Tag Archives: Feelings

I tried the remedial massage for you

September 1, 2020 Virginie the Frenchie 4 Comments

I know this girl, looking at her reflection in the mirror, thinking of the things she would like to change, judging her image, criticising, wishing she had more of this and less of that… Sounds familiar ?! When it comes to our bodies, we can be so hard on ourselves… so severe… that we tend to completely forget what our bodies do for us every single day! And the truth is that they do A LOT : these amazing machines allow us to move through life so we can experience and enjoy all it has to offer physically but also emotionally and spiritually! And true, our bodies are not perfect and we have different abilities when it comes to strengths and weaknesses but still we should learn to appreciate all the things they do for us. We should show gratitude more often to our bodies, ease their pains and assist them to accomplish all those activities that we require them to perform.

The best gift you can offer to your body is a remedial massage

Once a wise woman told me “the best gift you can offer to your body is a massage, it is important to listen to your body, release tensions and understand what is happening in you” but the problem is that there are so many types of massages to choose from: reflexology, hot stone, relaxing… that it is hard to know which one is the right fit for you! I actually spend a lot of time sitting at my desk in front of my laptop, as a result I have developed a bad posture resulting in tensions on my upper back, shoulders and neck so occasionally a massage seems like a good idea but again which one to choose ?! A friend of mine suggested me to opt for a remedial massage as it is the most useful style of massages to pamper your body while releasing tensions and muscles tightness, relieving chronic pains, increasing mobility, improving blood flow etc…. it is actually performed by a trained remedial massage therapist and for these reasons it can be classified as a therapeutic or healing massage. No need to say more, a massage that combines relaxing and healing elements, that is what I call killing 2 birds with just one stone, perfect I will book a session right away, exactly what I needed!

This is how I ended on a cold Thursday morning at the Healing Arts Studio in Adelaide. When I stepped in, I was already won over by this beautiful brand new space, warm, full of light with pastel colours, inviting smell and enchanting atmosphere surrounding me in a bubble of serenity. My remedial massage therapist was Roxy, she took the time to understand what brought me here and how she could help me. I felt instantly comfortable, understood, taken care of and in good hands. The beauty about remedial massage is that they require a special training, meaning that it is a very different experience from the massage you would receive in a SPA. Remedial massage therapists are very knowledgeable about anatomy needs, physiology and pathology. They will literally read your body with their fingers and understand and locate what is causing pains or postural issues. Remedial massage looks at the entire body, focusing on treating pain, relieving stress, structural issues or helping in injury rehabilitation. They use a wide range of techniques to manipulate the muscles and soft/deep tissue such as: Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Cupping, Deep Tissue, Dry Needling, Myofascial Release, Stretching techniques, Hot stone, Relaxation and sport massages. Your body, this wonderful part of you that is your everyday ally in every single tasks, will feel heard, understood, taken care of, soothed, helped, supported, eased, relieved.

I really enjoyed my remedial massage with my therapist Roxy as I believe she has a very holistic approach. I could feel that she is a very generous human being, passionate about helping people to feel better in their bodies and in their lives. She explained to me how stress is manifesting in the body and how the muscles will tighten up, and how lifestyle factors like bad posture, sitting at an office desk can cause tensions. I even discovered that there were tensions in my body I was unaware of that were spotted and addressed during the treatment. We discussed about how adopting healthy habits and routines can make a real difference in our minds and our bodies. As my therapist was performing petrissage movements for deep manipulation of the soft tissue using the thumb and palm of the hand and cupping techniques, I could feel the pain and the stress flying away. But the best part is when Roxy explained me that the body has the capacity to heal itself, to regenerate, to adapt, to learn and to bounce back and massage treatments are a wonderful way to assist the body in this process. And this is exactly what my remedial massage session was all about: as said above one of my biggest issue is my posture due to too much time sitting in front of a laptop, so by applying the right techniques via massaging, the body can be soothed but also and most importantly re-learn the right posture to adopt to reduce pains and tensions in the future. I was literally amazed by the instant results, when I sat on the massage table right after the session, how good my posture was without any efforts: my shoulders were not bent forward at all, my neck was high and aligned, proud chest, my upper back was tall and strong and I felt so good in my body but also in my head. It was a magic feeling! I felt more balanced!

What a beautiful feeling when your body, your mind and your soul reach balance and harmony!

So if like me, you have a bad posture, you feel tensions in your muscles, you get backs spasms, you suffer from chronic pains…etc I strongly recommend you to try remedial massages, it will make a massive difference. And if you live in Adelaide or its surroundings, don’t hesitate to book a session with Roxy! You will be in good hands and she will provide you also guidance and exercises to maintain an healthy and happy lifestyle. Believe me you will feel great about yourself in no time as she will teach you how to make the most of each session while building healthy habits and new routines to reach your goals! What a beautiful gift, what a wonderful way to express gratitude to your body, to support and ease this sweetest friend, that has and will never let you down. It is not just a remedial massage, it is the beginning and the promise of a healthier and happier life ❤

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Healing Arts Studio

194 Wright St, Adelaide SA 5000

Monday to Friday: 10.00am – 6.00pm

Enquire · 0491 680 800 / booking link

Remedial massage therapist : ask for Roxy!

