Musee des Arts Forains, Life is a Carousel

 Living in Paris, its hard not to fall in love❤️ with carousels. Last Sunday I went to the Musee des Arts Forains (museum of fairground arts) in Bercy, open specially during the Christmas holidays through 2 January,2022.

 I promised myself I’d ride the carousel this time. Instead, like this little girl, I watched.

Search results for Snow in Paris, January Paris letter

 “Let it snow, let it snow ❄️, let it snow ❄️” Its the day before Christmas and the Paris letter was sent out yesterday🤸‍♂️💌📮

Paris, as a rule, rarely receives any snow ❄️ at all. At most, 24 hours in the odd year. Never mind. Snow ❄️is an essential ingredient for the winter holidays. Most Parisians left town last weekend in search of snow ❄️. Solli even went to Sweden. True she is Swedish, but never mind that. 

I was inspired by the snow❄️ falling on Hotel de Ville (night time only svp).

The Christmas marché at Hotel de Ville this year is truly a lovely one.

Across the street department store BHVis a having their own snow ❄️celebration. 

Snow ❄️ wass shipped in fresh from Switzerland to fill the windows! 

Plus Swiss red🇨🇭flags. On the 3rd floor you can get Lindt chocolate balls in many colors. True, you can get them everywhere else, but never mind that.

They do have a real Swiss coucou clockavailable! Tic Tock

Back over at the Christmas marchè, cute French kiddies are objecting to having their winter scarves tied correctly. People are lining up 

For rides on the carrousel like mad. 

Big lines for the snack chalet too. This French mom is teaching her kiddie how to eat ‘barbe de papa’/candy cotton. There is a correct way to do everything in France.

I spied a dad with 3 flickering lit-up balloons.

He directed me to the lit-up balloon 🎈 man on the edge of the marché

Now I have my own lit-up balloon flickering away - my Christmas 🎄 tree of sorts 😊 *If you are not a letter subscriber you can get your own Snowy ❄️ Eiffel Tower on Etsy. 🐻Bear wishes you a lovely 🧣 holiday🎄  where ever you are dear ❤️ PBers ❤️💋🍫❄️🎁🎄🇨🇭🇫🇷🍷

Paris Christmas Windows, Part 2

As promised, more Paris windows. Every year G.Thuillier is fully lite up.

This year Champagne bubbles cover rue de la Canette.

Chocolaterie La Mere de Famille always decks the halls with bows of holly and sparkling lights.

Go inside and choose some of the best Paris chocolates🍫

Next door, on rue Bonaparte Pierre Hermé with their big new Christmas window.

It used to be 4 little ones.

Across the street, Nerides jewelry

With their twirling Christmas ballerinas gathered in a double necklace.

Shoppers wait their turn outside Parfumerie Annick Goutal on rue Saint Sulpice.

Cafe La Maire is waiting for tired shoppers.

Uptown festive red and green tableware in Galeries Lafayette Maison Gourmand’s window.

Cartier’s doorman, toute en rouge/red. 

Some Christmas Carol background music while you’re window dreaming by Benjamin Britten on BBC4. 

La la la la la la la🎄Yesterday I saw the big tree at Galeries Lafayette, a must-do every year.  Thanks for reading Parisbreakfasts PBers❤️ Please share with friends. And take a look in my Etsy shop for some lovely never-too-late gifts 🎁 🎄🌟🐻BONNE DIMANCHE🎁🎄🌟🐻

Cooking in Paris with Charlotte, IV

 

Last week I sat in on a cooking class with top cooking teacher, Charlotte Puckette. Its been a while. We always start out at marché Saxe-Breteuil in the 7th. 

An upper crust arrondissement with upper crust looking produce to be sure. The leçons begin.

Dirt on carrots is de rigueur. It is a preservative I’m told. These carottes des Landes*grow straighter and are tastier.

These pointy green cabbages are tastier than the others. I never even noticed them before.

Charlotte gifted me a Betterave Crapaudine beet(upper left). They’re better than regular French beets. Why did I leave it hanging on her coat rack😬

A plethora of French potatoes to choose from. The little reds Charlotte chose ended up becoming burst of pure joy. 

Back in Charlotte’s town house near Rue Cler.

We always start out making dessert 1st - a chocolate ganache tarte made with just 3 ingredients. 

So fast and so easy to make, you can’t believe it. And the smell of it…puts you in the right frame of mind. 

I always like to take a quick ‘Sherlockian’ look around. 

Many of Charlotte’s favorite knives are from, believe it or not, Ikea! 

Our starter/entré is scallops with charred tomatoes. Though the scallops are ready to cook, Charlotte shows us how to shuck our own scallop straight from the shell, should the occasion ever arise. 

The scallops are cooked plain, just patted dry with salt and pepper, in avocado oil. 

The plated dish. The contrast in textures, color and flavors was divine. 

Our main (really I could have stopped with the entrée) is a classic French dish, roasted guinea fowl breast, stuffed with mushrooms(ceps) and herb butter. I kept  busy taking pictures and salivating while the others chopped and stuffed. 

Ta da! As delish and even better than it looks. My first guinea hen too. Those incredible little red potatoes whose distinctive name I forget. All the wines🍷  were from Charlotte’s friend’s vineyard. We sat and chatted about what else? Food of course. I can highly recommend taking a cooking class with Charlotte. Who knows..she might let me come again to report all. You can still  order a your Paris Christmas🎄letter. 

❤️🎄🐻🧣🇫🇷💌 Bonne Weekend PBers🎄❤️🧣🐻🐿🇫🇷💌

Paris Christmas windows, Part 1

 

Yesterday, after a run to the post office 📮to mail out your Paris letters💌

I made a run up (last day) to see Karl Lagerfeld auction at Sotheby’s on upper rue Saint Honoré.

It turned out the walk across rue Royale was a joyous display of Christmas windows was much more glittery. 

I had to share it with you😊 Do you want to see Part2?

Especially after D. said you ‘You have to see this Chicago Posh shop every Parisian is showing their stuff’. 

What? Not this Parisian😮

If you know what’s going on in Hermé’s windows, please tell. Looks like we’re on a deluxe ‘Orient Express’ type train with filmed views out the window of outer spacial snow ⛄️  scenes. *Note there are 2 moons.. 

Or are we on Jeff Bezo’s fancy space ship??

Cartier’s panther embracing their building..

No Christmas decor for YSL. Just rows of clothes with the appropriate single shoe to wear in front?!

Wonderfully festive shoes from I don’t know where on rue Saint Honoré.

An elaborate Paris snow globe.

Get the kids some Couture clothes up near the Elysées palais. 

Glorious city lights on upper rue Saint Honoré. 

BBC4 has a lovely 5-part series on Wintering by Katherine May. Maybe you heard of this book on how to accept the changing, darkening days Winter brings us. So beautifully narrated. Events like Thanksgiving, Christmas, News Year give us the breaks to cope with Wintering. 

Do you want more Paris Christmas windows ?

You still probably can get your Paris Christmas🎄letter in time depending..Bonne Mardi PBers🎄❤️🧣🐻🐿🇫🇷

🥂