breakfasts time

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

0 Lanvin Spr'11/Jan Gossart 1532

Photo by Grance Dore

While Sunday surfing I came across this arresting photo by Garance Dore of Lanvin's Spring 2011 collection...

Yesterday I went to a press preview of the Jan Gossart exhibit at the Met - can you see where this is headed?

Lanvin's fabulous flowie drapery...

Has Alber Elbaz been looking at Neatherlandish painting?

Or is it just me that sees...

These complex draperies...

Repeated in these paintings of Jan Gossart?

Scrunched...

Red pigment was such a rare commodity for artists back in the 13-14th century - vermilion or cinnabar was usually reserved for the most exquisite of painted subjects like the virgin. But here the artiste has deemed himself worthy of the finest. Is that why I see RED everywhere?

Of course Lanvin loves black too...

As does this Met preview observer draped in noir...

Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz would make a worthy portrait subject for 13th century Jan Gossart don't you think?

Can't you envision the couture sketches pinned to the wall behind his head and fabric swatches/colored threads on his work table..?

Bien sur only a 21st century designer could dream up these fantastical shoes-who knows if they bothered with shoes under all that drapery?

Man, Myth, and Sensual Pleasures: Jan Gossart’s Renaissance

opens tomorrow at the Metropolitan Museum - a spendid exhibit.

Back in New York a boy braves the cold with not much drapery at all. He better cover up - it's 54 degrees out there.

BONJOUR LANVIN/JAN GOSSART!

0 INTERVIEW - LAROUSSE CUISINE

A few weeks ago, I was approached by Paula B. at Larousse Cuisine (yes, the big French publishing house - Larousse Editions - specialising in reference works such as dictionaries). She asked me if I could answer a few questions for an interview that would be put on their site. As you can imagine, there was no way I was going to say no. What an honor!

If you are interested in discovering my answers, then you are welcome to visit Larousse Cuisine and read my interview (in French/use Google Translate to translate into your language).

Have you ever been to Dalloyau?

This picture is from Dalloyau's party catalog.

A quite traditional Parisien insititution?

(Pronounced Dall-why-o or however you like it...)

The Dalloyau family has been making gateaux, ice creams and bread for over 200 years for French royalty. I went to Luxembourg branch at 2, place Edmond-Rostand 75006

There are 7 Dalloyau boutiques around Paris

I got The Works.

*Have you noticed how the French like to drink their OJ through a straw.

Exquisite jams too. You go upstairs for petit dejeuner at Dalloyau.

There's something about a messy table.

Do look at Dalloyau's splendid dessert catalog.

Some Dalloyau factoids: They have 97 cooks, 100 pastry cooks, chocolate makers and confectioners, 4 ice-cream makers and 4 bakers. In a year they make 55 tons of macarons, break 1,300,000 eggs, bake 1,500,000 Viennoiseries, and create 50 tons of chocolate candies !

You often ask me about Paris restaurants.

Since I mostly exist on breakfast, pastry and salads in Paris.

I thought you might like to check out the restaurant recommendations of David Lebovitz, who not only lives in Paris full time. He actually eats dinner.

I have eaten lunch at one of David's favs, Christian Constant's Les Cocottes, 135, rue Saint-Dominique, 75007
It was formidable.BONJOUR LUNDI PB readers!

0 A TASTE OF YELLOW

Today, Barbara, the courageous woman behind "Winos And Foodies", a lovely blog from Australia is hosting an event called LiveSTRONG Day "A Taste Of Yellow" (see info) which supports and raises awareness for cancer issues worldwide in order to help save lives.

When I baked and decorated my "Sugar Cookies" for the September Daring Bakers challenge I did not forget to decorate some of my cookies with yellow centered hearts. I thought that they'd be perfect for Barbara's "A Taste Of Yellow" heart theme...

0 THOSE LITTLE THINGS...

... that make life more bearable and worth living.

They are the little nothings that color my life, bring a smile on my face, make me happy, give me energy, feed my inner child and nourish my soul. No matter how messed up your life might seem or be, there is always pleasure hidden within the details. You just have to open your eyes, heart and soul in order to start seeing them. You'll soon realize that they are to be found everywhere, even in the most simple things.

If you are able to appreciate the little things in life and not take them for granted, then you'll enjoy the bigger things even more and you'll never forget to be thankful for what you have.

"I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street, I met a man who had no feet."
- Ancient Persian Saying

"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
- Oscar Wil de, Lady Windermere's Fan, 1893

"Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you."
- Maori Proverb

"Those who wish to sing, always find a song."
- Swedish Proverb

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will c ome."
- Chinese Proverb

I opened a Pandora's box yesterday, in fact 2 of them...

I went to a preview tasting at La Maison du Chocolat for their Nov 3 La Nuit du Gateau event and you are ALL invited.
So PLEASE mark your calendars !

They are celebrating their 20th anniversary by inviting you for a free tasting of their cakes including the New York launch of their divine eclairs

You will get to taste their exquisite 'Salvador' cake of chocolate + framboise. This is every bit as good as it looks and simply melts in your mouth...
miam-miam