Poisson d'Avril - chut! (demain)

Do you know what tomorrow is?

In the USA it is April Fools Day and we play pranks like, 

"Look out!  There's a spider on your shoulder!" 

The tradition in France includes poisson d'avril, attempting to attach a paper fish to the victim's back without being noticed.  There is an interesting history of this holiday of foolishness, and it originated in France in the 16th century.  You can read about it here.

Today in France, people who are fooled on April 1 are called poisson d'avril, which literally means the "April Fish," because a young naive fish is easily caught.  

So, are you going to play a little prank tomorrow?

Marché d'Aligre et le Baron Rouge

75012, Paris

Des Grandes Maisons

These beautiful homes overlook Parc de Monceau.

I do not know which view is better:

The homes seen from my vantage point in the park,

or the park seen from the grand balconies.

Parc de Monceau

75008, Paris

L'horloge

Built between 1194 and 1250, Chartres Cathedral is one of the finest examples of

French Gothic architecture.  The 12th century structure is at least the fifth to occupy the

site since the fourth century.

Having read much about World War II in recent years,

 it is interesting to know that the magnificent windows seen still today 

were removed in 1939 before the Germans advanced.  

The glass was cleaned and releaded before 

being returned to their original placement.

Chartres is only fifty miles outside of Paris 

and worth a day trip to see this cathedral and two other churches.  

The old town is charming and a step back in time.

bon dimanche

Basilique Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres

16 cloitre Notre-Dame

28000 Chartres

Chartres, France

Thé avec un serpent?

Petit Palais

In the main gallery of Petit Palais is this unusual teapot by Léon Kann (1859-1925).

An open-mouthed serpent bursts from a metal gourd 

and is ready to strike!

Now, would you care for lemon or milk 

with that tea?

Petit Palais

avenue Winston Churchill

75008, Paris

Marché Maubert - des légumes

Marché Maubert

Paris is not just about the baguettes, 

the pain de mie, the croissants, the tarts, the gâteaux...

Just stroll through one of the weekday street markets 

to see some beautiful, fresh vegetables (and fruits)

Marché Maubert

Place Maubert (Tues, Thurs, Sat)

75005, Paris

Le Premier Train Pour Paris

The First Train to Paris

Well, as you can see by all the passengers and the clock,

it is probably not the first train leaving Charles de Gaulle Airport.

However, it is definitely early!

RER B, Aeroport Charles de Gaulle

Paris

Café sans fleurs...

Avenue Rapp

This charming little café/bistrot is ready

for our party.

We should have brought some of yesterday's flowers 

to perk it up a bit.

Café on ave Rapp

75007, Paris

le Génie de la Liberté

Colonne de Juillet

(July Column)

Seen from the street below, the gilded "spirit of freedom"

appears ready to take flight into the blue sky

This towering Corinthian-styled column is topped with 

Auguste Dumont's "Génie de la Liberté" 

built between 1835 and 1840 to commemorate 

the 1830 revolution

Colonne de Juillet

Place de la Bastille

75004, Paris

Les fleurs de Paris

You may wonder about all of the shrubs and blooming plants in Paris.  

The parks and public gardens are filled to the brim, 

but one would think that there are not many private gardens 

in central Paris.

All you have to do is to look to the balconies 

and take a peek inside the almost-closed door courtyards.  

Now what would you put on your Paris balcony?

rue Cler florist

75007, Paris

Église de la Sainte-Trinité

 

 

 

Église de la Sainte-Trinité

 

 

 

"La Trinité" features architecture of the Second Empire period,

and it was built between 1861 and 1867 at a cost of almost 5 million francs.

 

 

The exterior is impressive,

 filling the Paris skyline with its 63 meter tall bell tower

and topped with a dome.

 

 

 

bon dimanche

 

 

Église de la Sainte-Trinité

Place d'Estienne d'Orvez

75009, Paris



Printemps et une abeille

Spring blooms and a bee

The parks in Paris will be soon filled with 

the chartreuse green of new tendrils

and the vivid pastel blooms

Parc de Monceau

Rue de Courcelles

75008, Paris

Le Jour du Macaron, ici et là

"here"

(chez Holly)

Today is the 10th anniversary of Le Jour du Macaron, started by Pierre Hermé.

