French Cafe Glasses

Originally I was going to paint just one cafe glass...

OK this one - a very typically Frenchie glass from the Brick cafe...

But then I felt ambitious. I'm addicted to cafe glasses...

Anyone else out there love French cafe glass with a passion?

Confess PBers. And please do not complain about the bill for the Orangina. You're paying for ambience at cafe Le Select. And the little printed doily thing..grumble...grumble

Am I alone, compulsively taking of photos of cafe glass where ayre I go...

The French adore their glass. They still make most of the wonderful utilitarian glass themselves thanks Gawd, like Duralex from Picardie or La Rochere. Luiminarc is another pas cher FAB French glass I love. I chased all over looking for a little Luminarc glass pitcher I thought I saw at Angelina and found it at Sur La Table in New York - an insane way to spend your time in Paris no?

There is something inherently elegant to utilitarian French glassware - a plain carafe and water glass at Jean-Paul Hevin Bar Chocolat. If this guy doesn't have superb taste no one does...

At La Bovida, Jill of Mad About Macarons spotted these mini verrines with a matching bent spoon. Mignon non?

Old fashioned waterglasses in brocante Portobello in the 6th make a lovely still life just waiting to be painted...

Very plain glassed filled with Guy Martin's very fancy baba au rhum + marscapone + chestnuts...

French girl, being French does not have your standard utilitarian glassware that I drool over constantly. We were eating blinis, smoked salmon, hummus, Greek olives and radishes FYI...

In our hand-painted Spanish glasses we're drinking 'San Pe' or San Pellegrino. I do the dishes when I stay, so I live in dire fear of breaking one of her fragil little glasses.

"Hello French Girl, why couldn't you have those darling unbreakable cafe glasses I love so much much?"

BONJOUR FRENCH CAFE GLASSES!

Brick Cafe Astoria

Last night I went out searching for my inner mussel. Luckily I live nearby the Brick Cafe Astoria.

Not only is Brick loaded with bistro-esque Frenchie touches.

But the Michelin guide saw fit to give them 1-star!

And they serve a mean moules/mussels marinere with THREE different sauces. Natch I went for traditional white wine with a touch of parsley and basil, since my illustration assignment calls for it.

It occured to me, why not grab a few shells, toss them in my bag for preparatory sketching later on at home.
Naturally just then the owner comes by, catches me red handed and asks,

"Is there anything WE can help you with?"

(Like stuffing your bag full of OUR mussel shells..ahem)
Oh s---!

I mumbled something unintellagable.

Ta-Da!

BTW this was so good I practically licked the plate. I may return for more research tonight. I should of grabbed a few shells with the mussels still in them. What was I thinking?

For some unknown reason I always end up at the rather so-so Belgian chain, Chez Leon's in Paris for their moules marineres - not nearly as good as The Brick except the for the Belgian mussels being tastier and more plentiful.

I do love their pitcher of water and glasses but is that reason enough?

Studying the construction of a mussel.

I got to thinking it looks a lot like a macaron. Non?

THANKS for all your GREAT suggestions yesterday PBers!!

Huff came up with a near perfect solution - the iPod Touch (4th generation - 8 gigs) I can get all the Paris Metro maps and more and. Well what do you think?

Cheers and may you be living on higher ground.

BONJOUR THE BRICK CAFE!