Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Besides film, one of my great loves is food and in particular French food. (Not that I don’t love the classics, turkey, dressing, pumpkin pie & the rest.) For the feasting holiday, I’m sharing these gorgeous pictures from my treasured friend of many years and beyond-gracious hostess, Veronique Tourneux. Veronique lives in Paris – she shot these on a recent trip to Toulouse.

If, after stuffing, you are inclined to read some movie reviews, I refer you to my Thanksgiving special from last year where I gave thanks for the film noir talents of Fritz Lang, Joan Bennett, Edward G. Robinson and Dan Duryea in “The Woman in the Window” and “Scarlet Street.”

For the rest of the weekend, I am following the lead of Bennett’s character in “Scarlet Street” a.k.a. Lazy Legs and letting the dishes pile up in the sink while I lounge around eating bonbons.

Some of the local specialties, not yet all tested.

Foie gras is just one of the goodies at the covered market.

Terrific those cèpes, especially with a magret de canard and a Cahors red wine.

The open-air market and its seasonal products.

More pictures of Paris …

In honor of Bastille Day, I thought I’d share a few more photos of my recent trip to France. After all, without the French critics writing after World War II, it’s highly doubtful that film noir would be so recognized and celebrated today.

Inside the Galeries Lafayette department store

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Stained glass at Galeries Lafayette

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Of course there's a whole section for seduction fashion.

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A detail of an embellished fountain near the Louvre.

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An exquisite little flower shop

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Outside the Gare St.-Lazare

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It's always busy at Ladurée tea room.

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The reason Ladurée is always busy.

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Boxed macarons at the Ladurée shop

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The work of designer Madame Grès (1903–1993) was on display at the Musée Bourdelle.

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Madame Grès saw her work as sculptural so it was a natural complement to the collection at the Musée Bourdelle.

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More elegant creations from Madame Grès

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The Cinémathèque Française

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The Film Noir Foundation programmed a noir series at the CF. My friend and I stopped by for "Woman on the Run" from 1950 directed by Norman Foster and starring Ann Sheridan.

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A cinema on the canal in the 19th arrondisement

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There are two movie theaters, one on either side of the canal. A free ferry takes you back and forth.

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A memento mori, in metal

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Pin-ups never get old, right?

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No need to carry a boring black brolley when you can choose a such a pretty one at Alexandra Sojer, 218, bd Saint Germain.

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A stall at the Marché aux Puces flea market

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Another view of the flea market

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Pont Alexandre III is the most decorated bridge in Paris.

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A new Abercrombie & Fitch store on the Champs-Élysées. Believe it or not, there was a line to get in.

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Inside the Guerlain store on the Champs-Élysées

All images are copyright of Pica Pix LA