In the early years it was a bit like a scavenger hunt all over Paris, and at each stop (famous Paris pâtisseries) you could collect three macarons and they would stamp your "macaron map."  At the end of the day if you had a map with all of the stamps, you then received a treasure chest of 36 macarons from Pierre Hermé!  In exchange you were asked for a small charitable donation.

It was so successful that after a few years, the bonus at the end of the day was halted.  Can you imagine how many Parisiens and tourists chased all over the city collecting macarons!  Now, Jour du Macaron is celebrated in many cities and countries around the world.

My daughter Holly and I have been making them (amid much scientific study and experimentation) for years now.  Our favorites to make: pistache with chocolate ganache filling, pecan with caramel au beurre salé, rosemary with lemon curd.  A good Swiss buttercream cut with Nutella will be great in any of these. 

"there"

(in Paris)

bon weekend

(miam-miam)

"ici" et "là"

là - Spécialités Artisanales

Biscuiterie de Montmartre

16, rue Norvins

75018, Paris

 

Rue Bonaparte - une cour

The large door was ajar, 

and a slight push was all it took

This empty courtyard on rue Bonaparte

was charming and the fresh buds of spring

will give it a new look.

rue Bonaparte

75006, Paris

Jardin du Palais Royal - en hiver

Jardin du Palais Royal

The lovely fountain was sealed in ice - December 2010

The red and white rope was a signal to stay out of the fountain,

a suggestion lost on these young boys.

I hope that Paris did not get that cold this year, 

but regardless, we will all be glad to see winter go.

Jardin du Palais Royal

75001, Paris

Changement de saison - la Seine

It is almost spring and all across the hemisphere

people are looking forward to longer days and

warmer weather.

There will be many evenings

along the Seine with friends

Quai du Louvre

75001, Paris

Galerie Vivienne - Librairie Jousseaume

Librairie Jousseaume

Galerie Vivienne is home to this bookstore 

which was founded in 1826 as  Librairie Petit-Siroux.  

If you love books old and new, 

this is a charming spot to look at the titles and perhaps find a treasure.  

You can peruse the glassed display seen here or wander inside.

(Joyeux anniversaire, Alexa)

Librairie Jousseaume

45-46-47, Galerie Vivienne

75002, Paris 

Église Saint-Laurent

Église Saint-Laurent

Saint-Laurent was founded in the 6th century as the chapel of an abbey.  

The present church dates to 1429 and finally completed in the 19th century.  

It was built on Paris' north-south axis, 

linking Senlis and Orléans, 

as laid out by the Romans in  the 1st century.

There are always candles 

in the many chapels

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Laurent

68, boulevard de Magenta

75010, Paris

La Journée de Pi

Pi day of the century

π - not pie actually

(a pun)

Saturday, March 14, 2015 is Pi Day, a celebration of the irrational number 

that describes the ratio of a circle’s diameter to its circumference. 

Pi is approximately 3.141592653, but it continues at random to infinity. 

No matter how many numbers after the decimal place you use, 

the only way to get it exactly is to use the symbol pi (π)

March 14, 2015

3.14.15 at 9:26.53am

I love math and numbers as well as pie, 

so treat yourself to a slice of pie (or tart, if you will)

La Petite Rose

11, boulevard de Courcelles

75008, Paris

La Tour Eiffel, la Seine, et des Ponts

Paris at Night

The mighty bronze sculptures of Pont Alexandre III

gaze nightly at "the tower" as it lights up the evening sky.

I have stood on this same spot in all kinds of weather,

and I can close my eyes to be transported there in my imagination.

bon weekend

Pont Alexandre III

75007, Paris

Click here to see reflections around the world
James' Weekend Reflections

Jeune patineur

Young skater

Contrary to the experienced skater of yesterday,

beginning skaters may need a little help.

