Le Poste

There is a lot of tarte citron yellow in Paris...
And not just because Parisiens can be a bit tart at times...

Le Poste in France is colored tarte citron jaune...

With much fear and trembling I ventured into the rue Cler poste all by myself...

Inside you take a number like in a US bakery...

They have chairs for you to sit down while you wait your turn!

And travel videos to watch and books to read while you wait! What?
This guy is appropriately dressed for the poste...

Later I found out there was a special boutique for people like me...foreigners etc. They speak perfect English and are actually willing to assist you!?

They sell other stuff besides stamps here = like books...

And citron yellow gilets or vests to wear when you're biking...

And Givenchy prints or stamps or something or other, I'm not sure what this is...but I don't see any Oscar de La Renta at our USA post offices. How come?

If you don't feel like going inside you can drop your envelopes in the color co-ordinated yellow box outside...

Or perhaps hand your mail to this sweet little lemon truck...

One thing they do not sell at Le Poste is chocolate bars - well not yet...

But they do have these stamps called, Bloc Le Chocolat, that smell exactly like a tablette of chocolat! Pas mal non?

Merci beaucoup Anne!

BONJOUR LE POSTE!!!!

Place Saint Sulpice

Place St. Sulpice, 9" x 12"

I've heard it said that after you get your goodies...

At Pierre Hermé on 72, rue Bonaparte...

You can take them over to a park bench at Place St Sulpice... And devour them in plain sight and no one will much mind one way of the other... I've also heard you can take your PH goodies up to the second floor at Cafe de la Mairie (where Catherine Deneuve takes her petit dejeuner daily...or so they say), but I've never dared try. Have you..?If you do sit down on that park bench at Place St. Sulpice you'll be facing a very attractive monument- the Fontaine de Quatre-Eveques build by Ludovico Viscounti in 1847 from The Monuments of Paris: an illustrated guide by Michel Poisson. After gazing at this fontaine more times than I can count I've come on the idea that just maybe the master pastry chief himself might sit here too...

Don't you think what he calls the Saint-Honoré Satine may be a not too distant cousin of...

This fontaine?

What do you think?

Am I off my rocker comme habitude (as usual) or do you see the strong resemblance too? Should not this gorgeous dessert have it's name changed peut-etre to Saint-Place Sulpice Satine..?

And might it not deserve a spot on this P. Hermé box of not-to-be-missed monuments - Les Incontournables de Paris?

I can find all sorts of ways to waste time...

Though I'd much rather be walking this dog at Place St. Sulpice...
Or about to dive into this heavenly tarte citron of Hermés sitting on this Paris park bench.

BONJOUR MARDI!

Secco

Secco, original art, 9" x 12"

I went back to Boulangerie Secco many times last trip.

Not just because they were a 10 minute walk at 20, rue Jean Nicot, 75007

And not just because they have a wonderful old country store feel to their boutique.. And not just because they had excellent savories and very nice salade nicoise, perfect for a light dinner after too much macaron tasting...
And not because of their macarons, which I never tasted - too many other goodies to taste... And not just because they seem to be open practically round the clock, well at least until 9pm daily except for Sundays when they are fermé (closed - an important French word to learn if you go to Paris)...

And not just because their interior is pretty darn gorgeous for a bakery shop!

*In French it's also useful to know the difference between the plafond(ceiling), placard (closet), and par terre (floor) so you don't end up saying I was walking on the placard though you may be after visiting Secco...

More of Secco's interior gorgeousness...

They even have wine on offer and homey jams of a thousand different flavors...

Another reason not to miss out on Secco...though I resisted.

I resisted these wet-on-the-inside chocolatey moussey little cakes...

I even resisted the mini version...

Their sandwiches and salades-never could I resist!

Unfortunately I resisted what Jamie Cahill suggest may be some of Paris' best madeleines -

"They have an unusual flavor, attributable to a "secret" recipe featuring sucre vergeoise, a sticky brown sugar, rather than the refined variety. Secco also adds a tiny hint of lemon. The cakes' darker color and courser texture is unique but wonderful".

And why did I leave my copy of this very pastry guide at home pray tell?

What I did not miss out on several times over was...

The remarkable tarty lemoniness of Secco's tarte Citron, noted in Figaro's best of Paris at #4!!! I've now tasted 7 out of the top 10, so I feel qualified to highly reccommend this little tarte.
BONJOUR SECCO!

Les Bonbons

Les Bonbons, 9" x 12"

I'm curious about the French attachment to penny candy & other souvenirs of childhood.

A French friend, Misha (a philosophy Ph.D) first pointed out Les Bonbons to me on rue Brea in the 6th. A delightful penny confiserie.I doubt you'll find anything for 1 centime.

 It's her favorite shop.

The penny candy kisoque at the Odeon Metro is constantly busy, though you don't see many children buying the lollies and gummie bears. $5 for just 100 grams (3.3 ounces)

The old fashioned ice cream cone is a Parisian favorite.Why does Paris have more ice cream shops than New York?
  A giant blue lapin sitting out in the street.

High or low, Parisians do not put away childish things. Pierre Herme's vitrine focuses on an enfant's dreams. And who is not reduced to a greedy 5-year old inside Pierre Herme?

Renault covers a car with a favorite candy - the fraise tagada. Penny candy is serious business in France.

 Paris chocolatier Jean-Charles Rochoux, has cuddling chocolate bears/doudous in his vitrine. 

At Cafe Loup in Musee des Arts Decorativ they serve fraise tagada candies as an amusing afternoon snack/gouter with tea. *Note guimauve/marshmallows on the left.

The museum bookstore had this book on French penny candy. I bought it.

In the Marais Au Petit Bonheur La Chance specializes in vintage grade school paraphrenalia and toys. 13 rue St-Paul 

Painting by an unknown artist in the 9th arr.

Play and playfulness - is there ever enough of it.

BON WEEK-END PBers!