Tag Archives: Paris

australia

A generous arts and antiques buff!

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“Art is the only way to run away without leaving home” – Twyla Tharp

What if I told you that I know a place here in North Adelaide to travel the world, escape the routine and embrace history, would you believe me?!

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The Pratts called this type of pottery their “Etruscan” ware.

The David Roche Foundation is an impressive arts collection gallery featuring two centuries of European designs. His founder, David Roche, was passionate about antiques and fine arts. He devoted his whole life traveling the world and acquiring unique objects. When it came to arts he had absolutely no limits and he adored everything: furnitures, paintings, sculptures, porcelains… His home was filled with treasures from the past to be cherished and kept secret! But David Roche had a dream: he wanted  to leave a legacy to Australian people! His foundation is his last gift so visitors can enjoy his legendary collection and learn more about history through unique and original pieces.

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Patinated bronze statue of the Madonna: Mother of Mercy

I really recommend to visit this art gallery. It is fascinating to gaze at all these original objects and hear about their origins. It is like traveling to the past: it is a beautiful journey from the early rococo of France to Faberge in Russia. Furthermore David Roche is quite an intriguing character and it is interesting to hear about his life. The gallery is run by an amazing Lady called Ann, she is absolutely fabulous and I could honestly listen to her for hours presenting each item of the collection: so fascinating! Besides she speaks English beautifully (crystal clear) so for foreigners like me, it is a really good practice!  In my opinion, she speaks the “Queen’s English” and it is absolutely divine! I think she really adds something to the whole experience!

As for me, thanks to Ann explanations, my favourite piece was actually a Napoleon dessert service depicting views of Paris. It was made with delicate and finest porcelain and it looked really precious. The emperor offered this set to his beloved sister Pauline! And if you paid a closer look to the dessert plates, you could see on one of them the “Jardin des plantes” and 2 kangaroos as part of this beautiful scenery! Actually the French emperor was fascinated by Australia: in the 1800s it was considered as the most exotic, exiting and unexplored place of the world! No wonder that at that  time an expedition was orchestrated by Napoleon himself! He appointed the French explorer Nicolas Baudin and instructed him to bring back to France typical Australian plants and animals! It is nearly a miracle that the kangaroos survived the 6 months journey on the ship (when I can hardly cope with the 21 hours trip by plane from Adelaide to Paris) and could be seen in the famous Parisian botanical garden. So as you can easily imagine I really enjoyed gazing at this beautiful Napoleon dessert service, it is more than an object, it is all the (hi)story it represent and what Australia means to France and French people ❤

IMG_1191So next time, you happen to visit the fancy Melbourne street on North Adelaide, pop by the lovely cafe E for Ethel for a nice lunch or a latte and then head to The David Roche foundation and don’t  leave the gallery before having found a favourite piece to remember so you can tell me all about it in the comment section 😉 I’m really looking forward to hear from you!

VIEWING GALLERY

237 Melbourne Street
North Adelaide SA 5006

(08) 8267 1755
 
Entry by donation of $2 per person
Tuesday to Thursday: 10am to 3pm – Friday to Monday: Closed
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Here are some informations about the antiques presented on the different article pictures:
The pair of moulded and carved terra cotta figures are allegories of Spring (with the posy of flowers)  and Summer (with the buch of grapes) and are in the style of Charles Percier (1764-1838) and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine (1762-1853). They are from France, early 20th century.The silvered and parcel-gilt electrotyped copper wall plaques are referred to as “Chargers” and were made by Elkington & Co. in England in 1869, from French designs.One is  “January-June” signs of the zodiac, the other is  “July- December” and each has a different season portrayed in the centre.
 
The black and white earthenware Pot-pourri Vase is by Pratt & Co. of Fenton, England and was made circa 1880. It is in perfect condition, and is in three sections with a domed lid, an inner lid pierced with holes and a base with two handles attached from the shoulders to the rim, decorated in black over white with painted and transfer printed classical pattern borders and figural designs and gilding. The Pratts called this type of pottery their “Etruscan” ware.
 
The patinated bronze statue of the Madonna is by British sculptor, Nic Fiddian-Green who was born in 1963.   It is titled ‘Mother of Mercy’ and was produced in England circa 1999. This sculpture was created for the new millennium as an edition of only three – the first is in the Vatican in Rome. On completion of the third and final cast, all moulds are to be destroyed by the artist.
australia, food, lifestyle

Please summer don’t go!

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Adelaide is so lovely at the moment… it is not too warm, not too cold, it is perfect time to enjoy beautiful walks in the city and reward yourself with a nice iced tea sitting at the terrasse  of your favorite cafe enjoying the sun and the life going by!