If you have a private health fund insurance, remedial massage is covered and you might be entitled up to a 20% discount 🙂

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If you want to know more about remedial massages and adopt new healthy habits and routines :

You can follow Roxy on Instagram: Massage by Roxy Healing Arts Studio

You can follow Roxy on Facebook: Massage by Roxy

australia, lifestyle

All we hear is Radio Italia, Radio Uno, Radio gaga

April 1, 2020 Virginie the Frenchie 1 Comment

There was a time, once, I remember, when internet did not exist, when radio rocked me through my teenage nights. I remember waking up to songs with a smile on my face, getting ready for school with Nirvana when Kurt was still there, practising my English singing along with the Beatles in the background, dancing on Alanis Morissette joyful sounds, feeling emotional listening to “runaway train” in the school bus, getting a rebellious vibe with “cannonball”, losing my religion with R.E.M, wishing I had someone to hold a candle in the cold November rain, thinking it don’t matter if you are black or white, wishing I was special and not a creep or a wierdo, feeling sad cuz everybody hurts sometimes, wondering finally are you gonna going my way and that sometimes a little bitter sweet symphony just says it all.

I remember laughing so hard listening to my favourite radio shows when auditors would call and share their stories, when anything could happen and you could never know what the day would bring. I had some kind of admiration for those people running radio shows… the way they manage to capture the audience attention with their voices and their personnality… I like the mystery not knowing what they looked like, they were “just” a voice in the night, and I enjoyed how they would bring a topic to life and interact with the auditors and go along with what the story would bring. I guess deep down I have always been curious about what it looks like on the other side of the radio. So of course when I got the opportunity to appear as a guest on the Tuesday show VIBRAZIONI hosted by the famous and talented Michela on Radio Italia Uno, I took my chance! And as I always say, living abroad is the best opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things because anyway that’s a total new life so better embrace it and seize the day ❤

I must say it was absolutely fantastic! I laughed so much and I did not see the time flying by. It was one of those magic moments when everything just flows. Michela was interviewing me in English and she would translate some parts in Italian to the audience. So the idea was basically to talk about italian songs that are connected with a special memory or a moment in my life in France. And because on a radio show, it is improvisations also and you never know what can happen, I ended up singing in karaoke which was hilarious because let’s be honest my Italian is limited to a few words only and my singing is … let’s put it in a nice way not my strongest asset!

Some memories of the show Vibrazioni hosted by Michela on Tuesdays at 4.30pm on Radio Italia Uno

So the first italian song I remember hearing, I was about 8 and it was the first time I went to the movies to watch a film and not a cartoon! I went with my mother and my sister and I must say I was pretty excited and quite frankly the movie was really good, it was called “L’effrontée” and there was this joyful song in italian “Sara perche ti amo” that was played during the movie and somehow I could understand a few words as they are a bit similar to French (Que confusione / quelle confusion – que emotione / quelle emotion). This song has always been somewhere in the corner of my mind ever since and I really enjoyed sharing this story on the radio with the auditors who kept phoning and reacting on social media as they were intrigued and amused by the topic of the day. The second song, that comes to my mind, is called “la solitudine” with the beautiful Laura Pausini. I was 16 when it was played in France and it was pretty popular especially among teenagers, first love, first kisses, first heartbreaks…. Italian songs are often played in France during parties such as weddings, probably because we associate “italian” to “romance”, it has this beautiful sound and melody, this joy and sometimes melancholy that just works perfectly. The third italian song I really like, is a classic, it is called “Il mondo” and I discovered it while watching this 2013 very sweet romantic comedy called “About the time” with the beautiful Rachel McAdams as this song is played at a wedding as the bride is walking down the aisle. Such a good movie and obviously with a good music selection 😉 and to quote the dad character in the movie “Jimmy Fontana, Il Mondo: Greatest record ever recorded by an Italian who looks like he’s got a dead badger on his head.” lol Please whatch this movie, I promise you won’t regret it!

I hope you will enjoy this article, those beautiful Italian songs and those movies as much as I do to brighten your day. Sadly as I m writing these words, the world is experiencing a human tragedy. Many countries have been tragically impacted. Health Organization called the COVID-19 viral disease a pandemic. Italy is going through a major health crisis and my heart goes to this nation who is fighting everyday, every minute, every second for its people. Plenty of acts of solidarity and messages of hope are sent to Italy to stay safe and soon ‘andrà tutto bene’ (everything will be all right). I know that Adelaide is lucky to have a very active and caring Italian community and I take the opportunity of this article to send them and their family words of support xxx

Radio Italia Uno Adelaide 87.6 FM

Program: Vibrazioni by Michela on Tuesdays at 4.30pm

Website: https://www.italiauno.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RadioItaliaUno/

Telephone: 8212 3177

australia, lifestyle

2018: a year full of music, concerts and festivals!

