Below: Zitronenkipferl, a rustic version of Austrian Vanillekipferl, made w/coarsely-chopped hazelnuts, whole wheat flour and lemon zest
Holly berries brighten a secluded corner beneath the watchful dome of Sacré Coeur.
- Christmas 2020 -
Fairytale artisan Christmas market on Square René-Viviani last year.
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For 2020 markets see Paris Christmas Markets
Though its beautiful tea room and pâtisserie on rue de Rivoli are closed for now, Angelina has a small boutique on the Left Bank that is, happily, open for takeaway.
Two bags from Christian Dior's uplifting spring collection.
Dior
A sign inside a Montmartre real estate agency reads, "The street artists are the new Impressionists."
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In the late 1800s the Salon des Refusés or "Salon of rejects" would exhibit works that had been considered unacceptable to the standards of the then prestigious Paris Salon, which had specific guidelines as to what constituted "art." But thanks to Louis Leroy, an art critic who dismissed certain paintings as unfinished and nothing more than "impressions," in 1874, this group of rebels proudly calling themselves The Impressionists were able to successfully exhibit outside the traditional Salons, which eventually went the way of the horse and buggy. - BPJ
"Shall I perfume you?"
In France, perfume is such an integral part of the culture that it’s a verb.
The offer for a light misting was coming from the exuberant Versailles-born Christian Louis, whose charming shop nestled under a Place des Vosges archway is my personal favorite small Paris parfumerie, worth a visit on its own. With its copper stills and colors of the Côte d'Azur it exudes a feel of bygone days mixed with a touch of a miniature Willy Wonka factory. It is, simply, a realm of beautiful scents, all created by Louis, holder of the prestigious title and position of one of France's rare Master Perfumers. Louis, whose workshop is in Grasse, will carefully scope a newcomer up and down and expertly match one of his creations to their "type" - reciting the ordained perfume's essential essences with passion (“orange peel, black pepper, wild rose, tuberose!”). And he's never wrong.
As my previous postings on Parisiennes have been getting much feedback, this morning I've put together this (far from exhaustive) list to get non-Parisiennes started.
Enjoy! - BPJ
1. Take good care of your skin. Keep it glowing by moisturizing and sipping water throughout the day. And when it comes to makeup, keep it simple.
2. Bike and/or walk. Every day.
3.
Keep jeans and plain white T's on hand, then add a nice jacket, bag
and/or scarf to change your look. And white sport shoes are fine.
4. Wear a skirt or dress sometimes, even when riding a bike or motorcycle.
5. Don’t be afraid to express your views or disagree, and this includes politics. If someone gets offended, leave. Fast.
6. Don’t get fat.
7. Don't talk about money. Especially yours. And don't brag. Exception: family members who are doing better than you.
8. Have favorites: favorite cocktail, chef, author, film director, designer, restaurant / wine bar....
9. Let your eyes do the speaking. Most of the time.
10. Shop and eat bio.
11. Never arrive early.
12. Don't sit drinking red wine as an apéritif and on its own. Ever. Every Paris café and restaurant has its apéritifs list and red wine isn't on it. Or white, except as a kir.
13. Don’t be afraid to wear the same thing every day. Think Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Mark Zuckerberg, That Woman At That New York Ad Agency... Parisiennes have more important daily decisions to make and know it's just their local café, not a fashion show.
14. Don’t be smiley (w/masks currently en rigueur this one's easy). Save smiles for those you know or if you want a service.
15. Choose a parfum as your signature scent. With holiday shopping in full swing, drop hints.
Palate (and palette) pleasing AOC cheeses from a local fromagerie enhance the stay-at-home experience.
Looking back....
There were spices destined for recipes handed down from grandmother to granddaughter, from generation to generation. There were spices for dishes yet to be conceived, and spices whose odors triggered memories buried for years... The sheer quantity and variety on offer were enough to make heads spin faster than a Whirling Dervish, and all the usual staples were present: coriander, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, flame red paprikas, cardamom, golden turmeric, saffron, green cumin, ground coconut, black, red, green and white peppercorns, curry mixtures, licorice, dangling strings of dried eggplants, peppers, dried fruits, dates, chilies and okra; pastries galore, boxes, bags, tins and bins of rose waters, rose buds, oils, henna, natural sponges, herbs, seeds, beans and nuts of every persuasion and hue, including Turkey’s famously flavorful pistachios.
From, "Turkish Delight on a Moonlit Night" © Barbara Pasquet James
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Adjectives describing the ancient Ottoman city straddling the Bosphorus are as plentiful as the vendors selling bright pomegranate juice on almost every corner. But due to political upheavals and other factors over recent years, tourism in what was one of the world's most vibrant destinations - just a 3-hour flight from Paris - has dwindled dramatically. And that is unfortunate. Having had family based in Beyoğlu, the district of narrow cobbled streets bulging with hip cafés, restaurants and tons of ambiance on the European side, we were able to enjoy this city like locals. Forever in search of a gastronomic discovery, I especially loved exploring the fish markets with their small tables set up under bridges, the wood-pit rotisseries and Turkish coffee enclaves but mostly, wandering through the spices and food markets on the Anatolian or Asian side, which exuded an entirely different feel. - BPJ
(click photos to enlarge)
The Eiffel Tower is scheduled to re-open Wednesday December 16, 2020.
Above: previously published photo w/a vintage postcard makeover
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Update: 12/16 re-opening cancelled until further notice
😢
Passing a small Montmartre librairie I was struck by the lineup of morose suggested book titles.
The Basilica of Sacré Coeur on a November evening.
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Yesterday an English friend asked about the use of “culte," a word that turned up in "déplacements pour se rendre dans un lieu de culte" on the latest ramped up attestation that everyone has to fill out to justify why they're outside.
In French, all religions, Catholicism in particular, are referred to as “cults” - a term which takes many a native English speaker aback as it carries with it undertones of sects, of secret rites and dodgy rituals.
The dome of the Basilica of Sacré Coeur dominates the Montmartre skyline.
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Autumn in Montmartre
Yesterday was the day when the
French region of Beaujolais released its young Gamay wines, traditionally drunk almost immediately after the harvest. But with confinement restrictions still in place, instead of revelers spilling outside wine bars and cafés, small at-home toastings and tastings were held to ring in this year's Beaujolais Nouveau. - BPJ
In the haunted house of life, art is the only stair that doesn't creak. - Tom Robbins
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Autumn in Montmartre
