Friday, February 28, 2014

Belmont Restaurant by Alfred Bernardin



Belmont  Restaurant
turquoise cafe chairs


It was too early for the lunch crowd 
and it was more than a bit chilly on the terrace.  


This restaurant is found in the Montorgueil quartier
in a former showroom on Rue Réaumur.  
The dining area has a very high ceiling 
and is set on two levels.  
The decor is an eclectic collection of 
vintage and original designs creating a unique atmosphere.


bon weekend



Please check out the other reflections 



Belmont Restaurant
68, rue Réaumur
75002, Paris 




Thursday, February 27, 2014

Palais Garnier



Palais Garnier


I daresay the first time (or two) that you explore Palais Garnier 
you are more focused on the enormity and grandeur of the whole, 
but do not forget about the ceilings.  
The artistry is stunning with an ample application of gilt and detail.


Certainly, I would keep an eye on the chandeliers 
as you recall the history of one which fell.  
The phantom may be gone 
but the chandelier in my photo has an eerie tilt.



Palais Garnier
Place de l'Opéra
75009, Paris
 

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Passage du Grand Cerf



Passage du Grand Cerf


This covered passage has attracted boutiques and galleries with offerings of art, fine crafts, jewelry arts, antiques, and more.  The original tiles and the high ceilings attest to its authenticity.


Originating from the end of the 18th century, these covered shopping arcades provided shelter from the inclement weather and the muddy streets of Paris.  Even today it is a great option to explore on a rainy weather day in Paris.




Le Passage du Grand Cerf
145, rue Saint Denis
75002, Paris
Métro Etienne Marcel

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Au Gros Caillou



Au Gros Caillou


The dark street, the hand-lettered menus, the neon sign, 
the corner-facing entrance,
and this trio under the café lights...


You know that you are in Paris, 


timeless.....





Au Gros Caillou
210, rue de Grenelle
75007, Paris


Monday, February 24, 2014

Carrousel XXXVIII



Hôtel de Ville
le carrousel


The proper name for the carousel, as you may be able to read, 
is "Carrousel, la Belle Épouque," 
but even without a label its double-decker elegance 
and unique crown are recognizable.  
The rides are painted with the finesse of a fine artist.


The night scene with an outline of lights 
around the Belle Époque carousel are worth a visit, too.



le carrousel
Hôtel de Ville
75004, Paris

 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Église Saint-Louis en l'Île



Église Saint-Louis en l'Île


It was first a parish chapel.  
In 1642 Louis XIV decided to build a larger church 
based on plans prepared by François Le Vau, 
and  it was dedicated to St. Louis. 
The organ is magnificent and I will show it in a future post.


This Jesuit-styled church is considered to be
a perfect example of 17th century French Baroque.



bon dimanche


(linking to inSPIRED Sunday)




Église Saint-Louis en l'Île
Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île
Saint-Louis en l'Île
75004, Paris

Saturday, February 22, 2014

un chat orange?



Chat Noir Orange!


This very large orange cat was mirrored on the other side of a doorway 
by an equally large (and orange) chien (dog).


Based on the shopper in the store with the same hue of "persimmon,"
I am thinking that "orange" must be the new "black."


(Off to find my orange accessories!)



BHV
4, rue du Temple
75004, Paris

Friday, February 21, 2014

la petite et son reflet



Jardin des Tuileries

The early rains left a multitude of puddles in the garden.


Is this precious baby pondering her reflection in the water, 
or is she full of mischief and planning to jump with a splash?



bon weekend


Jardin des Tuileries
75001, Paris

Thursday, February 20, 2014

La Palette - "Respectez Nos Voisins"



La Palette
the terrace


As the rain fills the streets and sidewalks of Paris, 
a covered terrace is much sought after.  
Finding a seat here at La Palette is an extra bonus.



La Palette
43, rue de Seine
75006 Paris

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Frédéric Garrigues - artisan fleuriste



Frédéric Garrigues
artisan florist


The objects in this Marais window caught my eye, 
but when I looked on the website at his 
creative use of flowers and "objets éphémères" 
I wished that I had walked inside.



l'Atelier Frédéric Garrigues
2, rue Saint-Gilles
75003, Paris
Métro Chemin Vert

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Rue Jean de la Fontaine - le lion



The lion?


