French Friday: La Lèche-Vitrine

 le premier décembre 2017 (335/365)

« Le shopping c'est mon cardio. » ~ Carrie Bradshaw. Window shopping in Paris might be my favorite sport 

and the French expression for window shopping is the best -- faire la lèche-vitrine -- "to lick the windows!"

Dior - Place Vendôme

Dior avenue Montaigne

Snowy Birkins at Hermès

"With some decorations bought at Tiffany's"

"Puttin' on the Ritz"

Les Galeries Lafayette - avenue Haussmann

Printemps - avenue Haussmann, Hiver 2011

faire du lèche-vitrine (vt): Flâner dans la rue en regardant les étalages des magasins. Expression française du XXème siècle qui utilise la métaphore de lécher dans le sens de regarder ces vitrines de tellement près qu'on a l'impression de les lécher. En effet le verbe lécher est à double sens. Depuis le XIIème siècle, il signifiait passer la langue sur quelque chose alors qu'au XIXème siècle, il prend le sens de regarder de très près avec plaisir et admiration.

Camellia

August 19, 2017 (231/365)

« On peut être irrésistible à tout âge » ~ Coco Chanel

Happy 134th, Mademoiselle!

French Friday: Angelina

August 18, 2017 (230/365)

« Une vie sans chocolat est une vie à laquelle manque l'essentiel. »

~ Marcia Colman et Frederic Morton

Angelina on the rue de Rivoli has been a treat for Parisians and tourists since 1903. The Belle Epoque tearoom was a favorite of Marcel Proust, and Coco Chanel, whose atelier is just around the corner on the rue Cambon, indulged almost daily in Angelia's famous le chocolat chaud à l’ancienne l’Africain.

At home, if I crave a beautiful French pastry, I visit Le Rêve in Wauwatosa. 

 Yesterday's choices, shared with a friend: Chocolate Raspberry Dome...

(pistachio cake, raspberry mousse, dark chocolate mousse, raspberry gelée, dark chocolate glaze)

and Gâteau de Caramel Salé (below)

(flourless chocolate cake, crispy caramel streusel, salted caramel crémeux, milk chocolate mousse)

Lucky Number

January 5, 2016 (005/365)

"...a number that will be a lucky charm." ~ Coco Chanel

Year 5 of Project 365 began 5 days ago and 50 days from now, 

I leave for Paris to celebrate my 50th birthday. How Lucky!

Different Duck

April 26, 2016 (117/366)

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different." ~ Coco Chanel

Bee Fashionable

September 4, 2015 {247/365} Bee Fashionable

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. 

Fashion is in the sky..." ~ Coco Chanel

Growth Mindset

August 10, 2015 {222/365} Wings

“If you were born without wings, 

do nothing to prevent them from growing.” 

~ Coco Chanel

French Friday: Bicyclette

13 mars 2015 {71/365} « Bicyclette »

Despite the gorgeous pastries in the windows of Angelina on the rue de Rivoli, this pretty bicyclette with its Tiffany blue paint, gold fenders, and rattan basket beckoned to me. Do you think its owner would mind if I just took it for a little spin around the Right Bank? I'd head to the rue Cambon to faire la lèche-vitrine chez Chanel; stop for a kir in the courtyard of the Hôtel Costes; circle the Place Vendôme to check on the progress of the Ritz renovation; continue to the rue de la Paix and Repetto where I'd shop for some cute, pedal-friendly ballet flats; meander blissfully around the Opéra District and the Palais Royal, taking in the beautiful Paris architecture before a leisurely stroll through the Tuileries gardens. Doesn't that sound lovely?  Now, if I only could find another bike to borrow on the Left Bank ;-)

Puppy

March 8, 2015 {67/365} "Puppy"

It was totally unplanned. We didn't mean to do it, but she chose us. For months (years?), my brother, Eric's mom, and our nephews have been encouraging (pestering?) us to get a dog. We argued that we (I?) weren't ready; We don't have children, so we don't need to be tied down to a dog...so many reasons why not. But yesterday, when we went to see the parents of some soon-to-be-born beagles, one of whom the Larsons hope adopt, this one little girl, the only one left of her siblings, stole our hearts.  I really didn't want to love her so much, but she made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that she was coming home with us. 

Over the past 36 hours, she met all of her grandparents, aunties, Uncle Rob (I blame him!), and three cousins; she slept through her first night at home without a peep; she met several neighbors, human and canine; she went shopping for food and toys, played hard, and napped hard...it's been a big weekend!

So she is ours, and I apologize in advance for the plethora of photos that we'll be sharing as she grows up, but she still needs a name.  We had some in mind until we discovered that many of her friends already have those names. We do have a few more ideas:

• Nautical: Dory (a small bottomed boat); Many might think of Dory in Finding Nemo, but if she "talks" like other dogs we know, we can say she speaks "whale"! She is also from two Door County families.
• French: Coquette (little flirt) or Coco (Chanel)
• Literary: Daisy (as in Buchanan from one of my favorite novels, The Great Gatsby)
• Other ideas: Piper, Lucy,...?

Help, she really needs a name!  What do you think?

Classic

 December 17, 2014 Photo (351/365): "Classic"

(#decemberphotochallenge Day 17: Presents)

Chanel N°5 - Classics never go out of style!

French Friday: Angelina

Friday is a good day to indulge a little bit -- if not literally, why not virtually? One of my favorite Paris rituals begins at the Louvre to visit my beloved Nike of Samothrace. Next, I like to stroll through the lovely Tuileries Gardens, go window shopping on the rue Cambon, and finally, enjoy a decadent treat at Angelina on the rue de Rivoli.  

[Time out! The French teacher in me can't pass up this opportunity to provide a vocabulary lesson. In French you visiter le Louvre (a place), but you rendre visite à la Victoire de Samothrace (a person). While in the Tuileries, you may use the verbs, se balader, se promener, or the very stylish flâner: Je me balade aux Tuileries. Je me promène aux jardins. J'adore flâner parmi les sculptures et les belles fleurs. And, although the Chanel boutique on the rue Cambon is very posh, one is encouraged to "lick the windows" -- faire la lèche vitrine -- the very descriptive French expression for window shopping! OK, now you've earned a treat. Let's go inside...]

Founded in 1903, Angelina's famous tearoom was a favorite of Coco Chanel. For years, Mademoiselle indulged in a daily cup of Chocolat africain at table #10 while coyly observing the tearoom's chic patrons in the surrounding mirrors. 

Photo via Pinterest

The tearoom's Belle Epoque interior projects an elegant, romantic atmosphere.

Le Chocolat chaud l'Africain, Angelina's famous hot chocolate, is composed of three varieties of African cocoa from Niger, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. A pitcher of rich, thick chocolate is served with a cup of fresh whipped cream.

The gilded boutique showcases Angelina's colorful pastry collection.

I find it impossible to choose from among the gorgeous confections.

The Saint Honoré is named for the nearby, fashionable Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. 

(Puff pastry, caramelized choux pastry, Bourbon vanilla pastry cream, whipped cream).

The millefeuille is one of my favorites.

(Layers of caramelized puff pastry, light Bourbon vanilla cream) 

The Mont-Blanc is Angelina's signature pastry.

(Meringue, whipped cream, and chestnut cream vermicelli)

Of course, Angelina also features the iconic macaron.

(Mont Blanc, Chocolat grand cru, Vanille, Café, Pistache, 

Caramel, Chocolat-Passion, Cassis, Framboise, Citron)

Go ahead -- Feast your eyes! Bon appétit!