J.Crew vient à Paris

In theory, I shouldn't be as excited about this news as I am.

J.Crew est en plein coeur du quartier du Maris en Mars 2015. 

Once we get salsa verde and masa readily available, then I may actually have it all.

Les Essentiels: Octobre

“It’s the funniest thing that you don’t really understand before it happens, what it is. So you sort of go running right towards it like yeah, this is exactly what I was seeking and when you get there you realize that the things that you thought would be great about it are not. But there are much more interesting things that come from it that you really appreciate...” 
- George Clooney, DID BBC Radio 4, 2003

My top ten favorite things in October:

1. The smell of the fire in Noyers. And when I am in Paris, the smell of Feu de Bois.

2. A final warm weekend spent in my favorite Parisian park, Buttes des Chaumont.

3. The automne issue of The Gentlewoman. How am I going to wait six months for the next issue?

4. Long walks in the Bourgogne countryside. You just never know when you will round a corner and run into a pagan house or a chateau.

Abandoned pagan house, with a pristinely kept lawn.

Chateau de Jouancy

5. Homemade bread.

6. I have switched my girl power soundtrack from Neko Case to Lucinda Williams.      

7. Desert Island Discs (DID) podcasts. I still can’t believe that this exists. I always thought that if I had an interview show, it would be structured this exact same way... Name five albums that you would take with you on a deserted island. And then VIOLA! Here it is. It is true when they say everything has existed before, and apparently it's been going on since 1942! I’d provide a link to the free downloads on iTunes, if only I knew how. Instead, click here to see the entire archive. Or have a listen to Mr. Clooney's interview:

8. Catching up on my museum visits. From Saran Wrap overhead tunnels to incredible portraits by the master. 

Inside at Musee Palais de Tokyo

Musee Picasso Paris

9. Vendange (late wine harvest) at a friend’s vineyard, followed by a lovely lunch that overlooks Noyers.

10. Mushroom hunting in Foret Domaniale de Val de la Nef.

Dancing

I can't remember the last time I went out dancing. Maybe it was the all-nighter in Barcelona more than a year ago.  But I do remember rearranging all of the furniture in my Noyers living room to accommodate my friend Jay while he slithered like Kylie Minogue on the floor in front of the fire. Only to be followed by Madonna's Human Nature on my dining room table. It's the kind of dancing that can't be contained (see also, car dancing). Pouring off of your limbs in an empowering act, in an attempt to tell a profound story. Usually involving a cocktail, or five. 

Today I read a great interview with Robyn in the new issue of  The Gentlewoman. 

It took me down my own dancing memory lane, and resulted in a rabbit hole of YouTube activity. It was a toss up between her performance at JFK's Terminal 5, an outdoor strip mall or this...

Robyn clearly understands this type of dancing as evidenced at H&M. Yes, H&M. 

soixante vs. trente

"If I drowned in sixty feet of water, and your drowned in thirty, then what's the difference?"

- Monica Lewinsky

I am pretty sure that this video will go viral. And by tomorrow you will have seen it, along with a boat load of opinions and comments. But as of this moment it is new to me, and I think it is an important speech about compassion.

Monica Lewinsky at the Forbes' Thirty Under Thirty Summit

Guest post by Karen: Growth Opportunities

(Paris apartment balcony)

One of my oldest and dearest friends came to visit me this summer. She was in Paris for a conference so we enjoyed a little bit of Paris together, with the added bonus of a side trip to Brussels, and then some quality girl time at my house in Burgundy. Karen is a delight, she is beautiful, generous, kind, smart and an overall inspiration. When I grow up, I want to be just like her. Today's guest post is about her takeaways from her time with me in France.

(11th arrondissement in Paris)

Guest post by Karen:
This summer I was the guest of a beautiful friend-- living nine hours ahead with her, staying in gorgeous locations, and found myself surrounded by abundance-- the food and spirits of the gods and the company of vibrant and inspiring people.As Joseph Campbell said, "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are" To expand on that, the privilege of my holiday was being with a friend who allows me to me myself and loves me for it, in France no-less.

 (walking thorugh the street in Noyers-sur-Serein, Bourgogne)

To add to my personal jackpot, I find myself blessed post journey with the “gift of giggles”.  You know that experience after an adventure, when you recall something that makes a shit-eating grin spread across your face? It is the travel gift that keeps on giving.