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Lovely iced tea and waffles at cafe Troppo

I wish summer time could stay a little bit more… When I used to live in the north hemisphere the 20th March was a happy day for me because it was the first day of spring and I could already think about the nice places in Paris where I would go, the outdoor restaurants by my work place where I would eat, the cute summer dresses I would buy, the markets, the beautiful flowers and the lovely sun on my face ❤ but now it is different I live in Australia and today it is the first day of Autumn! What does Autumn look like in Australia… I have no idea… it is my first time here!

I have been told that after mad March, Adelaide needs to recover and it will be very quiet. People will stay at home, cook and relax! I am not sure I want to do that… I enjoy walking around, exploring the city, going to the beach, spending time with my new friends! I guess I can still do that even if the weather is colder… right?!

So here are a few activities I intend to do now the weather is getting cooler:

  1.  Rent a free bike and ride next to the beautiful Torrens river!
  2. Keep on exploring the city  thanks to the City council self guided Tours and Trails: http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/explore-the-city/see-do/maps-and-trails/tours-and-trails
  3. Go more often to the Food Court in China Town (by the way I love Mum Kimba Korean cuisine), so nice and yummy!
  4. Buy nice teas at T2 on Rundle street and enjoy the new comforting flavors (Choco Tchai with almonds milk mmm).
  5. Climb on Mount Lofty, in the hills, everywhere… Sport is good for your soul and your body!
  6. Take the train more often and start exploring the surroundings (I wish I could go back to Peninsula Fleurieu, so beautiful… and in autumn the colours must be lovely).
  7. Do more shopping at the Central Market and buy cheese and bread  (when winter is coming I generally start to dream about “raclette” or “fondue”: French dishes involving a lot of CHEESE).
  8. Treat myself with some mouthwatering milk rocky roads from Haigh’s chocolates: they only produce them during the cold season and they are to die for!
  9. Find a cosy cafe with a fire place where I can read new books and write beautiful pieces… hey wait a minute, there is a fire place in my new house in the living room 😉 I am already picturing myself with a cup of tchai latte and a nice blanket… too bad I don’t have a cat to complete this perfect winter scene!

Well… it sounds like a good plan to me! What about you? What are your favorite activities when the weather gets colder? What do you recommend me to do in Adelaide in Autumn?

PS: maybe I am being a lit bit too dramatic… Autumn does not seem very cold in Australia… actually this weekend is going to be very hot with 27 degree on Saturday and 32 degree on Sunday… I think I can still wear my summer dresses… the umbrella, the boots and the pullover can wait, YOUPI 🙂

lifestyle

It is all about the people!

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What makes your journey so unique and unforgettable? What captures your mind and your heart? What catches your eyes? What makes you see the world differently? What gives you a new outlook on life?

When you really think about it, it is not the places you visit, the beautiful landscapes you gaze at, the wildlife you connect with… but it is the people… it is always about the people!

I have lived in a few countries, seen amazing places, tasted wonderful food… but my best memories and stories are about great people I have met. Simple but meaningful moments: interesting and lively conversations, funny things to laugh about, interesting knowledge to share with, wise advises to give and to receive, precious help when needed, a good ear to listen, some words to think about, a happy smile…moments!

Meeting new people open new doors in your heart and in your mind. Deep inside you, you have dreams, hopes, wishes… things you have always wanted to do but never gave it a real chance… and sometimes all it takes is just to meet the right person at the right moment to encourage you to open these doors.

“There will always be a reason why you meet people. Either you need them to change your life or you are the one that will change theirs.”

I feel grateful I have the opportunity to meet so many fabulous friends and to be inspired by brilliant teachers along the way. They represent an important part of my journey and they are contributing for sure to my happiness in this whole experience. I feel different, thanks to them – happier, eager to learn and discover! They changed my world and now I just can’t get enough… I want more and more!

Don’t get me wrong, I have also wonderful people in my life in my home country France: starting with my family ❤ but living in foreign countries and speaking foreign languages push your boundaries and increase significantly your chances to bond with different personalities, cultures, tastes, ideas… and sometimes it is a real life change! And next thing you know, you are starting a blog in English, going to Yoga classes everyday, taking part to Spanish classes, learning Chinese, enrolling to a creative writing course…

So for those who are ready to move abroad, be prepared to reconnect with your passions, to discover new shades of your personality, to start to dream BIGGER because your journey will be full of people who will push you in the right direction: YOURS!

