Links I Love • March 2022

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." ― Lewis Grizzard

• Door County Spring Blossom Report — I’m so eager for trillium, forget-me-nots, cherry blossoms, and lady slippers.

• The New Look - Christian Dior and Coco Chanel Are the Subjects of a New Apple TV+ Show —

• A French 75 for Everyone — The French 77 is my favorite cocktail.

• Emily in Paris Film Locations (because, let’s face it, the locations around Paris are the best part of the show)

• 25 Famous Women on Getting Older

• 30 Iconic French Places to See at Least Once in Your Life

• Inside the New Look Dior Flagship in Paris

• The Best-Kept Vintage Secret in Paris

• 19 Fast French Recipes for Elegant Weeknight Meals

• Affection From a Dog Really is Medicinal — Piper always makes me feel better.

• 7 Ways Paris Taught Me to Think Like a Writer

• The Ultimate Guide To French Girl Spring Style - C’est classique.

Currently • March 2022

“It's a spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want to — oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” — Mark Twain

READING: A lot…

• The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher — “A captivating novel following the exploits of Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, the forgotten and rebellious daughter of one of America's greatest political dynasties” (Goodreads).

• The Beautiful American by Jeanne Mackin — “From Paris in the 1920s to London after the Blitz, two women find that a secret from their past reverberates through years of joy and sorrow ...As recovery from World War II begins, expat American Nora Tours travels from her home in southern France to London in search of her missing sixteen-year-old daughter. There, she unexpectedly meets up with an old acquaintance, famous model-turned-photographer Lee Miller. Neither has emerged from the war unscathed….” (Goodreads).

• Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb — Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flash-bulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique, fending off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across thirty years of friendship, love, and tragedy” (Goodreads).

• A Writer's Paris: A Guided Journey for the Creative Soul by Eric Maisel — “Experience Paris not as a tourist but as a creator, where you dedicate yourself to the bohemian life in picturesque parks, cafés, and bookstores. In this guided tour of a beloved destination that has sparked the imagination of countless writers and artists, leading creativity coach Eric Maisel offers insights on how to use the city to spur commitment to your craft” (Goodreads).

• Gellhorn: A Twentieth-Century Life by Caroline Moorehead — “The first major biography of legendary war correspondent Martha Gellhorn, whose life provides a unique and thrilling perspective on world history in an extraordinary time…Drawn from extensive interviews and with exclusive access to Gellhorn's papers and correspondence, this seminal biography spans half the globe and almost an entire century to offer an exhilarating, intimate portrait of one of the defining women of our times” (Goodreads).

WATCHING:

• Inventing Anna on Netflix — “Audacious entrepreneur or con artist? A journalist chases down the story of Anna Delvey, who convinced New York's elite she was a German heiress.”

• Mamma mia and Mamma mia: Here We Go Again because Alec is ending his high school career in the GHS play. I can’t resist a good ABBA tune and I’m so eager to see Alec’s performance.

ENJOYING: A change of pace, aka “Spring Break.” Although I wish I had made plans to get away, I did enjoy a week at home with Piper. I did some spring cleaning and decorating, read three books, had lunch with friends, and ventured as far as Trader Joe’s and IKEA. Not exactly, a vacation, but definitely a “break.”

FEELING: Restless — As much as I love snow and truly enjoy the beauty and coziness of winter, I am tired of the cold and rain/sleet/wintery mix. I am eager to be outside, to plant my pots and update my garden, and to enjoy the sunshine on our deck. I want to spend my final five and a half flex days before the end of what has been an exceptionally difficult school year doing something inspiring — a visit to the art museum, a road trip, a photo safari…something to renew my spirit.

LOOKING FORWARD TO: Traveling again.

• In June, I will travel with the Larsons to Universal Studios. It was a Christmas present for the boys in conjunction with Chase’s volleyball tournament in Orlando. Although, I wouldn’t have chosen the destination, I am thrilled with the company and the fact that my 18- and soon-to-be 16-year-old nephews still want Auntie to come along.

• PARIS! After what will be over three years away, I am committed to spending Spring Break 2023 in Paris. And I have a year to plan and look forward to the trip.

