French Chic, French Chicks

We absolutely LOVED observing the French women's innate style on the streets of Paris. Street fashion is as fascinating as that displayed in the exclusive shop windows of the boulevards. The way these chic young women just "throw" something together and it SO works! By the way, yes, this gorgeous young woman COULD actually walk in these shoes, we waited to see!

Vive Le France!

I am very excited, I start my one-on-one hourly French lessons this Sunday at Cafe Bouquiniste, in preparation for our upcoming visit to Paree! I'm definitely still a beginner despite 5 years of one-on-one lessons in London when we lived there, and having our gorgeous little house in the Languedoc-Rousillon village of Villerouge-Termenes for 7 years! Not to mention all of those French films I record on SBS ha! Unless you were born in France or a French-speaking region of the world, maybe you're always a beginner? Even then, as with any language, it must still be difficult to pick up on those little nuances, sayings, figures of speech, and connotations that only a local would know, but that's what makes it so much fun over there!

I received the most beautiful pics via email today from my Irish friend Ian, who was our neighbour in Villerouge-Termenes - he truly is a Masterchef (he still makes the BEST cassoulet I have ever tasted!!) and superb host, and the house he is renovating in the village is looking superb (he got married there last year too). Anyway this is a photograph of a corner of one of the rooms in his beautiful house, isn't it just SO French, the simplicity made me just take a deep breath and remember all of those absolutely wonderful memories we shared there in that beautiful little village in France... aaaaaaaaah! Ian is an amazing talented muralist and extremely talented trompe l'oieil artist in London and has worked for the likes of Saudi Princes, Hollywood actors, you name it - you HAVE to check out his incredible work on his website www.ianharper.com (pics courtest of Ian Harper). Bonjour Villerouge-Termenes, I will be back one day!

Funny Face

Besides being one of my favourite Audrey Hepburn films, I actually saw the funniest face this morning on my morning walk… a Boston Terrier! How cute are they… it reminded me of the funny dogs we met on our travels through Brittany over a year ago, here are a few funny French faces, finishing with two of my favourite Aussie dogs, Rocky (otherwise known as Rock Star!) and artist Banx’s creation: Lady McBark, isn’t she a right regal hound!

Cherished moments, Friendship, and Ice-cream

Isn’t it wonderful, I never got to see the film last night! J My girlfriend and I met up beforehand for a glass of wine and tapas at the lovely breezy spot where all the cruise ships dock, and we got onto our very favourite topic “Paris” and travels, and time slipped away and the film was completely forgotten. How I cherish such moments, nothing quite beats girlie chats after a busy working day. The film can wait! We have known each other since kindergarten days, so there’s always a lot to ‘workshop’! Naturally we couldn’t beat finishing off the night by taking home some delicious chocolate and crème brulee gelati! We are both lucky enough to be visiting Paris later in the year, so I was reminded of my absolutely favourite ice cream shop on Ile St Louis, the little island in the centre of Paris behind Notre Dame. The queues for their delish flavours, even in the depth of winter, extend far down the little cobbled street, but the dark chocolate (chocolat noir) and mango (mangue) flavours are my favourites. To sit and slurp one of these while 17^th century gargoyles look down menacingly from ancient buildings above, artistic performers busk on the bridge opposite, and chic Parisians rush past on their way to some fabulous long luncheon appointment, is to truly feel romantically ‘frozen’ in an era gone by. As one of my favourite authors and artists ‘Sark’ philosophises: Life is all about seeking out and exploring pleasure, lightly scooping it up and ultimately, getting lost in it.. “Let’s magnify our pleasures together, no matter what else is happening in our lives” (from her book Eat Mangoes Naked by Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy) see www.planetsark.com for more of her amazing inspirational and uplifting musings and drawings.

Some time in the distant future I will visit the Ile Saint Louis ice cream café every week for a year (when I run away to France) J I do so already in my daydreams!

If, like me, you plan to run away to France at some stage in your life too, be sure to read the entertaining article published on the www.holidaygoddess.com website written by Jane de Teliga. Many of my favourite books by Aussie authors living in the City of Lights cover the subject too: like A Town Like Paris by Bryce Corbett; The Accidental Renovator by Barbara Biggs and the stunningly beautiful At My French Table by chef extraordinaire Jane Webster.

Tell me what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? (Mary Oliver, poet, 1935 - )