The doorway might be a bit intimidating to cross the threshold after dark.  
The eyes appear to penetrate and follow your movements, 
but that is impossible, n'est-ce pas?



8, rue Jean de la Fontaine
75016, Paris

Monday, February 17, 2014

le Royal Monceau -un tasse de thé



le Royal Monceau


Beyond 5 stars, this hotel has been granted the official "Palace Distinction" by Atout France, the French Agency for Tourism Development.  Too fine for my budget, a late afternoon tea with friends was a perfect compromise.  


The hotel decor is by Philippe Starck and this tea cup is a collaboration between Starck and famous French porcelain maker Raynaud.  The design is seen on the saucer and reflected onto the surface of the cup.  The figure (lips) disappear when you lift it off the saucer.  Whimsical, elegant, and not cheap.



le Royal Monceau
37, avenue Hoche
75008, Paris


Sunday, February 16, 2014

Église Saint-Quiriace - la porte rouge


Église Saint-Quiriace


The setting for this Twelfth Century church
 is rich with history. 


We watched as she entered the red doors on gloomy day.  
You can catch just a brief glimpse of her blue robes in the puddle.




bon dimanche


Église Saint-Quiriace
Place Saint-Quiriace
77160, Provins

Saturday, February 15, 2014

un petit garçon et son vélo



little boy and his bicycle


riding uphill on the uneven cobblestones of Rue Mouffetard...
This is a challenging venue for learning how to ride a two-wheeled bike.


On this Sunday afternoon, 
it was likely that they were headed to Luxembourg Garden 
with the soft chalky-dirt paths, 
perfect for a little one to practice the art of "balance."



Rue Mouffetard
75005, Paris

 

Friday, February 14, 2014

les amoureaux - Paris in love



Paris in Love


Hugs and kisses for your Valentine's Day




Rue de Sèvres
75006, Paris



Thursday, February 13, 2014

Repetto - rouge



Repetto


A window in homage to George Balanchine's work in three acts "Jewels,"
inspired by the gems of Van Cleef et Arpels.



Repetto
22, rue de la Paix
75002, Paris
 

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Eric Kayser - une tarte aux framboises



Eric Kayser's
raspberry tarte


Although it is not as healthy as a bowl of raspberries (perhaps), the delicious bed of custard and perfectly prepared pâte sablée makes it "almost healthy" and too divine to resist.


miam-miam



Eric Kayer
8, rue Monge
75005, Paris


Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Parc de Monceau - XXXVIII



Parc de Monceau
les amies


Two little girls, part of a school outing from the nearby école maternelle, 
pair up for the two-by-two walk back to the school.


Easily identified by their reflective vests, 
they resembled a tiny swarm of bees.



Parc de Monceau
Boulevard de Courcelles
75008, Paris
Métro Monceau

Monday, February 10, 2014

La Petite Rose



La Petite Rose


La Petite Rose is perhaps one of my favorite quiet places for lunch with seating for about 8 people.  With a choice of two salads and a quiche, you will be delighted with the fresh selections.  On previous posts you have seen a sampling of their beautifully crafted pastries (here)  The chef is Miyuki Watanabe, a Japanese woman who was trained in Tokyo, came to Paris to work for Gérard Mulot, and then opened her own shop.  (merci Clotilde Dusoulier)


Oh, and the chocolates are divine!
(Valentine's Day is Friday)



La Petite Rose
11, boulevard de Courcelles
75008, Paris
 

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Église Saint Augustin



Église Saint Augustin


This church of the Second Empire, built between 1860 and 1871 by Victor Baltard, stands above the city landscape.  Saint-Augustin is almost 330 feet long and the dome stands over 260 feet high. The church incorporates several architectural styles, Roman, Gothic, Byzantine and Renaissance, and it is uniquely the first church in Paris to be built around a metal frame.


