Francophile Friday: Julien Boulangerie in Paris

14.9.12

Illustration of Julien Boulangerie, Paris, by Shell-Sherree, ink & watercolour ACQUIRE PRINTS

Strolling along past Jean-Noël Julien's award-winning boulangerie on rue Saint-Honoré is most opportune, as we can procure both lunch and afternoon tea within.  {Thanks to dear Katie for the inspiration!}  Not only will we find some Best in Show baguettes {the medallions on the windows tell us so} but once we've dealt with the sensible part of the meal, we can graze for the rest of the afternoon on macarons, chouquettes and other sweet what-nots ~ until we succumb to a sugar-dazed temptation to wear something darling like this.  Then, we'll know it's time to stop.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

Jean-Noël Julien
75 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris

PS:  September is Save the Koala Month.  You can find out more by clicking here... thank you.
23 comments

Furry Friends Friday: Magic Cristal and Koala Dreams

7.9.12

Illustration of  the Magic Cristal Spiegeltent by Shell-Sherree, ink & watercolour ACQUIRE PRINTS

September is Save the Koala Month.  While animal lovers and conservationists think of every month as Save the Koala Month, this vital cause needs attention so I'm all for shining a spotlight on it.  And surely there's a spotlight inside the Magic Cristal travelling Spiegeltent, here in town to help house acts for the Brisbane Festival from 8th to 29th September {also known as 'now'}.  After watching Kitty Kong last week, I dreamt of giant koalas... but they were simply roaming innocently, lost and searching for gum leaves and safe new homes after developers tore theirs down.  {Their size might have been a dream, but their quest is a sad reality.}  Mind you, this curious fellow might have been attracted by the sounds of indie artists, comedians and jazz rather than eucalypts.

To find out more about the plight of one of Australia's most beloved native animals, the Save the Koala website has a wealth of information.  You can do all manner of things while visiting, from adopting a koala {no, it won't come to live with you!}, to having eucalpyt trees planted for food and habitat, to buying a cuddly koala toy that says, "Peek-a-Boo," {I'm so tempted!  This one does come to live with you: they send worldwide}.  In keeping with the festival and bush spirit, I've gone au casuale for our wardrobe this weekend.  And on that note...

Happy Furry Friends Friday to you!  Now, please go save a koala...
17 comments

Francophile Friday: Cinema Paris-Miaou

31.8.12

Paris Illustration of Le Champo cinema by Shell-Sherree, ink & watercolour ACQUIRE PRINTS

Today's grey fluffy clouds hold the promise of excellent movie-watching weather, though I hope it fines up for the first of spring tomorrow!  And courtesy of a Liebster Award from the sagacious le0pard13 of It Rains... You Get Wet, I will be answering 11 mostly-movie-related questions, since le0pard is a film buff {and his blog is excellent!  Thanks, le0pard13, I'm chuffed}.  Where better to hold our interview than outside the grand old Le Champollion cinema in Paris, then we can head in for an old classic.  We just missed Catsablanca and Doggone with the Wind but Kitty Kong will have us on the edge of our seats.

Inspired by the local language, I'm taking a laissez-faire approach to the Liebster ~ an award comprised of a very enthusiastically-long list of components ~ and I'm streamlining it.  Here are my answers to le0pard13's questions, and I will pass the award and baton to the entertaining bloggers in my sidebar.  {If you would like to participate, feel free to refer back to le0pard's post to follow the award more thoroughly than I am.}  Here goes...

What was the last reference book (regardless of subject or genre) you used?
A French dictionary.
What pop song from your youth, used in movie, immediately got you to react, “Oh no, you didn’t!”?
Has anyone has ever used 'Muskrat Love' in a movie?
Steve McQueen or Paul Newman?
Paul Newman
Which foreign country, known for its cinema, have you yet to watch a movie from? 
Catzakhstan
Favorite film with Samuel L. Jackson in it? (whether he’s starring, supporting, or cameo)
The Long Kiss Goodnight
Favorite over-the-top performance from Face/Off: John Travolta as Sean Archer/Troy Castor or Nicholas Cage as Troy Castor/Sean Archer?
John Travolta {I'm not keen on cages...}
Ketchup or Salsa?
Salsa.  {We're talking about dancing, aren't we?}
What clearly dramatic scene from a movie made you inexplicably burst out laughing in reaction?
No movie I can think of, but I have to be very careful at weddings.
Wyatt Earp or Tombstone?
Harp or trombone?  Trombone.  {Where are my glasses...}
What was the latest, or earliest, movie screening you’ve ever attended?
The earliest have been some 10:00am Sunday sessions.  I learned that lots of octogenarians titter if someone swears.
Who is your favorite writer? (can be author, film or TV screenwriter, or director/writer)
I don't know how to choose between C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien and Robert Crais.  Perhaps Robert Crais, because I've never had to guess his first name.

