If you love France or are planning a trip, download one of my FREE travel guides! Walking through the Jardin des Plantes in Paris (one of my favorite gardens) at the end of spring/beginning of summer is always a true pleasure. I was feeling a little down because I had missed cherry blossom season in Paris, […]

The title explains it all. This band of artists/beauty seekers is PUBLISHING an ANTHOLOGY! We’re calling it “A Cultivated Life,” inspired by none other than Sarah. The whole idea spurted forth one day in Sarah’s kitchen, as sunlight bounced off all the copper and bathed the Pavoni in a warm afternoon dappled glow. Sarah, we […]

Download the Free Provence Travel Guide This post is the last in a series of three covering the things to do in Provence. Welcome to Verdon, France. “Bonjour,” I said. “Vous êtes Franck?” With a reply in the affirmative, I continued, “We’re going to arrive in five minutes or so.” Bert the Bullet was bumping […]

At this point, I will not judge you if you think I’m crazy and that I permanently live in a spring state of mind. Currently, I am meandering, skipping, squealing, and photographing (some of us are skinny-dipping) my way through Provence with my artist troupe — a last hurrah before two of us head back […]

[Written in quarantine but published now. I wonder if my questions have been answered?] It was a bight, strong, mid-morning spring sunshine that had me squinting. He was running into the field, zeal punctuating each footfall, after a butterfly. I didn’t bother crawling under the barbed wire to follow; he was already a hundred meters […]

It was supposed to be a Vanity (Af)fair. A perfect picnic under a lone cherry blossom tree at the height of the season; a colour-coordinated garden party to celebrate the beginning of spring. There are so many “it was supposed to be”s, for me and many others. Mostly, this year I was looking forward to […]

Any churchgoer is probably familiar with the dreaded three-minute meet-and-greet. For what is quite possibly the longest and most awkward three minutes of your life, you must make eye contact and shake hands with as many people as you can before the pastor hops on stage. For some, it’s an excuse to run to the […]

It felt like something was wrong. The streets were the quiet you usually find in August, on a spring Tuesday. Bags were piled on the floor, clothes and monitors and schoolbooks spilling every which way. The trunk of the car was brimming with food amongst the suitcases, no time for tetris. We piled in, one […]

Just a bit before the entire world was quarantined, I met the lovely Eugenia who was on her habitual solo trip to Paris. We “met” in a photography group and decided to swap some headshots while she was here. So glad I said oui, because I’m all about meeting a fellow Francophile. Indeed, her Instagram bio […]

It had rained all last week and was forecasted into the next. After monitoring the météo intently all Sunday afternoon, I finally made the call the meet Monday morning. Better to be out in a little drizzle than risk pouring rain later in the afternoon. Ironically, the rain petered out after lunch, but my little […]