Floods in Christchurch Meadows

For most of our time in the UK this Christmas it rained. And rained. On New Year's Day, however, the sun came out. We were in Oxford and the sky was this stunning blue. 

We gathered together welly-boots for everybody and headed to Christchurch meadows where we knew there were some floods. The water you see below is not a lake, or a river. It's flood water. 

We were a little mystified as to where all the sea gulls came from.

This path was apparently covered over a few days earlier. The bright winter light enhanced the colours.

There were lots of gorgeous reflections.

This boat had pulled up ashore and the owners, after having a picnic on the bench, took a stroll around the meadows.

We preferred to have our 'picnic' back at the house, with some homemade macarons.

From architecture to cake

When I started gathering photos together for this blog post I thought the theme was going to be an architectural one about columns, Parisian columns. Then I got distracted, and the theme became one about perspective.

It all started a few weeks ago when I got off my bike at Place de la Madeleine and decided to take a closer look at the church. Initially it was built as a memorial to the 'Glory of the Great Army', commissioned by Napoleon in 1806. After the fall of Napoleon there was much debate about what the structure should be used as and it was only in 1848 when it was finally consecrated as a church. After locking up my bike I went into the church for the first time ever and quickly left, it is dark and gloomy and frankly felt a bit sinister.

I digress, the Madeleine church is designed in the style of ancient temple, and there are lots and lots of columns, as well as a fine visual demonstration of perspective.

My tendency to turn everything into an abstract pattern makes me take photos like this.



Rather fittingly, a few days later we were near La Bourse and walked past Rue des Colonnes.


This is a smallish road, aligned on either side with neo-greek columned arcades.


I love the creamy stone of these columns.



Here is a curved colonnade in the Parc Monceau.


Columns in the Palais Royal.


It was in the Palais Royal gardens that I became distracted and diverted my attention from columns to the perspective of long vertical forms. In this case trees.


Then gilded railings.


Curled railings, up by the Sacré Coeur.


Bollards (incidentally these bollards have been painted brown again).


Truncated columns in the Palais Royal, by night.


Finally, I became so distracted I started to see perspective in the bakery. I'll have the strawberry tart please.

Beautiful Bakery

Living in Paris for nearly twenty years has turned me into a snob. A bread and cake snob. Within five minutes walk from our house there are five excellent bakeries to choose from, that figure doubles if I'm prepared (I am) to walk an 'outrageous' (*ducks for cover*) ten minutes.

One manifestation of the snobbery is carrying out a quick 'triage' of which bakery does what best. Best baguette at bakery (i), best viennoiseries at bakery (ii), creamy cakes at bakery (iii)...etc.

In my view one of the best bakeries for bread near us is on 48 Rue Caulaincourt. They do the most delicious sourdough bread - pain au levain. Big thick crusty slices toasted with pumpkin soup, has become one of our regular winter dinners. They do an amazing 'flute' as well. Look!

This bakery was also used for filming one of the scenes of the film 'Julie and Julia' (2009) starring Meryl Streep. Paris Movie Walks provides some interesting tit-bits about the film here.

They must have chosen this bakery because of the fabulous interior. First off is this wonderful chandelier. What's not to like?

The ceiling is quite something as well. Roses.

Leaves.

Mouldings.


But perhaps my favourite details can be found on the tiling.




Just look at these croissants and baguettes hanging delicately from white ribbons.


Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some chouquettes waiting for me.

Madeleine in the sun and on the table

The church at Place de la Madeleine was looking gorgeous in the bright sun yesterday.



Here's another kind of Madeleine which is not bad either.