Lauren's Créateurs in Batignolles

On an exploratory visit of the Batignolles area in the 17th, we came upon a lovely boutique called Lauren’s Créateurs at 39, rue Boursault. 

Lauren is the owner and she has assembled about twenty different artisans of contemporary fashion, offering handmade hats, jewelry, handbags and clothes. The space is small but there is a broad selection with many interesting and whimsical items. The hats were my favorite and if you are a hat person this should be enough of a temptation to give Lauren a visit. How wonderful in this age of mass production to find a treasure trove of one of a kind items by true artisans. 

                              

If you go now, they are offering from 20% to 40% off for most items in preparation for the new spring and summer collections. For further information, the telephone number for Lauren’s Createurs is 01 44 90 02 90 and the email address is laurence.renard@hotmail.fr

The Square des Batignolles is a very beautiful park adjacent to a lovely square with numerous restaurants and shops. A true Parisian village. We were told that many restaurants are very good in this vicinity and we opted for a small bistrot offering light meals called Le Tout Petit at 73 place du Docteur Felix Lobliqeois, 75017. It proved to be an excellent choice. They had very fresh and interesting salads, some sandwiches, a few typical french bistros options and a good selection of wines. The desserts were all prepared at the restaurant. What a perfect conclusion to a morning of exploration.

NOTE: Metro stop Rome lets you off across the street from rue Boursault. Cross Boulevard des Barignolles and continue on Boursault. You will come across Lauren’s boutique and bit farther will be Square des Batignolles.

 

Paris in the Snow; March 2013

We just had a real good old fashioned snow storm in Paris. It was not something to be expected in March and the snow quickly covered all of the beautifully blooming spring flowers including my freshly planted box geraniums.

The streets and the sidewalks were completely empty. However, for those of us that ventured outdoors into the freezing temperatures the city was wonderful; beauty, solitude and tranquility were at every step.

Much to my surprise I found one solitary vendor at the local marché. It was a fish vendor and yes, I had to buy something from such brave souls to have set up shop on such a day. You will see a photo of their lonely stand just below.

These are just a few of my photos so you can enjoy the magical moment of being in Paris in the snow immersed in the beauty of the moment with a spring in your step.

Enjoy!

Holiday Wishes

Champs Élysées

                     Joyeux Noël et Meilleurs Voeux
                                             à tous 

                                              Loui

A french “dégustation” and products from the “terroir”

One of the perks of living in Paris is to have the opportunity to go to “dégustations”. These are events sponsored by small producers of wine and specialty food products to sample their wares.

The term that is used is “terroir” which means soil or land. It now has a gourmet connotation and is used in referring to the local production of honey, oil, poultry, beef, wine, champagne, etc.The popularity of local products continues to increase due to their quality and the vigorous adhesion to high standards. 

In terms of labeling, the concept of “terroir” is now guaranteed by the sign AOC (appellation d’origin côntrolée). To obtain this seal, there are specific criteria that include traditional fabrication and ingredients as well as limited geographical areas for some items. The first product to obtain protection in labeling was Roquefort in the 15th century. The first modern laws on the Protection of the Place of Origin was in 1919. The organization AOC was established in 1935 to oversea the production of wine. It has continued to expand and now includes vast agricultural products. The label is an assurance to the consumer for proof of superior quality and a certification of origin.

For the full article go to BonjourParis website: http://www.bonjourparis.com/story/french-degustation-and-products-terroir/

La Cuisine de Philippe

Bravo to chef Philippe for a truly wonderful dining experience at his lovely restaurant, La Cuisine de Philippe, at 25, rue Servandoni near Jardin du Luxembourg. Here you will be dining on traditional french cuisine made with only the freshest ingredients. You can be sure that everything has been made at the restaurant. 

Philippe’s specialty is soufflés, both sucrés or salés. They are made to order and they are served with perfection. Any chef that can provide a perfect soufflé will most certainly provide an outstanding dining experience.

Vézelay, a pearl from the middle ages in Burgundy

Vézelay is a wonderful little village not far from Paris that makes for a wonderful day or weekend trip from Paris. Thank you to "Bonjour Paris" for publishing my story on Vézelay and hopefully it will motivate you to take the time to explore the village and the surrounding countryside.

http://www.bonjourparis.com/story/vezelay-pearl-middle-ages-burgundy/

Consider "Parisian Postcards - Snapshots of Life in Paris" for your holiday gift giving so your friends and family can dream of Paris and their next trip. Available at Amazon.com, Amazon.fr and Amazon.uk. Click on the link below to reserve your copy:

 ww.amazon.com/Parisian-Postcards-Snapshots-Life-Paris/dp/1456761897/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311416196&sr=1-1