Stuff Parisians Like

 Bad enough the proliferation of endless Paris cupcakes...

Photo by Genie - Paris and Beyond

 Do English words displayed prominently stop you in your tracks?

 Expert Parisian Oliver Magny explains in Stuff Parisians Like.

 Have you seen these signs in the Metro? Evidently it's tres cool to sprinkle English words in your conversation if you're Parisian especially in biz.

Example from Olivier Magny:

'il est en speed car il a squeeze un gros meeting entre lunch avec son boss et un conf call avec son CEO'/he is late because he scheduled a big meeting between a lunch with his boss and a conference call with the CEO.

 Here parfume Annick Goutal throws in a few english words 'Roses so Chic'. Is it for our benefit or the Frenchies? The latter is my guess...

 The cupcake word at patisserie Berko...

 This cheesecake creation looks more Parisian than New Yorkaise non?

 Stars and stripes are OK for the French though les Americains may be vraiment des gros beaufs', ahem. Olivier says 'for Parisians, every person he does not know is a beauf'.
Il y a beaucoup de snob in Paris IMHO.

 Message T-shirts? Usually in English.

 A witty compartmental purse...

 tres cool!

 Here's a chance to practice your Parisian expressions.

 My Little Paris provides a video to 'Ce que disent les Parisiens'. Do come back and tell me what they're saying. I haven't a clue.

Here's some New York Francaise revenge!

When R U Going 2 Grow Up?

 With all the controversy surrounding the book, Bringing Up Bebe, I realized my favorite pics in Paris are of French kids.

 Bien-elevee o mal-elevee/well-brought or badly brought-up, there's something very appealing.

 And I like to go to kid places like Choco Story-Paris - Musee Gourmand du Chocolat 28, bvd de Bonne Nouvelle 75010
 

 And shoot pictures of French children's clothes.
 

 This trip I'm def going inside Bonton 5 bvd des Filles du Calvaire

 When I do shoot 'grown-up' clothes, mostly they're childish, not sophisticated couture. Hanging out on Avenue Montaigne is not my cup of chocolat chaud.
 

 Before there were macarons in my life, my fav Paris sweet was big tooth-breaking meringues. I've yet to try a Chupa-Chups lollipop - well-loved by many 'grownup' Parisians.

 I love shooting goofy French kid stuff like at Patchi chocolat 1, rue du Passy 75016

 I was thrilled to learn of a big exhibition of Babar at the musee des arts decoratifs - my fav musem.
 

 This trip I will NOT miss out on the musee de la Chasse et de la Nature 62, rue des Archives, another kid-friendly museum.
 

 I'm a huge fan of French kids books so I'll visit Salon du Livre 2012 (kids get in free).

My mom did not want me to grow up She never forgave me for not staying 11,12  😕 Maybe that’s why I ❤️ childish things…

 I haven't been to Le Bac a Glaces 109,rue du Bac but it's top of the to-do list. Have you?

All my life my father and mother used to ask,

"When are you going to grow up?"

I still haven't.
Got any fun Paris suggestions for the immature? Plenty ☺️

Paris vs. New York

 Looking for pink in New York takes extra effort. And it may smack you in the face like this giant heart candy (an artwork) on Madison Avenue.

 I tasted tiny pink sugar hearts in an UES(upper East side) penthouse on Saturday. They're from Chambre de Sucre (Japanese). You can win some you go to Une Deux Senses.

 New York is full of Paris' pinks like this Eiffle Tower at Pylones...

 Comparisons are not odious if you're reading Vahram Muratyan's Paris Versus New York-an adorable gift book for the Paris/New York obsessed.

 A few sample pages just in case you haven't clicked on Muratyan's FAB blog...

 I beg to differ with Mr. Muratyan on this page...

 With Parisian's cupcake obsession...

 And New York's macaron obsession (these are from Patisserie Ceci-Cela) the tables have turned don't you think?

 Amelie vs. Carrie...mais oui

 Ralph is better doing a pink trench...

 And French Jacadi on Madison does perfect French stripes.

 Both towns are neck and neck...

When it comes to little shop dogs don't you think?

Downton Abbey

 Strawberry tea at Downton Abbey
 

 How will we ever wait for Season 3 of Downton Abbey after last night's finale? That is the big question. At least there was resolution to the Lady Mary-Mathew question.
 

Did you know all this intense interest in English country houses was ignited in 1974 with the Roy Strong exhibit at the Victoria and Albert museum? Before that most grand houses were neglected and left to the demolition ball - hundreds of them.

 There has been a great flurry of activity leading up to yesterday's finale.
 

 Ralph Lauren has embraced DA without reservation.
 

 Frankly I can do without Ralph Lauren's interpretation of valet Mr. Bates outfit easily.
 

 On the other hand these paperdolls by illustrator Kyle Hilton are simply adorable. You can download them at New York Magazine.
 

 Also adorable is the BBC's parodie of 'Down Town Abbey'
 

 Don't miss it!
 

 For total immersion sans PBS/Netflix get your paws on The World of Downton Abbey.
 

 It's really quite terrific and second best to the best escape around(DA) other than eating gelato.
 

 Did you know before big houses installed the bell-board system (in the 1820s) 'footmen had to sit on hard chairs within earshot of the family' waiting for the call to attend. Horrors. The World of Downton Abbey is full of useful trivia like that. Plus how DA came in to existance at all.

 *Spoiler alert. I'm certainly glad we have Lady Mary's wedding to look forward to after so much war, devastation and several funerals. We're overdue.

I like this advice DA author Julien Fellowes said his father once gave him:

“If you have the misfortune to be born into a generation which must earn its living, you might as well do something amusing.”