Month: March 2014

Comfort in comfort

I don’t usually post on Sunday nor do I do two foodie stories in the same week…but then again…this isn’t any ordinary Sunday. So while I prepare the long wait until 8pm when the election results start rolling in, I am taking comfort in comfort, wherever I can. 
My grocery store roses help, even if they are bruised and fading fast. I still love their leathery petals and spindly form that pulls me into the gateway of a labyrinth with a simple gaze.

And of course, there is food. I have been cooking even more than usual, if that is possible. Actually, it isn’t, so I will add that I have been putting a little more thought into what goes in the pan and onto the plate as I need an extra outlet for the brimming anxiety within.
First up, for those of you that might be pondering your Sunday brunch, a funky mixture that worked well. I have the fantastic Deb Perleman at Smitten Kitchen to thank for both the “just put it in a bowl” and the “everything tastes better with a fried egg on top” concepts which are fun to play around with. Here, the bottom layer is shredded zucchini sauteed in cumin and crushed cherry tomatoes, then perfectly ripe Haas avocados were spliced around the sides, topped with eggy and crumbled feta and there you go. I will be making this again.
Have you already eaten? Europe just finally swung around to the time change last night (I know, I don’t understand why we can’t just do it all on the same day either), so depending where you are, that is entirely possible. All right then, well, if comfort is what is called for, there is nothing that fits the bill better than this dish, a riff from the most amazing Patricia Well’s “The Provence Cookbook” which has been sleeping up on the top shelf for far too long. 
Get out your trusty Creuset (or any deep iron casserole dish) then brown chicken legs on each side and remove with thongs so as not to pierce the skin (p.s. France, you may be in crazy politics mode, but I love you for providing chicken fermier or straight from the producer so readily). As they are in season, sauté some sliced spring onions until tender and then replace the chicken, add two cups of white wine (or less if you are not as greedy about sauce as I am), add olives (I happened to have some that are stuffed with chorizo on hand and I have to say that it added mucho gusto), more of those perky cherry tomatoes, additional spring onions and sliced lemons on top. Cover and cook over lowish heat for about an hour until done. This has to be the easiest and yet most rewarding dish I have made in forever. Don’t go by the mi-cooked crappy iphone photo, just trust me. 
And since we know by now that roasted cabbage is actually vegetable bacon, why not make some? Along with eggplants roasted with a little olive oil and a delightfully wacky product that is a mashup of Tabasco and teriyaki sauces plus some strips of whatever fish you have on hand (I used leftovers of Remi’s excellent trout), voila, another healthy stack in a bowl idea. P.s. I also made a lemon tahini vinaigrette for this but it doesn’t really need it so if you are feeling lazy, like a true Food E, then skip it.
So there we are. I am currently roasting asparagus (two huge bunches for only 4.50€ at the market yesterday) to surprise Remi with a salmon benedict for when he comes back from voting…
…for something tells me that I am not the only one that is going to need to take comfort in comfort today.
So I will leave you with this absolutely gorgeous version of one of my very favorite songs in the whole wide world…turn it up and calm down…
…and sigh it with me now, “Ommm“…
…”Shanti, shanti, peace, peace, peace.”

Contrasts in Provence

Hello there. Just to give you a head’s up, today’s post is also on the current political situation in France regarding the rise of the extreme right Front National party in the municipal elections that will have their final round of voting this Sunday. I realize that this is not everyone’s cup of tea, so feel free to come back next week (although I am not planning a political post for Friday but who knows). This blog is about all of the things that are of meaning to me and this subject most certainly qualifies. I was incredibly moved by the courageous and heartfelt response by my friend Silke, who is German, to my previous post. I think that it is important to share what she has to say and with her permission have reprinted it below:

“Dear Heather, I am so busy right now I hardly find the time to write a sentence on your blog!

And yes, me too I am in rage, I am sad, speechless and badly disappointed of my dear French neighbours!

Especially as I am German and EVERYBODY knows the German History and the History of the Second World War. And therefore everybody SHOULD really know certain relations of the FN contents and the German National Socialism Party during the Second World War!

This is not “just” politics this is about about avoiding a human catastrophy. And trust me, this is not just another Hollywood Production, this is real life. And the latter is sometimes not funny in France for people who think different.

As a German it was a weird feeling to have extreme right wing advertising in the mailbox on a daily basis when we were in Arles!

