I'm Back

Sorry I have been away for so long. I am not even sure anyone is still reading. I have been working on two charity fundraisers, which have taken up a lot of my time. They are over now so, hopefully, I can get back to blogging regularly again. I had a wonderful time in Paris. The picture is of the courtyard in my apartment building. You can see pictures of the inside of the apartment here. I will never stay in a hotel again. An apartment is the best way to experience Paris. I loved shopping for food in the markets. The apartment was right off the Place Maubert. There was a market twice every week with the most delicious fruits and vegetables, jams, mustards, chocolates, and other lovely things like provencal fabrics and scarves. There were also lots of other shops: three bakeries, a cheese shop, a wine shop, a meat market .

I didn’t get to do everything I wanted to do. When you travel with other people you have to make some compromises. I did, however, do many things I have never done before. I did not take a taxi anywhere. We purchased Navigo passes when we landed and relied on public transportation alone. I have never taken the train to or from the airport. Our metro station was on the CDG line so we didn’t have to change trains, that made things much easier. Also, I used only one carry on bag and a purse so I wasn’t burdened with huge pieces of luggage. You move faster that way. We had a washer/dryer in the apartment which meant we could take fewer clothes.

I dined in restaurants I never would have entered and ate food I never would have tried had I been alone. My best friend loves to eat at good restaurants so she knew all the best places to try. We ate really late, sometimes not ordering dinner until 10:00 p.m. Twice we were still eating when the restaurant closed. I usually eat dinner at 6:00 p.m. so this was a very different experience.

We hopped on a bus a couple of times and just rode it to the end of the line. We then rode the metro home. I saw neighborhoods I wouldn’t have ventured into because there aren’t really any tourist attractions. I loved looking out the window at the beautiful buildings and just watching everyone on their way home from work. I walked up the stairs in Montmartre, got on a train without really knowing where it was going and got lost several times.

I didn’t want to come home and I have to admit that I have been slightly depressed since returning. I wish I could live there but at this time it just isn’t possible. For the time being I will have to settle for periodic vacations.

I am getting tired so I am going to stop writing for now. I will hopefully have more posts and pictures up in the next two days.

Quick Note

Sorry I haven't been posting. Life is so busy, I have too much going on. Good news though, I am leaving in about three hours for Paris. I am so excited. I will catch up with all of your blogs when I return.

Continuing Education

Well, I turned in my application to go back to school and study French. I am not sure how it will be taking classes with a bunch of teenagers but I think a class structure is what I need. I probably won't complete the degree but if I come out of this with semi-fluency in French it will be worth it.

Wish me luck!!!

I Love Etsy

Handmade jewelry, vintage treasures, rare books, original art and lovely evening bags all in one place.

Etsy Buy Handmade celiajuno

Simple Inspiration: Renee Zellweger

This is the second post in my Simple Inspiration series. I adore Renee. I love her classic style, it is very appealing. I have a lot of pictures of Renee saved on my computer, she is to me a true style icon. Many other people agree too as she has recently been named to Vanity Fair's Best Dressed Hall of Fame. She is one of my inspirations for many reasons. Renee's skin coloring and hair color are almost identical to mine. When she wears things I can get an idea of how they might work with my coloring. She wears a lot of jeans and black tops. She also loves Hermes and has a magnificent collection of Kelly bags, including two vintage crocodile Kellys. She wears these bags with everything from dresses to jeans and looks wonderful. She even has a canvas strap for her black croc Kelly allowing her to wear it messenger style, too cool. (I think I need a canvas strap for my Kelly.)

Renee wears her clothes, they don't wear her. Like all true icons, she knows what looks good on her and sticks to those styles.

Brooches

I love brooches and pins. I always have. When I was six I went to a yard sale with my mother and bought my first pin. It was a little black cat playing a gold saxophone, I paid ten cents. I loved that pin and wore it often. When I lost it I was very upset. I still miss it.

I think brooches are very versatile pieces of jewelry. They can really dress up a plain black cardigan and add a touch of sparkle to a simple white blouse. I sometimes use them to turn my opera length pearls into a beautiful choker necklace. The picture on the left is most of my collection and they are all very special to me. All of them belonged to my grandmother except for the pin on the far right. That one was a gift from my sister. She bought it to place on my maid of honor bouquet at her wedding.

Do you ever wear brooches?

Simple Inspiration

I thought I would introduce a new post series on my blog. I am going to call it Simple Inspiration. The idea is that I will write short posts on people who have had an impact on my style choices. My first post is about my grandmother Edna.

