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Showing posts with label yellow bird. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yellow bird. Show all posts
Monday, May 23, 2011
Financier Petit Four Immersion watercolor, 9" x 11"
I'm been going through serious petit four immersion.Really I should be immersed in the pool doing water gym...
I recently discovered the wonderfully French New York patisserie, Financier Pastries. I had to buy their little beauties this past weekend to paint. Here's what's left of the original 16 that arrived home in perfect condition. They come sitting nicely on a presentation plate and they don't jump around...
Unlike the other brand's petit fours. These could have used some heavy plastic surgery once home...
Foodwalker, a professional caterer, asked me if they taste as good as they look.
Petit Four research sketches...
THEY DO! THEY DO!
I can fully testify to Financier pastries in particular. They really are mini versions of the grownups in the case. Not like the other brand - mostly just a bit of fruit afixed to a tartelette. I ate the fig-pistachio tarty thing on the far right...
To get in the right frame of mind to see Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris homage to the city of lights. Both were perfection - miam miam
I happened to pass by another Financier shop yesterday to check if their pastries really were as good as I thought they were...
They are! They are!
Green and white stripped awnings, lots of French-esque details AND they have macarons.
Their signature pastry is the golden bar-shaped almond 'financier' cake - their first shops opened near Wall street. Chef Eric Bedoucha grew up in Paris, got his training at Dalloyau and it shows.
Some of you have asked about Yellow Bird. I almost called this post 'My Left Foot'. Yellow bird has been recoverying from a foot injury but he's back with a bit of Scotch (tape) to the rescue.
Green and white stripped awnings, lots of French-esque details AND they have macarons.
Their signature pastry is the golden bar-shaped almond 'financier' cake - their first shops opened near Wall street. Chef Eric Bedoucha grew up in Paris, got his training at Dalloyau and it shows.
Some of you have asked about Yellow Bird. I almost called this post 'My Left Foot'. Yellow bird has been recoverying from a foot injury but he's back with a bit of Scotch (tape) to the rescue.BONJOUR FINANCIER PASTRIES!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Birds of Paris, birds of London, birds of New York and possibly India(?) are raising a ruckus right now in my studio, though I can't think why? The AC is on high and no one is going hungry...
Birds in London are upside down in the Underground at South Kensington station. Don't ask me why. I had nothing to do with it.
Olha took me along to the Royal Academy Summer show and we started bird watching - there were many onsite.
That started it. Everafter I saw birds everywhere and wanting to bring them home, like this appropriately named plaster of Paris number on sale at Comptoir de Famille.
No way was I bringing home these French homing pidgeons or love birds or doves or whatever the hell they were...
On the other hand this silver charmer at the same restaurant was begging to be set free. Sadly he/she would have been missed if I'd rescued him/her for future portraits...
A Frenchie humming bird spotted in Paris minus binoculars - I didn't see many real birds at all in Paris come to think of it. have you?
I did buy the matching cup and saucer to this lovebird teapot, but I left it behind at French Girls'.
This metal bird was just the right size and shape, but he/she was firmly attached to a metal tray. No amount of twisting was going to change that... 
I loved everything in the toy exhibit at the Musee Arts Decoratif. I cannot reccommend this exhibit enough - you'll have a ball. And if you should see a burley museum assistant carrying a very large blown-up bear, please tell him I regret not taking his picture in the stairwell. ALWAYS have your camera ready! Lesson learned.
Voila! Thumbnails for the day of M. Rusty formerly of Petersham Nurseries but of French origins.
M. Rusty takes a bird bath, watercolor, 9" x 11"
Tea in the afternoon in London, watercolor, 9" x 11"
Well it appears the newest bird on the block, Mistress Henny (an American breed) has taken charge and is now top bird of the flock. The others are acquiescent and have settled down after just a few peeps of annoyance...BONJOUR WEEK-END!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Mini Tea Time watercolor, 9" x 11"I'm off to David Dewey's watercolor workshop in Maine next week. But I still want to paint some still lifes...
What to take with me that won't fill up too much space?
Isn't it clever of Pierre Herme to create dessert art to use in the background of my still lifes?
