Rosy Fauchon

Tuesday I left the house (with no umbrella even though they said 97% chance of rain). 

I’m thinking about Pink and roses for 2021. Practice thinking positive.

 I was on a search for  Fauchon‘s rose bud tea in their Madeleine store to paint. I rounded the corner of rue Tronchet. Fauchon is closed. Forever.

 I spent endless hours browsing in that wondrous emporium (always feeling a bit like an imposter admittedly).

 I used a Fauchon carry-all for years. It was so chic. Drank out of their mug daily. Painted their macarons and desserts many times. Did I have the Panda bear cookie tin? Can’t remember. 

Bear misses them too. Anyway its all gone because of the Pandemic. They opened a new hotel last year. Not the same. Bonjour tristesse 😳 Across the street a flower merchant handed me a tea rose stem on its last legs in the pouring rain. An homage to Fauchon? I got into the Metro heading to Grand Epicerie. 

They had packets boutons de rose. Now to find a nice jam jar. Google said Monoprix carried Fauchon rose thé so I went up there today. No way.

Only holiday crackers full of New Years Eve foie gras. 

By the way French tv channel ARTE has a new Secrets of Marie-Antoinette doc out on her petite ferme, the decor, her beauty routines etc. Its in French but you’ll get the gist of it. I did. 

I’m painting pink rose subscription bonus watercolors to get in the mood of thinking positively. Practice, practice. Today was glorious by the way. Tomorrow back to Paris grey drizzle 😃🐻 💋Bonne Année and Relax dear PB readers 🥂 🍾

Creating the December Letter - Simple Gifts

 

I had big grandiose plans to say the least. It was going to be an engineering feat of genius. First doodle

Galeries Lafayette Christmas windows in a triple-fold affair with kiddies gazing into into dreamland. The big tree in the center fold. 

Like previous foldie/cutout letters. 

Then I thought, no, its got to be Marie-Antoinette’s own theatre, in triple fold,  les balcons full of 17th century people, the big GL tree on stage. 

Then I remembered PBer Dee said she Loved my doodles ❤️

Pulling out old agendas I came across one little doodle. Me en route to la Poste 📮 loaded with your envelopes💌. Wheels started turning. Forget everything else. Start with this one figure. K.I.S.S. Keep it simple.

Bit by bit the story unfolds. A page of French Christmasy doodles? Why not 👏

 Mid-sketching I needed a treat, a reward, a chance to stretch my legs? A quick run to Picard For apple crumble topped with vanilla ice cream (a popcicle),  etoilé spice cookies, plus pomegranade  soda. Yes! 

I built it up layer by layer till at the top a brainstorm. Personalize each letter with your names! 🤸🏾‍♀️ Sometimes the simplest solution is the best solution. 

I hope 🙏 and pray you’re getting your packages. USPS is struggling. 

Later after your letter art was finished I went out looking for panettone, my new love, but had to make do with this Polanaise. Ah..Simple Gifts. 

Loads of Best wishes from Bear 🐻 et Moi XOXO💋 

The Tree

 

I know Everyone wants to see The Tree 🎄, so we'll get that out of the way. The base is just as pretty. And there is a Spiritual group above bursting into songs that make you wanna tear up. 

It feels like normal times around Galeries Lafayette’s Christmas tree 🎄. 

Bear 🐻 wanted to see the windows. 

Especially the Polar bears. 

He does have expensive tastes and drools over fine china and glassware. I drool over gingerbread and REAL Panettone. He has kept his stylish figure through all this Lockdown. I have not :(( 

A Dutch illustrator, aided in the decor this year. Très charmant. 

We decided the other night to go tree-hunting. Our local, very fine La Bucherie Gardil has perfect decorations. And the appropriate large dog outside, patiently waiting for his marrow bones. 

We went to papeterie Marie-Tournelles. I saw a cute tree in the window that might fill the bill. Cost-wise it was in our budget too (7,95€).

 La derniere(the last one). Ta Da. 

Everyone back home joined in with the decorating. If some gingerbread snaps had been baking in the oven for aroma’s sake.. I’ll look for essence of pine needles 🌲to give it a good spritz if possible. Hello Aroma Zone! You might enjoy seeing how a Japanese girl decorates her tiny place. Meanwhile we’re late as usual finishing the December Paris letter 💌. A shout out to PBer Dee, who suggested I do more doodles. Thank you for reading Paris breakfast. You can receive Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox📮 Stay safe and be good 🙏 PBers Xxx🐻🎁🎄

Shine Bright Paris

Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond

Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I

We're like diamonds in the sky
You're a shooting star I see
A vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I'm alive

We're like diamonds in the sky
I knew that we'd become one right away

Oh, right away

At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays

I saw the life inside your eyes
So shine bright, tonight you and I

We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive

We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond

Shine bright like a diamond
Shining bright like a diamond by RHIANNA ⭐️

Shining bright like a diamond Thank you for reading Paris breakfast. You can receive Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox. Joyeux Noël PBers 😃🐻❤️

Bear goes Bûche de Noël Shopping

 

Another Ta Da moment!! I was enthralled by Earful Tower’s 100 beautiful doors of Île Saint Louis. A great idea for a Paris map and just outside my door. 

But after 3 weeks of ✏️ doodling, hair-tearing and procrastinating I gave up and did Paris’ 2020 bûche de Noël (Christmas Yule Logs) - a fab densely chocolate mousse log from Jean-Paul Hévin perfectly named ‘Bûche Voyageuse’.

Drawing cake vs. drawing tiny detailed doors? 

“A piece of cake” every time. Its not exactly a map. More like a collection of pretty Noël pastries like this Pierre Hermé bûche.

Bear 🐻 was drooling over these foxes of pâtissier Yann Couvreur. Now you have cakes to dream about for next Christmas in Paris🙏 

Hugo Victor is represented with two bûche, because green was needed to compliment the pinks/reds. 

Pierre Marcolini never disappoints for ingenuity in design. Btw Vogue takes a closer look at the most beautiful Bûches de Noël in Paris for Christmas. 

I wonder who sent this French dad out to deck the halls with holly in Galeries Lafayette ..?

Frederic Cassel-Fontainebleau made this cake for  us. Word out is the average weight gain after Lockdown is 12.5 pounds..waving hand furiously👋

“Let them eat cake”. Me, I’ll take some Cartier. Or ‘Lucy in the sky with Diamonds’ on Pont Sully in the meantime. Thanks for reading Paris breakfast. You can get Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox📮 

Have a Happy rest of the week PBers ❤️🐻😃🎁