April 15, 2018 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

Whether music is your religion or not, we should all, at least once, go to a concert to experience the real thing! Going to a concert or a music festival with friends, hearing your favorite band performing in front of a live audience, singing and dancing with the artists and the crowd, is a totally different world! This year, the odds were with me and it was meant to be my musical year because so far I won a ticket to the laneway festival via my work, one of my colleagues sold me last minute a ticket to the Robbie Williams ‘concert and more recently my friend Sybilla (German) took me to the Lionel Richie concert!!! Here are some thoughts on why I believe this is worth the money you will spend on your tickets!

It is about the atmosphere

As soon as you enter the venue, you can feel the energy. It is in the air, it is all around. It is not just about you but also the people surrounding you. I was lucky enough to attend outdoor concerts so far and this is so beautiful to feel music spreading in the souls, in the trees, in the earth, in the sky and in the stars. If feels almost magic.

when the night has come and the land is dark, and the moon is the only light we see… no I won’t be afraid… no I won’t be afraid… just as long, as you stand, stand by me…

2. It is about the people you meet

You can meet really cool people, from different horizons and backgrounds, sharing the same interests as you and spend a good time altogether! Sybilla and I had the opportunity to meet Jake at the Laneway festival, a very nice guy in his early 20s as many people there! He was supposed to come with his friend who bailed on him last minute and we were looking for infos regarding the bands playing and that’s how we ended all chatting together. A couple of hours and beers after, we were all friends and Jake even carried me on his shoulder so I could see the stage and dance in the air with the band and it was really something cool! Later in the night, we met Cameron and we had an interesting discussion about spirituality and fashion since he liked my French little hat! That’s the beauty about festivals, everybody is everybody’s friend!

Is it me? or does it remind of you this scene in Titanic: I am the king of the world lol

3. It is about this feeling you get

Robbie Williams concert in Adelaide parks as part of the Clipsal

You are getting all excited, nearly like butterflies at the simple idea that you are going to a CONCERT!!!! You talk with your best friend who is coming with you, and also to your other friends (who don’t really have a clue because they don’t like this artist lol), you sing the songs when they are played on the radio letting everybody know (hint hint to your colleagues) that yes you are going to see Robbie Willians! You post on Facebook, Insta, you talk to your family about it and your mother says “Robbie who? I don’t know who he is, I only know this guy with the guitar and red hair!” (She meant Ed Sheran by the way). But it does not matter at the end of the day, because the most important is that you YOU know and you are soooo excited about it!

4. It is about being happy

Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you!

When my friend Sybilla decided to take me to the Lionel Richie concert, I can’t say I was super thrilled. First, I thought I don’t know many of his songs (wrong wrong wrong….. what about : All night long, Hello, easy like a sunday morning, we are the world etc) and come on this is Lionel Richie and he still got it! On top of that the concert took place in Adelaide botanical garden at night. It was such a beautiful evening and yes I admit I was super happy. I love outdoor concerts, it is really something to experience, some people brought their picnic blankets and chairs, we had wine, we were dancing and having a good time. I even ended buying a little souvenir, the Lionel Richie pullover (I am not telling you the price) let’s say that was part of the concert experience, buying silly stuffs that feel great on the moment and then not so great once the concert is over, but definitely something to do at least once just for the beauty of it!

5. It is about the memories

‘Cause I got too much life Running through my veins”

Concert experiences are unique and definitely the ones you cherish to look back on. It’s always cool to see pictures of that night and remember how fun or emotional it was depending on the artists vibes or the song which was played at that moment. I must say Robbie Williams was so much fun, what a show man and I remember that my friend Sybilla and I were in each other’s arms singing “she is the one” and it was a beautiful moment!

5. It is about dressing up

Dressing up really emphasizes the excitement factor and let’s be honest it is quite fun especially if you are into fashion! Whether it is dressing as something related to the artist or just dressing a little different than your usual style to fit the event, it is a way of being part of the show and honour it!

So to conclude, YES I believe that concerts belong to these special events that create unique moments in life! Seeing your favourite artist LIVE, interacting with him, dancing with the crowd, and feeling like ONE is a magic feeling! So now what is next?! Well I believe for Adelaide, it will be: PINK concert in July 😉 and will I be part of it haha?! To pink or not to pink that is the question…

australia, lifestyle

From sunset to sunrise…

January 11, 2018 Virginie the Frenchie 2 Comments

“Don’t be afraid to take an unfamiliar path. Sometimes they are the ones that take you to the best places”.

The coolest moments in life often happen unexpectedly. The most memorable stories begin often with “and all of a sudden…”. The funniest adventures were never planned as they turned out to be as the best often comes when and from you least expect it! Nothing is more exciting than meeting new people, sharing stories and having a good laugh. It is funny like sometimes the most simple things can put a smile on your face and somehow inspire you. My Friday night was the perfect expression of it from sunset to sunrise… be prepared because that was a lonnnnnnnnnnng night!

