Place des Vosges - Ma Bourgogne

Ma Bourgogne

 

 

 

No matter the season or the weather, this bistrot in the heart of Place des Vosges attracts both the locals and the tourists.  I remember years ago having to choose whether to eat or to drink as we were short of cash and they did not take credit cards.

 

 

 

We chose the "house red."

 

 

 

 

Ma Bourgogne

19, place des Vosges

75004, Paris

 



Gérard Mulot - citron, citron vert, pistache!

Gérard Mulot

 

Some of the best macarons in Paris are found here. 

 

 

Although I make some very fine macarons,

I have never been able to make a tree. 

Perhaps it is because they are all too quickly consumed!

 

 

miam-miam

 

 

Gérard Mulot76, rue de Seine
Métro Odéon, Métro Mabillon 

Église Saint Germain des Prés

 

 

 

 

Église Saint Germain des Prés

 

 

This 1,000 year old tower stands tall in the St Germain area.  The renovations inside and out are heartening with many visitors taking notice.

 

 

The first time I saw this church I thought it dark and depressing.  My recent visits reflect the interest of the congregation and the neighborhood.

 

 

 

bon dimanche

Église Saint Germain des Prés

3, place Saint Germain des Prés

75006, Paris

 

 



Hugo et Victor

Hugo et Victor

This round of mouth-watering tart slices will have you pressing your nose to the glass.  Well, you will unless they give you the "look" and you remember that you are not in a dream of your own...

Hugo et Victor is the creation of Hugues Pouget who was formerly the pastry chef at Guy Savoy.  Pastries are categorized as either "Hugo," reinterpretations of the classics, or "Victor," traditional desserts created with an edge.  

The shops look more like the displays of fine jewelry than pastries and chocolates with glass cases and downcast spotlights.  For my taste, the chocolates are more outstanding than the pastries. 

bon weekend

Hugo et Victor

40, boulevard Raspail

75007, Paris

vive le goûter! - La Pâtisserie des Rêves

vive le goûter!

Ah, yes, this is definitely the season!

There will be many "reformers" at my gym next week 

who have made New Year resolutions to get back in shape.  

Most of them will be gone by February.

Interestingly, this is the sign on the window of  

La Pâtisserie des Rêves on Rue du Bac.

La Pâtisserie des Rêves

93, rue du Bac

75007, Paris

 

des chaussettes!

Colorful tights

This vibrantly colored window on Rue du Bac

reminds me of some wild socks I received as a gift.

Actually, I do not think that I saw any 

French women wearing styles such as these.

Rue du Bac

75007, Paris

A child is born...

Joyeux Noël

Église Saint Roch

284, rue Saint Honoré

75001 Paris

Bûche de Noël - chez moi

Bûche de Noël

"yule log"

Adopting another French tradition, 

we welcome Christmas with a bûche de Noël.

Using a recipe inspired by the celebrated Paris pastry shop Ladurée, the bûche consists of a buttercream icing, a roulade of fine bittersweet chocolate, and a filling of rich semisweet chocolate.  The humidity and rainstorms steered us to marzipan rather than our preferred meringue mushrooms.  Here is a recipe in English and another here in French.  We used the English recipe.

This confection was a collaboration of daughter Holly, 

visiting French girl, and moi.  

...sending you Christmas wishes 

(still have to make Jesus' birthday cake)

Beyond

Un sapin violet - Rue de Sèvres

un sapin violet

With an emphasis on color, 

the new shades of Pantone coffee mugs caught my eye.  

The crocheted tea cozy is an updated version 

of an old-fashioned favorite.

The windows just dazzle!

8, rue de Sèvres

75006, Paris

 

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois - la crèche

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

In the large space of the "crossing" 

where the nave, choir, and transept intersect 

is placed this manger scene. 

The rug, candles and 15-foot trees

 give an Old World appearance. 

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

2, place du Louvre

75001, Paris

Printemps - des chaussures et des bonbons

Printemps

Christmas windows

Two of my favorite things:

shoes and macarons

Printemps
64, boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris

Réflexion - Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

...a delicious panoply of lights

Christmas in shades of blue, white, and silver

Ave des Champs-Élysées

75008, Paris

Métro Franklin D. Roosevelt

Cartier - la panthère

Cartier

This jeweler has an over-the-top display for the holidays.  