My grandmother and I were very close. She was more than my grandmother, she was my friend. Though she was not French, I think she had a lot of French attitudes regarding dress and appearance. Skin care was important to her and she always told me how important it was to take care of mine. She never left the house without perfectly coiffed hair, perfume, powder and lipstick. She never looked sloppy and was always dressed impeccably, even if she was only going to the grocery store. She wore a lot of scarves and brooches with her suits and cardigans. I inherited many of her vintage brooches and wear them often on my cardigan sweaters.

I know my grandmother liked to travel but she never had an opportunity to go to Europe. I wish she and I could have taken a trip to Paris, I think she would have loved it and she would have fit in perfectly.

I have added some pictures to the side of my blog of other women who have influenced my style and I will write about them later.

Who has influenced your style?

Inspiration

I have been keeping an inspiration notebook for several years now. I don't have just one notebook anymore, I have four. That's too many. If I want to move on to a more simple life, I need to declutter my inspiration. As I was flipping through the books I began to wonder why I had saved some of them. There were a lot of couture evening gowns, fancy jewelry ads, suits, etc. Things that never would be me and that I would never wear. There were also a lot of articles about opulent apartments that were jammed full of expensive art, accessories and furniture. Maybe at one time I wanted that kind of life but I know I don't anymore so I tossed them. I did find a few things that were still very relevant to my life now.

First this article from Nov. 2007 US Vogue. I love the uniform she has chosen. Jeans with navy jackets and ballet flats. I know she has on heels in the photo but you can see all the flats in the background. While I choose twin sets instead of jackets and a Kelly instead of a Birkin her style is pretty similar to mine. I am not going to kid myself and think that she doesn't have some dresses and heels for special occasions, but I think this is probably an accurate representation of her daily wardrobe and it is my inspiration in rebuilding mine.



Next is this photo from a Marie Claire article about going European. I like the feel of this photo. I could do without the heavy eye makeup and cigarette but I really love the rest of the photo. I love the simplicity of her outfit. It is elegant but a little edgy and I kind of like it.

I really like the bag. I was lacking a small going out type bag and wanted something like this. I was not willing to drop several thousand on a Chanel, however, so I looked around on Ebay and other resale sites and found this bag. It is a Rebecca Minkoff. It is similar in shape and color and has the chain strap. Unlike the Chanel bag, the chain can be removed from this one and you can use it as a clutch. The retail on this one is a fraction of the Chanel.


I also found some French Style articles and I will scan them later and post them on the French Chic group files section.

What's your inspiration?

Rebuilding

I am finished clearing out my closet and dresser. I have disposed of or given away many items of clothing, accessories, jewelry and shoes. I am down to just a few items that I either really love or are really useful to me. It has come to my attention though that I have almost nothing for fall/winter. Almost all of my cold weather clothing was either too big, too tatty or just didn't work for me anymore. After the clean out I own: a pair of black leather ankle boots, a black coat, one black skirt, one brown blazer, three cashmere scarves and a pair of black gloves. It's a start but I have a lot to replace.

It is always exciting buying new clothes and in the past I would have just gone out and bought a bunch of things all at once. I would then experience a lot of regrets later. This time I am going to be smart about it. I have decided not to rush things but rather wait until I find pieces that are a good value and that will be truly functional and fit my life style. Keeping my uniform in mind, and taking advantage of the tax free weekend here in Alabama, I purchased a few pieces already.

1. I ordered a new pair of jeans from Talbots. I like Talbots, they fit me well and provide quality basics.

2. I also ordered these quilted ballet flats from Talbots. They remind me of Chanel flats but without the Chanel price. I am to hard on shoes to spend a lot of money on them.

3. I really wanted a trench coat. I think they are so chic and would work with my style. Ideally I would love to have a Burberry but that would use up too much of my clothing budget. I found this one at Old Navy. It is very reasonably priced and will do until I can save for a better one.

4. I ordered 2 cashmere twin sets (one black and one gray) and a black turtleneck sweater from Lands End.

I need a few more items: black pants, another pair of jeans, a gray skirt, another pair of flats, a hat, a couple of blouses, and some tees for layering but these items can wait until later. I am going to be very French and take it slow.

Have you ever tossed everything and started over?

Clearing Out

I have been cleaning out my closets again. I am trying to reduce my belongings to two suitcases. I was going to take some more things to the thrift store today. Some of the items are still in excellent condition though and,inspired by Kristi, I thought I would see if any of you would like them before I give them away.

First I have three Longchamp Pliage bags. The brown and red are the small folding handbags 8x8x5.5 and the purple is the zippered backpack 10x12x4. The backpack still has the tags on it (it was a gift and I am not a backpack person). The small handbags have been used but are still in good condition. All of these fold for easy packing. Magnums.net has descriptions of both of these bags on the website.