Have you ever experienced those days, when everything is well planned in advance, the restaurant, the party, the people … and no matter how much you are looking forward to it, for a reason life has other plans for you and the whole thing turn out to be completely different from what was supposed to be?! Well this is exactly what happened to me last Friday as I was originally supposed to attend to a Birthday Party which was cancelled on the very same morning.

Enjoying cocktails at the Grand Bar – Glenelg Beach

But Friday was such a beautiful day that I could not resign to go home after work and I decided to enjoy the evening and go to the beach instead! I had nothing complicated in mind, I just wanted a nice walk, an ice cream and maybe a drink with my friend Sybilla (German) and her husband Warren (Australian) while watching the sunset. That was the plan! And this is exactly what we did.. but after sunset, that’s when the fun really began !

It was one of this warm evenings in Adelaide when it is like 28 degrees and you just want to be outside enjoying the night! So we headed to the CBD a little bit before midnight as Sybilla and I were in the mood for a bit of dancing but Sybilla had ONE request: Let’s go somewhere we don’t go often OR some place we have never been before! Let’s wander out off the beaten tracks she said! And maybe that’s why the whole night turned out to be a surprising series of funny and unexpected moments! Maybe it is my culture or my personality but generally when I go out, I go to one place and I stay there unless it is really boring, but it seems that Aussies go to plenty of different places in the same night, they party from one place to another until they have no more energy to keep going. So I guess we experienced the Aussie way on that night and it was probably one of the coolest night we experienced so far!

It literally did not stop from sunset to sunrise and my blog article won’t do justice to those memorable moments as it is something that you have to experience to really enjoy it: we met tourists from Melbourne who were eager to know which places to visit in Adelaide, where to go out etc and for a time we became like a tourists information centre which is funny when you think that Sybilla is German and I am French and Adelaide has become our city of adoption quite recently, we bumped into a Greek family (brothers and cousins) who were reunited for the weekend to party and were so loud that I became half deaf but they were quite funny, we went to a place where people were dancing like they were not self conscious of their body anymore (quite interesting to witness when you are sober), on our way back home, as we were walking on Hindley street, a fight started on the sidewalk and a homeless (looking like Hagrid from Harry Potter) stood up so we could be safe on his bench and positioned himself in front of us so we could not be hurt by the fight (the police arrived very quickly and the situation was under control rapidly), we had a little chat about working conditions with the staff working on the Tramway line construction on King William as they were working from 6pm to 6am, we walked barefoot all the way down to Rundle street (my feet have never been that dirty in my whole life) and Sybilla quite luckily found a pair of flip flop shoes which fitted right in the street (a good brand by the way), we had a little chat with backpackers who were enjoying the night (it was like 5am and still 25 degrees maybe more) and we talked about France as one worked there for a while. So the night was filled with little moments that maybe taken separately are nothing special but as it kept going on and on, that made our night out quite interesting and funny… but the fun does not stop here… now comes the hilight of this special night.

The street was desert, not a single soul around which was not really surprising at this hour of the night. Behind us it was still dark but in front of us (Adelaide Hills direction) we could see that the sun would rise in a couple of hours, I could not believe that we were up all night and I was happy to go home now. Suddenly out of nowhere two guys appeared and they seemed to go in the same direction as we were heading which made me a bit anxious on the moment… I know this is Adelaide and so far the most scary things I saw were Huntsman spiders and opossum in trees but still… As we were walking along the park, we could see bats flying in the sky, it was for us again something completely new, it is funny how this whole night amused and surprised us (maybe for Aussies it is part of your routine). And quite suprisingly somehow we started to chat with those guys as we were walking in the exact same direction. For a reason one asked me where I lived and I panicked a bit and I said “somewhere over there” and that’s when he made a joke about not being a stalker and somehow surprisingly it kinda acted like an ice breaker, and that’s how we met Glenn, James (and later their friend Steven) who happened to be really great guys as in nice, friendly, fun, relaxed and cool. In my opinion they fitted perfectly this typical image you would have of Aussie guys: only the surfing board was missing haha

I found this image on the net that made me think o the boys on the rooftop at sunrise

So when they offered us to go and watch the sunrise altogether from the rooftop of their building, as we are almost neighbors, it was a great way to conclude this crazy night out. And I must say I regret so much I did not capture this moment with my camera. Anyway climbing on this rooftop happened to be more challenging than I thought and I would have never made it without them (I also still can’t believe that I used one of the guys as a human ladder to make my way up (poor him he had all the dirt from Rundle street on his back as my feet were BLACK from dirt). The view was really nice and it was nothing like I have ever experienced so far, it was so silent as everybody was sleeping, the colours were really beautiful as the sun was rising slowly and you could hear the early birds singing… We just stayed there chatting, waiting for the sun and that’s when Steven (their friend) showed up and joined us on the roof and the fun continued as Steven happen to have a French friend who seems quite an interesting character, so more stories were shared! We talked, we laughed for a couple of hours and I must say it was quite special to be there, almost unreal when you think of the whole situation. I must say it was a bit sad to say goodbye to the boys but quite nice to know that the world is full of nice people and life is full of surprises. As Sybilla and I were walking back to my place, we almost regretted that I did not have the idea earlier to take my bike and go to the Bakery Cannelle in Norwood where they have the best French croissants in Adelaide because that would have been the perfect French cliché to have croissant on the rooftop at 7am while chatting! Anyway as we were still talking on the sidewalk at my door step, in our party outfits, bare foot… it was quite funny to look at the expression of the early bike riders passing by… like we were some kind of IBIZA GIRLS… I still wonder why 😉

australia, England, lifestyle

“Baby you can drive my (vintage) car…”

