Yesterday in Paris

Yesterday morning I admired these stripes on Metro 9 heading  back to the dentist.

In Aix I ate rock-hard grainy, healthy crackers and broke the new filling he put in last week!

I asked, "What should I be eating? Compote de pomme?"

His response, "De l'eau".

Oh.

At least since I've been seeing Dr. Krumholz (2 weeks) Haribo bonbons have been completely eliminated from my life. Miracles can happen!

Taking Metro 9 back and all doped up, I decided a little R an R in les Grand Magazins (Printemps and Galeries Lafayette) couldn't hurt.

Printemps is still celebrating their 150 years.

They have a yummy new pop-up Maison du Chocolat tea salon downstairs.

I go instead for healthier Cojean next door.

I usually get their chewy salads. Definitely a good place to grab a bite while shopping=Guilt-free.

Hmmm...

Liquid lunch is the way to go. Not taking any chances with the newly repaired filling.

A quick flirtation with Pedone gelato across the street would be OK for the teeth but not the figure.

Back to browsing the lovely pricy merch. Love these striped sneakers.

Caught! Shooting every design in the Les Nerides boutique in Galeries Lafayette.

She gave me courage to shoot their adorable Alice-in-a-teacup earrings = blurry :(

A real French Alice crossing my bridge yesterday morning. Tailored white man's shirt + schoolgirl's navy blue pleated skirt + ballerinas + bedhead. All you need to pass as a Parisienne. Ha

Love, love, love these Marc Jacobs watercolory purses.

Another. Just 185-195€. Dream on Carol...

Every summer L'Occitane (pronounce that LOX-EE-TAHN) presents their 'La Collection de Grasse' and I fall in love again with their watercolory stains. 

I'm working on figuring it out.

That was yesterday in Paris.

Bon(ne) Week-End PBers!

Parler Comme un Politicien

 Today's post is a 'shaggy dog' story with much meandering. I was in the 16th arr./Passy dragging poor Peter's Paris around to patisseries

 And lunette shops - not at all his usual route since he's into history and architecture. I fell deeply in love with these red glasses(240€). Peter quickly reminded me I would look like...

 French presidential candidate, Eva Joly of the Green party if I got them.

 Which brings me round to how to improve your Fr. I read somewhere listening to French politiciens can have language benefits. They must enunciate and speak slowly so everyone can understand them. If you're lucky, when tuning into Fr2 News, you'll hear a slew of candidates enunciating endlessly. They even provide subtitles!

 Elaine Scholino provides another source of French bla bla bla with her article on TV talk shows in the Times. The French take “le talk show” very seriously. The clash of ideas has been part of France’s national identity for centuries, and the intellectual — almost anyone with an air of gravitas and the confidence to opine on any subject in three points — enjoys a special status in society and a place of prominence on television. Days before France’s presidential election, the country has gone into talk overload, with both serious debates and silly posturing.

 Her link to 'In The Air'/Dans l'Air will provide you with an hours worth of election bla bla to keep your Fr brain stimulated

 Drawing from Dico des Betises
Or finally exhausted with all the bavarder/blab blab blab

 Time to return to the more interesting subject of glasses/lunettes and dogs.
Last October at Cote Vue, 97 rue du bac, on impulse I bought 2 pair of adorb round glasses in scarlette and tortoise for a mere 50€. I felt quite pleased with myself but I never wore the tortoise pair. I wondered if I might exchange them for another red pair. The reputation of the French regarding store returns and exchanges preceeds them and it's not good. Just read David Lebovitz and you'll get it.

  Cote Vue could not have be nicer about the exchange, even though I was 5 months late (!) Walking down rue du Bac I felt like I'd climbed Mount Everest. I happened to look in the latest issue of Elle, saw these round sunglasses and made a rdash back to the shop to have a copycat made. Yahoo

 Two major victories in one day surely deserves one madeleine from Patisserie des Reves just next door.

 The same little guard dog was out on rue du Bac comme d'habitude.

