Laduree - For The Love Of Macarons

I'm yet to find a person, nut allergies aside, who would turn down a Macaron. I'm a devotee hook, line and sinker so when my husband popped over to Sydney for work he was sent straight to Laduree with instructions to bring home the bacon and some Macarons!!. As usual my instructions were kind of lost in translation and the result was about $80 worth of Macarons (18 in total) - seriously I'm not joking - $80 worth of macrons, but I was thrilled to have sampled a box from the Sydney store and the additional lilac and green boxes were given away as thank you gifts.

Last year I posted about our visit to Laduree's first patisserie/cafe which opened 1862 in Madeline, Paris and it was a taste sensation, so when I heard there was new Sydney cafe, I had to sample the goods. I can't say it was the taste explosion I had remembered but it was worth trying and the packaging is certainly just as beautiful as I had remembered. In 2010 I bought the Laduree recipe book and it's filled with some gorgeous tips to making some of the worlds favorite French desserts, so this is definitely something I would recommend checking out, if you happen to pop by.

xx

Le Marais Paris - a delightful shopping experience vintage flea market and all!

In 2010 my husband and I packed our bags and went overseas. It was a spur of the moment thing within two weeks we decided to leave, booked the tickets and were London, Paris and Rome bound!. We had an absolute ball, cold snap and all, the weather ranged from 0-5 degrees, snowing during the day, freezing temps at night... in fact we would place a tub of yoghurt on the hotel balcony over night and it would be perfectly chilled and ready for breakfast on the go in the morning!.

Our Paris experience was of course wonderful... yes it was a very beautiful and romantic city but that is selling it short, it is much more... the cultural diversity, the gritty street life and the dedication to style were also stand out features for myself.

Le Marais should be on the to do list for everyone... its shopping heaven, falafel heaven and a direct window into cosmopolitan Paris!.

This was our accomodation in Paris - Hotel Gabrielle, Marais... I think the actual location of this Hotel is Republique or perhaps it's on the outer border of the Marais. We would walk down Rue Du Temple into the centre of the city each day which was lovely. 

Marche aux Puces - flea market Rue du Temple - I think it may be called Bretagne flea market 

This is where I purchased the vintage 'S' as featured in some of my posts... vintage shopping street side Paris - can you get any better!.

Still regret not buying any of these woodblocks!

Vintage Eames Chairs - love it!

Vintage industrial bar stools

Falafel mmm! This is considered the Chanel of the Parisian falafel eateries! 

When in Paris...Laduree The Must Visit French Patisserie

When you think Paris, amongst many amazing thoughts, you have to think pastries and whether you are a dessert person or not, Laduree is a visual and gastronomic feast for the senses!. 

I was fortunate enough to visit the Madeline store in 2010. First opened in 1862 as a bakery, later transformed into a Patisserie, Laduree Madeline is said to be one of the first Patisserie/Cafes in Paris.

If not to sample the sweets, which are absolutely DELICIOUS, you have to visit for the interior, meticulously crafted pastries and the old world charm.... as I sat in the downstairs Tea Room you can imagine women in draped over skirts and bonnets and suited men smoking pipes.

One of my favourite scenes in Sex And The City is below, remember that scene? Yep, that was Laduree... but I think it may have been the Champs-Elysees store.

And those decadent sweets featured in Sophia Coppola's Marie Antoinette - Also Laduree, so beautiful!

Wedding Inspirasi

  

The Iconic Cafe Angelina, Paris, France

Cafe Angelina established in 1903 

226 Rue de Rivoli, Paris

Sugared Lilacs!

African Hot Chocolate, Mont Blanc and Raspberry Macaron 

It's no secret, Paris is, well, amazing.... On a trip in December 2010 I stopped in at Cafe Angelina, once frequented by Coco Chanel, located on Rue De Rivoli opposite the Tuileries Garden.

Their signature Hot Chocolate is simply delicious, more like silky Chocolate syrup or sauce, this rich and decadent drink is different to any hot chocolate I've experienced. Their equally famous Mont Blanc (as seen above) was enjoyable and the raspberry macron was, without doubt, the first time I'd ever REALLY eaten a Macron, a true Macron, everything else has just been a coloured almond meal biscuit!. 

We also visited Laduree in Madeline, a Flea Market (Marche aux Puces) just off Rue de Temple, Marais and the stylish apartment of an Actor and Writer couple near Notre Dame. Will post this and other Paris adventures soon. Paris is a vintage shoppers paradise!.