December 29, 2017 Virginie the Frenchie 4 Comments

Some would call it a funny coincidence, some would think that the universe is trying to tell me something… I will let you the judge of the little story that is about to follow. First I must confess something important : I don’t drive, I never had a car, it is not my thing I guess… I prefer riding my lovely green bike Zoé or walking, especially here in Adelaide. But it seems that for some reasons life has other plans for me… and keep sending me beautiful classic cars over the years in different countries where I go. So I am really wondering if that it is really just a simple coincidence or much more than that…

1. PORTSMOUTH, UK

Sir John’s mythical yellow E Type Jaguar

It all started in England. At that time I was still a student doing a 6 weeks internship at a local newspaper: The Portsmouth News. My lovely british family of adoption : Sir John and Lady Sandie happened to own a superb yellow E type Jaguar so I had the pleasure to enjoy beautiful rides. Sir John (as I like to call him) bought a red E-Type jaguar soon after qualifying as a doctor! It was a left hand drive 3.8 series 1 e-type made in 1961 and was the 219th ever made. Today it would be worth a fortune! He kept it for 20 years and then eventually sold it but a couple of years later, he was missing riding a Jaguar so that’s when he bought the yellow one in which we went altogether to the Prescott Hill Climb. This is really a great car, with a vibrant colour and the noise it produces is so unique. It is totally orignal but has had some touch of paintwork. It is a series 111 E-Type Jaguar, drop head, with 5.3 litre V12 engine and has now convered only 68000 miles despite being made in 1972!!! I played also the “Portsmouth Model” next to the Jaguar: private joke with my British family as I ended up posing for an ad related to France in the Portsmouth Newspaper) so this nickname kinda stayed as somehow I often end up in the local Newspaper/Magazines or brochures abroad (so far Uk, Germany and Australia)! But back to my story, there are some beautiful pics of me sitting on the long bonnet of this Jaguar and you will have to take my word for it that there were some glamorous and glorious moments. This E type Jaguar even traveled to France and even spent a night in my family’s garden as Sir John and Lady Sandie came to visit me and get to know my parents ! As I am writing this article I regret, I don’t have the pics in my laptop to share with you, but this was a little while ago… but still a wonderful first experience with collectible cars.

2. LOS ANGELES, USA

It is me waving at Teresa, while sitting next to John – The car is a 1952 MGTD Midget

I met John and Teresa (my californian friends) when I was living in Paris. They are both great people and we naturally became very good friends. So when they returned to California, I made the wish to pay a visit to them someday…which eventually happened and this is when I took the real measure of John’s true passion for vintage cars as he owned at that time: a 1972 Lamborghini Espada Serise II, a 1968 Maserati Ghibli S, a 1957 TR-3 and a 1952 MGTD Midget. It was winter when I visited, just after Christmas, it was freezing but I was overjoyed to enjoy a beautiful ride in Los Angeles with this superb 1952 MGTD Midget, I payed the hard price since after this, I caught a really bad sore throat that Teresa tried to cure with natural medicines but it was soooo worth it! John just likes cars, none of the cars he owns were collectible at the time he bought them, they were just old cars but he had a crush on them and they became popular as the years passed. To quote John ” You should not buy anything just because other people like it. You should buy things that you like. Popularity is fleeting but your taste will probably be more consistent and last”. I absolutely agree!

3. ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

Sybilla (black dress) and I (white dress) posing on Hana (Warren’s Porsche)

I met Sybilla (Germany) this year at work and we became instantly friends. She is the most “Frenchic” German girl you could think of! She is married to Warren (Australia) who is adorable and together, they are a fantastic couple! Warren has a passion: he is an enthusiastic collectable cars lover and owns a beautiful vintage Porsche called (H)ana (Warren likes to make fun on my French accent as I can’t pronounce the “H”). One weekend we went altogether for a ride with “Hana” in the Adelaide Hills and then to the beach sides. It was a wonderful day. This car is absolutely beautiful, it is impossible not to fall for it at first sight: the colours, the shapes, the noise… And to quote this song “Isn’t she lovelyyyy”… I mean how can you not possibly love a ride in this beautiful car when the weather is so beautiful (hello summer), feeling the wind in your hair, hearing the birds singing. It is impossible not to feel so lucky and grateful for experiencing such a wonderful moment with such lovely company.

