Art, Art and More Art

I woke this morning all cozy and warm but I am in PARIS and knowing that my crazy affection for this city warts and all was bubbling up I offered Jodi to sleep in while I hit up the art store and have coffee 
It is delish though I had trouble finding a place that had plain croissants,  the first and second brasserie I entered offered tartine (which is toast with butter and jam), which may sound sassy but really, what’s up with that?

I am sitting here and glanced up at the TV and there is an ad for weight loss,  Sandrine - 15kg!  Lord our crappy ways of eating have totally invaded and NOT the good ones nor for the better!
The art store gave me the same “kid in a candy store” feeling  that I get when I walk in here, I wanted sore more Fabriano paper but they did not have what I wanted so I bought a couple of other things to try. A paint brush, paper and a few colored pencils ( to do the sand paper trick) and that I was it.  I then read to the Poste and got the “BOX” to mail stuff home. It is simply cheaper than paying overage at the airport or for a second bag.  And it has the added benefit of not having to carry it other than to the poste.  Back at home, Jodi was up and ready to go.  So we went to the grocery store and purchased all kids of goodies for breakfast, some wine, Toilet paper (no fun colors this time, blue and pink BUT some with flamingoes!), and some general stuff for around the house.  Then,  I wanted to hit up the Senellier store, there were a few colors I wanted to try, A turquoise, orange, and a couple of new greens.  Jodi was great at keeping me on track to get what I wanted to get done today, done! SO off we set to go to the Senellier store, this is a very old, 1887, store.  I love going in here as I read about the impressionists getting their pigments here and true or not it I give me chills to think I am standing in the same store that Monet or Renoir stood to buy paint.  
To get there we needed to walk by the Louvre as that is the closest stop,

and I got to catch my first glimpse of my Girlfriend!  

Nothing like strolling by the Lovre to do some paint shopping.

 AS we crossed the Siene there was an artist displaying his wares and we chatted a bit and finally I shared the painting I was taking to dinner to give to the restaurant owner.  He made fun of it, said the perspective was off (I had done it from a tracing of a photo, so the perspective of the photo might be off, but not my painting!)   Well darn, that is hard on a persons self esteem.  I had already purchased a couple of pieces from him.  I don’t think he understood that I had painted it and was dissing fellow hawkers work, but if I had not already done so I don’t think I would have purchased from him, no quarter here!  It is very interesting to me to have a look at other peoples work.  At the Senellier store Jodi waited

outside as it is a very tiny store (3 stories though) and it was BUSY.  

 I had to touch a few things, found  another paper to try and then bought my paint and I was done, Jodi was worried that I had not spent enough time ( she was waiting outside) but I had done most of my drooling that morning so I was good. Then we stopped at Paul for a coffee and I reintroduced Jodi to millefeuille,

a lovely custard dessert that is MUCH easier to buy than make!  Paul is one of the chain boulangerie, patisserie, tea room places that is getting bitter and bigger.  But is is a lovely location on rue du Four and I enjoy the people watching.  We both were trickled at all of the people in their winter coats,

Jodi wanted to know what folks wore in the winter, but they were already wearing it!   Next was purse shopping, but I got into trouble on the way  we stumbled across anther art store right there in the 6h, Esquisse.  I went in touches a bunch of stuff, but kept going back to an adorable little goodie in the case that is a small metal travel pallet with the water storage built right in.  I looked at the price and thought I saw 17 Euro, and through Well Heck I am going to buy a couple 2 or 3 for gifts.  Well, I miss read a a but and ended up only purchasing one million Euro pallet, not sure I can justify it in any way, but it is a honey!  There had been a store in the 5/6thish that always had great purses, but it was no longer there.  Jodi pointed out another one and low and behold there was a purse that tickled my fancy there.  I bought a cute little mustard colored job at good will before we left and it was already loosing its “covering”, but I really like the color so this was a find!  I was really happy to see that my shoe/purse store CLIF in 5/6 was still there, last time is was all covered up and I thought it had bit the dust.  NO mustard colored shoes though.  From there we went to Dinner at Bistrot Du Henri.  I gave the owner my painting and he liked it, regardless of what the other nay sayers had offered me.  If he didn’t think much of it, he put a good face on it and even gave us a glass of wine!
 Dinner was delish, green bean salad for Jodi and I ,

when I got done she finished mine as I had to save room for my Margaret du canard in honey sauce.  

It was as delicious  as ever and we went home to a bath and a glass of wine!