Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors

Bonnard-esque still life...,watercolor, 9" x 11"

Yesterday PB reader Jeanne Long sent me

an interior watercolor she'd painted to show her obsession with blue and white.

Her "Bonnardesque" painting reminded me that Pierre Bonnard:Late Interiors show had just opened at the Met

So naturally I raced out the door to catch all the gorgeous luminous piles of persimmons

 Pomegranets lining the gallery walls. At least 80 pieces on view - one of the richest exhibits I've seen in a long time

Did you know Bonnard pinned his canvase to the wall and painted on them directly. They were mounted on stretchers later. Initially the walls were lined up with works in progress.

There are many preliminary sketches in the show
  Detail of “Dining Room Overlooking the Garden",1930-31 I love his vertical tabletops

  There are plenty of his small daybook sketchbooks on view. I'll be back for more Bonnard. Maybe today.
I was too late to buy the lush catalog yesterday

There's an excellent slide show at the Times today on the show.
Don't miss it if you love Bonnard. ~
BONJOUR BONNARD!

A Blue Willow-aholic

Blue Willow-oholic,watercolor,5" x 7"

Well another obsession is taking hold it seems...

Was the seed planted with these over-the-top Blue Willow windows in Bergdorf's? Yesterday I bought this BW cookie tin. fun no? And these two cups + 3 dinner plates...ahem Of course it's all meant to go with my new re-decorating theme of blue an white.

Le Loir dans La Theiere

Le Loir dans La Theiere chocolat chaud, watercolor

A quick hop back to Paris for some serious comparative analysis on combo cafe/patisseries...

Dear Anne of MesVitrinesNYC took me to her favorite place, Le Loire dans la Theiere in the Marais at 3 rue de Rosiers, 75004. It's rather dark and cosy and friendly inside... In fact Le Loir dans le Theiere could easily be transplanted to Soho, NY in an instant. No fussy desserts. No ladies who lunch here. This is total casualness and a relaxed atmosphere.
Anne arrives and we decide to share...
Le Loir's fabulous Citron Meringue tarte. Racked with inappropriate fear, my photos are blurry. There really was no need.
It's very RELAXED here!
This citron tarte is so high it's served on it's side...sigh
Note the essential soup spoon served with it...
After tea we passed by the dessert buffet for a closer look at the goodies on the way out.
The ardoise (blackboard) reports:
Apple cake with nuts and cinnamon
Tarte Bordalae
Apple crumble with salted butter
Diplomate creme anglaise
Figge tarte
chocolate pudding
cheese cake

And the lemon meringue tart or what's left of it...


? ? ?

There's no question if I go back I'll get the lemon meringue tarte again...

Research over.

~

BON MERCREDI!

La Bergamote NYC

La Bergamote Hot chocolate, original watercolor, 5" x 7"

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More chasing around New York looking for that touch of France yesterday...

La Bergamote chocolat chaud, original watercolor, 5" x 7"

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Especially since I got off early and quite nearby was...

One of New York's most "Frenchified" cafs - La Bergamote on 169 9th Avenue. That's what I've heard and the interior bears out it's reputation - banks and banks of pastry cases...
Plus a very over-the-top Frenchie mural...
These cases hold a vast array of gateaux...
And big glossy, fruity high gloss tartes...
Plenty of small fruity tartes...

The croissants do look like the REAL thing...

AND they have macarons...or a sort...a tad stale I have to say.

They are not bumpy or lumpy nor huge like some I've encountered in New York.

A very nice Frenchie counter to pickup your drinks...

My order....

Growing up we thought to "Frenchify" something (well mainly lamb chops) was to stick a frill on it. But New York has this obsession with both the classic Parisien cafe + the classic patisserie and attempting to sandwich the two together. When you do find these two in Paris, it's a salon de the accompaning a patisserie like Angelina or Carette, never a cafe.

Plus there's an aura of "ladies who lunch" to these Parisien tea rooms - quite proper and generally inhabited by the feminine gender + kiddies. I shall continue my pursuit of the genuine article in NYC, but large clumps of hair are beginning to litter my studio :(

Meanwhile I suggest you take along Jamie Cahill's fun compendium of true Parisien delights to read when you drop into these faux French New York joints...ahem

~

BONJOUR PATISSERIES!

PetalBelle...

PetalBelle Hot Chocolate, original watercolor, sold 5" x 7"

I've been trying to visit "Frenchie" cafes every week in New York...

In this case PetalBelle is decidedly Belgian in Soho at 158 Sullivan Street...
Still you can almost see Belgium from France so... And all the accoutraments are very frenchie to me...
I love the menu writing on the pastry case...