Saturday, February 28, 2015

Jardin des Tuileries - des enfants



Jardin des Tuileries


Leaving the Tuileries at the end of an afternoon of play, 
each child holding the hand of an adult
before crossing the busy Rue de Rivoli.


Must be a French girl



Jardin des Tuileries
Rue de Rivoli
75001, Paris

Friday, February 27, 2015

Petit Palais - Grand Palais



Petit Palais
Eclectic


From the courtyard of the Petit Palais,
you can catch a glimpse of the Grand Palais 
and the ornate gold ironwork at the 'Petit's' entrance.


The reflections are of the beautiful and quiet garden courtyard, 
a quiet oasis in the busy city of Paris.



Petit Palais
Avenue Winston Churchill
75008, Paris
 

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Niki de Saint-Phalle - arbre de vie-fontaine



Tree of life,
fountain of serpents
Grand Palais


Niki de Saint-Phalle's mosaic fountain 
was placed in the center of François-Raoul Larche's 
Fontaine Miroir d'eau for the duration of  the Grand Palais exhibit.  
It is an interesting juxtaposition of the marble fountain created in 1910 
and the colorful serpent fountain of 1987.


The exhibit has been moved now to the Guggenheim Bilbao (Spain), 
February 27 - June 11, 2015.
There are other examples of her work in Paris.
Does this resemble the Stravinsky Fountain?




Niki de Saint-Phalle
Du 17 septembre 2014 au 2 février 2015
Galeries nationales du Grand Palais
75008, Paris

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Pont Alexandre III


Pont Alexandre III


Adorned with gilt, ironwork, 
and more details than can be seen in a single photograph, 
Pont Alexandre III is a great spot for photographs.  


At night you can enjoy the lights 
of La Tour Eiffel with reflections on the Seine.



Pont Alexandre III
Connecting 8è and 7è
75008, Paris

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Poilâne - un repas simple



Poilâne


All that is needed for a simple meal...


Ah, I can almost smell the aroma 
of bread baking in the wood-fired ovens,
in my mind at least.



Poilâne
8, rue du Cherche-Midi
75006, Paris



Monday, February 23, 2015

Rue de Beaujolais



The morning sun 
creates crisp shadows
on the weathered shutters...


....weathered shutters 
with a freshly-painted
"W"



18, rue de Beaujolais
75001, Paris

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Église Saint-Nicholas du Chardonnet



Église Saint-Nicholas du Chardonnet
"The Choir Organ"


Did you know that most of the churches in Paris 
have at least two organs?
This one was easy to spot, 
but sometimes you will have to search.
If you find the choir organ, keep looking, 
and you may even find a third organ.


bon dimanche



Église Saint-Nicholas du Chardonnet
23, rue des Bernardins
75005, Paris


Saturday, February 21, 2015

Un landau?


A baby carriage?


This little antique was sitting outside a notions boutique 
in the passage du Grand Cerf.  
The short handles and small wheels 
made me think that it was a rather elegant doll carriage.  


The convertible shade was made of leather 
and I should have examined it more closely 
for the name of the manufacturer.



Passage du Grand Cerf
75002, Paris

Friday, February 20, 2015

Hermès - la vitrine



Hermès


The two windows of  Hermès'
rue de Sèvres shop was filled with an array
of crystal glasses with a backdrop of translucent silk.


The jewel-toned colors of the silk 
blown into action by an oscillating fan
created a colorful motion in the mirrored reflection.



bon week-end



Hermès
17, rue de Sèvres
75006, Paris

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Passage Verdeau - le stube



Passage Verdeau


The high fishbone glass ceiling and clean neoclassical lines 
of this often forgotten passage are remarkable.


Built in 1847 it is an extension of 
the passages Jouffroy and Panoramas.




Le Stube Verdeau
23, passage Verdeau
75009, Paris

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Palais Royal - les ombres


Galerie de Montpensier


The gold of the wrought iron fencing and the lamps 
are easy clues to the location of this photo


One of my favorite spots for photographing...
the architecture, the seasons, the light and shadows, 
the fountains, the allée of trees, the flaneurs, the people.


It is also a great spot to find a quiet place to read 
or to watch people.



Jardin du Palais Royal
Galerie de Montpensier
75001, Paris

Monday, February 16, 2015

Tabac - Cherche Midi Presse



A tabac is licensed to sell tobacco products 
as well as newspapers and stamps.


Apparently it is good to have a friend along 
to spend the day greeting customers.



Tabac - Cherche Midi Presse
52, rue du Cherche-Midi
75006, Paris

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Église Saint-Antoine-des Quinze-Vingts


Église Saint-Antoine-des Quinze-Vingts


Although it is not as majestic 
as many of the well-known churches in Paris, 
this is an active parish in the 12é 
with some lovely details and a great organ 
by Aristide Cavaille-Coll.


bon dimanche
 



Église Saint-Antoine-des Quinze-Vingts
57, rue Traversière
75012, Paris

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux



The Flower Market
(and sometimes a bird market)


The Flower Market is open daily 
but they only bring out the birds on Sunday.
As you can see from this rainy day photo, 
the birds had all flown away (kidding).


People come from all over Paris and surrounding areas to buy
all imaginable types of birds from canaries and finches 
to roosters and chickens.


Marché aux Fleurs
Place Louis-Lépine
75004, Paris

(Merci beaucoup, BC, for the reminder) 

Friday, February 13, 2015

Métro Réamur-Sébastapol



With an entrance designed by
the renown Hector Guimard, French architect.