I also have two Missoni items. First is a knit scarf. I have only worn this once, the colors don't really work for me. I also have a poncho. It just doesn't look good on me so it needs a new home. The scarf is approximately 72" long and about 10" wide. I think the poncho is a one size fits all but there is no size on it so I can't really tell. It is a little hard to measure.



If you would like something please post here or send me an e-mail at celiajuno@aol.com. I will wait until Monday. If more than one person wants something I will have a drawing. The items no one wants I will give to the thrift store.

At My French Table

A few weeks ago I discovered a new blog, Une Petite Folie. If you have not yet read her blog please click on the link on the side of my blog and visit. She is a very talented photographer and has the most wonderful pictures of France on her blog. While reading her blog I noticed a book listed on the side of her blog, At My French Table.

This book reminds me so much of Vicki Archer's My French Life. The author, Jane Webster, is also Australian and moved with her family to France to renovate an old home. Ms. Webster's chateau is located in Normandy in the village of Bosgouet. This book is full of luscious pictures of the Normandy region as well as Paris. She tells the story of her family's move to France, adjusting to life in France and renovating the chateau. Ms. Webster really loves cook and is an excellent chef so her book also features a lot of information about shopping for a preparing food in France. There are many recipes which are divided by season (Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall). The photos that illustrate the recipe sections are mouth-watering.

Though I have not had an opportunity to read the entire book, I just received it today, I can already it will be a favorite. It will probably stay right by my bed next to Ms. Archer's book. Like My French Life, At My French Table would make an excellent coffee table book. Unfortunately this book is not available in the States yet, if you want it ( and you know you do) you will need to order it from Amazon UK.

Ms. Webster's home, Chateau Bosgouet, is open for week long stays. Her website lists the available dates along with sample itineraries under the Visiting Chefs section. I hope that she offers similar programs next year because I would love to stay here, Normandy is one of the regions I am considering as my French home.

Just a little update

OK, so here's a France plan update.

1. I added another $200 to the France fund, money received via consignment sales.

2. I have not been doing a good job with my French lessons. I fell after stepping in a pothole while walking Winston and broke my I-pod. (I also sprained my ankle.) I haven't replaced the I-pod yet so I haven't been listening to my lessons. I did watch Amelie and Venus Beauty Institute without subtitles. I have seen them so many times I am starting to understand many of the words. In addition, I bought two easy French readers (found at the Junior League thrift shop for $1.00.)

3. So far I have researched the Provence,Cote d'Azur and Normandy areas for places I might like to live. I have already written a post about one village. I will be posting more in the next couple of weeks.

4. I am going to Atlanta next month so I will see about visiting the consulate when I am there.

I have added another blog list section for blogs written by people who have relocated to France. If you know any other blogs you think I would enjoy or would be helpful to me please let me know. I have also added a list of some of my favorite books, movies that are about France or French related.

I am really starting to believe my dream may come true.

Simple Pleasures: Cloth Napkins

I love sitting down to a perfectly dressed table. It makes eating so much more pleasurable. As a single woman, however, I very rarely set the table for myself. I just grab what I need from the kitchen on my way to the table or (horror of horrors) the sofa. Today, at lunch, I decided to go ahead and set myself a place at my table. It wasn't very fancy: fork, knife and napkin. I didn't use a paper napkin though, I opened up my linen drawer and pulled out a cloth napkin.

There is something very civilized about using a cloth napkin. I am not sure why we don't use these more often. I guess most people (myself included) seem to think it is easier to just use paper and throw them away. I wash sheets, towels and other linens every week so it really doesn't add any more work if I use the cloth napkin. I don't even have to iron them because no one is here but me.

My lunch today was just pasta with parmesan cheese and cherry tomatoes but using the cloth napkins made it feel like I was dining in a fine restaurant.

Do you ever use cloth napkins?

La Mer

No, this is not a post about skin cream. It is partially about the sea. I love the sea, I love the smell, the sound, the feel. I live near the water now. It is one of the reasons I decided to move from Atlanta.To me the sea represents freedom and adventure, two things I would like to have more of in my life.

As I have been researching France I have discovered that all of the towns and villages I am attracted to are near the sea. One of my favorites is Villefranche-sur-mer. This litle town is located about five miles east of Nice on the Cote d'Azur. Despite being a heavily touristed area, most of the large cruise ships anchor here for visits to Nice and Monaco, it feels like a quaint and quiet fishing village. Small sailing boats dot the harbor. It is not as big as Nice or as fancy as Cannes and St. Tropez and that is what appeals to me. I have been lucky enough to have visited twice, both times I wanted to stay forever. In addition, I have recommended the village to a few friends all of whom thanked me for the suggestion.

