Brocantes et meanderings…

  

Yesterday I painted an imaginary sailboat ⛵️  

Today at the Sunday BROCANTE I found it!

Francoise Gillot Homage

 

 Francois Gillot died this week at 101. I wanted to remember her with this Parisbreakfast repost from 2012

What a tremendous woman and artist.

I visited the exhibit Picasso and Francoise Gilot:Paris - Vallauris, 1943-1953 at Gagosian Gallery 980 Madison Avenue

 A big collection of gorgeous old photos, paintings, drawings, prints by both Picasso and Gilot.

Red Tueday, Au Pied de Cochon

Yesterday became red Tuesday. On Saturday I fell in love instantly (again) with a huge Tintin shopping bag (like I really need another shopping bag(cabas) but it was a mere 3,75 euros and such a cheery red) seen in the window of Album Librairie (a comic book shop) 67, bd St Germain. Heading out the door a poster announced a Tintin exhibit. Ah ha! I must investigate.

On Tuesday I went to Musee en Herbe, a small children's museum (rue Herold 75001) you've probably never heard of. I hadn't.

It's Tintin's 40th anniversary. Bet you didn't know that either...ahem.

The museum is celebrating with a special gallery of foreign art objects (borrowed from the Louvre and the Branly) that duplicate items from Tintin's adventures around the world. Put on your caps and grab a magnifying glass folks.

I was about to shoot artist Herge's Tintin sketches when a kid got there before me and shoved her magnifying glass on the drawings...hmmm.

It's French school winter vacation time in case you didn't know. Who knew?

The place was packed with Tintin detectives puzzling out this and that. 

You can buy this Tintin jigsaw puzzle if you want to drive yourself crazy. Or you can figure out the joke without reading the French.

How's your French SVP? Translation anyone?

Post-exhibit I needed some refreshment. Au Pied de Cochon is nearby at Les Halles 6, rue Coquilliere

If you want cheery red on a grey Paris day this is the place.

The staff don't mind a bit of you only order a bowl of their famous soup a l'oignon (8,50) and then run. They couldn't be nicer is my experience.

Maybe next time I'll order it sans(without) cheese and bread and just slurp up the lovely beefy, onion broth. Who needs to fly to NYC to Brodo?

By the way if you read David Lebovitz on Monday, he's got the scoop on French sardines. I ate them regularly in New York, but stopped here. There are so many to choose from and they look fishier. Yesterday I went into Franprix and picked up this pretty red tin of Connetable Sardines a l'Ancienne (what ever that is? Who knew there were vintage sardines available?). I'll report my investigations later.

Not far from the kids museum you can doll yourself up to look like a tres chic Tintin at Yohji Yamamoto 25, rue de Louvre. Note the Tintin style cap.

I spied a redhead with Heidi pigtails carrying her Yamamoto booty exiting the doorway...
Can you find the French little red riding hood lurking in this picture PBers? Get out your magnifying glasses!

Rouge Tomate

I'm always on the lookout for any excuse to paint red cherries. Sunday was full of tomato reds.

When I spotted Coco and Sarah's cherry tomato tarte I filed it away in my head keeping an eye out for these babies.  The Sunday Marché Bastille never disappoints. Though the prices ran the gamut from 5-8€ a kilo. Ouch. I got a vender down to 4ish at the end of the marché when prices drop and bought a half kilo(1pound).
 

Paris marches lift the spirits. The colors, aromas and general hubbub are a great distraction.
 

This poissoniere had plates/plateau of fish, scallops, crabs etc. at fixed prices so you knew exactly what you're getting - such a good idea. If I wasn't headed across town I would have bought a plateau of Normandie scallops.
 

On Place Saint Germain, Librairie La Hune's windows were full of tomato red paintings by Kveta Pacovska.
 

There's a vernissage/opening on Thursday - Centre tchèque 18 rue Bonaparte 75006

And a book signing at La Hune on Saturday at 4-6 18 rue de l'Abbaye 75006 I bought this folding book last year when I first discovered Pacovska's work.
 

On to art store Charvin 25 quai des Augustins.
 

Their tomato red sketchbooks are pretty but the paints are chalky sadly
 

And they're open on Sundays.

 

A customer entered with a parrot case on his arm. Not just dogs need walking.

Grey Polly or whatever her name is, was hiding bright red tomato tail feathers.

Time to head chez moi and get cracking on the tarte tomate 🍅 

Across Pont Neuf looking back at Charvin - the round windows to the left of the tree.

A quick turn into Place Dauphine near the pont, there's a cute little bistro, Ma Salle A Manger. Have you eaten here? The food is Basque and it's got red everywhere.

I decided to flip Coco's tomato pie and make it into a carmelized tarte tatin. But I suppose I should have flipped over the little tomatoes cut side facing up. Instead the tomatoes caramelized and stuck to the pan at the crucial turning point. I should have just followed Coco's tried and true recipe. It's one thing to mess with paints and another to change a recipe radically. It did taste quite nice even if it looks awful ;))

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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Red Paris Christmas

This is only a semi-Red PB post dear PBers...

I fell in love with cherries/cerises tree ornaments in lingerie shop Aubade's windows.

Granted Paris puts on some of her best reds for the holidays.

A boucherie is bound to have a red awning plus other trimmings (no pun intended).

Red awning Chocolatier Pralus is sharing decorations with their next door neighbor traiteur. 

Will you be wearing red for the holidays?

In the old days Paris only had 'painted' Christmas decorations in the windows.

Now lights are all the rage.

This is a falafel shop!

Cooking teacher Charlotte says each year the lights get more extravagant. I don't mind a bit. Do you?

Would you believe this is a cheese shop (on rue Montorgueil)?

Of course Paris cafes have over-the-top lights.

This hotel decked every window with bows and boughs of Sapin/pine branches.

Are you tearing around last minute shopping like a maniac?

KEEP CALM AND THINK OF THE EIFFEL TOWER.

Have a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY PBers!

xxxx