Ajiri Aki, Joie, Messy Nessy Cabinet

 

I never arrive early ⏰ for anything. Also I can’t spell 😵‍💫

On Thursday I arrived an HOUR early, thinking I was late. 

Texas, Artsy Samedi/Saturday, Christian Constant Chocolatier

 

While Paris is unseasonably warm in the 60’s,  I’m thinking of freezing Texan PBers - over 130 !

The bus 86 stops exactly in front of top artiste chocolatier Christian Constant. at 40, rue des Ecoles. Impossible not to  ‘lecher les vitrines’. His chocolate tartes are renown and superb. And they make ‘fait maison’ Apricot confiture/jam.

The labo is onsite, which is unusual. Such a brill idea -individual pecan tartes.

On my way to the art store I spot metro posters of a collab of Uniqlo + the Louvre. If you can’t visit the museum, wear their paintings. Why not? And color 🖍️ it in?

A cosmetics shop displays their cremes like tubes of paint. 

And at the art store...

Turns out the art store takes a lunch break between 1 and 2 pm. I went looking for a snack. Nearby KR Patisserie on boulevard Voltaire has quite artful desserts. 

 I pick the most artful. 

Turns out it is also the most fragile and should come with instructions, “eat me immediately”...still tasted quite nice. 

Now that Chandeleur/pancake eating is over, the must-eat is  Raclette. 

Have you tried this Swiss cheesy-potato dish? I haven’t but its always at Salon de l’Agriculture.

Today is so Springy. All-Paris invaded Ile Saint Louis for a cone - Ice cream Sunday. 

Today I painted Springy Diorissimo’s lilies of the valley for S. and for you. 

Dear PBers let’s all help out freezing Texas till Spring shows up for them. You can give as little as $6 towards 10 charities.  🌹🌹🌹

Le Violon d'Ingres

Ice Cream Trio, original watercolor, 10" x 12"

Great figurative artist, Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, well-known for his passion for playing the violin gave the French language an idiomatic expression, "violon d'Ingres", meaning a hobby or avocation.

My "violon d'Ingres" in Paris, is to go round taking photos of ice cream cones. Don't think for a second the giant pistachio cone lurking behind the cone lineup at ICE TO ICE gelato is for me.

I'm not sure why I love to see these lined up, but I do.Is it about "Great Expectations"! So many cones waiting to be filled at Delizefollie Gelato on rue Montorgueil.I love cone maps too..
Much like with chocolate maps, you suffer attacks of indecision while waiting your turn to choose.
My family used to go ice cream hunting on Sundays when I was a kid. I was the one sent in to "buy" the cones for everybody. Did they think the server would take pity on a 6-year old and give more generous scoops? How come my mother

 "trimmed" my cone before I even had one bite?
Here's a "logo" cone from the Paris chain, Amorino.
YUM! An even nicer logo cone from Chanel.
Even if you don't like ice cream, could you pass up this ruby and diamond encrusted cone?
Surrealist photographer Man Ray, was an admirer of the Ingres' paintings and made a series of photographs, inspired by his languorous nudes. As a visual joke/pun he painted on the f-holes of a stringed instrument and named this, "Le Violon d'Ingres". Was it his hobby taking pictures of the model Kiki?

I used to be so obsessed with Ingre's figure drawings, that I took myself off to visit the rather obscure <>Musée Ingres in the small southwestern town of Montauban not once, but two times. Back then they let me sit in the cellar and hold original drawings in my hands. Seventh heaven. So Ingres was my hobbie - my "Violon d'Ingres". I think they have his actual violin there as well.
My "Violon d'Ingres" for the time being is collecting these ridiculous miniatures. If you'd rather make REAL ice cream than collect faux epoxy minis get David Lebovitz's excellent Perfect Scoop. And if you'd like to eat at a very good Parisien bistro do visit Chef Christian Constants' Le Violon d'Ingres
What's your violon d'Ingres?