David Bowie, Epifanie, rue de Bretagne Map

I know I've been M.I.A. this week. I've been UNDER PRESSURE.

My niece came in from Philadelphia last weekend. On Friday nite at this time 7 PM,

We stopped in Notre Dame

There was a service going on with lovely music, incense 

Next morning, Saturday (my niece slept in with Jet lag) I went to the annual Escoffier Chefs charity sale

100s of Galettes des Rois in front of St. Germain.

A plethora of top chef's galettes onboard for tasting and bringing home

There was a chefs party was going on. Head chef, Jean-Pierre Biffi of Potel & Chabot and formerly president of Disciples d'Escoffier. I'm not looking at another galette till 2017!

At the same time I'm working on the January map - rue de Bretagne/Marché Des Enfants Rouges in upper Marais

Its a hotbed of ethnic and ever new epiceries and patisseries popping up. A don't-miss street.

A year ago I took a terrific Context Tour with Alisa Morov in exactly this area. First stop J.Barthouil, excellent Sud Ouest purveyors of all things foie gras, duck and smoked saumon on 41, rue Charlot.

On the facing corner at #42, Caractere de Cochon, specialist of superb hams

And superb ham sandwiches changing daily.

There's a new patisserie at 57, rue de Bretagne, Bontemps

Try their passion fruit-filled sable cookies...well they're my favorites. And their lemon cake is divine.

My cousin emailed me of David Bowie's passing Monday. This week has been full-time immersion in his music - the perfect background for drawing.

I discovered we were joined at the hips in two ways ( I would love to have his hips).
Bowie said "I'm a 'grasshopper' hopping from thing to thing".
I grew up being called a grasshopper at home. My father thought I should be a 'squirrel ' collecting acorns for the future instead. Dad also said, "You're going to end up in a garret with a bunch of cats" if I continued with art. He forgot to mention the garret might be in Paris.

Bowie said he created his lyrics using a 'cut-up technique' (like poet Williams Burroughs) scissoring old journals, ending with scraps of paper. Out of this he pulled together lyrics in around 10 minutes.

I too use the 'cut-up technique' to create the the Paris maps.

I just haven't figured out how to pull the scraps together in 10 minutes. It takes me FOREVER. The finished map is on Etsy.

Do you have a favorite David Bowie song?
There are too many to choose from. I'm working my way through his catalog. I'm crazy for Ashes To Ashes, Ch, Ch, Changes, Wild is the Wind, Modern Love, Heroes, Rebel Rebel, 9/11, Where Are We Now...

I, I wish I could swim

Like the dolphins, like dolphins can swim

 

Though nothing,

 

nothing will keep us together

We can beat them, for ever and ever

 

Oh we can be Heroes, 

 

just for one day

I, I will be king

 

And you, you will be queen

 

Though nothing will drive them away

 

We can be Heroes, just for one day

 

We can be us, just for one day

R.I.P. Star man

Paris Soldes - Merci

January 6th the Winter sales begin in Paris and end in February.

I was meeting an artist in front of concept store, MERCI, 111 boulevard Beaumarchais 75003

I went inside just for a look see.

No plans to take advantage of the sales.

These stunning 'open book' lamps were Not on sale...

But these bins of flat price items were.

More usually you do the math on the % off. By February they will be selling the tables too

Part of the fun is Bobo watching in the Upper Marais

I would have bought that red tartan wooly scarf if the price was right.

Downstairs housewares is always worth a look.

Bright and cheerful and pas cher.

If you live in Maine, your splatterware is very IN right now in Upper Marais..

Traditional French Duralex kitchen glassware is still a classic. I got a small salad bowl (2,90€).

The Cantine downstairs is terrffic. I usually get the salad plate with no room left for dessert.

Today I went for the apple-raspberry crumble.

It was NOT good...ahem

Leaving Merci I felt great not succumbing to the sales. Next door at kids store, Bonton I immediately fell victim to a red polka-dot Kath Kidson 50% off bag. Only 19,90€ and slightly lighter than the red polka-dot bag I bought in Aix last May. It's bigger too...and has a velcro closing...and...and...

I did not dare venture into Twins For Peace, even if these red shoes are on sale...

FYI grey sweat shirts are Very IN PBers!!!

So is the Galette de Rois for Epiphanie IN all over France.

This Frenchie is leche-vitrine (window-gazing)

At the pretty Galette in new Patisserie Bontemps on 57, rue de Bretagne.

There are rarely sales (soldes) in French pastry shops for some unknown reason..

C'est la vie.

La Mode Retrouvee/Palais Galliera, Interieur Coreen/Musee Guimet

The 'January Blues' started on Sunday this year...windy, chilly, grey drizzle in Paris. It's the same today.

But January's the month you're assaulted with signs in the Metro 'DERNIER JOURS' (last days) for closing exhibits around town, so out into the drizzle I ran to Place d'Ilena to catch La Mode Retrouvee at Palais Galliera. Actually you have until March 20. Still it's a don't-miss.

Photos not allowed so I drew...yes I did sneak in a few shots for you PBers

The collection of gowns are from grande dame, Elisabeth, la Comtesse Greffulhe. She was the inspiration for Marcel Proust's divine Duchesse de Guermantes. The Comtesse allowed only the top designers to make her clothes exactly to her specifications. This elaborate embroidered silk velvet evening gown (1896) was her 'piece de resistance' designed for her especially by Worth.

On the far bottom right, a photo by Paul Nadar of the Comtesse arranging lilies similar to her embroidered gown.

She was drawn by society artist, Paul-César Helleu, friend of Whistler and John Singer Sargent,  like mad.

Big lyrical sketches by Helleu line the back exhibit walls. The Comtesse deemed these too intimate to ever be seen publicly, yet they perfectly capture her soigné, elegant style.

I drew like mad too from the Helleu sketches.

La Comtesse was known as 'the swan' for her photographic poses. And for the way she 'swanned' into evening parties, stayed briefly, then swanned out, leaving everyone wanting more. I'm going back for more. A stunning exhibit.
Just down the Boulevard President Wilson, Asian arts center, le Guimet.

Has a Japanese exhibit of  contemporary calligraphy.

Even more enticing,in their annex around the corner at #19, an exhibit of Korean embroideries and traditional Hanbok stripy clothing.

The gift shop at the Guimet is a don't-miss melange of Asian arts. I gave myself this Korean stripped pencil case. Someone asked what drawing pen I use (shown above). It's a Japanese Pental brushpen with India ink cartridges.

I think I'm done painting Gothic stained glass. Korean stripes have me hypnotized.

I picked up another paintbox this summer of whole pans from Winsor and Newton Cotman watercolors. I paid double the price at Charbonnel than on Amazon so I better use them. Thank you Korea.

More stripes by photographer Suzanne Held 1988

Don't these joyous colors

Make you forget the January Blues?

Exquisite embroideries, though no bears?

More treasures from the Guimet gift shop

I went home in the chilly, grey drizzle feeling wonderfully inspired.

Be gone January blues!

You have till March 14 to go PBers.