Paris Summer

'Sitting in a park in Paris, France...' 

Easy, breezy, JONI MITCHELL  fits so well with the heat wave we're having. 90 degrees in the shade. Sunbathing Frenchies don't mind.

Not me. I'd rather be in this speed boat with les Flics, feeling the breeze.

BEAR 🐻is collecting Ambre Solaire for a sunny weekend. This is gonna last for a few.

What to wear? Mom and daughter cut-off sun suits.

Or a breezy long skirt. Another 'Extended Cafe'. Sounds like a night course doesn't it? They are everywhere including bordering Eglise Saint-Louis. Set to continue through September

Though my guess is they're here for good.

I wouldn't mind.

Waiting for the lunch crowd.

Rotisserie de la Tour  at  19 quai de la Tournelle has gone all out. Their waiters must now cross the heavily-trafficked quai to deliver their excellent poulet by the Seine! Yesterday was their 1st day but Parisians showed up. Its wacky or maybe just ingenious.

Yesterday I dug out my fan/evantaille. Essential in the land of little A-C.

All manner of berries and Rosé are present and counted.

I shot the fiery skyline out my window at 5 am. It predicts another scorcher today. Capturing it on paper in watercolor is another matter...

'I am a lonely painter.

Living in a box of paints'. 

Thank you Joni. Thank you PBers for stopping by. Please share Paris Summer with a friend. Stay cool 🐻💋🥂

Painting Clouds, Boudin, rue du Tresor

Rows and flows of angel hair

And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons every where

I've looked at clouds that way (Joni Mitchell)

The cloud show out my window is ever changing. Always a spectacle.

How-to books say paint/draw the sky everyday for a year. I'm on day #1.  

EUGENE BOUDIN known as 'roi des ciels', wanted to "swim in the sky". He made hundreds of studies of skies and clouds in pencil, pastel, watercolor and oil. I visited the Le Havre Boudin exhibit 2 years back. Cloud paintings TBC. PBer, Irv mentioned he longed to visit his place on rue Tresor. I went there on Friday to look for washi tapes.

Irv said I'd know it by Cafe Philosophes on the corner.

A lovely tree-lined cul de sac full of small restaurants in the Marais

Just off rue du Veille du Temples.

Mark's Tokyo is a haven for paper fanatics.

I found the sweet Laduree tapes there.

Walking home on rue Saint Antoine the streets are full of cherries and flowers. These days each little trip outside seems such an adventure. Everything looks fresh and new.

Maybe some day I'll sit along the Seine and paint... There is a new 6-pack of MARIE-ANTOINETTE THEMED LETTERS in my 💌 Etsy shop. Thank you Marilyn. What a good idea! Happy Dad's Day out there🥂❤️

Yesterday I stopped at a cafe for an apéro...

Yesterday I rushed out the door to go mail your PARIS MAPS uptown. And buy more stamps. And afterwards run see the Turner exhibit at MUSEE JACQUEMART ANDRE. Yesterday I got on the metro and forgot 30 stations are closed (I don't know why) but the stop I needed for la Poste flew by. And the next one. Quick as a flash I thought I'll go see Turner & then to La Poste bla bla.

At the museum gate the woman guard shook her finger, “Désolée une reservation sont obligatoire". 

I said I’m just going to the boutique (one of the best museum gift shops in Paris). 

"Ahh...pa'd problem. Entre!" 

At the gate I showed my press card & waltzed it. 

The Jacquemart is like New York's Frick. In a glorious time capsules. You forget everything and wonder where you left your parasol ☂️ and fan.

With limited attendance, viewing was better than at the press preview.

These TURNER mugs called my name. More to come on the Turner show Je te promise. 

Yesterday I spotted perfect summer espadrilles while waiting for the light to change. Don't ask me the brand or where to buy them.

French girl in baskets

By the time I reached metro Saint Augustine at 6:00 I was pooped. It was 'crush hour'.

Nothing to do but stop at a cafe and wait…

Something I never do. Petit dejeuner, sure, but in the evening no way. It turned out delightful.

Doodling and people-watching with my Perrier. 

*Always ask for extra glaçons/ice 🧊 cubes to stretch out your drink.

With crowds still rushing into the metro I ordered a hamburger 🍔 of yellow cheese called Cheddar + avocado. No burger in sight. No knife and fork 🍴 either? The bun was brioche and delish. By the time I finished the trains were half-empty.

I got out at Pont Marie. A barrage of Police trucks raced by sirens blasting but relaxing Parisians by the Seine took no notice. Me too. So glad I moved to Paris. Is there a place you'd like me to visit? Let me know dear PBers. I'll do my best. Especially if there is a POST OFFICE nearby💌 ❤️🐻

The May 'Queen for a day' Paris map

Yesterday, after I finished the May Paris Map I went uptown for envelope 💌 goodies . They made us get off the Metro at Opera because Pyramid was closed due to protests. Its been months since I walked down Boulevard de l'Opera. You feel like a first-time Paris tourist all over again. 

Hard not to think immediately of Caillebaut's painting of the same boulevard. 

I wrote about Nina's Paris 2 years ago. Have you been? The tea salon's exterior is simple, but one step inside and you'll want a fan and rose petals to toss.Super feminine and delightful. 

Nina's Paris is the only official partner of the Le Potager Jardins/Kings kitchen garden in Versailles 

They develop exclusive food products made from the garden's rare fruits. 

The china too is exquisite and for once they are a Paris company that ships world-wide.

Their pink tin of delicate apple/rose tea inspired both the Paris letter

And 'Queen for a day' Paris map.

Another must-visit place on the May map is Debauve et Gallais Their Pistole" was a special chocolate disk designed by pharmacist Sulpice Debauve to help Marie-Antoinette take her medicine. They come in dark chocolate and different % of cocoa minus the medicament bien sur. I bought a 12-piece box(12€) for research purposes.

Utterly the best melt-in-your-mouth chocolate I have ever tasted. 

Another Paris 17th century shop, Ciré Trudon, have been the queen's candlemaker since 1643. Be Queen for a day and deck yourself out in Marie-Antoinette's favorite things. Why not?.If you'd like to receive letters 💌 from Paris please look on Etsy . Coming home on the metro there were no problems. Bonne Dimanche PBer ❤️🐻💌