Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

       I took an excursion outside Paris to see the Château D Fontainbleau. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

  This was where the Parisian court would go to vacation. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Also Napoleon spent some time here with Josephine. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

I liked it better than Versailles for two reasons one was

 that there were very little crowds so you could really enjoy the rooms. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

And two was because the rooms were more furnished and there were more of them to see. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

The gardens weren't as beautiful as Versailles but were still nice. 

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

Chateau de Fontainbleau

But I found a video on YouTube if you like to see more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jrISpkLE_0

My favorite Statue in Paris

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

This is my absolute favorite statue in Paris.  It’s on Rue Jacques Callot (if you want to see it in Person). It doesn't have an artists name on it and I asked in a local gallery and they didn't know.

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

I just love it. I feel like it’s a portrait of me. If you look closely at it she has so many parts to her.

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

She’s a musician or maybe she just loves music.

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

 She’s an artist she has paint brushes and paint. 

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

She’s a reader there are many books.

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

 She seems to have broken out of her frame and is ready to love life to the fullest. 

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

She has so much going on that she can’t quite hold it all together. 

Statue on Rue Jacques Callot, Paris

This statue explains creativity in such a magical way, 

you can tell an artist with a deep understanding made it.

The Hot Tea Challenge

 I haven’t been painting enough so I decided to give myself a hot tea challenge. I bought a cute pastry that I wanted to try.

 Then I made myself a pot of tea. My goal was to paint my pastry before my tea got cold. So here’s the results it was a fun challenge.

PS: the pastry was very good, the top cookie was soft and filled with chocolate. The big body was a puff pastry filled with a raspberry cream. The arms were white chocolate and the pearls tasted like a rice crispy cover with a soft sugar. The icing was just a powder sugar.  

Haussmann’s Paris

Haussmann’s Paris

I have traveled to Paris many times but I’ve always been rather busy and not had enough time to reflect. This time I have done lots of that.

Haussmann’s Paris was made up of large boulevards.

When you look around Paris you will notice that the buildings are all similar along the big Boulevards.  This is because of a man named Georges-Eugene Haussmann the Prefect of the Seine from 1853 to 1870.

Medieval streets in Paris 

He worked for Napoleon the third. His job included building fresh water supplies, extending the sewer systems, and creating gardens, squares, and public buildings such as churches, town halls, theaters and hospitals. He was also responsible for laying out new roads.

Medieval streets in Paris 

He envisioned a network of thoroughfares crossing Paris from one side to the other which would help with traffic congestion. All of this was to make Paris a healthier city since bad air and cholera were a problem. The goal was also an improved urban landscape.

Medieval streets in Paris
Haussmann raised streets like these to make way for his grand Boulevards. 

 The Avenue De L’ Opera remains one of the best examples of a Haussmann Street in spite of the fact that there are no trees along the boulevard.

 The Avenue De L’ Opera remains one of the best examples
of a Haussmann Street.

Haussmann’s plan was a tough one for the residents of Paris to take. Many people were forced to leave their homes that had passed through generations. Entire neighborhoods were razed to the ground losing communities that were built over lifetimes. 

Here's where modern meets Medieval  

The landlords were fairly compensated but the tenants were not. This also had the effect of moving the poor to the outskirts of the city. The improvements took 15 years. Haussmann ended up losing his position due to over extending and losing the public’s support.

Life long communities where wiped out for ever.

I love Paris Fashion!

A Chanel photo shoot we just happened to see.

I used to be a Fashion designer when I was young and I’d travel to Paris quite often to see what the trends were. 

Paris Fashion, Lace, embroidery and Ruffles so sweet.

Usually the trends in Paris show up in the United States about two years later. With some of the new throw away fashions things are a bit quicker now. 

Paris Fashion Lace, embroidery and Ruffles so sweet 

Well old habits die hard so I've been checking out the latest trends here in Paris. My prediction for spring and summer 2015 are as follows. 

Paris Fashion Polka Dots and Lace.

Polka dots, lace as embellishments and for whole garments. Picture prints ranging from birds, flowers, butterflies and architecture. 

Paris Fashion, Valentino Butterflies 

Of course the tiny floral prints made famous by the French are always around. Bows are on everything shirts, skirts, dresses and shoes.  The hottest color is magenta it’s everywhere.

John Galliano Shoes with Bows.

Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

Marie de Medici Palace, Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

 Le Jardin Du Luxemboug is the garden Marie de Medici had originally built for her palace. The park boasts eighty statues.  Among them are the renowned Queens and famous women of France.

The gardens are the work of several artists including Cain, Fremiet, Bourdelle and Marqueste. The Park has several beautiful fountains my favorite being the Medici fountain.

 Medici Fountain, Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

The flower beds are very impressive. They are replanted several times a year.

 Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

 This park is one of the Parisians favorites because it is set up for their life. 

 Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

There is a wonderful playground for children and horses, puppet shows and a carousel for them.

Horses in Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

 There are also places to play bocce ball, cards and chess.

 Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

      There are hundreds of metal chairs placed everywhere just for lounging. There is also a wonderful bandstand that has music about eight times a week in the summer.

Bandstand in  Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

I was city watching a concert in this park when a young child about the age of six started to dance he threw his arms into the air then his legs whirred in every direction. He leaped, he jumped, in each movement   mounds of sheer joy sprang from his body and made everyone around him smile. 

Bandstand in  Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

When was the last time I danced like that? I can't remember when I ever felt that free. It's been far too long, but I think it would be fun to try it once again and see what happens.

Le Jardin Du Luxemboug, Paris

A Trip to Paris

Paris Fruit Market

Both of my boys have grown up and gone off to college and were much too busy to come home this summer. So I decided to rent a house in Paris for the month of July. I invited a few friends and it’s been a fun experience. My day starts out going to the bakery and picking up chocolate and almond croissants. 

Parisian Breakfast 

Next I head off to the fruit market and pick out the fruits for the day. Then I head back to the house where I make my guests and myself some fresh squeezed orange juice and Tea.

 Fruit from a Paris Fruit Market

  Then we plan our day:  what to see and what to do. It usually consists of a museum, Park, a long walk or perhaps just sitting in a café.

Parisian Boulangerie

I love this city because of its art, music and its people. In this month I have learned many things. I hope my blogs will be interesting for you to read. As I sit here writing them in this sweet Parisian house, I can hear a piano being played beautifully next-door, 

Parisian Cafe

and the voices of the people in the café nearby. It’s a vacation from life not to be able to speak the language, it sounds like singing as I walk down the streets.

Paris Fruit Market

  I am staying in the 20^th arrondissement which has very few tourists. This makes it nice because you are treated as special not as a frustrating tourist. When you stay in one of the outer arrondissements, the rent is cheaper and the food is cheaper and much better. My French friend’s advice to me was look where the French are eating. And I have done that and found wonderful restaurants all around me. Paris has a great Metro so it really doesn't matter much what part of Paris you stay in.