But Louise wrote she was outraged I showed a stuffed bear when Paris was up in flames! I had to stop and think a bit...and look up 'Alter Ego'.
A person's secondary or alternative personality
An intimate and trusted friend.
Bear is all of those. You may not know Bear. He was gifted to me in March, 2010 by Lola of Sonia Rykiel. We haven't been apart since.
Six years of traveling to and fro to France, and always the best companion.
We have a lot in common. We both would rather browse menus than eat inside.
Browsing cookie aisles is another shared pastime.
Bear doesn't eat pie/tarte crust either.
And we both love the Paddington movie
Bear is a working partner by the way. He earns his keep on Etsy.
In charge of product fulfillment and he makes sure every envelope has a stamp.
Last week Bear and I researched the November Sketch letter.
I wanted to draw classic Parisian café waiters. That entailed eating a lot of classic petit dejeuners last week. I can tell you the best deal is at Cafe Le Select. 9,80 for 'Sur le pouce'. Excellent hot chocolate + freshly pressed OJ + the crispiest croissant.
If you love Paris cafes you'll be very happy reading Le Select Crowd.
Filled with Rick Tulka's daily drawings and text by Noel Riley Fitch, Perfection.
Le Select is at 99 Boulevard Montparnasse 75006
For the best apricot jam on the planet, Le Deux Magots is tops.
Their signature goodies downstairs are wonderful by the way.
If you want to sketch classic Parisian waiters
Go to Cafe Flore. The waiters are top drawer.
The November Paris letters were mailed out early last week. Otherwise I don't know how I would have managed to do a thing.
Living on Isle Saint Louis, you are removed from the rest of Paris. And my TV doesn't work. I've been dependent on the NYTimes and other news sources. But there is no getting away from the constant sounds of sirens. In New York during 9/11 there was no escaping the disaster. The air was full of smoke and I saw the WTT go down from my rooftop. Sometimes being in the midst of a tragedy it's harder to fathom than those watching it from afar.
I do know I don't want to leave Paris. And I'm lucky to have Bear around.
A very cheering influence.
Browsing cookie aisles is another shared pastime.I do know I don't want to leave Paris. And I'm lucky to have Bear around.
A very cheering influence.
Elaine Sciolino is in New York right now.
Thanks Andy and Diane for sending her talk on fresh Air on What it means to be French.
Another diversion - the BBC's excellent daily 1 hour dramatization of Proust's In Search Of Lost Time.
Bear is listening even though its in English.
