Chat Parisien

This cat tea pot was in the window of what else? A Paris chocolate shop, Debauve & Gallais, perhaps the oldest chocolate shop in Paris.
A real Parisien chat (cat), sitting outside guarding a shop at the Place du Palais-Royal...
These elegant cats and dogs sit in Paris windows. Langues de chat(cat's tongue bisquits) for the cats. What's in the Bulldog box?

A chocolate "Egyptian" cat at the Paris Salon du Chocolat...

More chocolate cats at the show. Is that a white whale + a volley ball attached?! Anyone have a clue what these cats are up to?
Lastly you have to include un souris (a mouse) from the Salon. Ooops, this is a fat cat created by Belgian artist, Philippe Geluck in collaboration with Chocolat Galler.

Verrine de

Jean-Paul Hévin Verrine Marscapone, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Very popular and trendy (tendance) in France, as a savory starter (amuse bouche) or a snack or a sweet dessert is a layered affair called a verrine. And always served in a small glass (verre)

How to get your verrine home without spilling?

These little glass containers are usually just 4 - 5" tall. Again, the ingenious French, all time masters of the pastry box, come to the rescue of the verrine.

 

Pierre Herme calls his verrines "Emotions" and offers 4 - 5 different flavor combinations each seasonal collection.

A structual diagram from Pierre Herme's pastry school catalog. This is not a verrine, but it could be... A verrine is a layering of different complimentary textures, aromas and flavors.

It usually consists of layers of: gelee + creme + "salade"

Fauchon has Foie Gras in a glass here.

 

These adorable little numbers are from Pain De Sucre in the Marais at 14 rue Rambuteau. Who could resist? You can make a light lunch from these food-in-a-glass things. Starter + dessert and you get 2 little glasses to keep and drag home as a souvenir and tell yourself that you're going to make this at home. Ha ha

 

Well if you read French, you can make them at home!

Surement tres bon!

Le Festival De The

French Rose Bud tea, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

I bought this glass teapot and the rose bud tea in the Lafayette Gourmet tea department.

While the 5-day Paris Salon du Chocolat was taking place, you could also visit the 3-day Le Festival de The and satiate both your obsessions.

Kusmi Tea was founded in 1867 in St-Petersburg, by P.M Kousmichoff, supplier to the tsars. In 1917, at the time of the Revolution, they moved to London and Paris. They're boutique at 56, rue de Seine will soon have a tea room serving Anastasia, Troika, Prince Vladimir, Petrushka, Samovar, Zoubrovka, and Russian morning tea...

All kinds of tasting and sniffing was going on - a green tea tasting...

Endless samples to sniff...the in vrac - lose tea leaves sold by the gramme. And tea sold in boite en metal from Les Contes de The. They also have a salon de the at 60, rue de Cherche-Midi ("tea Street") 75006, offering not less than 200 tea varieties. Sachets mousseline de thés are how the French do up tea bags in silk fabric..

China pots on a charcole brazier from Hindu Emami, brewing up Ayurvedtic herbal teas.

And finally a Japanese tea ceremony demonstration was ongoing...

You can visit Le Festival de The end of next October 2007

Andy Warhol's Cookie Jars...

Hot Chocolate at L'Abbaye, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

What does this French cup of hot chocolate have to do with Andy Warhol?

Zero..but I love painting crockery, especially cups and saucers.

Barney's New York did an homage to Andy Warhol for their Xmas windows. Warhol was obbsessed with collecting cookie jars among other crockery and tons of other stuff. He squeezed a shopping expedition in most mornings before lunch. Stuart Pivar regularly flea-market shopped with Andy.

If I said that some object or other looked like junk to me, Andy would say,

"Oh really. See how much it is."

My street is now littered with old Xmas trees. Andy's Xmas tree here is covered with painted shoes. Andy was first of all a shoe illustrator early days...

Here young Andy, surrounded by early illustrations and of course a picture of Mom... Andy was always surrounded by his collections. He never threw anything away, and brought new meaning to the expression “born to shop.”

In Warhol's words, 'he was always looking for the five-dollar object that's really worth millions.'

Andy, the social butterfly, surrounded by the celebrities he painted and idolized...

"In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes."

"Don't pay any attention to what they write about you. Just measure it in inches. "

"Don't worry about whether what you're doing is good or not. Let other people do that. And while they're deciding, make more."

