Jardin des Tuileries - Pétanque encore

In the evening of our first April day in Paris, Marie and I walked the short distance from the apartment to Jardin des Tuileries for some late sun, pre-sunset photos with Peter of Peter's Paris. You may recall the post a few weeks ago of the Pétanque balls on the ground with deep shadows.

Well, Monsieur is one of the two players that evening. I took this shot through the fence, waved, and asked permission to continue.

He took his Pétanque shot and then faced me fully and blew a kiss... an interesting game, Pétanque.


Jardin des Tuileries
along Rue de Rivoli

La Tour Eiffel - en printemps

Mid-April

Spring in full bloom

She looks lovely as always

Église Saint Roch - Nativity II

In December, Holly and I stayed at Janeen's apartment as you may remember and Église Saint Roch was directly across the narrow street from our large windows. In April when I returned to Janeen's apartment, Marie and I attended an evening Palm Sunday service. You may recall the view of the altar from my previous post shown below. Just before the evening service we had the opportunity to photograph the Nativity from a different angle. This marble sculpture of Michel Anguier dates from 1665.*

Only by getting this close can one appreciate the fine details and that small delicate hand reaching upward.

Bon dimanche

*(Merci, Starman for the artist's name)

Spring Break

Spring break in les Jardins du Trocadero

How many children do you know that enjoy a school vacation spent playing ordinary kid-games in the shadow of La Tour Eiffel?

Le sigh... what a childhood

Petit Piano Rouge

A little red piano for smallest of musicians, seen in the window of a shop on Boulevard Beaumarchais. Not just any music shop but a megastore specializing in instruments of all types, importing the first Gibson guitars to France. Established in 1850, Beuscher has a client list of French musicians and others from around the world (Prince, Michael Polnareff, Sophie Marceau, Charles Aznavour, Nino Ferrer).

True to the style of Paris windows, the colorful instruments adorn almost an entire block with bright colored guitars, shiny trumpets, ebony pianos, a plethera of sheet music...

Yes, even a little red piano

Paul Beuscher Bastille (since 1850)
15-27, boulevard Beaumarchais

For more Weekend Reflections look at James' Newtown Daily Photo

Qu'est-ce que c'est?

This is an interesting arrangement seen in a window

on Rue Saint Paul in the Marais

Pâtisserie Dalloyau -- Bubble Pêche

When I first started this blog I mentioned the "pastry hunt" that my daughter Holly and I devised in which we would try at least 5 new pâtisseries on each trip. In April, chère amie Marie and I met that challenge, all in the name of scientific research, bien sûr!

At Dalloyau in the Marais, we sat down for un café, several macarons, and a l'Opera for which they are famous... Should I say that it was our 4th (yes, 4th) pâtisserie of the day and it was only 10:30am? Much more to come but I thought you would enjoy this sumptuous little item in the window. Miam-miam!


Dalloyau
5, boulevard Beaumarchais

Père Lachaise X

Granite, limestone, marble, painstakingly chisled...

Shades of green, either paint or patina....

Canopy of trees fully leafed for the season...

All in quiet homage to those who have gone...

Must be a French girl - IV

In April as Marie and I enjoyed déjeuner on our first day in Paris, I watched these shoes stroll into the restaurant accompanied by a real French girl who was draped on the arm of what I supposed was a real French man.

Do not ask how I got this photo but I can tell you that I almost fell off of my high stool perch into someone's dessert. We had already made friends with our waiter who was quite amused. We did not charge him for the entertainment...

Café Marie Stuart
58, rue Montorgueil

Église Saint Étienne du Mont II

A new day....

Bon dimanche

Église Saint Étienne du Mont
1 place Ste-Geneviève

Pâtisserie Collet -- avec les cochons rose

This little piggy went to market...


Creative pasteries in Paris to catch the eye.
We did not select one as we were saving our calories for macarons!

Pâtisserie Collet
100 Rue Montorgueil
(Merci, Vreni)

Où suis-je ?

Où suis-je ? (Where am I?)

Why, Paris of course!



Galleries Lafayette
Spring window reflection

To see more reflections go to James' Newtown Daily Photo

Jardin des Tuileries - Pétanque

Pétanque, or boules (balls), a game that was once forbidden to commoners...

Do you play?

Jardin des Tuileries

along Rue de Rivoli

Carrousel IX -- Place du Trocadéro

If you have been reading my blog you know that I love finding and photographing the carrousels. There are still many left to discover, but this double-decker is captivating with some unusual and artistic features. I know that Virginia's little Davis was fond of this plane so aptly named "Le Petit Prince"


Please note that this one is added to the "counterclockwise list"

Carrousel
Place du Trocadéro

Quelque chose pour moi?

So, how does life look from that vantage point? Not too bad, I would say!

Zoom-Zoom VI

This petit garçon was at full throttle alternately pushing with his feet and coasting in perfect rhythm. I was glad to see he was wearing a helmet, color-coordinated with his balance bike, bien sûr!