Like I said above, I am not crazy about cars, or should I say fancy/modern cars… I don’t drive, I am way happier riding my bike actually! But… yes BUT when it comes to vintage cars, it is another story… I find it funny that over the years, in different countries such as UK, USA and Australia, I had the chance to become friends with wonderful people and experience riding those beautiful collectable cars. To me, they are not just cars, they are so much more! I have a sweet spot for them because they have all a story to tell. They have a soul and that makes all the difference. I like the way also these cars are treated by their owners but also by other people on the road : with love and respect! And you too, as a passenger you want to acknowledge this beauty, you even want to dress up with a beautiful dress to honour this special moment. It is not just going on a ride, it is going on an adventure ❤

australia, England, lifestyle

Yoga at the beach

April 20, 2017 Virginie the Frenchie 3 Comments

A Mexican girl and a French girl, both focus and enjoying yoga at Semaphore beach in Australia

When I was living in Paris, many people would talk to me about the benefits of practising yoga. Life in a big city can be stressful between your job, the commute, busy people and so little time to enjoy life. I was curious about it and I thought maybe I should try and see by myself how it feels. So I enrolled to a class and it was good but I did not connect with it and I stopped after a few sessions. Some of my friends were surprised as they really believed that it would fit with my personality but sometimes all it takes is to meet the right person.

I want to hug the sun with all my heart ❤

And it happened… with patience… many years after in another country actually. Life, work and opportunities took me to London (UK) for a year and this is where I met the most amazing yoga teacher you can imagine. And have you also noticed that often the best things that happen to you in life, are very often the ones that you were not looking for. It is like sometimes, life has little gifts for you. And this is what happened to me with Mieke 🙂 at that time I was really not thinking about yoga or anything and I found a card in my letter box and I was about to throw it directly in the bin, but some words caught my attention because I could relate to them. And this is how I started yoga sessions, 5 times a week with the adorable Mieke. And you can’t imagine how much it helped me at a time I needed it the most in my life. At the beginning I remember it was challenging because it was in English and I did not know the names of the postures etc… but then I got used to (watching her mainly and associating images with words) and now I can’t imagine yoga in another language than English, funny isn’t it?

My family name is related to nature and more specifically to trees… so this posture was made for me 😉 even if I am a very tiny and not very flexible tree lol I can bend but I won’t break!

Now that I am living in Australia, I still practise sometimes yoga on my own thanks to internet and when I find the time to do so. It is a very calming and grounding activity that I highly recommend. Besides I must say that with this beautiful weather I had the opportunity to go and practise yoga at the beach and it was a great experience with all these beautiful colours, the sound of the waves rolling on the beach and this beautiful sun in this vibrant blue sky. It was like a dream and practising yoga in such a beautiful setting made me feel very grateful. Besides I had the opportunity to teach some postures to some of my friends (Jessica from Mexico and Liliana from Venezuela) and they really enjoyed it! It is a good way to feel connected with earth and feel your stress leaving you as you are embracing yoga with all of your heart, letting go, no where to go, no where to be, just in the present moment!

Namaste! ❤

australia, lifestyle

Looking beyond the horizon

April 16, 2017 Virginie the Frenchie 1 Comment

“Being happy does not mean everything is perfect, it means that you have decided to look beyond the imperfections” – Gerard Way

My friend Jessica (Mexico) often says that people come to your life for a specific reason. Sometimes it is to teach you something about life or yourself, sometimes it is to bring you love and kindness, sometimes to challenge you… and you have to embrace this feeling!

There will be sometimes, when living abroad, when you will feel frustrated, like nothing is working the way you want and you don’t really understand why because you are trying your best. It is a strange feeling that many foreigners experience because we are far away from our country, our culture, our family… and everything is new and different. The key is to learn to adapt as quickly as possible which is not always easy. But you can’t do this alone, you have to surround yourself with true friends. Friends who will become your second family, friends you choose because they are “like” you, friends who will show you the way when you are lost, friends who will be there for you no matter what. These people will make a big difference not just in your day but also in your life and you will do the same for them too, sometimes without even realising it!

I recall once I had a “perfect” day with my friend Liliana (Venezuela) and it felt really nice. We did not do anything “spectacular”, we were just 2 girls sharing a nice picnic together, taking pictures/selfies, enjoying a good conversation! But it was sooooo good. Sometimes you think that you need complicated things to be happy and you can feel frustrated thinking that it is going to be hard to get them but thinking of it most of the time it is the simplest things that make you really happy. Think of it, try to remember when was the last time you really felt happy and I am sure you are going to realise that it was something very simple.

When France meets Brazil, it’s crazyyyyyyyyyyy! My Brazilian friend and I, partners in laughing crime.

It can be a smile, a compliment, a nice walk, something nice to eat, a beautiful bird passing by… you don’t need your day to be perfect to feel it is perfect, you just need to collect moments, those who make a difference in the rest of your day and will accompany you the rest of your week. And sometimes, total strangers will make a difference too without knowing it, just because they are genuinely nice and friendly when you need it the most.