February 2022 in Pictures

“Je vois la vie en rose.” - Édith Piaf

Currently • February 2022

“February is the border between winter and spring.” ― Terri Guillemets

READING:

• The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall and Douglas Abrams — “Looking at the headlines--a global pandemic, the worsening climate crisis, political upheaval--it can be hard to feel optimistic. And yet hope has never been more desperately needed. In this urgent book, Jane Goodall, the world's most famous living naturalist and Doug Abrams, internationally-bestselling author, explore--through intimate and thought-provoking dialogue--one of the most sought after and least understood elements of human nature: hope” (Goodreads). I wanted to be as inspired by this book as I was by The Book of Joy, but I wasn’t. It was interesting, but it felt darker. I’m not sure if it was the book itself or just my own current outlook, but it didn’t leave me feeling hopeful.

• The Masterpiece by Fiona Davis — “In her latest captivating novel, nationally bestselling author Fiona Davis takes readers into the glamorous lost art school within Grand Central Terminal, where two very different women, fifty years apart, strive to make their mark on a world set against them” (Goodreads). Yes, yet another novel by Fiona Davis — I’ve warmed to her intriguing albeit formulaic mysterious connections between New York’s past and present.

• Villa America by Liza Klaussmann — “America was in fact a real house on the French Riviera that Sara and Gerald Murphy built to escape to in the 1920's. Members of a group of expat Americans, they were known for their fabulous parties and for making the Riviera into the glamorous place it is today. Their freewheeling days were filled with champagne and caviar, but these were people who kept secrets and who were, of course, heartbreakingly human. This is a stunning story about the Lost Generation, about a marriage, about a golden age which could not last” (Goodreads). Although I gravitate toward historical fiction, especially involving the Lost Generation, I didn’t enjoy this novel. It seemed determined, not only to expose the ugliness behind the glamor, but also to shock and disgust the read with gratuitous violence and negativity.

• The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher — “When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself…Sylvia--a woman who has made it her mission to honor the life-changing impact of books--must decide what Shakespeare and Company truly means to her” (Goodreads).

WATCHING:

• Project Runway Season 19 — Spoiler Alert: I loved the all-female finale.

• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 — Welcome back, Midge, I missed you and your fabulous wardrobe.

LISTENING TO:

• Sailing Stories Podcast Season 1: Brave or Stupid — Brave or Stupid by Tracey Christiansen, Yanne Larsson and Carl-Erik Andersson is a rich narration of how two best friends fulfilled their dream of sailing around the world. Carl and Yanne had been best friends for very many years, and one day they thought of taking a sailing trip around the world.

FEELING:

• Cooped up — I was so tempted to book a trip to Paris during Spring Break, but in the end, I decided to hold off a bit longer.

• Ready for spring — I love winter, but this year, it seemed extra cold and dreary without the lovely snow that makes me so happy. This year more than ever as February comes to a close, I am officially ready for a change of season. I’m not a fan of messy March, but I am ready to see the first snowdrops peaking though the frozen ground, the tiny buds on the branches, the first robin, and the exciting hints of green that are already there if I look closely enough.

ENJOYING:

• Wordle, etc. — Yes, I jumped on the Wordle bandwagon, and I’ve also started doing Quordle (Wordle x4 in 9 tries), Nerdle (math problems) and Le Mot (Wordle in French).

• Marquette Basketball — Shaka Smart ‘s first year as head coach has been a wild ride.

• Little birthday celebrations that make me feel a bit special at a time when I really need a little boost.

"Twosday" Ice Storm - 2/22/22

"A snow day literally and figuratively falls from the sky unbidden and seems like a thing of wonder." ― Susan Orlean … and today’s “ice day” was even more wonderful.

Links I Love • February 2022

“Though February is short, it is filled with lots of love and sweet surprises.” – Charmaine J. Forde

• The Story of Ladurée and le macaron

• French Lifestyle Secrets - Great advice

• Rooney Mara is Perfectly Cast as Audrey Hepburn in Apple’s Forthcoming Biopic

• What It’s Like to Spend the Night at Versailles

• 5 Films sur Coco Chanel à Voir Absolument

• Yves Saint Laurent Takes Paris — For the first time, one designer’s work is being showcased — simultaneously — at five major French museums.

• The Beginner's Guide to Visiting Champagne — I’d love to do this sometime.

• Valentine’s Day In France — traditions, treats, and terms of endearment