The building is washed in red light 

and one expects that the panthers will leap at any moment.

This well-known street was unusually quiet 

which suits me just fine.  

It could be that the intermittent rain 

and frigid wind kept the shoppers at home.  

No, I did not do any shopping here.

Cartier
154, avenue des Champs-Élysées
75008, Paris

Maître Fromager Affineur - Androuet

Androuet

Since 1909, this fromagerie has been offering cheese, 

selecting and maturing handcrafted/farm cheeses and raw milk cheeses; 

cheese from the best localities and best cheesemakers in France.

The sidewalk stand with samples of cheese 

along with the name and reputation of Androuet 

brought the Sunday crowd into the shop on Rue Mouffetard.

Androuet, Maître Fromager

134, rue Mouffetard

75005, Paris

Lèche-vitrines - Paris à Noël

Window shopping

on Rue du Bac

On a Saturday morning, 

Rue du Bac turns into a promenade of the families who live nearby.  

We saw many greetings across all generations 

as people paused in the street to chat.  

This young child was warmly dressed 

and had the requisite trottinette to make the Saturday rounds.  

As for the mother, you know I will say that...

...she must be a French girl

Rue du Bac

75007, Paris

Galeries Lafayette - le dôme en violet

Galeries Lafayette

The iconic art nouveau glass dome is illuminated in purple this year as it celebrates the beginning of its 101st anniversary.  The theme is thankfully child-centered at Galeries Lafayette for Christmas 2013, and there are many animated windows to delight children and adults alike.  

As you walk into the rotunda area filled with counters of perfumes, the sheer size of the dome will take your breath away.  In certain department stores they frown on photos but this shot is replicated by every visitor to Galeries Lafayette apparently with the blessing of management.

Galeries Lafayette
Boulevard Haussmann
75009, Paris
Métro Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette

Église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis - la porte rouge

The red door

The renovations at this nearly 400-year-old church 

have made a remarkable difference in its presence on Rue Saint Antoine.  

The former door was a deep gray-maroon 

and lost in the dark pollution-stained surrounding structure. 

The interior has likewise been restored and repaired.

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Paul Saint-Louis 

7, passage Saint-Paul

(seen here at 99, rue Saint Antoine)

75004, Paris

Sapins de Noël - Passage du Grand Cerf

Christmas trees in Paris

Giggling on the first occasion of seeing 

Christmas trees dressed like sausages, 

I now find them totally charming.  

The stands made of split tree trunks are quite solid 

and they are ready to be carried off, 

through the Métro or by bus to a waiting Paris apartment.  

The scents of fresh evergreen are as omnipresent 

as those of the baguettes from the nearby boulangerie.

Messages du Grand Cerf

4, passage du Grand Cerf (Rue Saint Denis entrance)

75002, Paris

Canal Saint Martin - en automne

Canal Saint Martin

The patches of blue sky were trumped by 

the electric shades of orange and yellow alongside the canal.

bon weekend

Check out James' Weekend Reflections

Canal Saint Martin

75010, Paris

des coeurs sous une cloche

Hearts under a cloche

Just as this bell-shaped glass was designed 

to protect English garden plants from frost, 

this cloche may be protecting fragile hearts.

There was an immediate appeal to this window scene 

which was likely just a whim of the designer.  

I do wonder though....

Blanc d'Ivoire

104, rue du Bac

75007, Paris

Métro Sèvres-Babylone

Joyeux anniversaire, DKB

Printemps - Christmas windows 2013

Printemps

The windows are dazzling 

and the mirror reflections in this fashion window add to the look.  

I chose to cut off the name of the sponsor 

as the displays were much better before the grand magasins 

sold their window designs.  

Now the sponsor's name is splashed liberally 

throughout the windows and the store.

Printemps

64, boulevard Haussmann

75009, Paris

Carrousel de la Tour Eiffel - le zèbre en colère

The angry zebra!

This carousel which sits in the evening's golden glow 

of la Tour Eiffel is one of my favorites.

Many of the horses have pedals and a bicycle wheel.  

Even the parents can pedal from the sidelines 

in this renewable energy carousel.  

The zebra looks none too happy about it.

Carrousel de la Tour Eiffel

Quai Branley

75005, Paris

Rue de la Paix - une fille française?