Also, La Provence is not only “belle” it was also one of the centers of “La Résistance” (against German atrocities) during the Second World War who’s leader was Jean Moulin.
The beautiful “Alpilles” that we were so happy so see on this blog are crossed by a road called “Route de la Liberté” because Jean Moulin took a shelter there for one night. Every third beach on the Côte Azur is called: “Plage du Débarquemet”! On those beaches landed the Allies to free Europe from the horrors of the National Socialism.
Yes, in the South of France they are proud of their Résistance and for good reasons. But that does not stop them to vote for a party that is Anti-Semitic, Racist and Homophobic! France has a lot of problems but they won’t get solved with the FN.

Of course one cannot completely compare the time of the German National Socialism with the FN Party in France. But there are obvious tendencies and similarites in their “values”. And their gains of power with a program that is based on Anti-Semitism and Racism is already a political catastrophy.

And the politics of Racism concerns us all wether live in America, Europe, Australia etc, whether we are interested in politics or not, we should be interested in Humanity!

To say something positive finally, the responsables of the Avignon Festival will resist and cancel the whole Festival under a FN Government!”

Personally, I don’t feel that Silke is exaggerating. It was only while in the midst of preparing these photos that I noticed the swastika on the right hand side of the image above. 

And so while I see everyday…

…that there is beauty great and small…

…and a living scale of time here in Provence…

…there are also barriers to come up against and – hopefully – breathe through.

There is the landscape that the tourists see…

…graced with goodness…

…and a splendid solidity…

…but there are also the contrasts of the human kind, stark and striking…

…from a history not always seen straight on but peeked at sideways or dismissed with a nod.
From the outside in, we don’t always know all…

…and there are many who turn a blind eye to the challenges in front of them…

…just as they can walk by our living monuments without seeing them anymore.
These contrasts are woven together in a pattern so complex that it can be tough to unravel and they scratch up against each other, side by side by side. At least that is how I feel after having lived in the South of France for nearly ten years. I agree with Silke. This is not about politics, it is about Humanity. In our own way, we each make a difference in shaping the future. Eyes open, hearts wide.
Thank you for reading and for your respectful consideration of all that is presented here…

Salad with a side of politics

Oh, dear me.
Well, here is the deal. Last night, while watching the municipal election results roll in from around France, I was pacing the room violently, sloshing the red wine in my glass as I did so, until worked up to a fuming pitch, I swore to myself that I was going to write a tirade of a post today. 
And yet, I just can’t quite do it. Not yet, at least. 
Am I angry/afraid/appalled that the extreme right Front National party made such a large advance over their numbers from four years ago? Indeed I am. So much so that I find myself slightly stunned and waiting eagerly for next Sunday to arrive for the final round of voting with a desperate hope for a “Say it isn’t so” moment. 
Here in Arles, Herve Schiavetti, the current mayor, has the lead but with only 38% of the vote, while the FN candidate has a whopping 24%. Really? In Arles? Such a second place status was rampant, especially in the South of France and in nearby towns like Avignon, Saint-Gilles, Tarascon and Beaucaire, the FN so far has the lead often with just shy of the 50% needed to have won in the first round.

So, for lunch today, I knew just what to make. It is one of my favorite winter into spring salads but is also quite bitter. Parfait. 
Endive, beet and blue salad
for 2 people (any more and you might have political disputes)
3 heads of endive, sliced into rounds and sliced in two
Top with:
cooked beets, diced
sprinkling of dried cranberries and/or golden raisins
a sliced apple for crunch
ample amounts of crumbled good blue cheese (I used a bleu d’Auvergne)
sliced nuts on top
Sweet mustard vinaigrette
2 soup spoons of Dijon mustard
2 soup spoons of a sweet vinegar 
(I used a mix of crème de noix – aka nuts – and balsamic with lavender honey)
4 soup spoons of good olive oil
salt, pepper and herbes de Provence to taste
Whisk the mustard and vinegar together then add in the olive oil by two’s, adjust to your preferred consistency and taste.
 To read an article in the New York Times on this subject (not the salad): please click here.
For those of you wishing to learn more about the background of the Front National party, please click here (and don’t miss the founder’s denial of the Holocaust and the current interest in deporting unemployed immigrants…*cough cough*)
To read a previous post that speaks of this party, please click here.
As for Ben and Kipling?

They have both made their point of view clear: “Wake me when it’s over.”
Just to balance out the amertume?
Here is the beautiful opening to the new collaboration between Bonobo and Late Night tales. The entire album is just wonderful…
Have a great week everyone…

PS. Thank you all so very, very much for your overwhelming response via comments and emails about Remi’s first story in National Geographic magazine. We both are extremely moved and grateful.

