Stuff I did this Week in Paris

 

WEDNESDAY I was en retard/late meeting Solli at fondation Cartier-Bresson in the Marais. Slow buses.  I stopped in Maison Aleph for a consolation pastry. They specialize in crunchy shredded-wheat nests with creamy flavored toppings. I’d never gone inside before, but desperate measure make you brave. 

Solli approved👍 And they had pomegranate flavor! I’m on a pomegranate kick since the Samarkand expo. 

Did I say it was drizzling out? Classic Janvier Paris when it drizzles weather. 

Today is the last day for the exhibit so run! A combo of ‘English at work’ from 1963 by Cartier-Bresson.

And in contrast, 23 years later, full-color, raucous,‘The English’ by Martin Parr. A terrific photography exhibition.

Later on, strolling down drizzly rue des Archives we spotted a tiny pastry shop with only chou (cream puffs) in the window. 

In the name of research we went inside. 

Shortly after we werethrown out 😂

Of course M. Pascal of Dunes Blanches did not know he was talking to the Queen 👑 of Paris pastrymaps! I only remembered this later…”l’esprit de l’escalier”

And creator of the endpapers of Jill Colonna’s divine pastry cookbook,TEATIME IN PARIS! Some nerve. 

I only wanted to buy some chou sans creme like in the window. Turns out they were fake. Faux choux.

The chou chef said, “NON”

I said, “So French!”

He gave me the Gallic shrug 🤷‍♂️ and waved us out of the door, saying, “I’m very busy”

Solli said, “He’s having a meltdown!!”

Further down rue des Archives is an adorable fleuriste shop

I wanted a narcisse plant to paint. We went inside. Me, shooting everything in sight, bien sur. 

Only later, the guy said, “No photos!” And he refused to give me a bag to carry my Narcisse home 😳? ! 

Hmmm…bet he was surprised, closing up, to find beaucoup business cards missing near the door(envelope 💌 fillers). Ah, the ups & downs of an average day strolling around rainy Paris. 

THURSDAY, I went for my weekly bowl of Japanese noodles on rue Saint Anne at Sapporo.

Further down rue Saint Anne - a Must-Visit spice shop, Épices Roellinger. Have you been?

A veritable Aladdin’s treasure chest…yes, that’s an open chest full of spices. Inhale! I bought a bottle of Cannelle “Ceylon” (poudre) (6,50€). Can you ever have too much cinnamon? I did not get thrown out 🤸🏾‍♀️🥂

Coming home, I walked past a shop on Île Saint Louis I’ve walked by a million times and never entered.They’re having January solde/sale like everyone else in Paris. My chambre de bonne is freezing 🥶 so I crossed the street and went in. 

Nice cashmere-laine blend REAL turtlenecks in the window. When did you last see those? The vendeuse had one in mustard yellow no one wanted & marked down to 15€!! Perfection 👏 though I‘ve never owned ANYTHING mustard yellow. On FRIDAY, I went back and bought a matching cashmere-laine scarf 👍🤸🏾‍♀️

BTW Mimosa yellow is very IN right now at Paris fleuristes.

Now I have to figure out 🤔 how the French tie their l’ésharpe? My friend, artist, Juliette Plisson (lower right) is a maître. There must be a class somewhere.

SATURDAY I went to buy moules at marché Maubert-Mutualité. Trop tard, so I bought razor clams. Did you know clams are the queen 👑of super foods? Full of iron, minerals blah blah. Easy to make after a good 20-minute wash. *Throw out the broken ones. In a Paris restaurant you get 6-8 for like 14€ I got 30 for 12€ and I have leftovers for breakfast 😂 

What a long shaggy dog story. 

TMI?

😊 Do visit my Etsy shop 😊

🥐☕️Bon dimanche PBers 🥐 ☕️