Blanc du Jour

Yesterday was 'Jour du blanc'

Parisian fleurist's windows are full of white flowers right now.



I learned it's a French tradition to start the Nouvel an/New Year off with white flowers = meaning a fresh start. I started seeing WHITE everywhere!



Snow must be a factor too like these powder sugar-dusted galettes from Polaine

Piles of white chevre in every geometrical shape - cone, cube, pyramid and cylinder in fromagerie Laurant Dubois' window.

My first time in Paris you could buy shards of snow white coconut on the street along St. Germain. Now you get it in Monoprix.

Pierre Herme has a beautiful red shiny copy of his paper pastry bags but in plastic (?) and big enough to hold all your white hyacinths and coconuts and chevre.

It could hold The Dog of the Day too,on Avenue Pasteur...

Thank you Jennie in Hong Kong for writing about your pet in Paris portrait for the morning paper!

Jour de blanc ended with white vanilla ice cream from reknown Picard, French frozen food heaven (famous for their produits alimentaires surgelés, melting on top of Picard's Crumble aux pomme. Yes it was YUM.

There's a plethora of white fuzzy animals in Paris shop windows. The non-existent French squirrel can be counted on to show up decked out white as snow.

BONNE WEEKEND PBers!

Les Tendance Blancs

 It's a well-known cultural difference that the French do not go in for big toothy grins at the drop of the hat like Americans.

 Serenity now with a hint of mystere - oui.

A slightly open mouth is OK.

Rosecrans Baldwin mentions in Paris, I ♥ You But etc. etc.,

"On two separate occasions, we were asked to resubmit our photos: too much smiling. No visible happiness was allowed in official pictures - pas de sourire, visage degage. To become Parisian was business tres serious."

 Imagine my surprise when I saw on the cover of every French Girl's bible, Elle Magazine a big article on whitening your teeth!?

 

 As if the invasion of the cupcake/hamburger were not bad enough? 

 Are we about to be assaulted with big smiles on every corner in Paris?

 Tony Martin's toothy grin in the Metro is managable I suppose...

 But really this is a trend/tendance that will not take off IMHO.

 Oh the other hand the BIG white watch is everywhere.

 This has taken off.

Even French Girl was wearing one as she left for Shanghai.

 I'm flirting with this white Baby-G as the essential accessory to wear this summer in Paris. But I'll never paint my teeth shiny white.

 Of course white cyclamen will always be in - these are from Marais Vertige.

 You can't get more classic than milk in the vitrine of frozen yogurt MYLK near Odeon.

 Who did not cut their baby teeth on vanilla ice cream? Another classic white.

 Last December Katerina requested a facade of Paris Hotel Shangri-la.

 She reminded me in April, when it was easy to pass by, take photos and do a sketch.

 I could not resist going inside (at 8am) and having a look.

 Photo by Sébastien Durand

Their afternoon tea in the 'La Bohinia' is considered to be quite spectacular. It's on my to-do list when I win the lottery perhaps...

This Paris dog's white tail?

What's not to love?

Bonjour Blanche

More Summer whites for the weekend, even if they predict stormy weather...Painting white objects is no piece of cake it turns out...Hmmmm I am up the whazoo with gateaux blanche here thanks to my greediness for mini this and that.. A Mozartian white wedding gateau.*Note the 2 shades of white - cream plus a little touch of pink - the heart. When there's a transportation strikes in Paris you discover new things! Like these fabulous and gorgeous ceramic pear sculptures...The pears sit in Restaurant Benoit's windows on 20, rue St. Martin, noted for it's turn-of-the-century Belle Epoque bistrot decor.And artichokes...This handsome huge snail resides in L'Escargot's window on rue Montorgueil.Another Benoit window display..
So what's the point of all this white?
Well that's just it! There is a lot of color in white. Warm and cool colors depending... White is the combination of all colors of the visible light spectrum.
Like these tarts from PAUL Boulangerie are warm in tone.And there is a bit of blue and warm tones in this gelato.
Gelato for breakfast anyone? I hope it's lemon.

White roses are the perfect color subject.

As Henri Fantin-Latour
demonstrates in this lush still life painting.
Talk about lush whites.

This Illy poster was outside my front door in Paris and I was ever amazed by all the colors!

Now it's your turn. Name some colors you see in all these whites.

BONJOUR BLANCHE

Etude Blanche

Painting white objects is no piece of cake it turns out...Hmm I am up the whazoo with gateaux blanche here thanks to my greediness for mini this and that.. Here's a Mozartian white wedding gateau... *Note the 2 shades of white - cream plus a little touch of pink - the heart. When there's a transportation strikes in Paris you discover new things. Like these fabulous and gorgeous ( I know, I know gorgeous means multi-colored, just wait) ceramic pear sculptures. Pears sit in Restaurant Benoit's windows on 20, rue St. Martin, noted for it's turn-of-the-century Belle Epoque bistrot decor. And artichokes... This handsome huge snail sits in L'Escargot's window on rue Montorgueil... Another of Benoit's window displays.. So what's the point of all this white? Well that's just it! There is a lot of color in white. Warm and cool colors depending... White is the combination of all colors of the visible light spectrum. Like these tarts are decidedly warm in tone...

Hmmm...a bit of blue AND warm tones in this gelato... Gelato for breakfast anyone? I'm in!

White roses are the perfect subject for color in whites...

As Henri Fantin-Latour shows us here in this lush still life painting.

Talk about lush whites..

This Illy poster was outside my front door in Paris and I was ever amazed by all the colors...well maybe just amazed!

Now it's your turn. Name some colors you see in all these whites.