Sunday afternoon stroll...

click on pics to enlarge

petit dejeuner des champions!

local cathedral chimes the hours

Patisserie de Gascogne
this is the real mccoy here, people...







It's what folks do here! strolling on Sunday...

Every store has a street presence today (except the plus plus plus exclusif Parisian ones; they aren't even open today. This does not include, for example, BCBG, which is actually pretty booshwa and is wide open for soldes – oh please buy our crap overpriced clothes). I saw a dress shop that was not open that totally blew my mind, the things were so gorgeous – genuine works of art. To put on your body no less. Isn't art just grand! Face it people, next to making babies, it's the best thing we manage to put out.

And didn't I have a ball! First to Au Pain d'Ore for the Breakfast of Champions pictured above, a luscious cafe au laid and an eclair au cafe. God, that glimpse of heaven! Like good sex! Teeny little bites. Like good sex....

On to L'Epicerie for milk and some Mimolette cheese, a little sack of licorice. They slice the ends off perfectly fresh cheese here before RE wrapping what you've bought for you in fresh paper so you will only get best qualite. It is totally the little things that make life worth living. I love the epicerie people. And it's NOT expensive!! That's the kicker. Cheaper than Whole Paycheck. Course most anything is cheaper than that....

Then a nice leisurely stroll (sans chien) down the Avenue Laurier to the other side of the Rue du Parc where I'd yet to venture. And WOW! What a patisserie I found. Patisserie de Gascogne! Almost as good as Paris, certainly good enough to make those little tears of gratitude spring to my eyes, that someone is doing this amazing artistry just for me. My mind exploded briefly when I opened the door and beheld... magnificent cakes!! The food, bread, frozen things (leetle crocks of french onion soup?), salades, everything was gorgeous looking and not fussy, just really appetizing. I'll take myself to lunch there one of these days. (I have yet to eat a meal out!) Huge clientele, and quite bustling and popular, but not so full of itself as the ? Moisson place I ventured to yesterday (crap overcooked pastries and snooty to boot. I bought nothing), up on Avenue Bernard, a snooty locale with nothing to recommend it but a depanneur (convenience store) that sells decent bags of ice. At the groovy patisserie de Gascogne (there are 5 in Montreal) I bought a lovely little Paris Brest that sure looks like the real thing and a petit fromage (cheesecake?) that was as cute as a puppy in a window begging me to take it home. I'll take pics and show you when i eat them.

THEN.... well, with SOLDES ( big SALES) plastered over every window, how could I NOT buy a few rags to get me through? And they are gorgeous. A skin tight beige skirt the likes of which you will never never never see at TJs, and for half price. A cute as a bug light as a feather cotton and spandex patterned Jackie O kinda sundress, what we used to call a "shift" or "sheath" back in the day. Simple, lightweight, and just the thing for the return of the heat so I can stop going about looking frumpy in my shorts. Way to be cool and fashionable, girl. And this for less than half price. And a beige off the shoulder three quarter sleeve fitted blouson that is the sexiest, most feminine thing I think I've ever owned. Also half price. All hand washable. So who's the smaht shoppah then? To go with my new look. [Hairdo in the works in a week or so; and by the by, I did my own nails last night, and for ten bucks, having them done my someone good once a month is great. It gives you something to work with at home. I mean you're not (as we cuticle nibblers tend to be) starting with a total mess when you repaint! Margie? Are you hearing this?]

In one shop I tried on labels I would never have imagined I would consider (all on sale, still way outta my range): St. Laurent, Gucci, even a real Chanel just for fun. Haven't had this much fun since Paris and shopping for hats with T on l'Ile St. Louis. It's a good thing the lingerie store wasn't open. I haven't bought a decent bra since Morlaix in 04. I expect I'll meander down there when they're open. The lingerie shops up here don't even CARRY those foam monstrosities you see in Macy's and Victoria's Secret. What secret? It's no secret you've had a boob job and feel the need to augment that with more padding than Hannibal Lecter's cell! To me those foam bras are no better than the cone pointed atrocities women wore back in the day. Weaponized breasts! Who kneads 'em?

I figured out that it's all that unnecessary padding that gives American girls that trashy, overblown, Who Framed Roger Rabbit cartoon boobs look when they expose decolletage. French women don't bother with that spongy padding. They go for a slight natural 'lift' of what they actually have, a more modest "demonstration" of what they've got on offer. And it comes off as much more feminine. A gentle, "come hither" rather than the loud american "YO! check out my megatits!" Ooo, a leetle crass. Turn down the PA, ladies. Stop flopping out of your clothes! A little mystery goes a long way.

In conclusion on this lovely day..... I have two lovely leetle lamb chops and some nice broccoli for dinner. And Paris Brest for dessert. The coup du monde is on and I believe I can say it's a been good day all round. Very peaceful walk with doggie this morning. Quiet in the hood Outremont.

Ciao for now... and love to all. And HEY.... leave a comment now and then, eh?? that is, if you want me to keep this up!