Villefranche-sur-mer has everything I need to live a nice life: parks, museums, beaches, shops, markets, cafes, trains, and lovely architecture. There is also an excellent French language school, the Institut de Francais, that offers a French language immersion course. In addition, being so close to Nice, it has easy access to high speed rail for travel throughout Europe and an international airport should I need to get home in a hurry.

I found this video on YouTube and thought I would add it so that you can get an idea of the beauty of the village.

Julie & Julia

I love Julia Child, she is one of my heroes. She is proof to me that good things can happen after forty, (she was 50 when her first cookbook was published.) Her memoir, My Life in France, is another of my favorite books and my copy of her cookbook is one of my prized possessions.

There is a new movie coming out next month partially based on My Life in France. Meryl Streep is playing Julia and I can't wait to see it. Here's the trailer.

Wardrobe Please

Today's post on Already Pretty is about Movies and TV with great style. I loved this post, I think movie wardrobes are really important. Bad clothes can ruin a movie for me, shallow I know, but its part of the fun of the movie. My favorite movie wardrobes are:

1. Grace Kelly/ Rear Window

This is not my favorite of the Kelly/Hitchcock movies (To Catch a Thief takes that honor) but I think her wardrobe in this movie is the best of the three. Cool, classic, sophisticated beauty.

2. Audrey Hepburn/ Breakfast at Tiffany's


Holly's clothes are fabulous and classic. I would love to have every piece hanging in my closet. My favorites: the Trench coat and her Wayfarer sunglasses.

3. Catherine Deneuve/ The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

Another fabulous trench coat. I need to get one. And I need a fabulous blue scarf to go with it. I love the pastel colors of her wardrobe in this film. And she has the perfect flat black shoes. Catherine is perfection.

4. Gwyneth Paltrow/ A Perfect Murder

This was a terrible movie but her clothes are worth at least one viewing. Clean lines, dark colors, pearls, hermes scarves and a Kelly. Hmm, could be my wardrobe. I love her hair in this movie too, I wish I could wear mine that short.

5. Julia Ormond/ Sabrina
Again, terrible remake but her fabulous wardrobe and the Paris scenes keep me watching.

6. Marion Cotillard/ A Good Year

A little more casual but lovely just the same. That purple dress she wears is beautiful. My favorite outfit though is the knit top and skirt she wears when she finds Max in the pool. I wish I looked that good.

What are your favorites?

My French Life

I have a lot of books by women who have changed their lives and moved to France. There are a ton available, it seems moving to France is a dream shared by many. Of all of these books my favorite is My French Life by Vicki Archer.

My sister and I were shopping in Anthropologie when she pointed the book out to me. (I am always surprised at the good books Anthropologie carries. I love that store, I wish we had one here.) As soon as I picked it up I knew it had to have it. The book is about Ms Archer's family's decision to leave Australia and relocate to London and France after buying some abandoned land with a farmhouse in Saint-Remy-de-Provence. In the book she describes refurbishing the home (which is absolutely gorgeous) and revitalizing the property. She also writes about her efforts to learn the French language. In addition, there are chapters about French Women, Weekends, Style and Food. Ms Archer is a gifted writer and her descriptions of France and French life, language and customs are beautiful. The book is also full of really beautiful photos of France.

This is a great book that is worthy of display on a coffee table but mine stays by my bed. I look through it almost every night before I go to sleep. While my situation is very different from hers, it still serves as inspiration and a guide for my eventual move to France.

One day I will have my own French life, until then I can live vicariously through Ms. Archer’s life.

Vanity for Humanity

A few days ago Stephanie over at Bonjour Madame posted this. I am fascinated by this book that Claudia at The Paris Apartment is putting together. I just sent her a photo of my vanity and I thought I would share it with you.

I inherited this piece when my grandmother passed away. I have been fascinated by the vanity since I was a child and would sit at it and play dress up when I was a little girl. It was part of a set of furniture that was given to my grandparents as a wedding present. It is 67 years old and is starting to show its age. I can't seem to make myself refinish it though because all the little marks and scratches are part of the vanity's history. The lace handkerchief is from Venice, I brought it back to my grandmother when I visited the city. When she passed I got it back. There is also a small sample size Shalimar perfume bottle on the silver tray. I think I already mentioned in a previous post that it was my grandmother's signature scent. She will have been gone ten years next week. I have been thinking about her a lot lately so this is a rather timely post.

