Cote Sud Color

For years and years I collected Côté Sud magazines. Oh why didn't I bring my stacks with me to Paris?

It was all round thrilling to attend their Salon Côté Sud Vivre in Aix and as presse no less. It's still going on today so you can run there VITE!

Cote Sud has always been an amazing source of inspiration. And the Salon didn't disappoint.

COLOR COLOR COLOR of such intensity. The most beautiful combinations. These are from Les Toiles du Soleil. That's my fan btw. They have a divine shop on west 19th street in New York. I am marching over to their Paris shop toute a suite to get me some more COLOR! I'm in love.

La Table de Nana asked me if people were wearing linens and balloon trousers. How did you know? And why didn't you tell me ahead so I could blend in.

Jeanette, Mistress of Longears asked me what paints I travel with.

I take my basic Kremer paintbox (although I moved the pans (I only use pans but refill with Winsor and Newton tubes when traveling) into my mom's old paintbox. I do use Winsor and Newton Brt Sienna, Fr Ultramarine, Cerulean, Permanent Rose for their nice washy quality. I take only a small sketchbook 6" x 8" to do color studies and thumbnails in. Plus a bunch of old paint brushes on their last legs but I love Da Vinci Junior synthetics series 303. I use real artist grade colors. Would you buy cheap hamburger for your family? Never! So please think the same way about your watercolor paints.

Honestly PBers...tsk tsk

The natural colors of Provence are just stunning bien sur - small olive trees - I wanted to take one of these home.

The regional Provencal foods at the Salon were simply out of this world and not pricy. I couldn't find anything comparable near where I was staying. Too many touristy joints for the masses so I saved myself for the salon and lived on apricots and almonds.

My raspberry tarte and lemonade. but I also had tartines of tapenade, anchoaide, fig confit...miam miam

I could have really used one of these hats. Next time!

I did buy peach soaps on a rope from Cote Bastide. YUM

There were loads of soapy- spa items made from regional olive oils etc.






Of course the Rose was flowing!!




And PLENTY of ice cream/glace for tired, hot ole moi. Nothing like an ice cream to perk you up instantly is there? Do take a look at Cote Sud magazine for instant perks and mountains of inspiration!

Colors of Provence

I got back yesterday from a two-day jaunt to Aix-en-Provence to Cote-Sud Vivre salon which was terrific.

I booked my last-minute accomodation through AIRBnB. Have you tried them? Quite an experience.

They are serious about the Bee in their name. My room, in a beautifully decorated apartment in the historic section (deep, deep..like going through an endless maze to find it in the blistering heat) of Aix - my petite chambre/room was full of BEES! I kid you not. 

And the windows were closed. Why not let the bees find another place to sleep or was I sharing? Did my hostess forget to mention it? During the night a neighbor's cat came in the window for a nap on my bed. Shouldn't I have gotten a discount? I much prefer a chat to bees as a room mate anytime ahem. So BEE it.

The little adventures of traveling. You just never know. It's all part of the fun oui?

What really hit home were the brilliant colors everywhere in Aix.

Naturally I brought my Paris black to wear = All wrong in Provence.

I'll do a post on what YOU should wear dear PBers. When in Rome.

There is a flower market and a vegetable market on Saturday.

Both are an utter delight. Just get out early by 8am before the hoards of tourist groups hit the cobblestones. Maybe like Bayeux it's way better to go during the week? 

So many yummy shops painted in brick red and yellow ochre.

tres charmante oldie-worldie cafes to hang out in.

And endless regional delights as well..endless. Calissons d'Aix is top of the list, made of almond paste and melon-flavored.

My little box says I must eat the contents before 12/5/14. I misread that as 12/6/13. Being semi-dyslexic has it's advantages. I woofed down my delicious quartet of Calissons.

Such beautiful heads of garlic in the marché. none of which I brought home since I still have garlic from the Agricultural Fair in March.

I did buy irresistible sun-dried tomatoes. The seller said to reconstitute in water and then olive oil, but I love the way they look as is. It can get blistering hot in Aix. Bring your parasols PBers unless you like having sunstroke which doesn't agree with all of us.

Here's the instructions my host sent to help find my lodgings in the old town.

How to get from TGV Aix-en-Provence to XXX's Apartment From TGV station:

Catch Navette (shuttle) to Gare Routiere.

Note: The Gare Routiere bus stop is in a new location while the old bus station is being renovated. The navette will drop you at the number 11 stop next to the Hotel d’Police (Police Station). You are now on Avenue de l’Europe but there are no signs.