Although you cannot tell from this perspective, 
the church sits majestically at the convergence of many large boulevards, 
courtesy of Baron  Haussmann,  It is recognizable from a distance for its red cupola.


bon dimanche





Église Saint Augustin
8, avenue César Caire
75008, Paris

 

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Père Lachaise en hiver



Père Lachaise


In summer these bare branches are filled 
with leaves making a canopy of shade from the heat and sun.  
In winter, the "tree bones" litter the narrow stone paths 
with a mosaic of shadows.


If you are a winter visitor, put Père Lachaise on your list.  
You can wander through the 110 acres 
and almost have the place to yourself, 
or you can get a map (here) and locate a specific grave.
The long shadows of winter will give you memorable photos.



le Cimetière du Père Lachaise
16, rue de Repos
75020, Paris

Friday, February 7, 2014

Les photographes en reflet



Three American Photographers


With an eye for reflections, usually those without the photographer, 
the three of us could not resist capturing the moment, a "selfie" of another type.  
Surely one camera would have been sufficient, but the overkill was pure delight.


We were specifically talking of James' Weekend Reflections meme 
that day in Paris, and so I join him today.  
Check out the other reflections here.  
James, this one was taken for you.



Rue Dussoubs
75002, Paris


Thursday, February 6, 2014

Des fleurs de Marché Maubert - XIV



Marché Maubert
since 1547

The flowers in the street market appear with the daylight, at Marché Maubert, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.  Most of the vendors display their wares at Marché Monge on the other days of the week.  Both of these markets have a flavor of the neighborhoods, and I have stayed just around the corner of Marché Maubert on many visits to Paris.  


If you return late in the day, you would not even imagine that there had been a street market only a few hours earlier.  The vendors fold up their tents for another day.  The city of Paris supplies and installs the poles and supports for this market at Place Maubert and at other market sites around the city.



Marché Maubert
Place Maubert
75005
Métro Maubert-Mutualité

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Pont d'Arcole - la nuit



Pont d'Arcole


Walking in Paris at night 
after most of the crowds are gone is a favorite of mine.  
Each of the 37 bridges over the Seine 
is different and I am sad to report that 
I could probably name less than half of them.


One advantage of the winter months 
is that the night starts much earlier.



Pont d'Arcole
75004, Paris

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Monsieur?


Pont d'Arcole


Man on the bridge with an umbrella, uh...

Charming man on the bridge in the rain with an umbrella...


...nothing more to say



Pont d'Arcole
75004, Paris

Monday, February 3, 2014

Le Violoniste



The Violinist


The sounds coming from his violin were clear and mesmerizing.  Asking permission for the photo, he nodded in return.  Clicking twice, I thanked him for his music, dropped a tip, and walked on my way as he gave me the hint of a smile.


I hope that all who passed this corner enjoyed a pleasant break from the noise of the street, replaced by the strains of Bach from this single violinist.



Métro St. Germain des Prés
in front of Église Saint Germain des Prés
75006, Paris





Sunday, February 2, 2014

La Chandeleur - jour des crêpes!



La Chandeleur
Fête des chandelles
(Candlemas - English)


Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.
Today I will be making crêpes, holding a coin in my left hand, and flipping the crêpe pan in my right.  If I can catch the crêpe, it means my family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, such is the legend.  Also, one does not eat crêpes until after 8:00pm.


This chef at Crêperie Plougastel on Rue du Montparnasse, allowed me to take some photos of him as he deftly prepared all the crêpes for the lunch crowd.  I have been here three or four times, introduced by French friend Isabelle.  They have both savory and sweet crêpes with quick service and good prices.  On a street full of crêperies, this one is always well attended.
 
 
bon dimanche
 
 
Crêperie Plougastel
47, rue du Montparnasse
75014, Paris
 
 

 

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole - Theme Day


Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole
depuis 1594


Hidden on a narrow street so very close to Notre Dame, this auberge has been open since 1594.  The structure itself was built in 1512 after completion of the Cathedral.


  The ancient wisteria twists upon itself, 
framing the door and window above.



Today I join the City Daily Photo bloggers with a traditional first day of the month theme, 
this first day of February, "ENTRY."  




Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole
Ile de la Cité
22, rue Chanoisse
75004, Paris