Tish Jett and I have been blogging pals for some years now… we haven’t met in person but that doesn’t change the way I feel… that she is a great friend and a woman with whom I share many interests. France, beauty and fashion to name the three most obvious ones. Tish writes the very … Continued
Lately I have had the urge to do a little more French reading Not the kind of French reading that makes me break into a panic of conjugation and interpretation… but the easy kind of French reading. Stories about Paris, about Provence… easy memoirs… recounts of changed lives… romantic meanderings… that kind of thing… I … Continued
I remember when I was very young how books were oftentimes like best friends… They were my constant companions… sometimes they were more like crushes… I couldn’t leave them alone…and even to this day I am never without a book… by the bed or in my bag… Long tales, short stories… I enjoy them all… … Continued
Christmas Stockings are the most fun of all… Ours are always heavy with books… Santa… Are you reading? FICTION FABULOUS… A little romance, a dash of suspense, a shiver or two and a dose of the historical Gone Girl… The Witness… Sweet Tooth… Bring Up The bodies ***** KITCHEN CREATIVE… a pinch of savoury and a tablespoon of sweet Bouchon … Continued
This last week I have thought a lot about food… and as I scent my second batch of Tomatoes Provencal wafting from the kitchen… I am still reflecting on menus, cooking, entertaining and all those bits that come to mind when a houseful of guests are about to arrive. As I mentioned earlier… I entertain … Continued
After a whirl wind trip to London I am back in Provence… and to me, it finally feels like the official start to summer… let the cicadas chirp. lavender fragrance scent the air and golden sunflowers brighten my day… I am ready to bask in the beauty of a Provencal summer… We drove… it’s a … Continued
Not a lot other than that they are both superb visual treats, in their own ways. I love the weekends… don’t you? A chance to catch up on the week that was I edit my photos… play with them, file them… decide whether or not to delete them… (a lot of that happens). One thing … Continued
I am married to one of those men who is a star when it comes to surprises. I am not talking big surprises… but little ones when you least expect it. What I am saying is that he knows me well… so well… and he is often on the look out for a small gift … Continued
The French seem to be the experts when it comes to a dash of red… especially in the south. I came across this vignette as I browsed the morning market in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon… floral curtains, an enamel coffee pot, checked tea towels… the sweetest little jewellery drawers covered in toile… and red embroidered napkins. They were … Continued
Do you follow Little Brown Pen? Nichole takes the most evocative photographs of Paris for her blog… Now after many years of photographing our favourite city her new book, Paris in Colour has been launched… “Take a journey through the world’s most romantic city, travelling from color to magnificent color. At once a work of … Continued
I felt like some French drama this weekend… of the imaginary kind… not the real kind… there is always enough French drama of the real kind here… that is the joy of living in Provence. I’m talking the literary, historical, romance kind of French drama that transports and amuses. My Kindle was looking a little … Continued
I am still like a child when a parcel arrives at the door… I don’t know what it is about brown paper and cardboard packages but they excite me. I even skip a beat with an Amazon box… call me silly, but I do… perhaps it’s the the thought of the unexpected or the pleasure … Continued
I have a feeling that you know how much I am smitten with books and reading. It got me thinking about why some are always close to the written word and why others aren’t so inclined. I can’t leave home without a book or my Kindle in the handbag, I can’t catch a flight or … Continued
image – vicki archer ‘Worth walking for’ is the dedication that John Baxter writes to open his narrative and guide to walking in Paris. That was enough to have me turning pages all weekend… The Most Beautiful Walk in the World: A Pedestrian in Paris is Baxter’s memoir to the City of Light, it’s his personal … Continued
I wasn’t meaning to chat today but I wanted to mention Amy Thomas and her new book, Paris My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light and Dark Chocolate…I just finished reading her wonderful memoir … (how delicious was my lazy Saturday night curled up in bed reading…) “From the New York cupcake wars … Continued
