Paris Ladybugs

 Is it Spring/Printemps that's brings out the ladybugs/coccinelles in Paris?

 Yesterday I saw 3! At the bd Raspail bio marche.

 On wine bottles no less.

 Guarding chocolates at patisserie Pause Detente 98 ave. Ladru-Rolin.

 Ladybugs were out en masse on Saturday. Especially at il etait un fois toy shop - this hugable doudou.

 A wind-up coccinelle...

 On a backpack...

 An adorable Nathalie Lete designed bebe looks like a ladybug-to-be.

 Mary janes a ladybug would love to wear at il etait un fois..

 As well as a polka-dot picnic basket..

 Over at La Vaissellerie must-have mugs for any ladybug of note.

 Plus little teabag dishes - these ladybugs have names!

 I didn't know there was a whole series of Ladybug girl books! A whole flock of them by Jacky David and David Soman.

 Ladybugs bring happiness/le bonheur, so you shouldn't leave home without at least one. I left these at chez moi.

But I'm wearing Sonia Rykiel stick pins everyday on my raincoat.

You never know...

Tuna Birthday!

You don't plan on spending your birthday doing hand-to-hand combat with a tuna sandwich. But life is full of little surprises. And when the challange is to paint a tuna sandwich. And you have a deadline, the tuna sandwich takes precedence over champagne et macarons. I'm always saying I never eat birthday cake...
 Last weekend I took myself off to Soho to do chocolate cake research for the same illustration project.

First I went to very 'Frenchie' Ceci Cela patisserie.

And got this layered affair to practice on.

I did manage to get a sketch out of it before I was compelled to eat it. It was melting under the table lamp. What else could I do? Next I headed to Francois Payard's new patisserie.

Tres mignon.

Payard's little Sacher cake didn't even make it to the sketch page.

But it did help immerse me in essence of chocolatie cake research. Just what a pastry artist needs...

The tuna sandwich will not be eaten. It has dried up under the lights. But there is nothing like having real props to work from. The new Ladybug kitchen timer is from the Soho Pylones by the way.

BONJOUR TUNA BIRTHDAY!

Fr. Girl's Rouge et Noir Cuisine

I mentioned to FRENCH GIRL. That there seemed to be a distinct rouge et noir/red and black theme in her cuisine/kitchen.She responded,"Absolutement PAS!" Still, I bought the little red and black Ladybug kitchen timer from PYLONES and added it to the shelf with the other red and black items. Red and green mug sitting on the black cooker. A hanging red & black light fixture.
Red curtains hang in the kitchen window.

Plus a red with black striped dish towel. Hmm... What do you think? Am I crazy seeing lots of red and black here? I felt compelled to add a red kitchen mitt from Boutique Maille.

It's no surprise a French girl would decorate her kitchen this way. Le rouge et le noir training starts early in la pousette.

And evolves to grown-up Parisiens daily sitting in red and black cafes.

Probably walking there in RED shoes.

Whilst wearing red and black jewelry...

Their politicians deck themselves out likewise...

Well sophistication must start early don't you think?

And Paris is a most sophisticated town non?BONJOUR LE ROUGE ET LE NOIR!