Pleasures of Summer + Gazpacho Recipe

Chers Amis,  I trust you are experiencing the joys of summer time, however if your routine has you bogged down,  I suggest an out door dinner party with friends.  Gazpacho is so easy to make and serve and is a crowd pleasing one dish cooling meal, especially if you top it off with chilled boiled shrimp or chopped baked chicken. If you want to make your dinner  a "fete extraordinaire" you could consider acquiring the matched pair of c1845 bistro tables we just assembled and the set of 6 "hurricane" globed candle fixtures seen pictured upon them.    In the south of France I have friends who in the summer,eat outside almost every meal. Here in Louisiana, we do need to pick our nights, but oh how special it is to dine elegantly out side!

Here is my easy recipe for Gazpacho which serves about 20:

1-20 oz jar of  Old El Passo salsa (mild),

1-28 oz jar of Ragu pasta sauce,

1- 46 oz can of tomato juice,

1-28 oz can of diced tomatos,

1 can of pitted small black olives,

then olive salad , chopped purple onion, black pepper, Tabasco and olive oil to taste, 1 handful of coarsely chopped fresh garden herbs like basil, tarragon, mint, fennel, oregino and or onion tops.

Chill for at least 4 hours enjoy!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Pleasures of Summer!

Chers Amis,  I trust you are experiencing the joys of summer time, however if your routine has you bogged down,  I suggest an out door dinner party with friends.  Gazpacho is so easy to make and serve and is a crowd pleasing one dish meal especially if you top it off with boiled shrimp or chopped baked chicken. If you want to make your dinner  a "fete extraordinaire" you could consider acquiring the matched pair of c1845 bistro tables we just assembled and the set of 6 "hurricane" globed candle fixture seen pictured upon them. In the south of France I have friends who in the summer,eat outside almost every meal. Here in Louisiana, we do need to pick our nights, but oh how special it is to dine elegantly out side!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Antique Lighting

Bonjour and welcome to l'Ecole du Bon Gout. Today's subject is antique lighting. This subject is apropos as we approach the sun rise of the winter solstice Dec 21, when our fair planet earth, our glorious sun and the potent black hole at the center of our milky way galaxy will be in a straight line. This "alignment " was exact on the winter solstice of 1998 and has only drifted slightly on the solatices of the past 10 years. This alignment, according to the Mayans, will charge us humans with "galactic conscienceiousness" and is the reason for the ending date of 2011 for their calendar, conceived in 500 BC. So what in the world does this have to with antique lighting? (Has professor Smith lost it?) Well, ancient civilizations had elaborate celebrations utilizing fire on the winter solstices and in fact the abundant Christmas lights and New Year’s Eve fire works of our current epoch are but ancestral memories of this ancient tradition.

So celebrate this auspicious alignment: lights up some candles this holiday season and connect to this “antique” lighting tradition.

***********Class Party *************

To Further celebrate this event there will be a "class party"(think open house with refreshments), this Sunday, Dec 7th from 1:00 P.M to 5:00 P.M here at Au Vieux Paris Antiques. Professor Smith will give a short lecture demonstration on French antique lighting devices at 3:00 P.M. All students of l'Ecole du Bon Gout and their guests and invited.

Following find attached photos of a few of the many antique lighting fixtures now in stock.

If you have any questions or special needs call at 337-332-2852 or email robertesmith@centurytel.net , or visit the website at www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Chairs

Bonjour and welcome to l’Ecole du Bon Gout.  Today’s subject of interest is"the chair".  Not only are chairs one of the most basic, personal and useful forms of furniture,unlike many case pieces, they possess distinctive stylistic and sculptural detail that makes them easily identified and relatable usually to one specific period.  Each chair represents of the way of life, the social structure, and the related customs of the period in which it was created.   They are like self contained time capsules of human life and style at a point in history.

French antique chairs often get the “knee jerk” criticisms of being “too small”, “not strong” or “not comfortable”.  Though these conditions are sometimes the case, they are certainly not always so.  I have personally stood on most of the chairs in the shop to hang pictures!!!! Many of the arm chairs here are very large, ergonomically portioned and very comfortable even for long periods of sitting by modern  Americans.  Find following two photos of chairs seen in home settings, all sourced from Au Vieux Paris, followed by a selection of chairs now in stock.

Seat yourself in an antique chair that will be your style companion and tell your own story of Bon Gout for years to come!