Remi’s story in National Geographic magazine!

Have you ever had a dream that took a long time to come true? Or maybe you are still on the path?
Today is a very big day, one that has been over three years in the making. 
I am so very excited to tell you that my love, Remi Benali, has his first story for National Geographic magazine in the April 2014 issue. Worldwide.

Remi has been a professional photographer for 25 years. He started as a sports photographer with the prestigious Gamma Agency and covered five Olympic Games. He changed paths to start shooting magazine stories and became interested in National Geographic magazine’s aesthetic and high-level quality during a three year stint as a foreign correspondent in New York City. Along the way, he was published in many of the world’s most prestigious magazines such as Life (his photograph of “Dolly the cloned sheep” was chosen as one of the “100 pictures of the century”), Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, the Sunday Times, Le Figaro Magazine, Paris-Match, Stern, Geo, El Mundo and La Repubblica. Often, he would receive the same feedback: “We love your work but tell me, why aren’t you working for National Geographic?”
He has voyaged to over 80 countries on five continents and became a specialist in tribes, traditions and UNESCO World Heritage sites. Starting in 1998, several of his stories were presented to the National Geographic Society in Washington D.C. – including his impressive work on “The Marble of the Taj Mahal” – and he had several near misses. But they were misses. It was disheartening. 
In 2005, we chose to leave Paris in order to make Arles, a small town in Provence, our home base. At the time, we were working extensively together as a writer-photographer team and were frequently on the road. But then the economic crisis hit in 2008 and the press took an enormous hit. Our travels slowly trickled to a halt. That same year, several incredible finds were made in Arles during archeological digs in the Rhône River.
One of the most impressive was the discovery of a 31 meter-long (just over 100 feet) intact boat from the Roman era. It took several years to acquire the financing to bring up such an impressive object. In 2011, the Musée départemental Arles antique was ready to take on the 8 million Euros project with the support of the region’s Conseil Général for the launch of Opération Arles-Rhône 3. 
Remi (seen in the white hard hat above), along with two underwater photographers, Lionel Roux and Teddy Seguin, was awarded a government contract to document the entire process. Opportunity was knocking. 
After having searched the world over, the story that he had been waiting for was found…in his own backyard. 
National Geographic said, “Yes.”
The boat, which was beautifully preserved due to being in a river as opposed to being exposed to harmful amoebas in the sea, was cut into ten sections underwater that were individually lifted up to the surface. Having been present at several of these occasions, I can tell you it was a nail-biting experience each time for all involved.
After having been brought up to the light of day, each section then needed to be treated. The renovation process was extensive, included being heated with non-radioactive gamma rays to solidify the structure of the wood. Each original iron nail was removed and replaced. Additionally, the thousands of objects that were found during the archeological dig – from giant statues to minuscule gold rings – were categorized and restored. Remi followed the entire process.
Within his contract was the possibility to photograph one of the museum’s masterpieces, which was also discovered in the Rhône in 2007.
This bust of Julius Caesar is believed to be the only one in existence that was carved during his lifetime. I was able to assist Remi on this photo shoot and it was absolutely thrilling to be literally nose to nose with such a masterpiece of Roman art. 
But that was nothing compared to the night at the very, very end of the three year-long process when he photographed the boat, now reassembled in a new wing especially built within the museum, for a panoramic shot that was a great technical challenge. For six and a half hours, we were in near darkness. Alone. I am happy to say that the resulting photograph is the opening gatefold of the article, especially as Remi had conceived the image even before the boat had been lifted out of the water. He made it happen. Wait until you see it…it is stunning.
On October 5th, 2013, the Roman boat of Opération Arles-Rhône 3 was presented to the public in an opening ceremony.
The crowds were impressive…
…everyone wanted to see and understand the boat which had already been labelled a “National Treasure” by the French government.
But where was Remi? Was he swanning about? Resting on his laurels?
Hardly. He spent the evening secured up on a perch above the crowd to shoot a long exposure photo that was also one of his specially conceived ideas. The masses swirling around the boat were eventually transformed into one blur of a wave that buoyed it back to life! That photo can now be seen on billboards throughout the region as it was used as the poster for the opening exhibition.
When the crowds left that evening – amidst a great thunderstorm that felt fitting somehow – we both had an awareness that the boat had been delivered to port and that the story was nearing its end. 
Remi then went through an extensive and incredibly thorough process in conjunction with his editor on the story. Photographs were selected, abandoned, questioned and every last fact was verified. Finally, the layout came together. The first time that I saw the pdf version of it with Remi’s name up top, I cried. I think that we both did, actually.
The day before yesterday, we had a Fedex delivery from Washington. The magazine, which has been so gracious throughout, sent us five copies of the April issue. It will be available in 170 countries in English plus in 60 countries in an additional 38 languages.  To hold it in our hands and know that 40 million readers all over the world will soon be seeing it feels slightly unreal.
Through hard work, tenacity, talent and vision, Remi made his dream of working for the National Geographic magazine come true.
Bravo, coeur. Je t’aime et je suis tellement fiere de toi…
Only one song can express how I feel today:
Turn it up and let’s pop open the champagne!
 Can’t wait a moment longer? You can see the story at National Geographic online by clicking here.

