Valentin Bebe

 Talk of growing up in France leading the good life has made me decide to be reborn in Paris.

 Then I could growup to wear these ballerinas...

Start out wearing this little red cardi...

And grow up to wear red nails and red pull...

Bebe chausettes rouge...

Miam...

Lounge in a red pousette for starters.

And relax on on a red canope/sofa later.

Learn to write French script on a mini ardoise.

And write notes to myself in a chic cahier/notebook later.

Cupcakes are ageless.

Still I wouldn't mind growing up to appreciate a charlotte framboises.

Little red riding hood ring (seen on rue Cler) also ageless.
Bonne reve et bonne Saint-Valentin Jour!

Adult Time

 Hanging in there still with Pamela Druckerman's Bringing Up Bebe, is the importance of 'adult time' for French parents.

 Chocolate Ribbons

Rituals of upbringing have a specific purpose - so parents can get back to being a loving couple again a toute a suite.

 How appropriate for Valentine's Day.

 Chocolate Hearts

Expat Deborah Ollivier puts it so well,
'Though they love their kids passionately like everyone else, the French generally don't subvert their identities to the lives of their children'.
 

 'Boundaries, in other words, are good, particularly in protecting the sanctity of parents' private life. (No, Marie-Louise, you may not sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. And yes, Jean-Pierre, you must sit at the table every night for family dinner and eat correctly'.) says Ollivier. 

 Chocolate Bisous

From Bringing Up Bebe,
"For me, the couple comes before the children," says Virginie, the stay-at-home mom who taught me to "pay attention" to what I eat".

 If you live in Paris you could take a cooking class to prep for your Valentines' dinner at L'Atelier des chefs.

 Or peruse one of many cookbooks for lovers.
 

 What about a stunning new hot pair of shoes to wow your honey?

 A new red lipstick peut-etre?

What are you doing special for Valentines Day PBers?

Do tell all.
 

Paris Roses...

French Rose Petal Tea, original art, 5" x 7"

We've covered New York Valentine chocolates and...

Macaron Hearts, original art, 5" x 7"

And Valentine hearts...

But Paris roses...

Are incroyable, as I was reminded by this email message from Aquarelle.com today...
Demain il sera trop tard!
Tomorrow will be too late!

Why are these so lush..?

Words elude me...

For once...


Even these faux roses (to wear on your wrist or your hair) from Galerie Lafayette are super lush!
We do have this Valentines message from Times Square though...
Can you top this Paris?




Course NO WAY can New York top Pierre Herme's rosey desserts...ahem
~
BON Valentine Day!

Post-Valentine-Syndrome...

I'm just not ready to leave it..

Everyone else has moved on...

What's up with me?

True I've still got a few good hearts up/on my sleeve...
And I'm still hung up on RED...

Red anything.
Even though I did receive a red envelope. Thanks Bill :)
I guess I'm on compassionate reprieve.

I'll be over it by Monday, please believe me.

Paris Valentines Reds

Yellow Bird Admires A Chocolate, watercolor, 9" x 11 1/2"

February is the "RED" month, the month of Valentines Day - to keep us distracted from the cold wintry gloom?

Paris reds always strike me as strong and forceful - there are plenty of true reds where ever you look.

Paris isn't afraid of red!

This strawberry tarte aux fraises is loaded with true Paris reds.

Plus just a touch of pale green to give it that zing!

Comptoir de la Famille, is a wonderful chain of old fashioned styled kitchen and home shops. You can always find plenty of reds to cheer you up here. Their logo is true red!

I loved this whimsical red mural painted for no special reason on a low Paris wall...

Why don't you put something RED on today?

Et merci Marie-Noelle for all la vie en rouge!