Le Train Bleu is the reason I want to visit the Gare de Lyon in Paris. This restaurant, upstairs in the train station, was built around the same time as the Grand Palais, Le Petit Palais and the Alexandre III bridge to celebrate the Universal Exhibition in 1900. It is totally over the top and
Who isn’t thinking of Paris? Paris has been on my mind particularly in the last few days because one of my daughters is moving there for a few months to concentrate on her language studies. I know that she is the one who is moving…and that I must remind myself that it is not me
This is going to be my new mantra…she says with fingers crossed.A new year and particularly a new decade automatically means a little quiet time reflecting on the battle of the bulge. I generally shy away from over loaded promises and impossible goals because past experience would suggest that I am only setting myself up
I have come to realise that the rooms that grab my attention have a similarity about them. Decoratively they may not be of the same style or the same period yet the key elements will have something in common. These certain features that I gravitate towards are what I consider to be the foundations
How many times have I asked myself that question? I have just made the calculation and I figure it must be just under 2000 times. If I have been wearing jeans since my teenage years and I am still wearing them and I am still asking this question about once a week then that
The fact that my French doctor is charming does not bias me in any way; I must disclose this before I start. I find him cute I will admit but I have never made an emergency visit without a reason and I have certainly never demanded a house call without just cause. I promise. The
I often think that the guest bedroom is the most important room in the home because more often than not it is occupied by nearest and dearest.
It is a room that does not have to be entirely practical but should be supremely comfortable. It is a room that must be friendly but private and above all it should be a room that expresses the host’s taste and style.
I believe that staying in a person’s home is the ultimate compliment and it is for that reason the guest room should be as welcoming as possible.
Other than reaching your destination safely I am not sure what the joys of airline travel are anymore. Flying is a means to an end, a way to get from A to B; it is no longer something to look forward to nor is it something to be prolonged. Flying requires courage and strength of
Can I wear that? Is this too young for me? Would I look like a fashion victim rather than the fashion stylist-a I want to be? How do we women indulge our passion for fashion without crossing the ‘OMG-would-you-look-at-her’ line? How do we stay stylish and modern? ~ ~ ~ These are questions that so
It is ‘raining , pouring the old man is snoring’ kind of weather this week in St Remy. The chill is well and truly in the air and the mist is hanging low and heavy over the house this morning. There are no complaints because I have had many sun filled and scorching days
There is something so particular, individual and enchanting about a Parisian hotel that is unlike anywhere else. Walking through the revolving doors into a large Parisian hotel is like entering another world; the crystal chandeliers, the paneled and gilt embellished walls, the antique furniture and the formally suited employees is the formula for a
Can love vanish without a trace? This is the subject of this haunting film directed by Francois Ozon and released in 2000. ‘Charlotte Rampling gives one of the best performances of her career as Marie, a college lecturer who has been happily married to Jean for over 25 years. Whilst on holiday, they visit
Joel Durand is my favourite chocolatier not only in the village of Saint Remy de Provence but pretty much anywhere. His alphabet confections are a dream come true for chocolate lovers. He says, ‘Chocolate making is my passion. The fascinating complexity, range of flavours and different stages of tasting give me pleasure every day. I
As summer draws to a close I want to say thank you to the humble tomato. La tomate never lets me down; she is simple, non-moody with emotions that run on an even keel and so very easy to understand. She is equally happy to make a splash on her
Can someone please explain to me why the French turn into devil drivers when they get behind the wheel of a car? As fast as the click of a lock and the turn of a key the French undergo a change in character; they become the Alain Prost Formula One speedsters of the motorway. These
You will receive my guide to, The Top Ten French Wardrobe Essentials, as a thank you.