The photo in the wooden frame is my favorite photo of my grandparents. They are on a boat getting ready to go fishing. The two little paintings I found in antique shops, I like Madonna and Child art and have many pieces. I have my little Eiffel Tower collection too in addition to my makeup and skin care.

Paris Breakfasts

I know many of you already know this blog. For those who don't, Paris Breakfasts is the blog of Carol Gillott, a very talented artist. She creates really wonderful watercolors of Paris. My favorites are her Laduree watercolors.

A few weeks ago I was visiting her blog and noticed that she was painting portraits of pets in front of Laduree. I had to have one so I emailed her this picture of Winston


and she created this lovely piece for me.

I love this watercolor, it is my new favorite piece of art. I can't wait to frame it and hang it up in my room.

The France Plan

I spent some time this weekend with one of my cousins. He is much younger than me (21) and still in college. He was telling me about things he wanted to do when he graduated from college. His enthusiasm was infectious and now I have spent the whole weekend thinking about moving to France. Last night I created a preparation plan. It is not a complete plan, I am sure there will be more steps later, but it will do for now. I already feel like I am a little closer because number one is already finished.

1. Open savings account to save for the move (DONE)
2. Learn to speak French
3. Learn all I can about the various regions of France
4. Once a week, pick a different French city and learn about it: history, population, major industries, cost of living. This will help me narrow down the areas where I may want to live.
5. Visit the French Consulate next time I am in Atlanta and ask about the paperwork and other items I will need in order to move to France

I bought a special notebook when I was at Target today (any excuse for a new notebook) and I will compile all my moving to France information in the notebook. In addition, I sent several items to a consignment shop yesterday. All the money I get from selling these items will go into my France savings account. I think my trip to Paris this fall will be helpful too as I will be staying in an apartment. I get to have a chance to live like a French woman for a week. Maybe next year I will be able to go back and stay in an apartment in a different region of France.

Any ideas of other things I should be doing to research and prepare are welcome.

Silly movies I love, Vol. 1

Most of the time when I sit down to watch a movie I just want to be entertained. I love romantic comedies. Sure they may be unrealistic but I like movies that end happy. I live in the real world, I don't want to pay $10 to see it on the big screen.

Many of my favorite movies are not critically acclaimed. One of these movies is A View From the Top. This movie stars Gwyneth Paltrow as Donna Jensen a young woman who has a really sad life. The movie begins with possibly the worst workday ever. She goes home and sees a television interview with Sally Weston (Candice Bergen) the world's most famous flight attendant. Donna buys her book and decides to become a flight attendant. After working for one of the saddest airlines in the world she gets an opportunity to become a flight attendant for Royalty Air, the same airline for which Sally Weston worked.

Donna gets a chance to meet her idol who takes an instant liking to her and becomes her mentor. Donna has a dream to work as a first class flight attendant on the New York to Paris route, just like Sally did. Of course, this doesn't happen right away but Donna doesn't waste her time. She hangs posters of France in her apartment and teaches herself to speak French. She meets a guy too, Ted Stewart (played by the ever adorable Mark Ruffalo.)



I think one of the reasons I like this film is because she never lets go of her dream, she knows one day she will get what she wants. Gwyneth has said in interviews that she hated having to make this film but I don't know why. It is a cute movie that has a good cast and a couple of wonderful scenes in Paris. If you like Paris and romantic comedies, rent this movie.

Simplicity

Simplicity is the discipline that guides French women in their personal style as well as in arranging their living spaces. They do not aim to have a great number of possessions, but to have the right things that enhance their lives with convenience and pleasure.

Anne Barone

It seems to me that simplicity shouldn't require discipline. The root word, simple, implies that it should be easy. But I can assure you simplicity is anything but easy. In our consumer driven, got to have it now, give me more world we live in it takes discipline and courage to live a simple life. It almost seems somewhat unnatural today to live in a small home with only a few beautiful and useful possessions.

I have recently been introduced to a new blog, La Bella Figura. The blog's author, Kristi, has shared some photos of her closet and kitchen. While her possessions are few, what she does own is very beautiful and useful. I have been very inspired by these posts.

I have come a long way. I only have about 25% of the things I owned when I first moved to Mobile from Atlanta three years ago. I pared down a lot before I left Atlanta and recently I have gone through and pared down some more but I still feel cluttered. There are some things I own that don't work for me and there are also some things I don't own that would be useful to me. Hopefully soon I will get to that point where I have the right amount of right things that make my life beautiful and functional.

Dreams

You got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true?