(La Serein in Noyers)

Growth Opportunities

As I re-enter my day-to-day life I am armed with a treasure box of what I would call “holiday nuggets” for future growth and enlightenment.  You know the feeling when you piece together a list of things to explore at a later time?  You may have heard about a new book, recipe, philosophy, or even find yourself inspired by a new outlook. Maybe you decide to embrace a new, (or an old), side of yourself.  Whatever it is, the feeling is often palpable after trip.  It is a fire within. You vibrate at a more intense level. I would further opine that this may be even MORE true when you journey to France.  To me, France itself is a magical and inspiring place where possibility seems to dance on the wind.  Below is a list of some of the take-away “nuggets” in my post travel treasure box.  

(upstairs attic at the house in Noyers, referred to as 

"Growth Opportunity")

1.    A call to meditate (download this app).  Slow down and shut out the noise. 

  

(My room in Noyers, referred to as "Little Cambodia")

2.    Learn French. Take a class. Host an exchange student. See what I can learn in my own backyard.

3.     The Wild Unknown Tarot  What are my questions? To frame the question is the first step to finding the answer. Look within.  Be mindful. Be brave. 

4.    Asian cooking. Yes, I come back from France inspired to improve my culinary skills.  My Asian skills in particular.  I learned how to make Sushi and a Korean dish called Vegetarian Bibimbap.  (Note: add fermented soy paste and Kimchi. Delicious and nutritious). My next goal is to self-learn spring rolls.  Yum.

5.    Tracy Anderson Arms. Seriously, there are these deceptively simple and short clips on You Tube. The trick is to carve out the time. Do it with a friend, do it on vacation, and then try to “high five”. I dare you.  

6.    Tuning Forks for the human condition. Who couldn’t use a tune up from Noreen?

(prototype for Noreen's large scale rock installation in Noyers)

7.    Be nice to your candles and they will last longer. Push the wax down when they are warm, use a snuffer, keep the wicks short.

(Cypres, Figuer, Baeis, and Feu de Bois. The gifts that keep on giving.)

8.    Be open. If the universe throws you a perfect pitch, you might as well swing at the ball. Don’t be afraid. What is the worst that can happen? You fail?  That is just an opportunity to grow stronger. It’s not that complicated.

(the beginning of the rock installation on the hill near the chateau in Noyers)

9.    Listen to your inner voice. Sometimes you have to find the melody alone.  It is OK. Reminds me a Avett Brother’s song...

10.  I am pretty sure I have a few unmentionable “nuggets” to unwrap as well. This was France, after all. Viva La France!

In humble gratitude to Jules.  Thanks for helping me light up. Thanks for the gift of giggles that keeps on giving.   Thanks for the treasure box of “nuggets”. Thanks for the simple abundance of your friendship. 

Dream house

Alexandre de Betak's house in the hills of Majorca is my dream house.


In Residence: Alexandre de Betak on Nowness.com

He spent the first two years buying windows, beams, doors, tiles and rocks.Which is the opposite approach that I have taken with La Bonne Etape. I have tried to make the place a blank canvas so that I can breathe, conceptualize, and prioritize. I can't think of anything more satisfying that bringing a dream like this to reality. Swoon.

Guest post: Life in the village by J. Starr

A dear friend from Portland, came to visit me in Paris and Noyers. This was her first time in my village, which allowed me to see it anew through her eyes. Here is her take on the experience... 

Guest blog post by J. Starr:

"I had a sense of preparation for a love to come like the extension of canopies, the unrolling of ceremonial carpets, as if I must first create a marvelous world in which to house it, in which to receive adequately this guest of honor" ~Anais Nin. 

Life in The Village at Jules's
drinking pink bubbles on the stone patio
the sound of pigeons cooing on the roof
the church bell ringing
gazing at the bright stars from my bed while drifting to sleep
the morning light and birds singing as an alarm clock 
tulips on the cusp of blooming
playing slightly naughty card games with friends. 
the worlds best croissants from the bakery that only makes them to order on the weekends. 
singing to Neko Case and Wilco while making homemade ricotta cheese and butternut squash ravioli 
baguettes in a wicker basket
running past bee houses
friends that live a few steps away and walk over in their pajamas for morning coffee. 

Thank you Jules for reminding me of the possibilities of adventure, the beautiful mystery of life, creating the world you dream, nurturing your soul, making your own rules, and wishes fulfilled. 

LBE's jardin

This past weekend I took my garden back.

There were a few pressing factors that were causing me to  make some quick decisions about my plans for the garden at LBE.

1. Spring is in full force in France. Normally we can wait until May to begin planting. But this year, planting season began in March, and it probably could have even begun in February.

