30 September 2020

Street meet

 
 
Saturday at the rue Caulaincourt vide-grenier, a sort of swap meet-flea market that means, "empty attic."

29 September 2020

Picket fence


 A Montmartre café with a leafy picket fence evokes the feel of a French village.

28 September 2020

Heart attack

 Turning a corner I was startled by this image of an enlarged human heart.

26 September 2020

A breakfast reception


Into the weekend with photos from the press reception held earlier this month in the stunning Salon Pompadour at L'Hôtel Meurice on the occasion of Le Musée de Sèvres' upcoming exhibition,

"À TABLE! LE REPAS, TOUT UN ART" 

  With UNESCO and its official ambassador Pierre Hermé on board we were treated to the history of Sèvres, the luxury French porcelain that's been gracing the tables of monarchs since the 18th C.

 

  Above: portrait of Madame de Pompadour presides; viennoiseries set out on tables

Below: before the presentation

 

- More as date approaches - 

Exhibition: November 18, 2020 til May 16, 2021

Le Musée de Sèvres - Cité de la Céramique
2 Place de la Manufacture 92310
Sèvres (Paris)
 
***
 
À lundi... BPJ
 

 

25 September 2020

Cheese whisperer

 
 
Lowering his voice in reverie he will suggest the perfect cheeses for a weeknight planche.

23 September 2020

Sign of the times

 
 
Mural of a runny nose on the side of a building next to the Canal Saint-Martin.

22 September 2020

Paris by the sea #5

The end of the île.



 

Above: a stone pier ends in the sea; marmites of ultra fresh moules and shrimp cocktails; view from our table

Below: interconnected courtyards of hotel; last breakfast before heading home



21 September 2020

Paris by the sea #4



Since last week when I began posting photos of île de Ré there's been a surge in my visitor stats, mostly from the U.S., which tells me that perhaps travel is forefront in many minds right now. We're praying that restrictions will soon be lifted but here in France there's been another kind of surge: coronavirus cases - the dreaded deuxième vague? - meaning that for us too, travel to foreign soils or even within France may become unlikely again for who knows how long. However I thank you for your visits and will continue to post, all the while hoping to see you in Paris in the (near) future! - BPJ

Above: on a small street inside the village of Ars-en-Ré; local church dating to the Middle Ages w/its landmark black and white steeple and snow white entryway

Below: spices entice from a market stall; Pineau des Charentes, the region's signature apéritif mingles w/French wines, beers and cognacs; local fresh oysters for lunch




19 September 2020

Paris by the sea #3

 
Every evening we'd join locals at this popular meeting spot where apéros are brought out on wooden planks specially made to grip the sea wall.
 
Above: pichet of icy rosé w/panoramic view
 
Below: seafood rillettes starter with more rosé at the wall; after, steamed shrimp w/frites maison on the terrace; rent-a-bikes at La Flotte


 

 ***

Next week: more Île de Ré

18 September 2020

Paris by the sea #2

 

 Above: seagull en contre-jour; salt marshes just before sunset

Below: local fleur de sel for sale at a village market stall; butters sans sel, demi-sel and w/salt crystals from the island

 

17 September 2020

Paris by the sea #1

La Flotte, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Saint-Clément-des-Baleines, Ars-en-Ré, Les Ports-en-Ré, Loix... Just some of the villages that dot this island.

 
 Above: a harbor just after daybreak; seaside coffees w/pastries on a brisk morning
 
Below: mix of photos; bicycles, best way to get around
 



16 September 2020

Paris by the sea

 
Sunset from friends' balcony on Châtelaillon-Plage looking towards Île de Ré, and beyond.
 
(click to enlarge)

***

Just a few hours drive from Paris awaits another world, one I've posted about before, Île de Ré, an island south of Brittany off the French Atlantic coast in the Poitou-Charente region. Sometimes called Paris' 21st arrondissement (many Parisians keep résidences secondaires here), it's a mecca of unspoiled white fishing villages that embrace tiny ports, and where we recently spent five magical days to take advantage of perfect September weather.

 Starting tomorrow I will be posting more photos from our trip and hope, for those who cannot travel to France right now, that they will inspire travel plans for the future. - BPJ 

15 September 2020

14 September 2020

À table!



Mark your calendars:
 

The meal as art.

This fall Le Musée de Sèvres will feature a one-of-a-kind exhibition, À TABLE! LE REPAS, TOUT UN ART, an ode to the very French arts de table - as well as to the artists and craftsmen who've been creating the porcelain of kings for centuries.
  
November 18, 2020 til May 16, 2021
As the date gets closer I will be posting more information

Le Musée de Sèvres  - Cité de la Céramique
2 Place de la Manufacture 92310
Sèvres (Paris)
 
***
 
Update: Sunday November 8, 2020
 - All exhibitions closed due to confinement, until further notice - 

12 September 2020

Eiffel vista


The Eiffel Tower through columns at Le Palais de Tokyo.

***

Monday: Le repas, tout un art...
 
A must-see exhibition on L'Art de Table à la française coming to the Musée de Sèvres
 
 
 EIFFEL VISTA © 2020 All rights reserved
 
 

11 September 2020

Pierre Hermé: Noël en Fête




 

Readers of this blog know by now that I am a great fan of star chef pâtissier-chocolatier Pierre Hermé from Alsace, sometimes called "The Picasso of Pastry." His eye-popping pastries, cakes, chocolates, ice creams, sorbets and macarons are works of art, and this year, once again, and for the holidays, he's managed to re-invent classics and create even more extraordinary surprises.

The first time I sampled his most-buzzed-about macaron, caramel au beurre salé (caramel with salted butter a.k.a. CBS), I became an instant devotee. Despite much competition it was wickedly delicious, and I walked away with a bulging coffret. Since then I've added many more flavors from his macaron repertoire, and this season's holiday collection won't disappoint. - BPJ

Above: magical tasting reception; pink champagne and macarons (exciting new flavors - see website); rich chocolate yule logs (bûches de Noël)

(press preview)

* Upcoming Collection Noël 2020 *
 
***
 
Merci M. Hermé

10 September 2020

Unexpected garden


 
Light penetrates trees in this small enclosed garden in Montmartre, a perfect place to bring a book.

7 September 2020

Sans culottes


Montmartre's sans-culottes march to their own beat at a joyful celebration on the butte.

***

  Be in-the-know for upcoming don't-miss events in Paris' hilltop village this fall

September newsletter


5 September 2020

View from a cup

 
Paris' cafés continue to be part of daily life, and everyone has their favorites.

Above: view from my café crème

4 September 2020

Monumental


With Notre Dame Cathedral under repair, the Basilica of Sacré Coeur has become the most visited monument in Paris after the Eiffel Tower.