“I want to keep meeting new people, enlarging my circle of friends, I have good friends now… really good people. But I’am always ready for what comes next.” – Paula Danziger

You would be surprised how quick and easy it is to meet such wonderful people, especially when you are new to a country and you know absolutely nobody! But this is another story… coming next 😉

lifestyle

All we want is…

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Five women sitting at a table: one is from Venezuela, another is from Vietnam, a third one is from Japan, another is from Australia and the last one is from France. What is the common point between these 5 women? They are all talking about the same feeling. A feeling we all experience, no matter our background, education, culture, religion, belief, skin color… a universal feeling that anyone can understand: LOVE ❤

I find it always interesting to discuss with people from other countries; somehow you always realize that besides all our differences,  inside we are just the same. And I guess this is even more true when it comes about romantic relationships… and of course MEN… there is a lot to say about them too… a worldwide concept 😉

Many times I have heard that I come from the country of love.. “oui l’amour!” and I think it is cute… I want to believe this is true… that in France: you can bump into couples kissing at each corner of the streets, we do say “je t’aime” at least 4 times in the day and if not it is because we caught a bad cold and we can’t speak, we have regularly red roses delivered at work, we hold hands and kiss all the time, we don’t accept to have dinner if there is not a chandelier or candles on the table and we can’t imagine a dinner without chocolate, champagne and sweet little words whispered in our ears… I actually like this vision of France and I really want to believe in it, I really do! Afterall, maybe it is because I am French that I enjoy so much to hear about “l’amour”, “mon chéri”… when talking with my international friends.

Actually, my heart wants to jump when I hear about a beautiful love story, I want to cry inside when I hear about a painful break up, I want to believe that passion can come back when I think there is still hope, I want to explode when a man makes a woman unhappy, I want to spice up things when I sense there is routine, I want to believe that the perfect guy is on his way when I hear “single” . It is true, I love to listen to all these stories and I am glad when I can help… that’s what women do, we comfort and support each other no matter what because we have all been there, we just know what it feels like!

I am sure Cinderella, Snow White, Barbie…  do the same when they are having coffee together (maybe not at Cafe Cibbo… Starbuck?). Surprisingly we never read this part of the story… All we know for sure is that they felt madly in love and they kissed the boy but what happened then? What about the 1 week, 6 months, 3 years and 7 years milestones? and why didn’t they leave us any memo?

“Falling in love” seems to be the easy part of the story…  the love boat is sailing, the sky is blue  and it is the beginning of a wonderful journey full of promises: remember your eyes have been replaced by 2 shiny hearts, you see “la vie en rose”,  you can’t eat, you can’t sleep, you are glowing and giggling all the time, you can not possibly get rid of your smile, everybody but you can tell you are in love (it is written on your forehead) and of course that is when all the men decide suddenly to chase you…try to figure!

And then there is “being in love and in a relationship” and this is demanding because it is not the destination, it is THE journey! It is an adventure, it is the moment of truth where your dreams and expectations meet the reality! Sometimes you will travel on a beautiful and peaceful sea with amazing stars over your head and other times there will be storms, waves and rain…  But you don’t learn to sail in just one day, do you?! It takes time, patience, compromises and a lot of love to grow together looking in the same direction without forgetting who you are, where you want to go, what really matters… but when you know, you know!

It is a long way to go but it is worth it… Because at the end of the day, what do we want? Pretty simple… to love deeply, fully with all of our heart and to be loved passionately, indefinitely, madly in return… universal ❤ so let’s embark on this boat and see what the future holds… and remember:

“It is all about the journey, not the outcome” Carl Lewis

france, lifestyle

My favorite natural beauty products

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Every girl has a beauty routine, products and brands she trusts because she knows it works well on her skin. No matter what people say or think: it is not that easy to find the equivalent version when living abroad. Nobody wants to risk an  allergy or to look like a “beautiful” red lobster. Every wise girl knows best that it is better to pack in your suitcase the beauty products you cherish the most to pamper yourself! It will save you time, money and stress, so you can explore then at your own pace local brands and find what works best for you!

Speaking of that I recently posted about a popular French beauty brand called L’Occitane as I think it is part of the routine of many women.  Actually the article received many likes so today I thought I could  share with you MY favorite French brands that I make sure to pack in my suitcase when moving abroad  😉

First I have to confess that I have tried in the past famous brands such as Chanel, Dior, Clarins… they were good but in my opinion not spectacular considering the price. Furthermore I have realised I was more into organic cosmetics so my selection is natural products orientated.

“Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction” – E.O. Wilson

So here is my top 3 ❤

1.  Senteurs de fée Paris

I absolutely adore this brand. I am a huge fan of all their products and I have been using them for many years. I am in love with the rose fragrance and a lot of their products contain this amazing ingredient! I find them extremely effective at keeping my skin nice and moisturized. They are absolutely perfect! There is only one shop and it is in Paris (Le Marais). When you enter the shop, the magic happens: the colors, the lovely smells, the atmosphere. I had the chance to meet Katia (the creator of this amazing brand) and she is as splendid and lively as her products! My favorites are:

  • Nectar de rose: an aromatic hydratating face care. It is actually an oil texture composed with apricot, macadamia nut and bulgaria rose. It is perfect for my sensitive skin since I can not possibly use cream.  If I could only bring one beauty product on a desert island, I will definitely choose “Nectar de rose” because it is the best product ever!
  • Rose huile vraie: a non greasy body oil which smells divine and makes your skin so soft… I just love it! The bottle looks so nice with a kind of retro look. Like I said I am fond of all their products.

If you travel to France, make sure to pop by this lovely shop, it is in a nice area in Paris and it is totally worth it.  They also ship worldwide, look for the English version! http://www.senteursdefee.com/index.php

 

2. Douces angevines

I like this brand and their products smell amazing (if you like the  smell of plants). I have read in the press that the French actress Marion Cotillard loves them too. One day, I was in a changing room in Paris trying some clothes on. When I handed back the clothes to the shop keeper, she asked me what my body lotion was. She said it smelt so good on the clothes. I actually was wearing Douces angevines’Baobab oil! On the other hand, one day I was at my parents place and my father came into the bathroom because of the smell. He said that it reminded him some kind of medication you use to breathe better and found awkward it was part of my beauty routine (men…). So I guess it is a matter of taste… I personally like it. My favorites are:

  • Fantômette: A non greasy plant fluid to remove make-up and clean the skin. I find it very effective on the eyelids especially when you are wearing waterproof make-up.
  • Berbere: A pre-shampoo fluid to protect and repair your hair. It smells very nice and when using it I find that my hair is more shiny, soft and beautiful with a nice glow!

You can find those products in organic shops in France or you can place an order via their website and take the opportunity to learn more about them:  http://en.doucesangevines.com/s/10843_beauty-of-the-face

 

3. Couleur caramel

Organic and natural make up range. The products are high quality, easy to use, look pretty all day long! I have been using this brand for many years and I am pretty happy with the results. Products last long so it is a plus! Furthermore the packaging is so cute! I really like this brand! My favorites products are:

Eyeshadows: silky, velvety made with micronized powder… they have a full range of beautiful colors! It is perfect for a natural make-up.

Mascaras: water based formula, will protect your eyelids and it is perfect for sensitive eyes! It is very easy to remove it and I like the natural smell.

Have a look at their website, there is a good selection and I particularly enjoy their special collections/editions for summer, valentine’s day, christmas… they are very creative! http://www.couleurcaramel.com.au

 

I hope you like my selection and as I said these are definitely nice natural French brands that you have to test when you go to France.  I am sure you will fall in love with them! What about you? What is your beauty routine? Do you pack also your favorite products in your suitcase when going abroad? What are your essentials?

As for me, after 5 months living in Australia, I am at this crossroad where I need to start buying local because now I am living here and I have to embrace my new lifestyle and I want to…  But I have been so busy these past few months that I did not have a real chance to explore and test Australian beauty brands. Shame on me!

So if you happen to live in this wonderful country (or New Zealand) and have amazing natural/organic brands to recommend me I would be really thankful!

SMILE 🙂 You are beautiful ❤

france, lifestyle

5 French films to watch with your in-laws!

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I am always amazed when abroad to meet people who absolutely adore French cinema. France is such a small country, you would think you could hardly notice it on a map! In the other hand, it is a country appreciated for its history ,culture, gastronomy, fashion and of course passion!

I love when my foreigners friends tell me « Paris, oui l’amour ! », this is so charming! I enjoy seing my country through their eyes, listening to their favorite spots in Paris and their impressions about the Frenchies or the « sacré français ». I feel bad they know so much about my country when sometimes I know so little about theirs but I am willing to learn and to keep exploring the world!

Anyway I had a discussion about French movies with my lovely friend Nasim: she is from Iran and she has been living in Adelaide for 8 months. It turned out that her sister and herself enjoy watching French films and they wanted me to recommend a few. The real challenge is that they have already seen a LOT of films. So I have been thinking about it and I made a list covering different years and I thought it could be a nice idea to share it with everybody on my blog!

 

  • Un héros très discret (A Self Made Hero) – 1996 – directed by Jacques Audiard – Starring Matthieu Kassovitz, you have probably seen him in the film: Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain (Amelie)

When you are watching this movie based on a novel, keep in mind that «the most beautiful lives are those we invent ».

