There we sat, in the pleasant afternoon summer sun, under the sign that read “Baladobus.” Supposedly, it would take us to the Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay. It was 45 minutes past two, the hour at which this supposed bus was to arrive. One of our travel companions had stretched himself out on one of […]

The townhouse is rather unassuming — if you’re not looking for it, you’ll walk right past it. There is no imposing gate to attract (or deter) the curious; no garden to meander through to reach the entrance. Just an iron-black door, surprisingly light as you lean on it, which dumps you right into the entryway […]

When I was in university, I was obliged to read Chateaubriand. While it would be very nice to wax about all the lovely things I learned and how marvellous he is, the truth is that I remember very little. Even that is a generous statement. I remember nothing. My level of French at the time […]

Humid sunshine and ominous clouds greeted us as we tumbled off the train in front of the minuscule train station. We had arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, a small village where the public transport comes only once an hour. We were already slightly sticky, and the sun high in the sky, as we followed the only road, […]

In a way, you might say I ditched San Francisco for…San Francisco. At least, that’s what it felt like on this humid, heavy Tuesday as I trudged up the impossibly long staircase. Paris has hills, too, it seems. Popping up on the other side, I tumbled into a tranquil square, with trees spilling everywhere and […]

The sun beat down, mid-morning, on the pavement. Barely 11am, already humid, unbearably stuffy. La canicule.  Trees of steel and glass rose up from the ground, punctuating the skyline in a competition for brilliance. It feels…soul-less. The industrial design sucks away all that might be filled with wonder, leaving sleek monotony behind. Bienvenue à La Défense! […]

If you love France or are planning a trip, download one of my FREE travel guides! The forecast promised thunderstorms. It was the middle of June, and clouds were on the horizon. Ironically, we had postponed our day trip to Monet’s garden in Giverny because it was set to rain on our original date. Clouds […]

Lately I’ve been obsessed with colour. It’s been interesting, because I’ve always done colour as a part of my wardrobe, but when it comes to photographs, I’ve been leaning towards more muted colours. Chalk it up to influence from the photographers who inspire me, or a natural preference when I’m editing, but my style’s been […]

I’ll admit: sculpture is beyond me. I’m much more of a paintings gal (Renoir is my jam, but I have a soft spot for Impressionism in general). But, I’ve heard so much about Rodin Museum in Paris (and it’s so close to me in the 7th Arrondissement) that I had to pop over, if only […]

If you know me, you know I melt for antiques. And if you tack on the word “camera” to “antiques,” well, I’ll be there. Paris is known for having several renowned flea markets, and Les Puces de Saint-Ouen is reputed to be the largest in the world. Not sure if it’s true, but what is […]