Maison de la Chantilly, Ines de la Fressange,

Tuesday was whipped cream tasting day at MAISON DE LA CHANTILLY

Gorgeous little mouthfuls of just the right amount of Chantilly whipped cream gathered from special French cows (FYI they do not reside at Chateau Chantilly but rather mid-France. Each one was personally interviewed and selected).

Their soft caramels made with Chantilly cream are 2-die-for I kid you not.

The Chef was on hand to fill your little cookie cone.

Not just any whipped cream can call it self 'crème Chantilly' by the way. There are rules just like Champagne. It is strictly regulated and requires a minimum of 30% fat. Who knew?

They have real Fontainebleaux and Pavlovas (I had to taste one). My first.

On Maison de la Chantilly's website they offer strawberry soup. I'm going back!

Strawberries make you think of shortcake. Red, white and blue July 4th coming up this Saturday.

The best, newest place to get your 4th outfit is Ines de la Fressange's shop on 24, rue de Grenelle 75007

Once an old bronze fixtures factory, the black- painted display cases are original and stunning

As is all the merchandise.

This is her concept store with something for everyone and their maison.

It's hard not to love her casual taste and superb eye.

Fressange's ebullient spirit is ever present.

I loved ❤️ everything in her store.

Especially the bits and pieces on her inspo board. Ines as a petite fille?

Fun, fun, fun! A don't miss shop with prices in all ranges.

Who knew there would be a Fourth of July Street Food festival in Paris?

I fell for cerises/fraises 🍓earrings in a shop window on rue Saint Louis en L'Ile. Cerises 🍒 are cute too.

This weekend I'll be painting strawberries at Chateau du Petit Thouars Independence day celebration.
Any PBers who show up will get the latest July Cherry 🍒 Sketch Letter  free. Y'all come.

🍒

I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. 

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Thanks for reading PB 🍓

☕️ If you’d like to support my work, you can buy me a KO-FI here  ☕️  ❤️ Thank you so much! 🤸🏾‍♀️🎉🥂

Do Fr Girls Have Longer Legs?

I have to admit that French girls DO have longer, straighter legs. It's a hard fact of life one just has to accept living here.

These are not models imported from wherever like you see all over NYC. These are born and bred Frenchies. I've even noticed moms with daughters, both long-legged.

Of course Ines de la Fressange IS exceptionally tall no doubt about it. I've put up a video of Ines giving a little speech on YouTube (unedited btw so not so hot, still it is Ines, who can do no wrong).

The thought used to be that French girls were all petite like Leslie Caron.

No more.
 

What are they eating I ask myself to get these legs?

The only historical reference I found were French 19th century costume drawings...perhaps not very relevant?
 

Clearly Tamara de Lempika was not drawing French slender- legged girls. Were her models Slavic?
 

When I went to Brazil I noticed the girls/Brasilieras had very curvy hips. I decided this was due to standing in the water lengthy periods of time at Ipanema Beach and letting the waves 🌊 slap their hips. After 3 months of doing the same, my hips were NOT curvy like Brazilieras. It's genetic.
 

Same deal in France. It's not because they eat a lot of haricot vert.
 

 It's genetic.
 

As Americans we're brought up to believe we can change/do anything we want if we try hard enough. This is not true.

C'est la vie.

Especially with the stacks of OFD/'only fabulous desserts' everywhere you look in France.

Here's a little Frenchy with the shortest possible legs.

OK so he/she is a Scotty. She has French citizenship. At least I think she has.