Tart!

A new bakery opened not far from here recently. We were excited, and always  

try to support local small businesses, especially new ones.

We stopped by to check it out over the weekend, after reading accolades on

 our local neighborhood online news site. It's a bright place, clean and neat.

 The young girl serving was very polite, smiling and friendly.

Glass display cases contained lots of pastries, one in particular was specifically

 for their version of the croissant. The croissants I know, enjoy and eat, are

 French style of course. Buttery, light and flaky and don't require any sweet addition.

These were actually chewy donuts, shaped into a croissant and filled with. . . well, 

fillings of all descriptions!  We bought a couple. Sweet, sweet, icky sweet! 

I realize many will enjoy them but they were not for me.

Sadly, the only other person seated at a table in the bakery, laptop open, talking

 business loudly on her mobile phone, was apparently the owner! She didn't 

acknowledge us, or even smile, but I'm sure knew from our looking around and

 discussing which baked goods to consider buying, that we were first time

 customers to her new shop.

I doubt we will ever return to the bakery. Sadly it just didn't have any really good

 vibes, from the owner or the display cases!

My recent homemade tart. Delicious, not overly sweet. . . . . . and served with a smile!

Downtown, where all the lights are bright. . . . . . .

. . . . . . and enjoying a new bakery was fun!

Clear and cool Friday evening , l'heure bleu just kicking in, and we headed 

downtown for a quick 'staycation'. 

We had to use up an about to expire free Hilton Honors voucher award and, with 

no time to head out of town, we decided to stay in town and enjoy the lovely

evening with the locals. 

Our later evening included a delicious dinner at a popular restaurant, followed 

by an outdoor nightcap on the terrace of an Irish pub close by the hotel. . . . . . . . . 

but prior to that we discovered this brand new Patisserie which opened last week.

Lucette and Grace, daughters of the owner/chef, have their names up in lights in the city! 

Their daddy named his very attractive French patisserie after them.

The offerings here are fantastic, plenty for the sweet tooth and some tasty-sounding 

breakfast savories when you stop by in the morning. We managed to slip in a late 

teatime treat - and shared this fabulous marzipan and raisin apple tart with excellent coffee.

Bob got comfy in the window. The ambience is definitely bright and welcoming, 

exposed brick walls, bright yellow Tolix-style French chairs/stools, a large 

wood communal table if you bring in your own group of friends, or just to sit at

 and meet new friends. The staff was very pleasant and helpful.

While I was enjoying my tart, I just couldn't help thinking how wonderful this 

place would have been years back. . . . . .  .when both of us worked literally a 

stone's throw away, my office on the left, Bob's around the corner to the right.

Raleigh was so different then, a French bakery was unheard of here. . . . . and 

other than a few good typically southern breakfast biscuit places, suddenly I found 

myself, an Englishwoman no less, in a part of the country where tea seemed only 

available in a huge glass, and it was iced - which of course was definitely not my 

way to enjoy a teatime cuppa!

If you're in our area be sure to stop and enjoy a sweet treat here at LucetteGrace.