Can you tell that he is a French boy? Why, certainly you can... he is wearing a chic scarf

... zoom-zoom!

My dear friend, Shell Sherree, whose artistic talent is well-known, has posted a watercolor inspired by one of my photographs. She improved on the original as only she can do with un petit chat hiding among the flowers. I am truly honored, ma chère amie!

Église de la Sainte-Trinité

Shining through the upper gallery windows, the morning light paints the adjacent columns with a rainbow of colors.

Bon dimanche

Église de la Sainte-Trinité
3, rue de la Trinité

Petit Palais

The day Marie and I went to Petit Palais, there was a special exhibit, pieces of which were in every room. As a result, there were "no photos allowed!" The courtyard did provide a vista filled with art and nature, all warmed by the spring sunshine.



Do not forget to look "down" also!

Hey! Where is everyone?

I think that Blogger got them all!

Musée Rodin - at last!

I have been to the door of Musée Rodin too many times to count. And why did Holly and I not ever pass through that portal? We were too late, or there was a grève and it was closed, or it was pouring rain and the garden was closed, or the line was too long, or.... It was something that we laughed over as we continued to put this museum on our list, wondering would we ever get in.

Last month Marie and I went and spent a long time admiring the art, the sculptures, the house, the gardens, and the feel of this museum... It was worth the wait. I will go back with Holly on our next trip as the spell has been broken.

Musée Rodin
79, rue de Varenne

Jardin des Tuileries -- Vert

Green folliage, green chairs, green bottles...

Love the ambiance of this park scene in Jardin des Tuileries: two friends and color coordination all around

Porte Saint-Denis

Porte Saint-Denis was built in 1672 replacing a medieval gate in the city walls of Paris. This triumphal arch was designed by architect François Blondel at the direction of Louis XIV.

This is but a small section of the massive monument and arch. I related to this guy who was not having a good day.

Porte Saint-Denis
Métro Strasborg-Saint Denis

La Cour

La cour?

Oui, la petite cour...

This was a public area inside a small passageway, a little courtyard with a single boutique. There were residences above with open windows, windowboxes and CDs used to frighten away the pigeons (hah!)

Église Saint Philippe du Roule

I think that I will never see all the churches in Paris and yet I know that I will never cease to be surprised at the splendor and glory in each. There has been much said about the empty churches, devoid of people. Marie and I found it quite different with people praying at all times of day and days of the week. This church is just across the street from Julian (pâtisserie) and there are more photos to come.

In looking for information on this church in a well-to-do neighborhood, there is concern about maintenance for this and other historical churches in Paris.

Bon dimanche

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!


Église Saint Philippe du Roule
154, rue du Faubourg St Honoré

Les Macarons

This unique design of macarons was seen in the side window of Printemps on Rue de Caumartin. The competition must be fierce in Paris for the macaron market share but these would not measure up to my quality-control standards.

What do you think, Holly?

Printemps
Rue de Caumartin

Night cafe scene

On our last night in Paris, Janeen, Marie and I headed for dinner at Grand Colbert. As we walked along Rue St Honore from our apartment at Rue St Roch, I was taken by the quintessential Paris scenes playing out before my eyes. Already a bit nostalgic and feeling the tug of home and the lure of all that I love in Paris, each vignette played out in slow motion. The camera clicks are merely reflections of my memories, permanently etched.

Last to Leave the Party....

As the last rays of sunlight reflect off the water, this lone gull surveys all that is his after a busy day in Jardin des Tuileries.

Tomorrow it begins anew.

Paris Bleu

This post is for all of my readers who love the blue doors of Paris. There is an abundance of bleu in all shades and tints in the streets of Paris.

May your skies be as blue today as this door in the Marais.

Jardin des Tuileries - Spears of gold

Seen just at sunset on the Rue de Rivoli side of Jardin des Tuileries, the "gold" tips on the fence give the appearance of spears from ancient Rome. It must take a concerted effort to maintain these fences and gates. Merci, Paris!

Jardin des Tuileries

Dansez-vous?

A few weeks ago just after dark, Marie, Peter and I were walking back toward the apartment along Rue St. Honoré and saw this window display at Chantal Thomass. The creativity of the "window artists" never ceases to amaze me in Paris. Here we have a salute to ballet with an authentic ballet barre, tutu, and pointe shoes (Repetto, bien sûr)... all with the promises of luxurious lingerie. Nothing naughty, just elegant French lingerie.

Would you buy these?*


Chantal Thomass
211, rue St. Honoré

*Would you get the parasol too? hehehe

Église Saint Étienne du Mont

The morning light illuminates one of the two spectacular staircases in this Gothic church built between 1492 and 1626. Although I wanted to see and photograph the rood screen, Marie and I were spellbound by the number of angels in this beautiful church. My friend Alexa, who posted a photo of the organ here, lived nearby in Paris some years ago and knows this church well. I will show you more on future Sundays.

Bon dimanche


Église Saint Étienne du Mont
1 place Ste-Geneviève