Andy...

Jean-Paul Hevin

Jean-Paul Hevin Cadeaux (gifts), original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Paris chocolatier, Jean-Paul Hevin's favorite color is an intense French ultramarine  blue. It's mine too, in case you hadn't noticed. I can't get enough blue paint in my watercolors.
 

It's a natural that I'd flip for his goodies! Not to forget that he is 1 of Paris' top 3 musketeers of chocolat and won the competition for best chocolate macaron in 2005.

 

I bought the blue tin on the right full of macarons last trip just for painting purposes of course. This display is from Jean-Paul Hevin's shop on 231, rue Saint-Honore.
 

Last May, I stayed in a studio just a few doors down from his 3, rue Vavin shop, so I went in or at least looked in daily = heaven. I could buy a quiche + dessert + a very small piece of chocolate for lunch = heaven/Hevin.
 

I fell victim to this dessert in a glass (Verrine Mascarpone) just because it looked so pretty - painting purposes again.

I haven't made it yet to Hevin's de la Motte Picquet shop -> next trip. And next trip, I WILL GO UPSTAIRS TO the SALON DE THE on rue Honore!

Jean-Paul Hevin's new book..it's not here yet. You have to order it from Amazon.fr

 

Paris Breakfasts' Demise...

Baba su Rhum at Petrossian, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

Yesterday I ended with a shot of our "demised" tea ...

I love to record the "After" as well as the perfect "Before" table setting. This was a neighbor's tea at Angelina's, not mine. I have my limits of indulgence and one does have to save something for the next salon de the visit, both Euros and calories.

This was my petit dejeuner at Cafe de Flore. I wish it was my breakfast this morning.

 

I take full responsibility for this one too at Les Cafe Deux Magots. You'll notice I don't write much about dinner or restaurants. Because dinner is usually a take-away Salad Nicoise from Monoprix eaten in my hotel room. I have to paint sometime.

When I'm running around Paris, I love to grab a shot of someone else's demise. You wonder who sat there, what they said or did?

This was taken at Cafe Au Chai de l'Abbaye, 26, rue de Buci, a wonderful bistro specializing in cooking from the Auvergne.

The fateful l'addition (bill) signals the end of the demise.

Fini.

Time to depart.

 

Paris Tea Salon...

More tea, original watercolor, 9" x 11"

I spent my last Sunday in Paris with C. flaneur-ing (strolling around). We hit the Salon du Chocolat, the Musee Arts Decoratifs, and wandered up rue St. Honore window shopping, coming to 16, rue Royale.

We ordered a plate of petit macarons.
C. had his knife poised and was dividing them up into halfs.
I nearly lost it STOP! Arrete! In France, my ettiquette expert tells me, you NEVER cut up desserts for sharing (partager). You instead offer your guest the plate to choose the macaron nearest them!
If they prefer another, you TURN the plate.
Et voila!
Just a bit of the extensive tea menu.

It includes interviews with many French elite: their 1st encounter, their favorite desserts, their favorite salon, their favorite macaron flavor and their favorite gift box bla bla bla.

I always love to photograph the demise

My Cups Runneth Over...

Tea at cafe Luco, original watercolor

I forgot to say yesterday that my cup runneth over.

2006 has been a wonderful year for me, because you've stopped by Paris Breakfasts for a cuppa..

Hot Chocolate at Les Duex Magots, original watercolor

A friend sent a kind email: I raise my teacup to you. Continued succes, cherie.

Hot Chocolate at Angelina's, original watercolor

I have lots of ideas I want to get out of my head and onto paper.. And lots of cups to paint for you this year.
BIG MERCI everyone! :)

What Did You Wear New Year's Eve..?

Tea at Cafe Luco, original watercolor, 8 1/2" x 11"
Nothing like a good strong cup of coffee or tea "the morning after" celebrating...

Bergdorf Goodmans' windows tell us what we should wear New Year's Eve. I hope your date didn't show up in a turtleneck? He could at least put on black tie...

Shopping last minute for the BIG night? The clock is ticking. What to wear..?

Might as well get a shot of yourself in all your finery...

Now where is that date? Late again..?

Did your date show up wearing nothing but a bow tie? Even if it was black tie. There are rules of de rigeur...(something is de rigeur, if you want to be thought fashionable.)

BONNE JOURNEE 2007 !