French Independence Day, Radishes

 

This morning at 7:32 I thought I heard the French Guarde Republicaine band playing & ran 🏃‍♂️ outside to catch them

But found just a lone runner…

French Handwriting

 When you see this guess where you are?

 In France of course. What if blackboards/ardoise were outlawed, would we stop going to France? Maybe...

 French handwriting on a bebe's bib/bavoir is perfect.

'Interdit de me gronder'/ it's forbidden to scold me.

Not just for bebes. Chanel combines handwriting and Deco typographie

 It's de rigueur for a French designer to use his signature as his brand logo.

 Christian Lacroix aussi...

 Hermes is not too high and mighty to use handwriting on their restoration signs.

 A handwritten script neon brasserie sign.

 There are many writing supply stores in Paris:
Melodie Graphic 10, rue Pont Louis-Philippe 75004
L'Ecritiore 61, rue Saint-Martin 75004
Calligrane 6, rue Pont Louis-Philippe 75004
Papier+ 9, rue PontLouis-Philippe
Handwriting on a French ribbon - parfait!

 Faux/fake French handwriting on a chocolate chicken porte-etiquette/label is still yummy looking. Real handwriting looks just fine on a big tarte fine au peche. Is there any noticible handwriting in New York? Not that I'm aware. In Paris it's a different histoire/story.We would miss it muchly.

Melodies Graphiques!

C'est la rentree! R U ready? U will need an apple for the teacher (organic/bio svp) Chocolate pencils are a must-have from Patrick Roger. How do U say 'pencil sharpener' in French?

A lovely Eiffel tower pencil box - check

Lacy notes for teach when U'd rather stay bed - check.

Longer lacy notes for more elaborate excuses - check.

Postcards to send to yourself - check.

Quill pen + l'encre for handwritten notes to your boyfriend - check.

Lovely rubberstamps to decorate your envelopes - check.

Little felt mats to blot your pen points - check.

You can get all these essential back-2-school goodies at Melodies Graphiques on 10, Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe 75004, a unique calligraphie shop in the Marais.

For all chocolates - Patrick Roger.

Bonjour La Rentree!

The Writing on the Wall...

'The writing on the wall' in Paris is endlessly engaging.

It can come in a variety of languages, not just French... Though reflections will always be Parisien... Cafe de la Paix - a logo instantly recognizable...Writing on a tablecloth and still memorable... Or wrapped round a glass...

Parisien writing can be a chore if you didn't learn to write on a mini-blackboard...

These kids are having no problem reading multiply ardoise...

This ardoise is universal!

All Relais de L'Entrecôte have the same menu. But don't go if you're vegetarian...

Writing in a Metro vending machine beckons...

Universal...

No sign required.

Last night Dimitri, a visiting Dane, taught me how to put writing on tartes...

And Metro signs :)

~BONJOUR Paris Writing!

L'Ecritoire

L'Ecritoire 75004 Paris,original art, 5" x 7"

Two years ago I passed papeterie L'Ecritoire in the Marais, 61 rue St. Martin, but it was closed. This trip I let them know I was coming. They even remembered my PB photo of 2 years ago. Like many Paris boulangeries and restos, they have a menu in the street. Inside this tiny shoebox shop it's chocked full of treasures. Many cards mostly from small unique producers. La plume de ma tante is here. And l'encre de ma tante to dip your pen into.
An Eiffel Tower clock ticks away while you write lettres. Cahiers/notebooks are used by French children to write down their thoughts, stories, memoires in blue ink. Then their instructor comes along and writes in red ink in the margin: bien, tres bien, pas si bien.
L'Eritoire creates their own unique unusually-shaped envelopes. Special writing paper fits inside. Sealing wax to add your own coat of arms to your envelope.Many goodies in red - pens, inks, envelopes, letters at L'Ecritoire...

And a few meters away on the other side of the street Les Délices de Saint Martin, 24, Rue St Martin.

BONJOUR L'ECRITOIRE!