“February is short and very sweet” ― Charmaine J. Forde
READING:
Links I Love:
How to Live a Luxurious Life: 67 Ways to Elevate Your Everyday — Here is my list of simple pleasures.
Les 12 Meilleurs Films avec Audrey Hepburn à voir absolument (Vogue)
What’s Saving Your Life Right Now (Modern Mrs. Darcy)
20 French Dishes You Need To Try At Least Once (Tasting Table)
A Woman Before Her Time: France celebrates Colette's 150th Anniversary (RFI)
Philosophy, Literature and Jazz: Paris’ Saint-Germain-des-Prés Is Steeped in Bohemian History
34 Quotes About Paris that Will Have You Dreaming of France (Good Housekeeping)
30 avenue Montaigne Updated — This is on my list of places to visit when I’m in Paris next month.
Speaking of Paris next month, here are the 42 Best Things to Do in Paris (according to CN Traveler) — I have done 26 so far…
Books:
Paris: A Love Story by Kati Marton — “In this remarkably honest and candid memoir, award-winning journalist and distinguished author Kati Marton narrates an impassioned and romantic story of love, loss, and life after loss. Paris is at the heart of this deeply moving account. At every stage of her life, Paris offers Marton beauty and excitement, and now, after the sudden death of her husband Richard Holbrooke, it offers a chance for a fresh beginning. With intimate and nuanced portraits of Peter Jennings, the man to whom she was married for fifteen years and with whom she had two children, and Richard, with whom she found enduring love, Marton paints a vivid account of an adventuresome life in the stream of history. Inspirational and deeply human, Paris: A Love Story will touch every generation” (Goodreads).
The Ballerinas by Rachel Kapelke-Dale — “Fourteen years ago, Delphine abandoned her prestigious soloist spot at the Paris Opera Ballet for a new life in St. Petersburg––taking with her a secret that could upend the lives of her best friends, fellow dancers Lindsay and Margaux. Now 36 years old, Delphine has returned to her former home and to the legendary Palais Garnier Opera House, to choreograph the ballet that will kickstart the next phase of her career––and, she hopes, finally make things right with her former friends. But Delphine quickly discovers that things have changed while she's been away...and some secrets can't stay buried forever” (Goodreads).
The Lost Notebook of Édouard Manet by Maureen Gibbon — “Set in the richly drawn art world of nineteenth-century Paris, this stunning historical novel imagines Édouard Manet’s last days in an indelible snapshot of genius, illness, and the dying embers of passion…toward the end of his life, Édouard Manet begins to jot down his daily impressions, reflections, and memories in a notebook. He travels for healing respites in the French countryside and finds inspiration in nature―a cloud of dragonflies, peonies blanketed by the morning dew. Back in Paris, the artist holds court in his studio and meets a mysterious muse, Suzon. Entranced by Suzon’s cool blue eyes, he decides to paint his final masterpiece, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, life-sized―and wagers his health to complete it” (Goodreads).
WATCHING:
Pretty in Pink for Valentine’s Day — Always a favorite.
New Scandinavian Cooking on PBS — This makes me long to travel to Scandinavia — even more than I always have.
Eiffel on Prime — “The government is asking Eiffel to design something spectacular for the 1889 Paris World Fair, but Eiffel simply wants to design the subway. Suddenly, everything changes when Eiffel crosses paths with a mysterious woman from [his] past” (IMDb).
LISTENING TO:
My Instapuzzle 2023 Playlist — As part of my Instapuzzle project, I am selecting a song to accompany each post. At the end of the year, I will have a playlist of the 108 songs that reflect my year. February’s mini list includes:
Winter’s Waltz (Frozen, Christophe Beck)
La Valse d’Amélie (Yann Tiersen)
Joy (George Winston)
Love and Luck (Jimmy Buffett)
La Vie en Rose (Édith Piaf)
Pretty in Pink (Psychedelic Furs)
Sea of Love (The Honeydrippers)
Birthday (The Beatles)
ENJOYING:
February — Although many dread another month of darkness and cold winter weather, I rejoice in these twenty-eight days of rosy hues, of hearts and flowers and beautiful snowscapes, punctuated by celebrations of la Chandeleur, Mardi gras, Valentine's Day, and my birthday -- the exclamation point at the end of this lovely month!
The creative challenge of my Instapuzzle — I like working in Canva to add pencil drawings and watercolors to complement my photographs. I like planning the sequence of Instagram posts and choosing music to accompany each post.
PLANNING: My return to Paris next month — It will be nearly 3.5 years since my last visit. I promised my travel companion (and myself) that I wouldn’t over-plan, but it is still fun to think about what to pack and what we might like to do this time. There are only a few things on my bucket list for Paris 2023:
Watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle every night from our beautiful Paris Perfect Clairette apartment in the 7th arrondissement
Shop in unique boutiques and discover les puces de Vanves to bring home some treasure(s) to remember our time in Paris
Have a cocktail (Miss Bond) in Bar Hemingway at the Ritz
Savor the flavors of Paris: Warm baguettes, sweet and/or savory crêpes, macarons at Ladurée, choux at Odette, fresh produce from the local market, bold reds and sparkling wines…
See or do something new everyday — This is a great challenge, given that I have been to Paris so many times. Usually, I am helping someone else discover Paris for the first time so we tend to visit the “must-dos”. This time I can be much more casual and spontaneous.
Take pictures of “the little things”— Sure, I’ll photograph the iconic monuments if we’re nearby, but I really want to focus on the little things that make Paris special.
