Huge, Flaky and Buttery

1/30/20 National Croissant Day

How did you celebrate National Croissant Day? Last year I had to resort to Starbucks for my pastry fix because I didn’t plan the day well. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again. This time, Nilda and I met at Honore Bakery, where the croissants are available both savory and sweet. I opted for a classic croissant with raspberry jam.

You know me – I rarely get around to sketching my food because I’m more likely to devour it immediately. Obviously, on this special day, I restrained myself long enough to sketch it. Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph it before I ripped it apart. 

The last time I was at Honore, the chocolate cake I sketched was decorated with a marzipan bee. I didn’t understand the significance of the bee until I picked up Honore’s card and saw that the bee is part of the bakery’s logo.

Mmmm.... yes, it was as good as it looks.

National Croissant Day, Pandemic Style

1/30/21 An urban sketch and a pastry for a national observance

In front of the croissant is a macaroon, which Honore Bakery also offers. Gluten-free Greg is very happy.

The first year that I observed National Croissant Day, I didn’t find out about it until it was too late to organize anything, so I celebrated by myself at Starbucks. It was not the best croissant, but the people there were fun to sketch.

Last year I was prepared, so Nilda and I celebrated together at Honore Bakery, which makes some of the best croissants I’ve ever had, right in my own neighborhood.

That was all in the Before Times, of course. This year, I was well-prepared and invited more sketchers to join me – sadly, on Zoom. Still, it was a fun afternoon of sketching decadent pastries (not all of which were croissants, but I like to think of myself as tolerant of all religious beliefs).  

My ginormous almond croissant came from Honore again. After picking it up that rainy morning, I sketched the bakery’s backside from the parking lot. (The front would have been more attractive, but sketching it would have required standing in the middle of busy Lake City Way.) If I had planned my sketch as well as I had planned the socializing, I would have brought my large Stillman & Birn Nova sketchbook with me to Honore so that I could have sketched the building in it. But I hadn’t thought that far ahead, so the sketch was in my red Field Notes. Conveniently, it has perforated pages, so I tore it out and glued it right in.

Edited: I just learned that St. Honore is the patron saint of pastry chefs!

Near-Miss on National Croissant Day

 

1/30/25 Macrina Bakery, Maple Leaf neighborhood

I may have ambivalence about Facebook, but if it hadn’t been for my Facebook “Memories” reminding me of my past observances of National Croissant Day on Jan. 30 each year, I might have missed it altogether!

Gratefully spared of that tragedy, I gave myself a break from income tax work to observe the important holiday. Since we have a CPA who does the heavy lifting, the hardest part about tax stuff is just getting started with the tedious prep. As I’ve experienced many times with downsizing tasks, I have a bad habit of procrastinating and procrastinating, and the longer I do, the more onerous it becomes (in my mind). Once I get started, though, it doesn’t take much time because by then I’m motivated to finish quickly. So the chocolate croissant wasn’t just a national observance; it was also a reward for getting started earlier in the tax season than I usually do.

Danish Day

 

1/30/23 Out of croissants? No problem.

To motivate myself to go out for a walk in the sub-freezing temperature on Monday, I dangled two carrots: One was an opportunity for a sketch (my usual walk-taking carrot); the other was an opportunity for a croissant. It was National Croissant Day, which I observe annually. I’ve celebrated with friends – both in person and on Zoom – as well as by myself.

Walking briskly, trying not to get chilled, I thought about that croissant all the way to Green Lake, where I planned to stop at the PCC for a warm-up coffee and my national observance. Apparently others before me knew of the holiday, because they were already sold out! A cream Danish would have to do. I did my best to bite it into the shape of a croissant before sketching it. (I’m sure the French would be aghast to hear me say this, but a Danish tastes nearly the same as a croissant.)

Incidentally, I researched to see if there was a National Danish Day, and there is, but it honors the Danish people, not their pastry. Too bad – I thought I had another one to put on my calendar.

National Croissant Day

1/30/19 Green Lake Starbucks

Yesterday was National Croissant Day, of which Starbucks kindly reminded me. As you know, I rarely sketch my meals, because if I’ve just bought food, I’m too hungry to sketch it. Though I couldn’t resist taking a couple of bites of my warm pastry first, I sketched it quickly to honor this important holiday. (Put it on your calendar now for next year so you won’t miss it!)

After scarfing down my croissant, I filled the rest of the page with a few Starbucks patrons and a barista. The happiest patron was the young man (upper right) who was singing and dancing in his seat to the private music filling his head.

National Cornetto Day

1/30/24 Chocolate cornetto at Macrina Bakery

Last year on National Croissant Day, I was disappointed that the PCC bakery was already out by late morning, and I had to settle for a Danish. This year, it was already mid-afternoon by the time we got to Macrina Bakery after a walk, so I didn’t have high hopes (though I also knew that the many alternatives would certainly not disappoint). I was happily surprised to find that they still had three types of cornettos (Italian for croissant) in stock. I chose a chocolate-filled one. My gluten-free guy got a raspberry Nutella hand pie, which was so good that I almost regretted that it wasn’t National Hand Pie Day!

Since Macrina’s Maple Leaf store opened last summer, my goal has been to try every pastry once before repeating any. My record was unbroken – until this chocolate cornetto, which I first tried on opening day. Boo-hoo – now I have to start over.

Playing and Eating

 

1/30/26 Panama Hotel Cafe, Chinatown/International District

The Panama Hotel Café is one of our favorite places to sketch. Roy, Mary Jean and I hadn’t been able to get together since before Christmas, so it was especially fun to meet up there for a morning of art play. My view (at left) wasn’t especially fun to sketch, but I didn’t care; the Panama’s ambiance is quiet, relaxing and, we all agreed, comfortable as a second home.

More fun was when we began our portrait party. Taking turns as the sitter, we made blind contour drawings and also sketched with our non-dominant hand. Hilarious both ways!

Mary Jean with my right hand

Mary Jean as blind contour

Roy as blind contour

Roy with my right hand

For lunch we tried E-Jae Pak-Mor, a Thai restaurant that had received a favorable review recently in the Seattle Times. With many items on the menu that I don’t see on typical Thai menus, it was clear why the Times called it one of Seattle’s best restaurants. I hastily sketched my Pakmor salad bowl before devouring it.

E-Jae Pak Mor (journal page incorrectly dated)

Full of that delicious lunch, I still had one thing that had been weighing heavily on my mind all day: Jan. 30 was National Croissant Day! Where would I get a croissant in Chinatown/International District? Googling “croissants near me” yielded literally nothing within walking distance, but MJ recalled seeing croissants at Fuji Bakery. I’d only ever had their amazing Crunchy Creamy Malasada doughnut, which had blinded me to all other pastries at the time, but sure enough, Fuji offered many types of croissants, too. It was just as well that they have only a takeout counter and no seating area, as I was too full for one just then – but take one out I did.

Later at home, I enjoyed my pain au chocolat, relieved not to miss observing one of my favorite holidays of the year.

Eating and drawing with good friends – does it get any better?