So yes, all in all it does not have to be perfect and does perfection really exists anyway? The most important is not to be fooled by imperfections, not to focus on them but rather look beyond them, what really matters and enjoy 🙂

Life is beautiful like a nice walk on the beach

australia, food, lifestyle

Let’s go crabbing!!!!

January 27, 2017 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

What could be better than sitting on the Semaphore jetty, catching crabs, drinking beers and having fun with a bunch of good friends?! That’s called a perfect Aussie summer day 😉

Last Friday, Kim (Vietnam) came up with the perfect and most original idea: “Let’s go crabbing at sunset”, she said! It is something that none of us have experienced before. We thought, yes sure, why not, let’s give it a try! Jessica (Mexico) believes that each week we should do something totally new in order to embrace our new Australian lifestyle and make some good memories.

Sometimes it feels like your own private desert island!

I must confess I was a bit confused about the technique and was picturing myself running on Semaphore beach, lifting (small) rocks and chasing (or being chased) by crabs and running even faster should this happen to me! I thought, yes well, worst case scenario I would enjoy the beach and maybe even an ice cream.

16105724_1806461109627008_8560925652795794293_n — Catch me if you can 😉

But actually, I was wrong, crabbing is easier than I thought, all you need is a jetty, a bucket to hold your catch, a fishing basket with line and a little bait to attract crabs such as fish heads… mmm I know yummy! Like fishing, it requires some patience, so the best way to make the time flying by is to enjoy this activity with some crazy and lively friends!

So lucky to be surrounded by my international friends!

Our friend Kim (Vietnam) was the best instructor ever. She gave us many instructions how to throw the fishing basket far far away. You need to keep if flat and be careful with the strings attached to it because you don’t want to end in the sea with it eaten by the crabs. Three, two, one, GO and fly away!

Thank god, I have been working out lately and it shows!

We were pretty successful and we managed to catch something like 12 crabs. Actually we caught more but we had to release the little ones. Everybody was super happy and Peggy’s kids (Taiwan) were so proud and they had so much fun. It is definitely a good idea for a family/friends activity.

Summer time can be so hot in Australia, sometimes the temperature is so high that sleeping at night becomes nearly impossible despite a good air con. Some people prefer instead to spend the evening until late at night on the jetty crabbing. There is a cold breeze coming from the sea and as the sun is disappearing the temperature is dropping. Actually I recommend to bring sweaters, socks, trainers as it can get pretty cold on the jetty… As it was a first time, many of us did the mistake to come in their beach gears, not the best idea especially at sun set, it was “freezing”!

We spent a really good time together and stayed at Semaphore beach from 6pm to 10pm. We also had like a little picnic there because the sea, the air, the activity make you very hungry! Kim was thrilled, I must say some crabs were HUGE and Liliana tried to make me pause with a crab on a picture but I was a bit scared (she is a naughty girl haha). All in all it felt like being on holidays somewhere else. Sometimes you don’t need a lot of money or being in fancy hotels to enjoy life, simple things can actually feel even better. Best Friday, since a long time, I really enjoyed it ❤

But the fun did not stop there. Crabbing is something and eating crabs is something else! And the party went on at Kim’s house. She invited us in her beautiful home and taught us how to cook the crabs. She also made some delicious sauce to go with. It was fun, because we learnt how to eat a crab, breaking it in small pieces and sucking the flesh out of it… does it sound like a zombie/vampire thing?! I must say it was delicious and we all enjoyed it very much and we can’t wait to go again crabbing!

I would have never imagined that eating crabs that I caught could be so much fun!

These moments make me realise how important it is when you are abroad to be surrounded by amazing and generous people that you can call friends. They will make you smile, welcome you in their home and share some part of their culture with you. This is the beauty of living overseas, getting to know new people, bonding with them, discovering new places, opening your heart to new experiences and so much more. The more you are discovering about what is surrounding you, the more you are learning about you ❤

Who could have imagined that crabbing could be so deep 😉

australia, lifestyle

Happy Mauvember!

November 23, 2016 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

When Spring looks like a French Autumn, the only thing you can do is put a hat on, grab your bestie and chill out with a latte! Nasim (from Iran) and I are always on the same page when it comes to enjoy life at its best!

Spring has been so lazy to come this year. We experienced a lot of morning showers, grey sky, wind and some severe storms in September and October. In one hand, it was a bit depressing + there was a “major” water leaking in my house (one morning I woke up and water was coming from the ceiling, click here for the full story) but in the other hand, it is really good for mother nature because the trees and flowers look amazing right now with beautiful deep and lively colours. I guess you can’t have it all!

These past few days, spring is back on the track and it feels good to wake up with a big bright sun in the bedroom. I like to ride my green bike in the parks with this beautiful weather and explore new places whenever possible. In Australia, you have to wear an helmet (it is the law) and I must say when the weather is warm (sometimes around 40 something) I miss to feel the refreshing wind in my hair when biking! But again, I know this is for my own good so I am just going with the flow…

A romantic vision of a young girl with a white dress walking on the Jacarandas’petals on a sunny spring day.