The lights are dimming and I smell popcorn, so let's hustle inside.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Filmish Friday to you!

Le Champo
51 rue des Ecoles 75005 Paris | Métro : Odéon - Saint-Michel | Tél : 01 43 54 51 60
21 comments

Francophile Friday: Nougat With an 'Oooh'

24.8.12

Paris Illustration by Shell-Sherree, ink & watercolour ACQUIRE PRINTS

Oh good, it's like riding a horse ~ I haven't forgotten how to blog after all.  Quite miraculous, given I don't know how to ride a horse. But enough of that: it's lovely to see you!  I bought you a van filled with nougat and pralines to make amends for my absence.  Or perhaps I brought you a van filled with nougat and pralines.  You may choose, depending on whether you'd like to become a nougat cart proprietor somewhere in Paris or just graze your way through the contents at your leisure.  Thanks to dear Katie for the inspiration!  Shall we indulge the current coloured jeans trend in a subtle fashion while we wait?  If you're like me and need some elevation to reach the counter, these will do the trick.  If we start to teeter or totter, we can lean on each other for support. And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday to you!

PS:  For those looking for larger prints, I've added A3 size {image  fits 11 x 14"} to my Etsy store.  Just add the A3 listing in your cart and tell me which illustration you'd like.  Easy! Please pop on over to find out more.
23 comments

Francophile Friday: In a Fainting Fashion

21.7.12

pigment ink pen & watercolour fashion illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm]

Hot on the heels of the wildly escalating popularity of the famed delicacy named the macaron {and not named the macaroon: one errant 'o' creates an entirely different pastry animal}, researchers are discovering the effects of a recently discovered phenomenon known in gastronomic circles as Macaron Fatigue.  In a somewhat contrary fashion, the term refers to both an overindulgence in macarons and a lack of sufficient macarons, both resulting in the risk of swooning.  While a romantic notion if one happens to have a chivalrous male with strong arms and good reflexes within a metre's perimeter, fainting in the street outside of this scenario might not lead to the most elegant of dispositions.   Clearly this damsel is in Macaron Distress, a precursor to and flashing beacon of impending Macaron Fatigue.  Following the convenient theory of homeopathic medicine whereby a small dose of something known to cause something can actually chase that very something away, might we suggest carrying a box of preventative macarons in one's purse {or inside suit pocket for the solicitous male of the species} at all times?  You're welcome.  And on that note...

Happy Fashionable Francophile Friday to you!

PS:  I might be posting more sporadically over the next little while ~ please subscribe to emails over on the right as a convenient way of knowing when I've posted something new.  Merci, grazie, thank you!
28 comments

Francophile Friday: Early Storm for the Bastille

13.7.12

pigment ink pen & watercolour illustration, 7" x 8.75" [18 x 22.5cm]

Aside from Bastille Day arriving here before most other places in the world, thanks to the wonder known as the earth spinning on its axis, Francophile Friday happens to coincide with this auspicious excuse for overindulgence in all things baguette, macaron and éclair ~ with the exception of an inconveniently placed 24 hours.  Quel dommage.  So our kitty and her carousel-escapee friend have decided to secure their place at the head of the traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées by arriving early.  The balloons could be perceived as a somewhat frivolous touch by the French Republican Guard, but a cat on a horse should distract their attention long enough to get away with it.  We're in for a long wait, and might need to ride our duo out of there, so I've chosen attire built for both comfort and speed and secured our snacks.  And on that note...

Happy Francophile Friday and early Bastille Day to you!
17 comments
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