Bistro du Jour

There’s a new café with an adorable Parisian twist off the wharf in the District of Columbia. A few of us popped in the other night after a bit of museum hopping to enjoy the casual atmosphere of Bistro du Jour. Here we found French home-style cooking at its finest. The aromas from the cassoulets and stews were phenomenal along with the baked goods. No matter which side of the Atlantic I always start a meal with French Onion soup, and the Coq au Vin was not only delicious, but there was enough for each of us to share. The chicken was braised with wine and garlic encouraged me to jot down spices and herbs so, I can copy the recipe.

As an added bonus the Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery inside the restaurant served fresh croissants, pain au chocolat, quiches and scones. Perfect for breakfast the next day!!!

Bon appétit,
Kathleen

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Favorites List

imagine verdant gardens for pedestrians along the Champs-Élysées leading to the Arc de Triomphe.

It has been a while since I’ve done a favorites list and will remedy the situation today. Lately, I’ve been sneaking extra reading time into my schedule. When at work I’ll add a few minutes to lunch to read a few articles or chapter from a book. There is always so much to take in and share.

    • Not sure how I feel about the French transforming the Champs-Élysées into a pedestrian-green friendly space. After all these years of popping into Paris one becomes accustomed to dodging Peugeot’s and Renault’s, along with the Gallic gestures of pedestrians.
      Paris to Transform the Champs-Élysées into “Extraordinary Garden”
    • Have you seen the new “French Toast” cookie that the Girl Scouts are selling this year? And the adorable tykes are working with Grubhub so, it’s all online.
    • I keep returning to Pat McGrath Labs site to view her gorgeous range of eye shadow kits. The “Divine Rose Luxe Quad: Eternal Eden” is something I may have to purchase to start the Spring season off stylishly. Pat McGrath is a Black make-up artist from England who is top in the fashion field of cosmetics. She was hired by Giorgio Armani in 1999 to collaborate on a range of products. What I always enjoyed was leafing through  a Harpers Bazaar or Vogue to read about her creative work.
    • I’ve been sitting on this article for a few weeks after listening to NPR one morning. A year or so ago I did a bit of research regarding woman artist of the Renaissance knowing they were not permitted to enter the art academies like their male counterparts. The artistic talent of these women alone certainly outweighs that of men [da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael]. So, the next time you’re in Florence, Venice or Rome go to see the inspiring artwork of women artist [such as Artemisia Gentileschi], and you will have your answer.
      ‘Where Are the Women?’ Uncovering the Lost Works of Female Renaissance Artists.

Remember to schedule time to read and always stay safe!!!
Kathleen

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Winged Victory of Samothrace

How many of us are traveling the world virtually through “memory” photos from our phones or re-reading notebooks of places visited in the past? I’ve begun recreating recipes from favorite countries just to keep my creative spirits flowing. The other day I happened upon an article from My Modern Met entitled This Armless Sculpture Is One of the Louvre’s Most Treasured Masterpieces by Kelly Richman-Abdou.

Reading the piece reminded me of my first trip to Paris after learning of the Nike of Samothrace [as she is sometimes called] in a college art history class. I was enthralled by the beauty of the sculpture, as the wet and windblown drapery clings to her body, and being a winged figure, Nike triumphantly steps toward the front of a ship.

This photo from the Louvre appeared in my iPhone memory since, we were in Paris last January. Amidst the protest and holiday crowds each of us knew this was to be our last trip due to rising numbers of the pandemic so, we made every second count and stayed true to the itineraries we crafted.

We had timed tickets for our first day to the Louvre last year, and the workers promptly closed the museum due to strikes. So, reworking the itinerary we headed to the Left Bank of the Seine to the Musée d’Orsay to see the Edgar Degas Exhibition.

When we finally made our way back to the Louvre it was great to spend time with the Winged Victory Of Samothrace, which remains one of the most celebrated sculptures in the art world. She has inspired many artists including Surrealist Salvador Dali for his Double Nike de Samothrace [1973] and Futurist Umberto Boccioni for Unique Forms of Continuity in Space [1913].

These interpretations will never compare or capture the spirit of this Hellenistic creation.

Happy New Year,
Kathleen

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