Maybe you will think I am a fool but one thing I was really expecting was to see the Jacarandas blooming! They are my favourite trees and their romantic purple flowers appear the first weeks of November announcing that spring is here and summer is only a month away. This year, because of the strange weather, the Jacarandas only started now to spread their vibrant colours in the whole city. Their mauve flowers petals are falling on the pavement like confettis and it brings a “je ne sais quoi” to the streets of Adelaide. Someday when I will own a house with a garden I will plant a Jacaranda tree to gaze at it!

At the moment, my friend Jessica (Mexico) is encouraging me to practise “mindfulness”. I started doing it in London with my yoga teacher and I must say it is a really calming and grounding state of mind. We are so busy with our everyday lives sometimes, worrying about the past and the future that we forget to fully live the present moment. Maybe it will seem odd to some of you but sometimes just taking the time to stop for a minute and gaze at a tree or a flower can make a big difference in the rest of your day ❤

Just try it and tell me in the comments below how it felt!

lifestyle

Twinsters

November 17, 2016 Virginie the Frenchie Leave a comment

I don’t watch TV very often but I do have a Netflix account where I can watch on demand films and TV shows (speaking of the latter, did you hear about the Gilmore Girls being back?!!! I don’t want to gossip but I bet Rory is pregnant and Lorealai is freaking out.. as for Luke I am sure he is going to propose to L). I like to think of my life here in Adelaide like a good “old” GG show, by the way still haven’t found Luke’s Café but I am still looking and opened to any recomandation 😉

This is the kind of food, Luke would definitely serve! You can enjoy this breakfast at the Royal Oak in North Adelaide.

Lately, as I was browsing on Netflix, I decided to have a look at the documentary section and one called “Twinsters” (fusion of the word Twins and Sisters) caught my eye and I decided to go for it. So basically, the story line is that in 2013 Samantha Futerman, a 25 years old American Asian girl living in Los Angeles and using youtube to post funny videos received a life changing message via Facebook from Anaïs Bordier, a French Asian fashion design student living in London. Actually Anaïs friends watched a video on youtube featuring Samantha and they were so surprised by the identical appearance of the 2 girls that they encouraged her to contact her copycat! After a few Skype sessions, the girls discovered that they shared much more than just the same face: it turned out that they were both born the same day and both were adopted in Korea shortly after they were born!!! Could it be possible, could they by any chance be twin sisters?! This documentary is about the journey of Samantha (American) and Anaïs (French) discovering about their past, their history and the bond that they may share together through social medias.

I believe it is a real sweet story and I really enjoyed watching it, witnessing the different emotions these two amazing girls (and their respective French + American families) explored. What stroke me the most while watching this documentary is how life found a way to reunite these two girls that shared different lifestyles, cultures and mother tongues. It is like no matter what, it was meant to be. How perfect it is that Samantha Futerman (the American) was making cool and fun videos on Youtube that will be seen overseas (and obviously in UK) and what were the chances that Anaïs Bordier (the French) would decide to study fashion design in London and become fluent in English. Even if the two girls were raised in different countries and not sharing the same mother tongue, they were able to communicate straight away in English together which made the relationship between the 2 way easier. They both chose artistic careers, one being an actress and the other being a fashion designer, they are so similar and so different at the same time… so interesting to hear about their journey.

But beyond that, it makes you reflect on your own story, your family, the bond you share with them, your relationships. It makes you appreciate even more the luck to have grown with your siblings. What it feels like to have a sister, a brother (maybe both). What they mean to you and by extent what life would have been like without them. It is a special and strong bond and nobody can deny that.

I have a sister and a brother (I am the eldest), we spent all of our childhood together but our adults’ life separated us geographically. My sister lives in France, my brother is an air pilot in Canada (yes girls don’t get too excited 😉 ) and I live in Australia. As you can imagine, it is not so easy to see each other and to give you an example I have not seen my brother since 2013! 😦 I know it sucks… I miss my sister (and her kids a LOT) and my brother too of course. I am hopeful that in the future, as our respective lives settle down we will live closer from each other.

When I see them (especially after a long time apart), it is AMAZING! I ❤ family reunions and to catch up with everything I missed since last time. Luckily, I come from a big family and I have also many cousins around my age or my brother’s age. It is hard to feel lonely or depressed when you are around your family! Each year, during summer time, a “cousinade” is organised (we made up this word in French) but basically it is a “cousins party” where all cousins (on my mother side) are invited for a barbecue and drinks at my aunts place and it is really fun! Christmas are also pretty fantastics and are celebrated several times in the same week since the family is huge! Each year my family (on my father side) organise an unusual christmas dinner to spice up the routine and so far we had a Mexican, a Texas, a Caribbean and I believe last year it was an Australian theme christmas : AWESOME and so refreshing!!!