Rodgers and Hammerstein

I have been looking at real estate websites a lot lately. Not here in Alabama but in France. I really want to live in France. I love it there. I think I mentioned in a previous post that whenever I visit France I always feel like I am coming home. I feel comfortable there.

My parents and my aunt think I am nuts for wanting to live in France. I know there are a lot of obstacles to my moving there. I would need a nest egg, a visa, knowledge of more than basic tourist French. Then, of course, I would need to overcome my shyness so I can meet new people and not be lonely. Winston is good company but he can't talk.

Chances are high I will never move to France but I am not giving up my dream. Like the Happy Talk lyrics say, if you don't have a dream a dream will never come true. Today I took a little step towards my dream. I opened up a savings account with a local credit union to save for a home in France. It is always good to save money, especially in the current economic climate, so opening this account was a good thing. I plan to put a little bit away every month and half of any unexpected money that comes my way. I have also vowed to spend 30 minutes a day with my Pimsler French cds. I uploaded them to my Ipod so I can listen and learn while I walk Winston. Small steps but I need to start somewhere.

What's your dream?

The Frick Collection

The Frick Collection is my other favorite museum in New York. It is located at 1 East 70th Street on the corner of 70th and Fifth Avenue.

The Frick was founded by industrialist Henry Clay Frick. Mr. Frick loved to collect and study art and wanted to encourage others to do the same. His home was designed around his art collection in anticipation of the home one day becoming a museum. In his will he directed that, after the death of his wife, his Fifth Avenue mansion and his entire art collection would become a public gallery to be called The Frick Collection. He also left a $15,000,000 endowment to provide for maintenance of the collection and acquisitions of new art works. With the exception of a few pieces, the art in the permanent collection was acquired by Mr. Frick during his lifetime.

Mr. Frick had amazing taste. The museum has a fantastic collection of European and American Art:18th century French furniture, Flemish tapestries, and European porcelain and sculptures. In addition, The Frick contains a magnificent collection of paintings including works from Vermeer, Whistler, Constable, and Boucher. My favorite paintings are the Progress of Love series by Fragonard (which are housed in the Fragonard room pictured on the left.) I really love Fragonard’s sugary hedonistic style and would say that this room is not to be missed.

During the year the Frick hosts a series of concerts in the mansion’s music room. The museum also sponsors lectures, trips and a few benefit events every year. In 1920, Helen Clay Frick, Henry’s daughter, established a magnificent art library in the building next door. The art library has become one of the best resources for the research and study of Western Art.

Like the Cloisters, the Frick is a must see on any trip to New York. If you can't make it to New York, click on the link on the side of my blog and you will be able to take a virtual tour of some of the museum's collection.

The Cloisters

The picture at the top of my blog was taken in the Cuxa Cloister at the Cloisters Museum in New York. The Cloisters is one of my favorite museums. It is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is home to the Met's collection of European Medieval Art.

The museum is located in Fort Tryon Park at the northern tip of Manhattan. The land on which the museum was built was donated to the Met by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He also purchased and donated several acres of riverfront property in New Jersey so that the view from the museum would not be compromised. Finally, he donated many pieces of the museum's collection.

The museum is named the Cloisters because it incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters. It has an amazing collection of medieval manuscripts and illuminated books. In addition, the museum houses The Nine Heroes Tapestries and The Unicorn Tapestries.

The Cloisters is one of the most peaceful places I have ever visited. When you are there, it is hard to believe that you are in New York City. It is a wonderful place to think, write, relax or meditate. Strolling through the gardens and public rooms it is as if you have been transported to a quiet village in France. If you are in New York, I highly recommend a visit.

Buried Treasure

"One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries."
—A.A. Milne

I am sorry I have been MIA. It seems that my life is anything but simple these days. I don't see it calming down until July so forgive me if I only post once a week. I think what I miss most is reading all of your blogs. I am hoping to catch up on that this weekend.

I love the above quote. Though I really want to be, I am anything but orderly. As I have been cleaning out my closets and home, trying to get ready for guests to visit, I have discovered a few useful things. It seems that my closet is a bit like a thrift store, the storage containers are full of a lot of junk but if you dig deep enough you can find a treasure: a great pair of silver earrings from Tiffany's I thought I had lost, a cute pair of denim capri pants which are perfect for summer and a pair of slides that have sneaker like bottoms that have been great for walking Winston in the summer heat. It has been kind of nice finding these things. Normally, when I am feeling stressed (like I have been lately) I will go out and shop. This time though, instead of heading to the mall, all I had to do was shop my closet.

Have you ever shopped your closet?

Happy Birthday

Hey, look at this, two posts in one day. I just want to wish my sister a very happy birthday. She has her own blog, My Happily Ever After, which is linked on the side of my blog. (There are really cute pictures of my nephew on there.)