Hotel de Ville

75004, Paris

La patineuse artistique

In the bright midday sun of a winter day,

the ice skaters moved around the temporary ice rink 

in front of Hôtel de Ville. 

This young woman was in a world of her own

as she gracefully made her turns, jumps and spins.

Hôtel de Ville

Place de l'Hôtel de Ville
75004 Paris

Square du Vert Galant

Square du Vert Galant

This little tear-drop of green is not exactly a secret place, 

but it is most often photographed from the other direction

(as seen in my banner photo above).

The view from Pont des Arts gives the illusion 

of a ship's bow.  You can access this little park

at the midpoint of Pont Neuf.

Square du Vert Galant

75001, Paris

Les portes de Palais Royal

The Gates of Palais Royal

These gold spears on the gates 

must receive a coat of paint each year

as they always look as if they are solid gold

Oh, they do close and lock the gates each

evening so do not fall asleep on one of the benches or

you may be forced to spend the night

Jardin du Palais Royal

75001, Paris

Basilique Notre-Dame des Victoires

Basilique Notre-Dame des Victoires

The square in front of this basilica is often filled with children,
playing chase or ball games.


The church is located at the intersection of Place des Petits-Pères
and Rue de la Banque. Notre Dame des Victoires
is the former chapel of the Augustinian fathers (Petits-Pères),
built in the years 1629-1740


bon dimanche


 

Basilique Notre-Dame des Victoires
6, rue Notre Dame des Victoires
75002, Paris

Galerie Véro-Dodat

Galerie Véro-Dodat

In 1826, two friends, Messieurs Véro and Dodat, opened a covered galerie 

between Rue du Bouloi and Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau.  

Built in Neoclassical style with a decor that included details of copper and cast iron, 

along with mirrors and the black and white marble floor, 

it quickly became the darling of Paris.

This early winter morning photo found the passage

in fine order, a close reflection of its 19th century beauty.

Galerie Véro-Dodat
Rue Jean-Jacques et Rue du Bouloi
Métro Palais Royal
75001 Paris

Jardin du Luxembourg - le carrousel

Jardin du Luxembourg

This very old carrousel in Jardin du Luxembourg 

does not have glitter, 

shining lights, or 

polished ponies, but...

you can wield a baton and 

catch a brass ring on each pass

bon weekend

Jardin du Luxembourg

75006, Paris

Rue Raynouard - Passy

Just above the wall-lined street you can see

this wonderful collection of windows, roofs, balconies,

and chimneys all washed in the glow of a winter afternoon's sunliight.

The architecture and textures

have interesting details.

Rue Raynouard

Passy

75016, Paris

Bistrot Victoires

Bistrot Victoires

This neighborhood bistrot/café is a favorite of mine.

Yes, the food is good and reasonable, nothing fancy, 

but it is not the food that makes it a favorite.  

...It is all the friends whose company I have enjoyed 

over the years as well as the staff and the charming ambiance

We need to meet again...

Bistrot Victoires

1, rue de la Vrillière

75001, Paris

Encore un peu de patience!

Cafes and sandwich shops in the US 

may provide a placard for your table

after you place your order.

When it is ready, a server will deliver it to your table.

At Le Jardin du Petit Palais Café, 

the placard appears quite charming in French.

I can only imagine how the French tsk-tsk

the crazy photographers.

Le Jardin du Petit Palais Café

Petit Palais

Avenue Winston Churchill

75008, Paris

la Seine

The Seine

All is quiet on the Seine

at midnight...

a great time to take photos

La Seine

75006, Paris

City Daily Photo Theme Day: "Aging"

This mature gentleman dined alone 

on the café terrace, 

enjoyed un café and a smoke, 

and then counted out the payment.

He walked with the assistance of a cane,

independent and self-assured.

He is known in the neighborhood,

acknowledging the greetings that came his way.

On the first day of each month the City Daily Photo community

posts a photo.  The theme this month is "aging."

Click here to see "aging" in cities all around the globe.

Le Metevier

1, avenue Gambetta

75020, Paris