Medici Fountain #2: Green-eyed monster

The one-eyed giant Polyphemus, who's been stalking the nymph Galatea, surprises her in the arms of her lover, Acis, and flies into a rage.

Medici Fountain #1

The Fontaine Médicis (d. 1630), a magical oasis in the Jardin du Luxembourg, is crowned by an enormous sculpture often mistaken for Poseidon but in fact is the Cyclops, Polyphemus.

Crayon art

Almost every surface inside this rue des Beaux-Arts gallery including the front door was covered in the delightful scribblings of toddlers. At the reception: helium balloons, home-made lemonade, cookies.

Pain Poilâne

The wood-fired brick ovens at Poilâne's small original Left Bank boulangerie work round the clock, turning out thousands of their signature rustic loaves daily.

Giant bubbles

Giant bubbles float across the expansive square in front of l'Hôtel-de-Ville, Paris' neo-Renaissance city hall constructed in 1873.

Pastries to perfumes

Ladurée has teamed up with Nina Ricci to create fragrances to go with its macarons.

Making a splash

A fountain in a courtyard of the Louvre is contrasted against the darkness of the building behind.

Place Dauphine

Place Dauphine is reflected in the windows of this restaurant where photographs of Simone Signoret and Yves Montand, who lived here, decorate a wall.

Pursed lips

The beguiling bag that's been taking Left Bank fashionistas by storm is signed Sonia Rykiel.

Room with a view

The sitting room of this top floor flat opens onto a balcony with majestic views, a perfect spot for evening apéritifs.

Victor is watching

A bust of Victor Hugo keeps an eye on what goes on in this unusual family run bookshop.

Orange alert

Striking in their bright orange garb this group huddled amid Montmartre's portrait artists before departing, single file, down this stairway.

A terrace lunch

Clockwise: sweet peppers grilled in bacon, heirloom tomatoes in olive oil with garlic toasts, roasted duck breast on bed of caramelized onions tartine, pickled vegetables. Not shown: smoked salmon atop grain mustard cream tartines, chilled green pea soup with fresh mint, red wines from Bergerac.

Barrel tables were pushed together so we could all sit together and share. Dessert, strong espressos and pain perdu, forerunner of French Toast, served with home-made vanilla ice cream.

Night rain

 

Early this morning I was struck by the peacefulness of this square, still wet after a night shower.

The end of the street

Today marks the last day of the "Graffiti Street," a long-standing Belleville mainstay. Always changing, it was the only place in Paris where anyone with a can of spray paint could let loose to their heart's desire.

Un café serré SVP

This tiny bit of coffee packs a punch and, in its own tiny way, has come to symbolize the Parisian lifestyle.

More Fornasetti

With the Fornasetti retrospective winding up in less than a week I couldn't resist posting two more of my favorite photographs from this don't-miss exhibition.

A summer wine

Back in season French rosés are showing up everywhere en masse, even on supermarket shelves, like these. Refreshingly dry they're served icy cold and go with everything.

Old-fashioned lace

 

Delicate French lace fills this Right Bank shop, conjuring visions of parlor gatherings and summer garden parties à la Renoir and Manet.

Rose door

The interplay of tree shadows on this polished wooden door struck me as quite lovely.

French macarons

I am unable to pass Gérard Mulot's shop without being lured inside and picking something up. Real French macarons aren't nearly as sweet as expected and, if done right, sensational.

Square Édouard-VII

In Paris, you can turn a corner and stop in your tracks. This leads to a theater and just beyond, Square Édouard-VII.