My sister is one of the most beautiful and talented people I know and she inspires me everyday. She is a very talented writer and is now taking photography and sewing classes. Most importantly, she is one of the best mothers I have ever known. My little nephew is so lucky.

So Traci, I just want you to know how much I love you and how lucky I am to be your sister. Happy Birthday.

Perspective

Wow, it has been a whole week since I posted. Too much going on right now. As you know, I posted a couple of weeks ago about wanting to get rid of many of the things that I felt were cluttering up my life. Cleaning out my closets and deciding what to get rid of is hard, I didn't realize how attached I had become to some of my possessions. Letting go has been very difficult. Today, someone sent this to me via e-mail. After reading it I realized how blessed I am and it has given me the push necessary to let my excess stuff go. I have decided to print this out as a reminder for when I feel the need to fill my life with stuff I don't need.

* If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of this world.

* If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

* If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

* If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

* If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death ... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

* If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful ... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

* If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder ... you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.

* If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

The Care and Keeping of Me

I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.

Coco Chanel


I went to pilates this morning. As I was paying for my class I began to wonder how much time and money I spend on maintenance for me. I take pilates twice weekly, manicures every two weeks, pedicures once a month, highlights and haircut every eight weeks, eyebrow wax every three months, teeth cleaning and facials twice per year. Then, of course, I have a skin care routine and other personal care for home.

I realize that appearance shouldn't be so important to me, but it is, I can't deny it. I am a single woman who hopes to one day get married, I still want to look pretty. But as a woman who really wants to simplify I wonder: Is this too much? Should I give something up? Maybe, but I have decided not to for now. It is not stretching my budget so I don't have to worry about that. These luxuries make me feel good, they lift my spirits and, in the case of pilates and dental cleanings, help to keep me healthy.

Am I over the top? Do you have a maintenance program for you?

Puppy Love

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days but I have been a little busy. Meet Winston. He is taking up a lot of my time but hopefully soon I will be able to post again regularly.

Experiment

I have too much stuff. I have been cleaning out my closets, dressers, pantry, and other storage places and am appalled at the amount of things I have. I don't use most of it, a lot of it I didn't even know I had. I am embarrassed to admit this but I even had three copies of the same book (Eat, Pray, Love) and I haven't read any of them.

I have read on other simplicity blogs about people who have a one in one out rule. Meaning if they bring in something new something has to leave. I am adopting this policy today. I am going to keep only the amount of books that will fit on my bookshelf, if there is no room it has to go. Then, if I want a new book I have to get rid of one. I am limiting myself to 15 pairs of shoes and 10 handbags. If I want a new pair of shoes or a new bag an old one has to go. I don't really have that many clothes and not much jewelry so I am not going to worry about either of those categories. Also, I am not going to limit my scarves (I need one indulgence). I need to use up my skincare, makeup and bath products before I buy anything new, then I will replace only when empty.

I am canceling all my magazine subscriptions except Victoria, Budget Travel, Real Simple and Marie Claire. I can go to the library if I need to look at another magazine. In addition I am putting myself on a cash only budget, this will help me not buy things when when I am out.

I don't know if this will work or not but I have to give it a try. If you have any ideas that might be helpful let me know.

Thank You

Last week the lovely Annecychic over at My French Corner sent me the most beautiful gift, a lovely Moutet tea towel. It is so beautiful and is the perfect color for my kitchen. She received a gift from Stephanie at Bonjour Madame and posted a "pay it forward" post on her blog, offering to give the first three people to respond a Moutet towel. I was not one of the first three but she sent me one anyway. The towel arrived after a particularly difficult weekend and really put a smile on my face. She reminded me that there are people in this world who care about others. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her, your kindness means more to me than you will ever know.

In addition, I would like to thank each and every one of you who follow my blog, read it and post comments. It is always good to know that someone is listening. I have enjoyed reading all of your blogs and look forward to more fabulous posts from all of you. Your ideas, thoughts and comments have really helped me in my transition to a simpler life.

Like Annecychic, I plan to pay it forward but I am waiting until after I get back from Paris so I can find something really special to share.

Riding the Rails

The Darjeeling Limited is my favorite movie ever. I watch it at least once a week. It combines two of my favorite things: India and trains. I love to ride trains, I think it is very romantic and a reminder of times past when we weren't in such a hurry.

I had two dream trips I wanted to take when I was young, Paris and India. Since I have been to Paris (and I am going again this year) the only one left on my list is India. I have been hesitant to travel to India by myself. I want to tour India by train but I don't want to travel without a group. Today I found the perfect train tour, the Palace on Wheels.