He is now the best known representative of  the
Art Nouveau style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This metro station entrance is but one of the styles
designed for the Métro.  


When you are in Paris, 
make a list, a sketch, a photo...
 of all the ones you can find.


bon weekend


Métro Réamur-Sébastapol station entrance
Rue de Palestro
75002, Paris


 

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Une bataille de boules de neige



Snowball Fight!

Well, it was very good natured fun 
with lots of laughter and the squeals of children


They seemed totally oblivious to the photographer,
and she was glad not to have been pelted with a block of ice.



Square Armand-Trousseau
Rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine
75012, Paris

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

La porte et les fleurs



The window boxes in Paris
bloom most of the year.


The shadows and reflection add a softness 
to the many details of this one doorway, 
one among thousands.



38, boulevard Saint Germain
75005, Paris

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Mini Jacinthe



Mini Hyacinth


In the midst of winter
a "forced" bulb such as these hyacinths
reveal the promise of spring 


The sweet smell of these flowers 
is as fragrant as the finest Paris parfum



Messages du Grand Cerf (fleuriste)
Passage du Grand Cerf
75002, Paris

Monday, February 9, 2015

Un petit passage


BILLTORNADE


Through open passageways one can walk into courtyards
and "visual opportunities" otherwise missed. 
In this instance, there was not even a cracked door to be pushed,
but the dark green doors beckoned us through.


The graceful curved steps at the end are the business offices of Bill Tornade. 
We only photographed and did not knock.



Bill Tornade - "cutting edge men's fashion"
134, rue du Temple
75003, Paris


Sunday, February 8, 2015

Église Saint Pierre de Montmartre


Église Saint Pierre de Montmartre


Consecrated in 1147, this church is dwarfed by Sacre Coeur
and almost ignored by the tourists...
which makes it worth exploring.


bon dimanche




Église Saint Pierre de Montmartre
2, rue du Mont Cenis
75018, Paris

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Il fait froid!


It is cold!


Although January and February can be frigid in Paris,
rarely does it stop the city, the Parisians, the tourists.


I have only seen snow twice in Paris, 
but the December 2010 snowstorm emptied the streets...
except for the crazy photographers and a few children.



Quai Voltaire - Pont du Carrousel
75007, Paris

Friday, February 6, 2015

2CV - Deux Chevaux-Vapeur



2CV
Deux Chevaux-Vapeur
"Two Steam Horses"


This minimalist, sturdy economical car was
manufactured in France between 1948 and 1989.  


Seen in many French films of the 50s and 60s,
I always smile when I see one on the streets of Paris.


bon weekend



Rue Saint Antoine
75004, Paris

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Repetto - Coppélia


Repetto's Window


The ballet Coppélia is featured in the windows of Repetto on rue de la Paix.


The ballet was originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon 
to the music of Léo Delibes and its premier performance 
was in 1870 at Théâtre Impérial de l'Opéra in Paris.


I am always drawn to this window on each visit to Paris 
and can hardly wait to see what the imaginative designers have created.



Repetto
22, rue de la Paix
75002, Paris

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Sajou - articles de mercerie



Sajou


This haberdashery or notions store, 
is filled with ribbons, buttons, needlework patterns and materials, 
threads, and all manner of things.


This is a drawer filled with colorful cards.  
I was remiss in not knowing for sure how they are used, 
but I guessed that they were for wrapping embroidery threads 
of several colors for a single project.  


What I really wonder is 
WHY did I not buy a few to bring home?



Sajou
47, rue du Caire
75002, Paris

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Qu'est-ce que c'est? Une mouche? Un cafard?



What is it?
a roach? a fly?


Something quite interesting 
has captured the attention of these three young girls.


The vests are worn so that the teachers 
can identify them when they are ready to leave the park



Parc de Monceau
Boulevard de Courcelles
75008, Paris
 

Monday, February 2, 2015

La Chandeleur - jour de crêpes



Crêpes for la Chandeleur
Fête des Chandelles
(Candlemas in English) 


Today is Candlemas, 2 February, and it is celebrated in France with crêpes.
Yesterday I made crêpes with a seven-year-old 
and an eleven-year-old (supervised by a wild puppy).  
You hold a coin in your left hand and flip the crêpe pan in your right.  
If you can catch the crêpe, 
it means your family will be prosperous for the rest of the year, 
such is the legend.  
If you drop it, the puppy will eat it and you start again
 
 
Pictured above are savory wheat crèpes 
from Crêperie Plougastel which are delicious.  
My helpers and I made the same basic recipe 
of milk, flour, eggs, butter, and a small amount of salt and sugar 
that I have been making since I first learned to cook.  
We will have garlic shrimp crêpes with a bechamel sauce. 
 
 
(miam-miam)
 
 
 
Crêperie Plougastel
47, rue du Montparnasse
75014, Paris
 

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Theme Day - What Would I Miss Most...



Les Enfants de Paris


What would I miss most about Paris if I were never to return?
How can one even think in those terms?

...the people of Paris,
the children, the parks and gardens, the green chairs,
the music, the churches, the architecture, the history, the Seine, the bridges,
the Métro, the secret little spots discovered over 20+ trips, the food,
ex-pat friends, Parisian friends, the grand views from Paris landmarks,
sitting on green grass when it is permitted, dancing on Rue Mouffetard, 
and so much more.

No matter what the future holds, I will always have a bit of Paris, 
and all that it is, in my heart.

(and tens of thousands of photos, if I forget)



What Would I miss most?
75000, all of it, Paris