But please do go buy the magazine! I am going to be asking for photos of the different international versions from you soon…it should be reaching subscribers from March 20th or so and on newsstands by the end of the month.
To see five excellent videos (in English) about the lift-up process, please click here.
For mes lecteurs francophones, the story has already been published in three separate editions of the French version of National Geographic. To see more, please click here.
To discover more of Remi’s images for the Arles-Rhône 3 story, click here.
To learn more about his photography, please be so kind as to click below:
As always, all of the photos in this post were taken by me (and some even with my scrappy iphone) – trust me this is not the quality of National Geographic or Remi’s work… 🙂 

Thank you for your support and have a wonderful weekend everyone!

A discovery in Castillon du Gard

“Medieval village, first left.” We made the turn and snaked up the hill towards Castillon-du-Gard, emitting suffused sighs of wonder with each twist of the panorama. A discovery was in front of us, waiting.

Admittedly, they are increasingly rare for Remi and I. For his various photographic projects, we have criss-crossed la Provence and the eastern reaches of the neighboring Languedoc and wear our metallic merit badges proudly. We even know of secret villages and bijous that are hidden in plain sight.

But Castillon? Well, it was just a mark on the map that we passed on our way to the Pont du Gard and my beloved Uzès. As we had just left nearby St. Hilaire d’Ozilhan and were taking the long road home (aka driving in the opposite direction of where we needed to go), it was time to explore. The light was softening to  a whisper and as we pulled ourselves and the pups out of the car, we realized that we had the streets to ourselves, just as we prefer.

And what unusual streets they are, such perfect cut stone paths…rock against rock to echo…
…and lead us down the yellow brick road…

…into a forest where things haven’t changed actually, not since one thousand years.
And yet I felt slightly ill at ease, as if the old stones were holding their breath, waiting for us to leave them in peace. We did and let the light lie behind us.
Mystery is a fickle dancer. So, of course we were immediately tempted to go back by day…
…and discern with a wagging finger…had we been imagining things?
Solidly, yes. 

For there was something of the touch too much perfect…
…a stage set without blunder…

…as if the joke was on us.

What to make of this and these – those pictures that beg to be taken without posing?
A bit like a Frenchman captivated by an insouciant minx, we were slightly under its spell.

We visited a house for sale and returned, returned again; trying to imagine ourselves walking those streets…

…so different from the rowdy roll of Arles with no graffiti, no garbage, no wild cats to be seen. Could we? The answer is no. At least no for now.

But it was still a good discovery and like the mirage of the Pont du Gard shimmering in the distance, a kindly reminder not to assume but to stop and question. “Tu as toujours de préjugés,” Remi has been saying to me lately. And I believe that he is right. I think that after all of those years in New York, I try to decide what a situation is or could be in advance as a sort of survival tactic. It might have been smart then but it could be time to change now. Better to think twice then. Once with your head of course but always, always once with your heart as well.
PS. My friend DA Wolf at Daily Plate of Crazy recently wrote a thought-provoking piece on the definition of wisdom that I think that you might enjoy. You can find it: here.