My suitcase is overloaded...
But for the life of me... 
I can not find my MACARONS!!! 
Oh there they are, safe and sound :)
I could use a "drink me" bottle like Alice to get very small...
To set up these %$#@! still lifes...hmmm
There's a new yellow bird on board. Bear wants to know if they are both going to Maine or is he just going or are they even going at all!?
To set up these %$#@! still lifes...hmmm 
There's a new yellow bird on board. Bear wants to know if they are both going to Maine or is he just going or are they even going at all!?What do you think?
Friday, July 2, 2010
Are you off barbecuing your breakfast somewhere nice today?
Or are you stuck at home catching up on painting homework or whatever. I thought I'd take you off on a nice outing to Petersham Nurseries. Believe me you could do far worse and there's no traffic to fight etc.
They have huge sheds filled to the limit with treasures you will instantly want to own.
Like these glorious over size pots. Does one HAVE to have a garden to own these? Is it obligatory?
A tree trunk table. I so need this!!! Who knew?
Every place your eye lands there are divine little still life setups.Someone here is a painter, that's for sure...
Vases to your hearts content...
I'm a sucker for little decorative birds. I picked up at least 4 this trip, including one in a Paris florist shop, where the vendeuse caught me trying to unscrew the bird from a giant stone meant to plunk in your garden.
She quickly snatched the stone away and started screwing the decorative bird back in madly.
I said, "I would like to buy the bird"
She said, "You can not"
She said, "You can not"
I said, "It's OK. I'll buy the (^%$#@) stone too"
She begrudgingly sold me the bird and stone. I handed the stone back to her minus the bird and skipped out of the shop.
Tee-hee :)
They are not so uptight at Petersham Nurseries and let me buy just the bird minus the metal flower pot. It turns out the bird originates from France. I must have Frenchie taste...
This is your average Petersham Nurseries customer. If you're planning on a visit try to get a hold of a dog or three...
I took a minty tea in the caf, but the restaurant is famous, full of celebs and not easy to get a reservation in. The waitresses all wear gumboots nonetheless because of the dirt floors...
Their cookbooks by Aussie chef Skye Gynge are reknown. Very locavore-oriented with all the produce coming from their gardens and quite inventive too.
Ah...the gardens miam/YUM
When departing, it's advised you walk along the tow path back into Richmond following the river. You'll save on gas and avoid noxious car fumes irritating to the neighbors who could raise a fuss...
Why not an afternoon tea on a barge parked near the path..?
Your colorful train awaits you in Richmond station. Mine did not because it was a Sunday and I had to take a 'replacement' bus which is another story...
Meanwhile back at the Chelsea Arts Club, the awful truth has come out about so-called Tom, the resident cat. Hmmm..
Caroline R, a CAC board member and all around well informed writer has let me know that the cat is a a bit of a scallywag. Not only is Tom not Tom, but there have been many deceptions.Me:oh I meant Tom, the CAC cat..
CR:He died.
Me:What? Well I was sleeping with someone. I mean a club cat. I wonder who it was if not Tom?
CR:They got in 2 ginger brothers.
Bubble and Squeak.
Bubble dashed into the road to his death.
'Squeak', is a large rangy cat with white paws, holds court in the billiard room.
Bubble dashed into the road to his death.
'Squeak', is a large rangy cat with white paws, holds court in the billiard room.
Me:So he sleeps around and uses alliases?
CR:I'm told Squeak is very obliging in that respect.
Me:I'm feeling rather bruised and abused here, led astray it seems.
CR: Two can play at that game. You must make overtures to other cats if you haven't already...
So much for British good sense.
HMPH
Granted Tom aka Squeak did a very good job assisting me prepare for the exhibit AND he sold all 15 watercolors. A sellout show! I'm pleased as punch. All is forgiven Tom or whatever your name is.
I'm happy to report the Petersham bird is behaving himself and doing exactly what he's meant to. Which is sit in teacups and macaron boxes whilst I photograph him for future watercolors - not a hard life really...PS
Thank you PBers for your kind comments yesterday!
BONJOUR FOURTH OF JULY PBers!!!
More Petersham here
and here at Pigtown
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