Feel free to call me at 337-332-2852 or email at Robertesmith@centurytel.net or visit the Au Vieux Paris website  www.auvieuxparisantiques.com.                                                                                        

We are going to have a HOLIDAY CLASS PARTY!!!!!!!! here at Au Vieux Paris Antiques, 1040 Henri Penne Rd.   Sunday Dec. 7th , 1:00pm to 5:00 pm for all students of l'Ecole du Bon Gout and their guests. There will be holiday refreshments, new items in the shop(think special gift giving and why exclude yourself), as well as a lecture at 3:00 pm on lighting devices by Proffesor Smith!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

A Day of Flowering

Bonjour and welcome to l’Ecole du Bon Gout!  The Mayan calendar created about 550 b.c. described the past year, November 19, 2007 to November 12, 2008 as a “dark night of destruction (the end of manufactured lack)”.  The good news is the year starting November 13, 2008 to November 8, 2009 is labeled “a day of flowering” (consciousness surpasses technology).

To celebrate this promising new year, today’s subject is flowers.  Flowers are one of the joys in life that will invariably lift your spirits or that of a friend receiving them.  I have noticed even in the raunchiest bar in a small town in France, there will often be a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers on the bar!

An ordinary bouquet can be transformed into a major celebration of “Bon Gout” by utilizing a wonderful antique container of by presenting the finished bouquet upon a pedestal or wall bracket.

When giving a gift of flowers for a special occasion, consider giving it in a choice container so that the gift will “keep on giving”, being remembered throughout the years long after the original flowers have faded.

Here at Au Vieux Paris Antiques we always have vases, “cache pots” or other more utilitarian containers which can customize and individualize your arrangements.  The photos attached below are of home setting arrangements enhanced by antiques all sourced from Au Vieux Paris and of items which are presently available.

Please fell fee to contact us with any questions or request you may have by telephone (337) 332-2852, e-mail robertesmith@centurytel.net or visit our website at www.auvieuxparisantiques.com.

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

Fireplace

With the welcoming of cool fall days and the anticipation of cold winter nights ahead, today's subject is the fireplace.  Even if you have central heating, the fireplace of any room is that room's focal point and the place that first catches the eye when you walk in.  It also usually sets the tone, scale and style of the room.  The mantle itself is usually the most important element; however, this is usually supported visually and functionally by andirons, a cast iron fire back, fire tools, wood box, etc.  The mantle itself can be a veritable "altar" of Bon Gout!  Candlesticks, books, vases of flowers, a clock or small personal items all can find there way into a delightful composition.  Over the mantle is always an important place, usually calling for a large mirror, an oil painting or even a large scale engraving like an Audubon bird print.   

Antique fireplaces can be handsome additions to existing rooms even if they don't burn real wood and have a chimney.  There are gas, as well as ethanol units which look completely real when burning.  Here at Au Vieux Paris, we have in stock three wooden, three limestone, and four marble mantles.  Find following pictures of three of the mantles in stock, followed by photographs of antiques mantles installed in new situations all sourced from Au Vieux Paris.

Warm up your home and life for winter, and throughout the years to come, in the fireplace arena. A Bon Gout opportunity awaits!!!

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com

French antique garden ornaments

Bonjour and welcome to today's visit to l'Ecole du Bon Goût.  Today's subject is French antique garden ornaments.  “A rose called by any other name may smell as sweet,” but it will look a lot better in an antique vase Anduze than it will in an old washing machine tank!  The presentation an culture of plants in attractive containers has been an important subject in France since before the Renaissance.  During the Renaissance (1515 à 1559), many fanciful and elaborate vases were created in terra cotta, cast iron and lead.  Building on this heritage, Louїs XIV’s huge cast silver decorative vases for his prized orange trees etc, certainly reached the ultimate high point in plant containerization and presentation.  Sadly, Louїs had these magnificent vases and the rest of his silver furniture melted down in 1689 and we know them only form a few surveying preparatory sketches as well as illustrations in paintings and tapestries.

Well, your gallery may not call for cast silver vases for your orange trees, but you certainly can enhance almost any gallery, patio or courtyard with punctuating focal points of terra cotta, copper or carved stone.

Find below, a seven picture montage of garden items available at Au Vieux Paris Antiques as well as photographs of installations of antique items used in garden settings, all sourced from Au Vieux Paris Antiques.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or requests you might have by telephone (337) 332-2852, e-mail robertesmith@centurytel.net, or visit our website at www.auvieuxparisantiques.com.

Mes Amities,

Robert E. Smith

Visit the Au Vieux Paris Antiques homepage (click here)
Browse a sampling of the merchandise available (click here)

Mes Amities,
Robert E. Smith   (337) 332-2852
http://www.auvieuxparisantiques.com