  • Ridicule (Ridicule) – 1996 – directed by Francis Leconte – Starring many well known French actors.

Decadent Versailles in the 18th century where social status can rise and fall depending on your ability to play with words and demonstrate how cultivated and clever you are!

  • L’ Auberge espagnole (The Spanish apartment) – 2002 – directed by Cedric Klapisch with the famous Romain Duris and Cecile de France

Fun, good feelings, friendship… and how you become a different and a more complete person when living abroad and surrounded by so many different cultures. Hey! does it sound familiar?!

  • De battre mon coeur s’est arrêté (The beat that my heart skipped) – 2005 – directed by Jacques Audiard with the talented French actor Romain Duris.

Human drama, vibrant, vivid, sincere… You will be moved for sure!

  • Molière à bicyclette (Cycling with Moliere) – 2013 – directed by Philippe Le Guay with the very French Fabrice Luchini.

Comedy about friendship and the search of the creative spark! Fun, inspiring and shoot in a beautiful part of France!

 

If you are passionate about French movies, please let me know and I will keep posting from time to time about this topic! I called it “5 French films to watch with your in-laws” because these 5 movies deliver a message, they are powerful and well written so it is a good selection to impress somebody and especially your in laws!

Feel free to give me your feedbacks and maybe I can adapt my selection accordingly.

The next step to fully appreciate the experience would be of course to learn French… haha  « sacré français »  😉

A bientôt!

france, lifestyle

Je suis Charlie, I am Charlie, Yo soy Charlie, Ich bin Charlie…

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A thunder woke me up early this morning… when I looked through the window the sky was dark and grey and it was raining a lot… I just thought that it did not look like a good day, this kind of weather can be depressing sometimes… I could not imagine how right I was going to be about that…

As usual I checked my messages and realised that many family members and friends from France have posted the same picture « Je suis Charlie » (I am Charlie) so I immediately knew that something had happened in my country… I called my mother and I also checked the news and realised that a tragic terrorist attack took place in Paris at Charlie Hebdo’s office on 7 January morning killing 12 people, among them 10 journalists and 2 policemen !

I was shocked to hear such thing could happen and so sad thinking about the families of these people who had no idea about what would happen to them when they left their homes in the morning to go to work as they do everyday… then I have realised that some of my friends in Australia have heard about it too but were frustrated not to understand the what, the how and mostly the why…. Don’t get me wrong, we do get news here in Adelaide about other countries but it is not very detailed so I thought maybe I could write something about it hoping this will help to have a better understanding of what happened from a french point of view.

Actually, for those who have never heard about Charlie Hebdo : it is a famous French satirical weekly paper, featuring cartoons, reports, polemics and jokes. It was created in 1969 and it is well known for being irreverent and non-conformist since the publication often makes fun of politics, culture and religion… mostly Catholicism, Islam, Judaism… Their style is pretty provocative with a good dose of humour since they are making fun of any kind of subjects with caustic cartoons to illustrate their articles. The success of this paper is also due to a great team composed of famous and talented cartoonists and journalists who are not afraid to speak their minds. As you can imagine many readers are huge fans and absolutely love it, some don’t care and some just hate it and don’t hesitate to let them know by criticizing any publication (which is quite easy nowadays with social media). Charlie Hebdo is used to being insulted, to being sued and to getting a lot of threats (their offices were bombed at night a couple of years ago)… but this has never stopped them to go on and express their opinions ! Afterall France is known to be a free country where the press is free… it is called freedom of expression and french people are very proud of it and so am I!

Unfortunately on 07 January 2015, two well armed men, suspected to be islamic terrorists, decided that Charlie Hebdo paper was going too far by making fun of their prophet. They decided to make their own justice by depriving the staff from the freedom of speech… sentencing them to death! The terrorists intruded the building and took the journalists and the cartoonists by surprise during the weekly editorial board meeting shooting at everybody. Two policemen standing on their way were also killed. It was a very violent attack, very cruel…and everybody is still shocked !

France is sad and mourning the deaths of these 12 people who had lives, families and who died when their only crime was to write, to draw their opinions and to protect the freedom expression ! Who would have ever imagined that a drawing could killed in France?!

France and many countries have expressed their sorrow in the face of tragedy! Trying to shut down a media organization is called terrorism! It is an attack of our values, an attack on the freedom of expression and the press, a core element of our free democratic culture!

You can hide our eyes but we will still see!

You can close our ears but we will still hear!

You can shut our mouth but we will still speak!

You can hold our hands but we will still write!

You can try to shut us down but we will still believe!

Because we are FREE !!! We are all Charlie ❤