Anne Maisonneuve Boutique & Macarons

 

Yesterday I went back to Manderley ANNE MAISONNEUVE.

At 112 boulevarde Raspail, 75006

Yesterday I went to buy stamps

 

Yesterday I went to buy stamps for the May Paris Letter,

Because my big Post Office had just sold the last 3 international timbres/stamps to the girl ahead of me! Crazy no?  

Salon du Livre et de la Presse Jeunesse

 

“Happy 🦃 Thanksgiving ”, Brigitte, my bouquiniste said to me. I’d momentarily forgotten. When she lived in the states, the ex-pats would be invited to THREE Thanksgivings 🦃🦃🦃 in one day!

Yesterday I went to opening day of the annual children’s book 📚 fair in Montreuil and its FREE !

Les Fleurs d'Yves Saint Laurent, Musee YSL

 

Yesterday I went to the 

New YSL Flower 🌺 focused exhibit, 

Street Walker in Paris

 

Yesterday I went back to see what I’d missed out on Tuesday while near fainting in Hermès.

Place Vendôme seemed a good place to start. Might as well start at the top and work down. 

If it was good enough for Holly Golightly…

Passing out in Hermes

  

I was supposed to meet Solli at Entrance 8 at Place de la Concorde

For the Olympics Parc Urbain . 

Escape to Bon Marché

 

While everyone escaped to Saint Malo, Trouville-sur-mer, Aix-en-Provence, etc. etc. I escaped to Bon Marché after the pool 🏊 on Saturday.

A short Métro ride away to Sévres-Babylon to browse patisserie & anything else that caught my fancy…

La Galerie Dior

Thursday I went to La Galerie Dior enfin with my sister.

I was a little reluctant after the amazing Dior exhibit at MAD a few years back.

Fashionista PFW

Yesterday I took a break from arm-wrestling the September Paris Map to go Uptown…yes I know it’s 30 Septembre, but I’ve been arm wrestling 🤼‍♀️ all week with Ines…

It’s PWF (Paris Fashion Week). I hate missing out on what’s going on. Dior is showing bubble skirts evidently…

The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli/ Musee des Arts Decoratifs

 

Another late night at the museum. MAD/musee des arts decoratifs is open Thursdays till 9. And another spectacular don’t-miss exhibition is on in Paris till January 22.

The first room you enter is covered, including the floor you’re standing on with her fashion sketches. The ceiling is mirrored, so you’re inside a box 📦 of drawings ✏️ Designer Elsa Schiaparelli made a donation in 1973 of over 6000 drawings in bound albums.

Le Grand musee du Parfum, Nov Paris letter, Miss Dior

Last Sunday I finally went to the new Le Grand musee du Parfum at 73, rue faubourg St.-Honoré.

Definitely a don't-miss visit if you love French perfume.

A sensory immersion discovering how and why we love perfume

Displays of celebrities from the past who influenced perfume makers and trends.

My fav, the old graphics from past French brands and bottles.

Historic illustrations of 18th century miniature perfume flacons

Currently on a show of legendary perfume bottles by designer Pierre Dinard plus the stories/sketches behind each bottle. Who knew that the red inari bottle specially designed (and rejected by Kenzo) would become the adored and celebrated Opium perfume bottle of YSL? Many secrets of the perfume trade revealed.

On the main floor two glorious shops, one for perfume books

The other a splendid cornucopia of the best French perfumes

You can test out

As you wish.

For men too...try out Boucheron's famous and costly Jar scent.

Your ticket to Le Grand musee du Parfum includes a chance to partake of atelier classes. Book online.

Leaving the museum, I waltzed down rue Saint Homoré, a string of perfume shops looking for ideas for the November Paris letter.

Inside Galignani book store, inspiration and the solution. Why not focus on Miss Dior perfume, this year celebrating its 70th anniversary?

Just across rue de Rivoli and a few blocks down a quickish run back into the Dior exhibit at musee des arts Decoratifs, (still madly mobbed and free on the first Sunday of the month).

A look again at the 'Miss Dior' flowered dress.

More Paris letter inspiration from Dior's favorite illustrator, Rene Gruau...(and mine too) with his wonderfully fluid, black ink lines.

Miss Dior perfume first appeared in 1947, capturing othe essence of maison Dior and became the fragrance of haute couture. It was named after Dior's beloved sister, Catherine, a representative of cut flowers at les Halles (mandataire en fleurs coupée) flowers she grew in Provence. Legend has it when Catherine burst into the salon unexpectedly, Dior's muse called out,

"Ah, here's Miss Dior!"

Chrisitan replied,"Miss Dior, now there's a name for my perfume!" 

FYI Miss Dior is sprinkled daily in the 30 Avenue Montaigne salon.

Thanks for reading PB! If you like this newsletter, forward it to a friend, Receive Parisbreakfast letters, maps, watercolors in your mailbox and follow me on INSTAGRAM. 

There's a new bonus watercolor - a Miss Dior bottle with your name on it!

Bonne week-end PBers.

Salon du Livre 2014

Sunday I made it to the 4-day annual Salon du Livre held in massive pavilion #1 at Porte de Versailles - a yearly reminder of how much the French love books.

I was captivated by a special exhibition of the work of French women illustrators.
 

I wasn't alone.
 

This new comic book/bandes dessignée, Jeune Fille en Dior written and illustrated by Annie Goetzinger can be found all over town in the best bookstores.
 

The detailed, fluid illustrations perfectly capture the creation of Dior's 'New Look'. The tiny pulled-in waistlines and full swingy skirts just after the war must have been a breath of fresh air for women the world over who had suffered such deprivation during1939-1945.
 

The main character, Clara, becomes a model at Dior. You see the backroom goings on at the top couture maison pre-show.

The book is in the much loved French format of a BD or bandes dessinée/comic book but for adults. I hope they translate this one for us.
 

Watch a short film (in French) of the artist, Annie Goetzinger at work discussing her intent to capture a lost time. Remember the fabulous Miss Dior exhibit at the Grand Palais? This book dovetails perfectly filling in behind-the-scene blanks on 20, Ave Montaigne at Maison Dior
 

Flammarion has a new book out on French icon Marguerite Duras
 

Kids 18 & under get in free at the Salon, so Sundays in particular are always overrun with kidlets. Adults pay 10€ for a 4-day entry.
 

So many childrens books.
 

So many children.
 

Avidly reading where ever you walk. It's a delight. And building future readers as well.
 

Tintin is always present. Here his red jeep on display.
 

This is for the public. Not a trade-only show. Every book on display is for sale.
 

Of course there is the Square Culinaire Tons and tons of cookbooks in every format. Does the yellow Trish Deseine book look familiar?
 

So many how-tos

And the chefs on hand who wrote them.
 

The essential accompaniment to book browsing - macarons.
 

I got very excited by, Cafe Society, which came out in 2010 in the US.
 

The illustrations/collages by the Baron de Cabrol from his scrapbook (1948) are fantastic.
 

He perfectly recorded the ambience of the times during 1920s - 60s.
 

The photography too is magnificent. Wallace Simpson looking soigné.
 

Elsa Schiaparelli wearing her famous shoe-hat beside a Dali sculpture.
 

Charming & simple elegant sketches from the Baron's scrapbook in Cafe Societé couldn't
 

Remind me of illustrations by Jean-Philippe Delhomme now on display poster-size in boulevard Saint Germain for Louis Vuitton. What do you think?