The Big Book of the Arles market

While trying to describe my blog yesterday evening, I found myself at a loss for words and juggling the air with empty hands as if digging for an answer. “Is it about…Provence?” my interlocutor inquired helpfully but still I hesitated and finally coughed out, “Well, not really in a touristy kind of way.” And then there is today’s post. Pretentious goose.
But there is a reason. For while most of you know that I avoid covering our markets here in fear of the cliché plague, when my Mom was asked recently if she there was any particular subject that I should write on, she didn’t hesitate in requesting, “Food.” Who can blame her? She will take the plane just to see my smiling face and to sit at our table. And she is always, always right.
So, this morning, as the sun was shining brightly and I was feeling sprightly 😉 I decided to set aside what I had prepared to publish. Instead, I grabbed my wee Canon G12, hung it around my neck Cartier-Bresson style and blended into the crowds of Arles’ Saturday market, purportedly the largest in all of Provence.
For as long as anyone can remember, this particular experience has been about equal parts flanerie and the products one purchases to pile into le panier. 
Of course, all of the usual suspects can be found, such as mountains of  glistening olives…
…cheeses of every size shape and date…
…the freshest fruits of the season…
…and treats to make one’s teeth ache…
…such as tarte tatin…
…or a rainbow variety of  spongy macarons.
The eggs, whose centers glow warmer than the sun, are bijous unto themselves.
It can be a lot to take in.
But I am always drawn to the surprises, such as this organic stand tended by Raitetsu Jinno who came to Provence a year and a half ago from Japan. 
His greens are all edible emeralds but my favorite is the Wasabina, which is indeed the leafy equivalent to its sushi condiment counterpart.
I sail past the pricey fish stands to head directly to the producer from nearby Sete. I love that he has razor-clams, bulots, palourdes, spiky sea-urchins and shrimp fresh off the boat from Madagascar…
…but most that his small oysters from Bouzigues are only 3.80€ the dozen! They are Remi’s weekend treat.

I tend to sample the ginger flavored felafel as I walk but today the line was simply too long. Most were waiting to snatch up freshly fried accras, balls of pureed salt cod and pinky-sized crisps of phyllo-wrapped goat cheese.

There are also puffs or oriental pastries…

…delights created by the North African community present in Arles…
…as well as spices from all around the world such as the mélange du Sorcier or “witches mix.” No, I didn’t buy it. Wait, what do you mean by asking such a question?
I admit that there are days when I am simply not up to face the crowds…
…the jostling and old ladies cutting in front of me in line, their caddies rolling over my toes.

No wonder so many stop to have a coffee with a furry friend…

…or taste a sample of local wines…
…ending up at the Bar du Marché, where if you order a bottle of the house wine for 10€, they will choose to look away if you pull out your market goodies to nibble on.

Once restored, the hunt continues.

I have learned the hard way that whatever amount of money I have on me, that is exactly what I will spend.

Best to get the necessities first…

…or they might not make it home at all.

But there are always plenty of options for when I don’t feel like cooking. My favorite stop (and what we will be eating tonight) is the Vietnamese stand for nems to wrap in lettuce and mint. I skip the pizza and the paella sellers but was tempted by this riz forestier, rice topped with peas, mushrooms and smoked porc.
And of course, there is always roast chicken. It is easy to know whose is the best – just look for the longest line! 

But what makes the Arles market so especially interesting is that less than half the vendors are dedicated to food.
The rest sell items that are either traditional to the region…
…steeped in Arles’ own unique heritage…
…or not. 

Without fail, I am drawn to two items – the mini-oliviers in their own clay pots…

…and lavender to transform any home into the essence of Provence. 
I know how very lucky I have been to have so much of muchness, another spring signifier (although Remi keeps reminding me that officially spring is a week away) well within reach. I know that I will miss being able to stroll there and back with such ease – even if I do draggle home under the weight of having bought far too much!
And so, while I really enjoyed myself, it was also an unusual feeling today, taking in this market, my market, like a tourist. I could see that some of my go-to vendors were looking at my snapping with raised eyebrows. “I have a blog, ” I would explain, with some slight embarrassment. “Oh, really,” they would enquire, “what is it about?”
Have a lovely rest of your weekend everyone.

Return to St. Hilaire d’Ozilhan, part two

Each year, the arrival of the Italians surprises me. The student groups, thirty strong, roam and conquer. Boisterous is the word that comes to mind. Physically and orally they take space, calling out to the dogs with arms thrown open wide like happy Pirandellos. For they are joyous in the up-bounce of Youth – that Spring signifier – and so different from the shuffling heads down ados, their French counterparts. 
The current look for the young men is a haircut that is a tragic accident between a mohawk and a flat-top. Their jeans are less baggy and they dance around, shadow-boxing in neon Nike high-tops. The ladies seem to be having a Sophia Loren moment with manes left long and curls thick. They walk forward, heads high, feet planted in hopelessly impractical shearling lined deck shoes. 
The Arena rings with the reverb of their jokes delivered, laughter lauded. Just a bunch of kids with the bounty of everything and the randomness of nihilism inside them, together. They wear it lightly. 
I’ll admit it, in the past they have annoyed me, these giant swarms that don’t part like the seas but move forward like a busy bee storm. Their past is our past and so Arles is taken acquis. But this year, I find myself sipping their energy through a split straw, knowing that in all likelihood I will be elsewhere when next year’s groups come to surprise someone else. And me? I will be wrapping the scarf of quiet around and around and around, while gazing softly at the old and new.