The Palace on Wheels began service in 1982 and was designed to provide travelers with a taste of how Indian Royalty traveled. Each of the train's 14 coaches is named after a former princely state and is very luxuriously decorated. Each coach houses 4 bedrooms, a pantry, lounge area and two attendants to see to the travelers needs. Each bedroom has twin beds, in room music and private bath facilities. In addition there are two dining cars, a lounge, and a bar car.



The tour begins and ends in Delhi and takes travelers to probably the most famous site in India, the Taj Mahal.


I am hoping to be able to take this tour next year. It is not inexpensive but within reach if I watch my spending carefully. There are many other places I would like to see (Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Japan) but if I never make it to these places I will not be disappointed. If I don't make it to India I will be very sad.

Do you have a dream trip?

Tea Time

I have a new tea set. I ordered it last week from Pierre Deux. I really like it and will use it this afternoon. I like the tradition of afternoon tea. It is really nice to just sit alone or with a friend, enjoy a cup of tea and a small treat, and just relax. When I have a chance to visit New York, Paris or London, I like to visit a tea salon. My favorite is Laduree in Paris. It is really gorgeous and I feel refined and elegant whenever I have tea there.



Do you like afternoon tea?

Farandole Necklace

I am keeping a list of things I want to look for when I am in Paris this fall. This necklace is at the top. If you visit Mai Tai's Picture Book you will see her wear this necklace often. I love all the looks she can make with this necklace and it was her pictures that inspired me to add this to my wish list. It is a solid silver necklace from Hermes in a very versatile length. The necklace can be worn as a single strand or doubled for a multi-chain look.

Now, I don't have any illusions that wearing this necklace will turn me into Mai Tai. It is, however, a classic piece that I can dress up or dress down and wear for many years. I think it will make a lovely 40th birthday gift to me.

Princess Grace

I have admired Princess Grace since I was a teenager. Though she was not born a princess, she is to me the very model of everything a princess should be: kind, regal, and a lady. She is my role model.

The first solo vacation I ever took was to Monaco. It was a wonderful trip and her presence is still strong even two decades after her passing. Two years ago, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death, the Principality of Monaco put together an exhibition of her personal belongings. When the exhibit traveled to Sotheby's in New York I had an opportunity to attend. It was amazing and I really got a better feel for who she was. My favorite item in the exhibit was a poem handwritten for Grace by a six year old Princess Stephanie. It touched my heart.

The picture below is of my Princess Grace accessory collection: my Kelly bag, my pearls and my Hermes Deo Juvante Monaco scarf (issued in 1958 to celebrate the anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Monaco's wedding.) They are my favorite wardrobe items and whenever I wear these items I feel a little like a Princess.

Life Plan

We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us

Joseph Campbell

When I was a teenager I had a life plan. It went like this:

1. Go to college
2. Get married
3. Have children
4. Live happily ever after

I did go to college and then graduate school but the last three never happened. At almost 40, I am still single and childless. I think about this a lot and it always makes me sad.

I read the quote above a few days ago and I have been thinking about it ever since. It occurred to me that my plan has kept me from doing some things I would have loved. I never moved to Prague to teach English as a Second Language because I knew it would be difficult to meet people. Same for going on a mission trip to India, moving to San Francisco and, of course, moving to Paris. I could have done any of these things if I had set my mind to it but I didn't. I was always waiting for Mr. Right. I have never even owned a dog for fear that I would meet someone who didn't like my dog, was allergic, etc.

Well no more, I am going to discard this plan and I am going to find the life that is waiting for me. I am starting with a puppy, a toy poodle named Winston. He is coming to live with me next month and I am very excited. If God decides to bless me with a husband and children great, if not that's OK too. I am ready to live the life that is waiting for me.

Creating an Hermes Scarf

This is a video of a scarf printing demonstration by Hermes at the South Coast Plaza boutique. The name of the scarf he is creating is Les Amoureux de Paris. I would love to be able to attend one of these demonstrations in person, but I am never near a boutique when they visit.

Flowers

I bought these roses yesterday at Fresh Market. I love fresh flowers, specifically fresh white flowers. White flowers are so pure, simple, and beautiful. I am not much of a plant person, I have a hard time taking care of them. Flowers are better because there isn't the pressure to keep them alive. Since I know that they are not going to last forever, I don't feel so bad when they wilt and die. Plus, the flowers just smell really lovely. Sometimes I wish I had the budget to buy flowers every week but then I wonder if I would appreciate them as much as I do buying them just once a month like I do now.

What kind of flowers do you like?