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

Square Boucicaut - en l'été

Square Boucicaut

Early in the morning, this little pocket of a park was empty

except for the gardener.

 

Paris is often late to rise,

 and you can have her almost to yourself

if you are an early bird.

Square Boucicaut
entre Rue de Babylone et Rue de Sèvres
75007, Paris
Métro Sèvres-Babylone

Le Bon Marché -- des chapeaux

If you have been reading my blog for a period of time, you know that I am almost as passionate about hats as I am shoes...

This chapeaux is not quite my style but I was captivated by the design.

What do you mean, pas de photos?  Whoops

Le Bon Marché

Métro Sèvres-Babylone

La Maison du Chocolat -- eclairs

In the search for the perfect, very best eclair in Paris we discovered (for the moment) our favorite(s) at La Maison du Chocolat.  We had to have a caramel au beurre salé also, bien sûr!

The chocolate was rich, and the pastry was still firm, not soggy from the cream filling.  Fortunately for our waitlines, we had to walk to get there and back.  It is a chocolate eclair like this that makes me want to hide in the corner and devour it all!

Do not try this at home.

miam-miam

La Maison du Chocolat
19, rue de Sèvres
75006, Paris

There are many boutiques in Paris
and around the world - check the link

Les Oiseaux

I did not see any birds but there were many people "perched" on the terrasse... When the weather is nice, the empty café chairs are few in number!

Les Oiseaux
Rue de Sèvres

Still shopping?

You had better hurry!


Bon Marché
Métro Sèvres-Babylone

La Maison du Chocolat

In a search for the perfect chocolate eclair, we hurried to La Maison du Chocolat at the instruction of Carol (Paris Breakfasts) for the best in Paris. (More on that story later with photos)... After making friends in this chocolate heaven, we stopped to take a photo of the chocolate tree in the window.

It is too small for your eyes to read perhaps, but I will whisper the price if you promise not to gasp...

(590€) .............. I think I heard a gasp...

La Maison du Chocolat
19, rue Sèvres (and other locations)

The Escalator Happy Dance

This adorable child is laughing with me! Of course, there is a story....

The background:

As you may know, there are many steps in the Paris Métro -- up, down, around... Some Métro stops are huge and have many iterations of "up and down and around" before it is possible to either transfer or to exit to the street level. Since my first visit to Paris, I have done a little happy dance when I find an escalator. Specifically, I fling my arms into the air (as if my team has just scored) just as I step onto the escalator. Most of the time there is a little joyous shout (woooh-hoooo) and waving of arms. It is just my little "meep" of happiness to have found the electric steps that save my tired body.

The story:

As I stepped on the escalator to exit Métro Sèvres-Babylone, I turned to share my "escalator happy dance" with a mom and two children who laughed with me all the way to the top. Sometimes, the crazy American CAN get a petite Parisienne to smile.

The commentary:

This behavior does warrant some stern stares and I do tone it down a bit in the more chi-chi areas of Paris, but lighten up, people. It will keep you young!

Merci, Shell, for adding "meep" to my vocabulary!