Walk up the hill, past Rue des Xllumettes and the bus information office on your left. Continue walking past all the bus stops until you get to the round-about at Square El Xadate, then turn left into Avenue des Belges. Again, at the time of writing this, there are no street signposts due to renovation work.

Follow the Avenue des Belges to the large fountain at the large round-about in the Place de Gaulle.

(I loved this next instruction!!)

*You will see a small group of trees on your left and if you wish, you can detour to the Tourist Office in the low building on the plaza behind the trees. (How did I never find the tourist office?)

To continue, cross rue Bonaparte and follow the round-about where you will see the Le Festival Cafe. (Oh sure)

Turn left here at Place Jeanne d’Arc and you will see a small street called Rue Espariate leading into the old city.

Once again there is renovation work and the signs may be hard to find.

If in doubt ask a local shop keeper for directions. (Hahahaha)

Follow Rue Xspariate (the streets are now well signposted) and then turn left into Rue Xedarrides. Follow along and turn left into Rue X Foch and follow to large old arch and clock tower that is attached to the Hotel d’Ville. Continue through the arch into Rue Gaston de Xaporta. Continue along and look for the Xstienne de Saint-Jean Museum on the left and just next to this you will see a small side street called Rue des Xremondis.

Turn left into this street and you will come to Rue de l’XXX, turn right and then immediately on the left you will see a low iron fence with gate. Enter here into the small courtyard and you will see the flat between X and X.

(Some names have been changed to protect the innocent...)

Bonne Chance PBers
Next time I'll try couch surfing.

Paris Tokyo cantine

Hier soir/last night I went to an opening...

Have you ever wanted to look into the dome of department store BHV like this girl? 

Just go up to the 5th floor for Japanese tapas in their new cantine. The views are great!

Economi yaki omlettes with those wood shavings on top = delish!
 

And my absolute favorite little egg custards in mini cups with a big shrimp inside...what's the name of this? I know you'll know it. I haven't had this since Japan...so hard to find in NYC...

Of course the Sake was flowing thanks to Sakeologist M.Toshiro Kuroda. they broke open a special cask right then and there with a  smashing of mallets on the lid...

I loved the decorative fan designs around the casks...

Which reminded me of this Pub Art exhibit at musee des arts decorative.

Everyone was dancing happily from the sake too

This girl was appropriately 'dressed' with tattoos of TOTORO on her back.
 

Paper-thin omelettes were made on the spot. There will be a Manga bar and lecons in drawing manga cartoons with Kaori Yoshikawa later on...TBA

Desserts of course c/o master pastry chef Sadaharu Aoki.
 

We tasted perfect bite-sized pieces of these 6-layered delights. Plus an ice cream chaser of mango and vanilla I forgot to upload...how could I forget the ice cream(by Pedone)!? And green Sencha tea from the divine Thes Jigetsudo. Tea ceremony classes too at the cantine.
What to wear to the new cantine on the 5th? Just pick something out of BHV's vitrine of course!

Sara Midda’s South of France

Tomorrow I'm off early to Aix-en-Provence for Salon Cote-Sud Vivre

Does this look like Provence? It isn’t. It's just around the corner from here on 'villa Juge'. Any street in Paris called villa will look like you just stepped into the provinces - villagy and cosy with bright colors and shutters. Keep an eye out for 'villa' streets...

I've been collecting Cote-Sud magazines for years. They're gorgeous and full of visual inspiration. They were the hardest thing To leave when I moved here.

I'm thrilled to be attending this year’s Cote-Sud event. I stayed in Aix eons ago for 6 weeks with Chantal Deltour. Bonjour Chantal!

Chantal took me for a picnic on Cezanne's Mont St. Victoire. But it was impossible to sit down - all sharp thistles. I won't be doing that again. I will try to visit Cezanne's atelier this time.

I'm staying 2 days so perhaps I'll get to a marché. I still have the necklaces I bought at the marché.

My assignment - to eat as many local specialties as possible. Do you have any favorites I should try?

My favorite book on the South of France is by Sara Midda.

It’s my all time favorite book.

Formated like a casual sketchbook yet every page is evocative and exquisite.

I dream of making a book like Sara's.

Sara Midda is British and a bit of a mystery. She does still illustrate many wonderful books but none

 quite as intimate as this one. A quiet genius. A labor of love.
If you've never looked at Sara Midda's South of France you have a big treat in store. It's an utter delight and there's nothing else like it. Or else go to Salon Cote Sud Vivre. Even better!