 Did you know you can get protective sunglasses (Doggles) for your pet at Chacabo 17 boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, 75003

 Back to the election - in today's Washington Post there's a fun story on the stylish changes the French candidates are putting themselves through with pointers from various Parisian fashion experts. A pair of red specs couldn't hurt M. Sarkozy IMHO.

 Getting back to immersing yourself in Fr, it seems the best route is to drink Alice's potion and get very small.

Here's a touching story by American mom in Paris, Paige Bradley Frost of how her bilingual tots speak better French than she does. Some clever enterpreneur should open a 'Maternelle'/nursery school for us grownups. Sign me up!

R U in France?

How do we know this woman is French?

Baguette - check

Scooter - check

Alice in wonderland long hair - check
+ Scarf bien sur...

The French start taking tests from day one.
Their whole lives are focused on taking their bac for college, so really it's no surprise you must take a test at Salon du Chocolat before tasting? Your skills of discernment will always be tested and sharpened if you are French.

We know this chef is French because his arms are folded across his chest.
True at times a French chef may stand with his hands on his hips. And on occasion with his hands behind his back. These are the 3 positions to look for when identifying a French chef.
No matter that the British probably created the 'Bed Head' several years ago. The French have embraced this sexy hair style whole-heartedly. You will pay good $$ to achieve this look...

I've mentioned before the French love a good silhouette. The straight-legged French Walk as well is illustrated on this tiny expresso cup...

Oh why is it when we name a street after bread it doesn't sound as romantic..?

The French can scribble a few words on a black board/ardoise in the street and get you drooling...

I love that the prices of French pastry are always clearly marked.

Maybe it's the law. There is none of the unspoken snobbery of the US, where 'if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it'. Prices are front row and center in France.

Yet you can go into a French shop, admire the items in the window/vitrine and find out they are not for sale nor does the vendeuse have a clue how you could buy them!?

How do I know this dog is French? You can tell from his look of discernment bien sur. His j'e ne sait quoi...

Well this is a give-away.

These are my stereotypes and I'm sticking with them.

C'est comme ca..

Bon Weekend PBers!

Alice's Tea Cup

Yesterday I went for afternoon tea at Alice's Tea Cup on the upper west side at 102 West 73rd street.

It's the perfect place to take out-of-town guests for a lovely surprise.

The front shop of the tea salon is filled with a vast array of teas.

And tempting cakes to get you salivating.

And of course all things 'Alice' .

You say you have nothing to wear to Alice's Tea cup? You can pick up a gown in the front shop...

Plus a pair of pink wings...

And the ever-so-essential TIARA bien sur!

No reservations accepted unless you're a party of 6+, so bring lots of children along. Your eyes will pop when you see 'The Mad Hatter' tea trays being served...

I went with PBer Frances of City Views, Country Views. *Do note her fabulously tied Frenchie scarf - the secret how-to video is HERE!

There was no leaving the house without Monsieur BEAR, who insists he needs tea salon practice before we hit Paris.

We were both quite taken with the new Alice's Tea Cup cookbook.

The authors, Haley and Lauren Fox have THREE tea salons in New York. No wonder they needed a cookbook - very clever indeed.

And those delectably stacked tea trays - you can do them at home!

Or plan a kid's tea party just as if it was at Alice's.

Do you think they should rename New York City 'The Big Cupcake'? We were drooling over the goodies in the cookbook.

 Frances and I settled sanely on scones + pot o' tea ($10). Granted the scones were insanely huge and you got a choice of two. I had Mixed Berry + Pumpkin Spice and Frances had Caramel Banana + Mixed Berry + gobs of jam and butter.

 

My tea was a wonderous mix of apricot + ginger + orange. Our neighbor (British) asked politely if she might look closer at BEAR. As an owner of 4 bears at home, she was smitten. She popped BEAR into her purse to see if he'd fit...ahem. She is returning to London shortly and BEAR mentioned he lurved London.

Some bears have a lot of nerve.The idea of going home with the first person who asks even i fthey do live in London...

We did not have any Mar-Tea-Nis.

BONJOUR ALICE'S TEA CUP!