Alliance Française de Philadelphie Expo

Another opening...

Another show...

As always macarons from Mad MacNYC and this time a lovely champagne...
Who knew you could find Champagne like this?
'medium dry with crisp fruit flavors - aromas of apple and pear are balanced with a bouquet of toasty, yeasty notes and floral nuances' And for all of $5 bucks (shhhh - a pastry chef shared his secret brew with the Philadelphia Alliance Francaise...)
My sister kindly brought les fromages Francaises to boot...
I ran over to Philadelphia Friday afternoon...
And hung the show...
Photos by Bonnie Squirers

And so many PBers showed up!!!
Big Merci! You cleaned off the walls too!

Quite a few Paris cats found new homes...
And Paris dogs...

Champagne and...

Bonbons were a favorite...

As were Paris fishmongers...
BEAR did NOT make it to Philadelphie...

But fortunately a PBer,Janet brought along her bear, Pan, da bear.

Again I forgot to taste a thing. There were tropical fruit macarons this time from Mad Mac and everyone was raving...

Later I got a French lecon from my petit niece's daughter, Shira... Bonne idee non?

I got lecons in Swahili (piki-piki) and Italian too before my head hit the pillow.

A terrific book for kids and adults from Funix.

FYI:I've put up some watercolor sketch sheets of chocolate pots and Angelina cups I painted this summer at a $pecial price on Etsy for a limited time.

THANKS SO MUCH PBers FOR COMING to my AF show!!

Alliance Francaise de Washington

Friday morning at the crack of dawn...
OK I left the house at 4:30 AM and I DID NOT post on PB
Please forgive moi :(
Bonjour Maison Blanche Capitol Building!
In Washington everything is on a grand scale including Union Station...
And the Metro is divine.
Hello NYC MTA? Faites attention!
The Alliance Francaise de Washington is right in the midst of embassy row. Row upon row of simply gorgeous maisons...
My name was on the door...I have to crow a bit :)

25 Paris facade watercolors are on view...miam-miam

More than 100 (!) people showed up for the vernissage/opening.
A Photo by Marine Cornuet

multitude of macarons were provided by the excellent and very French Mad MacNYC..

Somehow through the blur of people and pictures, I spotted what looked decidedly like a macaron bag!?

What was inside the box?

The end of the soiree turned into a macaron fete! Comparing macaron 'feet' and parfums etc. Educational director, Sarah Pickup-Diligenti tests one out. Well we all did. And guest, Alexander, shared how easy it was to bake your own macarons! Poor guest Christopher's macarons from Michel Patisserie were more or less decimated. This is what happens when you dare to walk around with macaron bags in tow. Beware!

Saturday morning I received email instructions from Merisi of Vienna (a former DCer) that I must go to Eastern Market and off I went.

The Market Lunch is the place to eat brunch, let me tell you!

Not to worry about the long lines either. You will meet people who will only be too happy to advise you what to order when your chance at last comes...
Darlene insisted I have the crab cakes, fried green tomatos and grits. These are the best crab cakes on the planet IMHO.

They had the buckwheat with blueberry and grits by the way...

Then I had an appointment with a lady in a red hat at the National Gallery...

Then tea...With Woodrow Wilson...

I spotted a chausson aux pomme nearby...who could resist?

Plus a pistache gelato...

Well it does seem like all I did was eat in Washington DC doesn't it...hmmm

Back to NYC and realitee...

BONJOUR LUNDI PBers!

AND A BIG MERCI FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME TO THE AF DC!!