0 La Maison du Chocolat Onsite Sketching

Onsite sketching part deux - Ta da!
BEAR choisie La Maison du Chocolat on 1018 Madison Ave.

And BEAR choses the eclair caramel ($6.50). He is partial to caramel so what can I do..?

I LOVE the striations on this pastry - for me they are the sign of a classy eclair, though I have no proof of this.

Inside La Maison du Chocolat's eclair the creme caramel is...creamy and contrasts nicely with the caramel icing on top. Why don't I have the correct words to describe this to you? At least you can head here without traveling 3000 miles

OK, We're here to PAINT ONSITE! Voila! I decide to stick with 'thumbnails' at first go...

BEAR studies the recipes in LMDC's chocolate book while I doodle - he has not given up on b--king like some people...ahem

I'm sitting in an alcove just above the chocolate shop s0 I can hear bits of conversation wafting by...

"Chocolate is the modern miracle cure for everything!"
There is a lot of giggling in response. As I paint a smiling chef comes out of the kitchen and sneaks a quick peek but is respectful and says nothing. Other staff pass by smiling. When I go to pay at the cash register, Michael Olsen, chocolate master and New York store manager takes my money. I ask him,

"You make people happy here don't you?"

He says, "Yes we do." smiling.

La Maison du Chocolat is a little piece of Paris just waiting to tempt you. They have awfully nice chocolate classes too..

Here's why BEAR & I fell for La Maison's eclairs...

La Maison's windows are dependably witty and very Parisienne...

Oh why didn't I get their terrific chocolate macaron? I'm kicking myself a bit (and BEAR too). Especially after reading Louise of Raids Patisseries excellent survey of chocolate macarons in Paris. Don't miss it! We will simply have to return for more sketching at La Maison - Life can be tough sometimes..non?

BONJOUR ONSITE SKETCHING at LMDC!

0 U R not in Paris

U R not in Paris yet...
U R in Bel Ami, just a stone's throw away on 30 East 68th Street - their macarons are quite handsome...
Shut tight - no pretty renovation signs outside like Parisien shops normally do.
If you have an unusual animal you'd like to send to Paris in a watercolor portrait (like these Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats or say a boa constrictor) you'll get a break on the price. Three boas for the price of one etc.

U can pretend you're in Paris and get macarons up the street at La Maison du Chocolat at 1018 Madison ave and 78th street.They are flown in once a week direct. I wish they would put their porte-etiquette/little signs up in French...

Dean & Deluca would like to fool you with REAL French beurre but at $10 bucks a pop, one is not so easily fooled...

NO WAY are these French chocolats! If you bite into this artwork you could break your tooth...

Darling little ballerinas may make you dream of Paris, but U R in NYC.

American lingerie has a long way to go to come close to Parisian lingerie so No, U R not in Paris yet...

La Perla, a French company does the 'covered-up' look with so much more panache, classe et luxe on 810 Madison avenue.

Who knew Ralphie Lauren on 79th & Madison ave. would be chock-a-block with Frenchies grabbing up the goods? Is it cheaper than the Paris branch?

Only in NEW YORK will you find a proliferation of food carts and food trucks. Paris is sadly behind us on this...

Menteurs!(Liars) This bistro is NOT IN PARIS!

Nor are these Yellow cabs. c'est la vie.

BONJOUR PARIS/NEW YORK!

0 La Croix Verte!

Have you also wondered why ALL pharmacies in Paris are green/verte?
Have you too found taking pictures of them addictive?
M. says they are green after La Croix Verte during World War I - assistents to la Croix Rouge. I used to always find chic reading glasses at this rue du Four pharmacie 75006.
Along with the plethora of boulangeries on every other street corner are the pharmacies. Parisiens are well provided for...
Of course most of the products are in matching greens, even hair stuff..

Have you ever tried Caudalie skin products extracted from grapes green or otherwise ? Excellent!

A GREEN girl in a pharmacie vitrine...

Green teeth not WHITE!

How convenient to have a pharmacie nextdoor to La Maison du Chocolat...

All the more reason to eat up your greens in Paris...

Then you can leave room for DEL-MON-TEL's green dome...

Cherchez la grande croix verte!

If the pharmacie is closed, look on the door for another that is open (if you are in need).

BONJOUR LA CROIX VERTE!

0 Paris In Your Face

I seem to see a lot of BIG faces in Paris adverts.This is for 'hairy' lashes... In the Tokyo Lash Bar at Galeries Lafayette.

Not all these big face adverts are for just a pretty face.

 BIG hair does seem essential.

L'homme Parisien = BIG hair.

Couple Parisien = big hair togetherness.

Even bigger hair togetherness!

BIG cat faces/gueules are de rigueur

As are big adorb chiens...

 The lowly orange grows huge in a Metro affiche - too big for his own chapeau.

At CDG airport Maison du Chocolat doesn't want you to leave without some bigger than your face chocolate macarons.

A nice twist on Woody Allen's You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger poster emphasizing the 'back' of the head.

Ah..to be this big head lying on the beach...

BONJOUR PARIS BIG HEADS!