Rue de la Paix

It was raining on the evening of Beaujolais Nouveau Day,

but this chic French girl with her long black velvet coat 

and red plaid parapluie was content to stroll down Rue de la Paix 

to window shop in Place Vendome.  

The streets were almost empty and the three of us 

enjoyed the lights, the misty rain, and the unbelievable windows.

Yes, she is a French girl

Jaquet Droz

(275 year old watchmaking business)

8, rue de la Paix

75002, Paris

Crèche - Église Saint Louis en l'Île

Église Saint Louis en l'Île

Nativity Scene

As churches in Paris prepare for Christmas, 

the congregations express creativity and individuality 

as seen in this Nativity scene at Église Saint Louis en l'Île.

bon dimanche

Joyeux anniversaire, Holly!

Église Saint Louis en l'Île

Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île

Saint-Louis en l'Île

75004, Paris 

 

un vélo bleu - 'forever'

a bike

I have wanted one "forever" 

and hope that I will get a red one for Christmas...

with a bell, bien sûr.

Are you listening, Santa?

(Why should I have to go to Paris to ride a bike?)

In front of Shakespeare and Company

37, rue de la Bucherie

75005, Paris

Joyeux anniversaire, Cherie!

Village Saint Paul - le Marais

Quiet courtyard

The last golden leaves of autumn cling tenuously to the branch 

and they echo my feelings of departing Paris.  

I know when it is time to leave for home, 

clinging to the memories, 

and knowing that there will be another autumn in Paris, 

just as there will be another winter and spring and summer.

The photos are a daily reminder...

le sigh

bon weekend

Village Saint Paul

75004, Paris

Art urbain - Jérôme Mesnager et Julien Malland

Urban art

Jérôme Mesnager, born in 1961, is one of the first painters of the streets of Paris, and is known as the father of the l'Homme en blanc, the man in white.  This recognizable figure is known around the world and has appeared from the walls of Paris to the Great Wall of China.

Now, with regard to the figure in blue, I am stumped and at a loss to know the artist.  Please send me an email or leave a comment if you recognize this intriguing style.  With the two figures "floating" together, I wonder if the urban art was created simultaneously or one followed the other.


Update:  The figure in blue is by Julien "Seth" Malland 
'Julien “Seth” Malland is a world traveling, street painting, socially conscious individual roaming the far places of this planet. Sometimes based in Paris, the street artist took a three year journey around the world to bring his art to remote areas. At different locations he would spend time with the local people, then create cheery pieces displaying children and colors to “liven up” the communities.' (from visual news.com) - Thank you, Vreni

Jérôme Mesnager, art urbain

Rue Blainville

75005, Paris



vin, baguettes, fromages, saucisson sec....

A light dinner

 

If I had easy access to this simple fare at home, 

it would be a regular evening meal.

When it was cold and drizzling and we had already walked many miles, 

this scene around our apartment table was a favorite of mine...

-food, wine, and great friends-

the laughter was abundant

(Thank you Alexa and Virginia)

Rue du Cherche Midi

75006, Paris

Scouts Unitaires de France

Scouts Unitaires de France

These three girls agreed to a photo 

and I told them that it is my pleasure 

to buy the "Scout calendar" for 2014.  

They are available every November 

and include the saint's name for each day 

as well as information about the Scouts' activities across France.

Rue de Sèvres

75006, Paris

Rue du Cardinal Lemoine - a courtyard for all seasons

Courtyard

Rue du Cardinal Lemoine

Palms, wisteria, fatsia, evergreens, honeysuckle, 

and the climbing vines that turn electric shades of yellow, orange and red in autumn.

I will have to check out this courtyard in the other seasons.  

I think that it was designed for appeal no matter the time of year.

69, rue du Cardinal Lemoine

75005, Paris

Cathédral Saint Alexandre Nevsky - 'looking out'

Cathédral Saint Alexandre Nevsky

Photos are not allowed in this beautiful gilt cathedral 

so this view looking out at autumn leaves and nineteenth century buildings 

will have to suffice.

bon dimanche

Theme Day

"looking out"

Please click here to see how other 

City Daily Photos interpret the theme

Saint-Alexandre-Nevsky Cathedral

12, rue Daru

75008 Paris

Métro Ternes ou Métro Courcelles