Eclair Extravaganza (25 Beautiful Objects No. 22)

This week, No. 22 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects, comes from France!

After spending a full day at the Louvre, basking in the presence of the greats, we stumbled upon this FANTASTIC eclair pop-up shop just outside the museum. L'Eclair de Genie. Look at this spread.

22. L'Eclair De Genie eclairs

The founder, Christophe Adam, wasn't kidding when he decided to call his posh pastry outing L'Eclair De Genie ("Eclair Genius")

Notice the special attention given to aesthetics. Each eclair is carefully crafted, with a rich, glossy glaze and toppings in metallic & pop colors. They look downright luxurious!  And that's exactly what Christophe is going for.

You'll find fancy macron shops across Paris, but a luxury eclair outing? There's only one :)

When I dug deeper (here and here), I found that Christophe started L'Eclair De Genie to introduce a new concept of a pastry shop - "flash engineering". The idea is to create a place where you'll find a collection of beautiful looking eclair, each appearing as a "flash of genius". Behind the scenes, Christophe & his team get to experiment, take creative risks and get quick feedback on if their ideas are working or not.

We had their No. 12 Pistachio Cream & No. 22 Passion Crispy Raspberry.  Hardcore deliciousness.

Christophe's experimental magic definitely comes through.  It's no wonder L'Eclair De Genie shops have opened up in Japan and Italy too.  I'm waiting for one to show up in the US! When? :)

Wallpaper Obsession (25 Beautiful Objects, No. 23)

I'm officially obsessed with this wallpaper. 

It's by Cole & Son and it's called Fontainebleau. I love the colors & delicate-ness of it! The exotic birds and those blues. It might be too dramatic for a large wall, but I think it looks lovely in a small space or done as a panel (like in the 2nd image).

There's a cool story behind how this pattern was designed. The designers from Cole & Son found a vintage French document pattern that was in fragments. They filled in the gaps with their imagination and created this beautiful bird & floral pattern, naming it after the lovely gardens outside the Palace of the Fontainebleau. There's a picture of the original fragment at the very bottom.

I think it's great how a piece from the past can inspire present design. You never know where you're going to get inspiration from!

No. 23 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects

23. Cole & Son's Fontainebleau Wallpaper

                        Original document pattern

Crystals & canary yellow (25 Beautiful Objects, No. 24)

When we visited the Smithsonian in D.C. a few years ago, I liked the section that took you through First Lady fashions & finery.

There were a number of things in there that were pretty wow, including Mary Lincoln's beautiful bracelet-watch  and Jackie Kennedy's state dinner dress. But this canary yellow gown, worn by Pat Nixon on inauguration day, was for me, the star of the show. 

It's embroidered in gold & silver, and encrusted with Austrian crystals. Designed by Karen Stark for Harvey Berin (known for designing clothes for the very feminine woman). It's got just the right amount of sparkle to it, don't you think? 

And that's why it's #24 on our list of 25 Beautiful Objects 

24.  Pat Nixon's Inaugural Gown

Picture taken by yours truly :)

Whose personal style inspires you? Tell me about it.

25 Beautiful Objects

I love this quote by Milton Glaser (who designed one of the most recognizable logos in the world - "I (heart) NY")

"There are three responses to a piece of design – yes, no, and WOW! Wow is the one to aim for."

I thought it'd be fun and insightful to start, by sharing with you, 25 beautiful objects to which my response has been WOW.   A treasure trove of beautiful things that left a lasting impression on me & that have a story to tell.

I'll share one each week!  Here goes... starting with  No. 25

25. The Boutis

In the little apartment we lived in, in Provence, there was a lovely vintage boutis stored in one of the armoires.   It was absolutely gorgeous.  When I ran my hands over it, it felt almost sculptural. 

Boutis is a French art form that combines embroidery & quilting. Thousands of hours go into making ONE piece.

The effect it creates when seen against the light is magnificent! 

I love this marriage boutis (pictured above) made by the Rideau de Paris, with it's palmetto leaves & scalloped edges.  It would make an absolutely gorgeous wedding gift, don't you think? One for keeps.

Is there something that's WOW-ed you? Something you fell in love with at first sight? 

Photo taken from "A Home in Provence", photography by Christian Sarramon