hmmm...

I bought some of their fritures for myself as well to draw for the April Sketch letter.

Naturally none are left by now...

The sun came out mid-day Easter Monday. You would never guess what a wretched day it was weather-wise even if glorious in every other way. Here's a corner of the April Sketch letter. It's going out today after eating too many chocolate fish and tearing out my hair a bit comme d'habitude.
More fish tails tomorrow!

Paris Easter Chocolate Parade and an Easter Letter Special

Ta Da. The promised Paris Easter chocolate parade.

 Abstract chocolate bath duckies from Eclair de Genie. Do they melt in the bath?

Wild looking egg tins from Galler chocolates hide mini chocolate eggs inside.

Larnicol always has the craziest chocolate chickens every Easter.

Arnaud Larher features a whimsical chocolate circus this year.

Bon Marché's hens are dressed as sailors adrift wearing mariner T-shirts sitting in life preservers. Hmm...

Michel Cluizel has classic French goofy chickens  every year.

Jean-Paul Hévin takes chocolate chickens to new heights. Hens in the moon?

Gold hens and fish atop chocolate bells.

I love his colorful button chocolate eggs though I can't think what buttons have to do with eggs or Easter.

At Bü you can buy giant decorative eggs and fill them yourself.

I caught the master of Paris' chocolate jungle, Patrick Roger setting up his Easter window.

He was in the middle of a shoot but look at that chocolate gorilla sculpture! And those chocolate 'fried egg'.

My favorite Paris Easter window - Patisserie des Reves...a don't miss.

Please don't miss La Table de Nana's wonderful post on my Paris maps. 

Mille merci Monique!

And don't-miss out on the Easter Letter Special. Subscribe for 6 or 12 months and receive an extra previous Easter Sketch letter from 2014 or 2015. Plus an original chocolate bell watercolor.

Joyeuse Paques tout la monde!

Le Douanier Rousseau - musee d’Orsay

In times of great difficulty sometimes art can offer a respite.

Monday I visited a preview of the Rousseau exhibit at musee d'Orsay (March 22-July 17)

Salon du Livre 2016

Saturday I went to the annual Salon du Livre out at Porte de Versailles.

Every year it appears bigger and bigger

Or am I shrinking?

So many people. So many books.

So many authors a-signing books.

Most fun are the elaborate drawings some illustrators do for young readers.

French kids learn to love books early.

I too am in love with French kids books. Very free illustrations. Lots of wonderful nonsense.

The cookbooks are especially enticing. Picture books will always win the day for me.

I got to taste a terrific giant scallop at the Ecole Ritz Escoffier demonstration.

La Mere du Famille has a new kids book out

With fun Paris pop-ups.

Loved this book umbrella

After 2 hours I needed to run away. Too many people. Too many books to looks at.

Loved this old gastronomie illustration when my eyes could still focus.

And this tote bag, probably a freebie from the Maison Object show.

A Suitable...Bunny

Apologies to readers of the eminent Indian novel, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth...

Last week in the midst of a wifi blackout and a looming visa appointment, I went in mad pursuit of a suitable chocolate bunny to draw for the March Sketch letter.

You would think in Paris, abound in chocolate bunnies at this time of the year, this would be an easy task.

You would be wrong. Many of Paris' witty bunnies are unsuitable for painting, decked out in only skivvies.

This Bon Marché bunny had possibilities.

But the ears were disproportionately enormous in my opinion to fit into my tea time still life.

These Bunny ears were too askew in my opinion.

Bunny ears sans bod would never do.

There were many suitable rabbits in London, probably dressed by Savile Row,

The Fortnum Masons bun was a dream come true, perfect for my still life setup. I wish I'd taken more pictures.

Another pretty British bunny. Evidently the English are not so inclined to go off the deep end when it comes to creating Easter bunnies as the French. Quelle surprise!

I went looking in children's shops on rue Cherche-Midi.

At last a suitable bunny even if not chocolate in Marie Puce at #60.

But my bunny light sketches were not pleasing sadly :((

Finally I gave up on the bunny idea and decided to go with a macaron watercolor that only required re-doing since I couldn't find the original. The original art naturally turned up once the re-do was done and printed out. Isn't that how it always goes. You can see the March print on ETSY.
Want to see more Paris Easter windows?
 Let us know.

Someone came out of the mad bunny pursuit best pleased.