2. I will be traveling throughout the month of May, and this is my last opportunity to plant my crops for the upcoming season--when I return it will already be summer.

And the most urgent reason I need to take some swift action, is Mr. B...

3. Mr. B, is my garden's caretaker. I inherited him with the house. He takes his job seriously, and every time I return to the LBE I find that he has taken great care of, and a lot of creative liberties with my garden. Like multi-colored pansies decorating the front entrance,

shallots planted randomly among the peonies, an assault of red and yellow tulips throughout the garden, his acknowledgement of my birthplace by screwing a Route 66 license plate onto my barn door,

and a wooden bench that he refurbished and placed on the stone seating platform.

I totally appreciate his care and attentiveness. He is also meticulous, which I love. Such a lovely man-- he once even declared that he considers himself my second father. "You have two fathers now, one in the US and now one in France. Me." I melted.

Sometimes I get the feeling that he is concerned about me. The fact that I bought this house on my own and am not married. Other times I think that this gives him a sense of purpose and value. I appreciate him immensely and love that the universe brought him into my life.

The problem is that he has no idea of my aesthetic vision.  I prefer monochrome colors. My favorite gardens are usually all white and green, like this:

I also like to have vegetables and herbs that are intentional,  and visually appealing.

So this weekend, I took matters into my own hands to help direct things.  With the help of RDW and Miss Mary from Portland, we gutted the left half of the garden. Removed approximately 350 yellow and red tulip bulbs, dug up six rose bushes and a Camellia bush. We did it within a 24 hour period, with not a single surprise appearance by Mr. B.

Before (tulips beginning to pop up in March):

After:

Kale, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, rosemary, sage, basil, coriander, thym, chives.

I didn't have the heart to discard the rose bushes, nor the tulip bulbs for that matter. Therefore, the rose bushes were all relocated to less invasive spots around the house. the tulip bulbs now sit in a compost pile, with the intention that I will gather them up and gift them to someone, or lay them to rest in the forest.

In the meantime, I just hope that Mr. B's feeling are not hurt. And that he will direct his love and care on my new crops.

I can hardly wait to harvest my bounty.

Love stories

Having one of my besties from the states visit me in France has been soul nourishing on many levels. Lots of long walks and talks, and stumbling into new findings about old love stories. And there may have been some lots of wine involved.

While she takes a couple of days to enjoy a side trip before rejoining me in Paris, I find myself keeping the party going with some serious music benders (while simultaneously catching up on work, of course) to reflect on our freshly inspired perspectives.

Damien Rice's O album always cuts to the core. So I listened to it four times in a row today- the track Cheers Darlin at a dozen times. (please, I am a professional binger)

I don't know much about the breakup between Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan. But these recent videos of him performing his newest songs about various stages of a breakup help piece it together.

And also piece together my own disolved memories of a variety of personal breakups. Realizing that some are better left unsolved-- it's just good old story telling now.

Are any of these musings valuable?

I think so, as they seem to be awakening a part of me where I store my creative flame, which I realize has been dimmed.

Doesn't creatviity breed hope and possibilities?

Here's some good old story telling from Mr. Rice:

Poivre

Poivre means pepper in French. It is also the name of La Bonne Etape's (LBE) new kitchen paint color.

Since purchasing a new couch for LBE I have shifted the object of my obsession to a paint color for LBE's kitchen. Poivre, Elephant's Breath, Joah's White, I was open to a few different directions.

However, while pouring over a gazillion inspiration images that have been piling up and weighing down my hard drive, it became pretty clear.

I have a crush on dark kitchens. This should come as no surprise considering I had painted the dining room in my Portland house a similar color, DownPipe.

As I was looking through old photos to find one of the Portland house's dining room, I came across photos of my old office in Portland. And guess what color those walls are? Yep. I guess I have a deep rooted affinity with the Poivre hue.

As per usual, I second guessed my color choice right up to the last minute. There are naysayers who were quick to say it is too dark, that I must try and bring in more light, it would be too hard to course correct to a lighter color later, etc.  But no matter which color direction I pursued, anything was better than the yellow-country-flower-wallpaper-extravaganza that was there when I began this kitchen beautification process. 

Lucky for me, I have a great support system to help me navigate the naysayer trip wires. RDW is the first to not only say "go for it", but he follows up with his own inspirational photos as if to say "I get you. Let's do this, immediately."

And then before I have a chance to change my mind, 

he is there with a roller, 

a bottle of pink bubbles,

and Boom!

LBE has got some Poivre kitchen walls.