Van Gogh à Atelier des Lumieres

Last week I was lucky to see the new Van Gogh digital presentation at ATELIER DES LUMIERES.

Its impossible to get an idea of how immersive this experience is with still photos. Watch the video

The fusion of art and music is magical. Of course I had to try my hand at Van Gogh's lively colors and shapes. The 35 minute program starts off with his drawings and letters. Everything is animated.

Still photos are added of Van Gogh's time painting in Montmartre with the paintings to follow.

Aided by 140 projectors you relive the various phases his work went through from early drawings to potato eaters to full-blown brilliant color.

This animated scene of shimmering lights on a lake

Reflects the painting in the d'Orsay museum.

Reflected even further walking over Pont Sully that night.

His iconic cherry blossoms come near the end. Followed by an exquisite animated short on the Japanese 'Floating World' of woodcuts, deeply influential to Van Gogh's later work. We're having glorious weather in Paris. Pink buds are coming out after the dull grey of winter. Hurry and come back to Paris PBers. And don't miss VAN GOGH À ATELIER DES LUMIERES  Thank you for reading and sharing Parisbreakfast. Subscription letters 💌, maps and watercolors are in my Etsy shop. With love💋from Paris🐻

Paris Chocolate Shop map + a Twofer

Every time a Paris map or letter gets finished and shipped out I want to celebrate 🥂🍾!

Two letters out every month means two celebrations 🥂🥂. One can't complain. Last night I rewarded myself with l'escargot + pistache gelato from Picard - a green dinner. If you come to Paris and don’t taste any Paris chocolates you’re missing out. There is no better place for top chocolate shops than the 6th.

Three on rue de Seine + three on rue Bonaparte. 

The February Paris chocolate map IS your guide.

Here's a well-kept Paris secret - it’s perfectly OK to walk into the best chocolate shops in town and BUY ONLY ONE CHOCOLATE! I kid you not.

 At Pierre Marcolini it will set you back 1€. The French, more than anyone, understand the concept of a 'peche mignon' (a guilty pleasure). Indulging yourself with one perfect chocolate is applauded and respected. Make the tour of the 6eme chocolate shops collecting single samples and no one will look down their noses at you. At all. Considering the heights of snobbery here this is something. on Valentine's day at Galeries Lafayette there were Free chocolates to taste at the Pierre Hermé! Someone's hand grabbed one. Yum

Another secret - the density and richness of a single French ganache bonbon is equal to your average steak IMHO...though some meat-eaters might not agree. You don't need to wolf down the entire box either at one sitting. It may be near impossible. Better to fait attention and appreciate. I knew someone who ate a single chocolate every night. Of course they were French chocolates.

This morning I went to the preview for ATELIER DES LUMIERE VAN GOGH, LA NUIT ÉTOILÉE'. I was inspired to paint some 'Van Goghish' bonus watercolors. Subscribe to Paris maps this month and you'll get a TWOFER - the 1st all-Paris chocolate map, the little Van Gogh teapot aquarelle and your guide to the 6eme shops. Plus a brochure from the show! Yum 
With Love ❤️ From Paris 🐻 Xxxx

Thank You Karl

Dear KARL, you will be missed.

Who didn't want an invitation to your spectacular shows at Grand Palace

Though standing outside watching the fabulous parade seemed almost as good or better. No stress. Did you forget your passpost? What to wear? Where were you sitting inside? No renting a head-to-toe Chanel outfit. just watch the fun.

You gave us black and white like no one else

Ruffles, Hats, Sunglasses, the tiny bun, ridiculous frou frou

Shoes, bags, baskets like no one else before or since

You will be missed. R.I.P. Karl

Soirée Love, Musee Rodin, 14 Fevrier

Saint Valentine's eve I had an invite to attend the annual SOIRÉE LOVE at Musée Rodin.

What a delightful event. Couples, families, singles showed up to partake of the festivities (20€)

Champagne was of course flowing.

Live music was playing upstairs and down. We received programs with Rodin's love letters and poems to read as we wandered from room to room in the museum.

I was especially drawn to the room of CAMILLE CLAUDEL'S evocative sculptures 

Sketching with Django Rhinehardt playing in the background was perfect. Live artists were painting happy couples. You could get a photo portrait with Rodin's sculpture, The Lovers.

By-lingual guides in every room happily explained the artworks surrounded by rose petals.

The focus was on the romance between Rodin, in his 40s and 17-year-old Camille Claudel .

After 10 years with Rodin as pupil, muse, model, mistress Claudel lived and worked not far from me on the Île.

                                                             watercolor on ETSY
I pass this beautiful Hôtel particulier many times. Lovely to know the back story. Next I must visit the MUSEE CAMILLE CLAUDEL. Crossing Pont Sully on the way home, the bateaux mouches were full of Valentine lovers. Do go next year PBers if your in Paris to Musée Rodin/SOIRÉE LOVE.

With Love XXX from Paris ❤️🐻💋

5 Years on...

Bear reminded me its 5 years since we moved to Île Saint-Louis and 5 years since we started Paris watercolor letters. ❤️ CELEBRATION! ❤️ We called them: Belle Lettres, Sketch Letters, You've Got Paris Mail etc.

Five years ago we lived in the 19th arrondissement. Quite a step-up to the Île our former 'landlady' said.

Our first Paris letter was going to be about leeks(!?) 

Fortunately surrounding maritime themes and BERTHILLON won out.

Being naturally dyslexic, disorganized, and a rotten speller with illegible handwriting, I had no idea what I was getting into. Starting a letter subscription business - what was I thinking? :((

Both studios before and after remain a bordel/chaotic. Getting the letters out remains a monthly challenge I know I'd miss.

I looked for the 1st bonus watercolors (gift with purchase). None left.

I love French airmail envelopes, but no one else liked their letters folded 2Xs 

As a ❤️ Saint Valentine ❤️ thank you for hanging in there dear letter subscribers and putting baguettes on Bear's table, I'm including the 1st Parisbreakfast letter along with the February letter. (Paris map subscribers will get theirs in May). ❤️HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PBers❤️. We're still here and the Île is still spectacular as the day I moved. Thanks for reading and sharing Parisbreakfast. Subscription letters 💌, maps and watercolors etc. are in my Etsy shop. With love💋 still in Paris🐻