The Paris Walk

Drawing by Rick Tulka

I mentioned Rick Tulka's Walking Man previouslyI've been seeing "walking Parisiens".

Paris Cafe: Le Select Crowd

 Yesterday I met up with illustrator, Rick Tulka formerly of Brooklyn, now expat in Paris at the cafe Le Select. We've been meeting for at least 6 years.

 Rick has been coming to Le Select a good 15-16 years and drawing the inhabitants like some people jog or swim daily. The results of his efforts - Paris Cafe: Le Select Crowd is now on Kindle.

 Rick's drawings are inimitable.

 I'd know them anywhere.

 You'll find Le Select at 99, bd du Montparnasse 75006

 And possibly Rick drawing, but don't pester him unless you buy his book, ahem.

 It's full of historic figures who frequented Select like Hemingway, Kiki, Foujita, Hart Crane, Henry Miller and Simone and Jean-Paul with accompaning witty stories by Paris specialist Noël Riley Fitch.

 The atmosphere is captured to a T and makes for the perfect gift book for your fanatic Francophile friends

 As Rick takes off for real work at home, he asks me,

"What are you doing your last night in Paris?"

I hadn't given it a thought...

 The best solution?

A last visit to musee Monoprix to gaze at endless yogurts...

 Veloute has become my yogurt of choice this trip. Do you have a favorite yogurt or a fav last bite?

 The chance for a last box of carottes rapees is pretty thrilling before I face up to packing pre-departure. Miam!

 Rick says I finish most Parisbreakfast posts with a dog and voila! A patient Paris Lab awaits his owner like magic in front of Monop.

 I wonder why I haven't painted any of your pets in front of Monoprix? Phoebe of the UK wanted a patisserie

Bye-bye Monoprix

Bye-bye Paris dogs

Bye-bye Paris

Rick's Place

Trois Poires, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Two Autumn pears.



Rick lives in a part of Paris that's surprisingly romantic.



 The 13th arrondissement is the perfect artist's enclave too. Did Jean Gabin walk these streets? It feels like it.

Rick's stairwell reminds me of Chez Mondrian's when he lived in Paris.

The apartment looks so French. Artist Rick created the wonderful book, Paris Cafe: The Select Crowd. If you love Paris, you'll love Rick's book. His lace curtains are to die for. I went looking all over for them. I found some in BHV but I had no measurements nor clue how to figure sizes etc. I love the stripped French dish towels/curtains in the cuisine. An everyday still life on the table. *Note the pear tile. This kitchen painting spoke to me, "Go home and paint PEARS!" Did you know there is a fresh water well in the Butte aux Cailles park?

And the Molitor swimming pool nearby has fresh water - no chlorine.

La Butte is full of charming restaurants like Les Temps Des Cerises and tea salons like L’Oisive Thé, every bit as nice in a more homie way. Will you remember to visit?

Who is Rick?

The artist who sketches in Paris' best cafe.
BONJOUR PARIS!

Paris Cafe: The Select Crowd

Before I went off to Paris I wrote about not wanting to go off in a Paris Cafe post. I mentioned a book, Paris Cafe: The Select Crowd.
Rick Tulka, the illustrator, found me through the link and remembered we'd met ages ago when I did illustration for the NYTimes. We arranged to meet the next Friday.Rick brought his book and we compared the real Didier, the waiter. With his illustrationLe Select's patron, Monsieur Francis. A still life at Le Select! The real thing.Rick has been drawing at Le Select 5 days a week since he moved to Paris from Brooklyn 13 years ago. He said he misses the smokers, but they've been replaced by the non-smokers. A cigarette makes an excellent prop for an artist. Le Select's resident cat... Rick counts out his change. You can see more drawings at Rick Tulka's website. I've always loved Le Select's logo, "Martin" an artist running with his portfolio. Le Select is one of the last remaining Paris cafes to stick with the old ways of doing things...more in the video.