A note to my Australian readers and friends as you are quite numerous. Would you be so kind to take a spare moment to visit my friend Jeanne’s blog, Collage of Life? She is looking for a young man named Tom Healey and is calling for help on the internet. Merci! 
Searching for Tom – please click here.

An almost at the crossroads

Today’s “almost” is hidden away in the French countryside in a corner of the Languedoc not terribly far from Arles and yet completely unknown to us.

So, you know the drill. We put the puppers in the car, rolled down the windows to let in fresh air and off we went. Upon arrival, we were both pleasantly surprised by the charming village and the outer appearance of the house we were to visit. It is pretty, isn’t it?

It has an imposing facade, one a bit of une femme d’un certain age posing to show off her best angle…

…and it looked positively huge…melting into the former barn (see the black line) that was in the process of being renovated into a separate, private property. 

After having met the real estate – who kindly offered that we bring Ben and Kipling along instead of leaving them in the back of the Range Rover and rushing through the visit – we entered into a very large walled in courtyard…with an ailing palm…

…and a mysterious tree that curved around the house protectively like a cupped hand. What a haven this could be! 
There are two options for entering the house, either by the main staircase…
…or by the charming side entrance. We chose the latter.
There is a pretty hall that could have made a nice space for me to work in…

…that leads onto a small guest room and bath that also looks out onto the garden. It could be sweet (Persian carpets, paint and books), save for the spider the size of an electric socket on the wall. He would have to go.
Upstairs is a series of rooms leading off of the main entry hall.  A dining room area…
…looks into the kitchen… *cough, cough*…
…and into a living area with a pretty fireplace…
…that has been bizarrely cut in two to form separate rooms. I would have torn down absolutely all of these walls to create one fantastic, light-filled living space. Amazing. I actually kind of liked the red tomettes but the ensemble (and certainly the wack stone flooring in the dining and kitchen) would look lovely with parquet. Take the far wall back to the stone, add a lime-wash to set, hang a chandelier and wow would it be pretty.

Beh, the two small bedrooms would need more…imagination…
…although Ben seemed to be enjoying himself (only in France would a dog be allowed off-leash during a home visit, right?).

The bathroom would also need a total do-over but all of this stuff is just cosmetic and look at the light!
Plus there is a really expansive…laundry room? Storage space? I have been told (a-hem) that I have a lot of clothes. So this could also be a great dressing…
…and there is also – for the deep of pockets and brave of will – the possibility to do a master suite in the attic. Somehow.

Most of the ground floor is taken up with the world’s biggest garage. Truly perplexing until Remi suggested that they probably used to park tractors in there. Needless to say, it would work for us.

So…there is work but there is also mega potential. It is a huge, practical house with a private garden (big enough to put in a bassin style pool if we someday had the money) and very reasonably priced.
“Uh, huh…” I hear you thinking. Because you are no fool by now, having figured out that I only post about the houses that are definite “no’s.” “What gives?” you might be asking (or with whatever is the current slang for such a question).
At one point during the tour, Kipling started whining (apparently even he found it surprising that dogs were allowed on real estate visits) so I took him outside. After getting comfy on one of the ancient stone benches in the garden, I did a little video.
See below:
Now, did you hear those cars that started rolling by at the end? You can’t tell in the video but they were really, really loud (and don’t judge me because you can’t hear it, judging isn’t attractive, just trust me). And no wonder, as there is nothing separating the house from the road. Nothing. And there is another smaller road on the left hand side as well, basically giving the property a road hug. Do you remember the train track house? 
Well, we asked around and even though it is in the country, this house is on one of the main transport routes of the area, so that means big-wheeler trucks pass too. Apparently, the local citizens have been petitioning to get a new road built that doesn’t cut through the heart of their otherwise charming village but to no avail. So, yes, for once I am not exaggerating. It is “a situation.” And folks, I am not moving out of the heart of Arles where the noise level is slowly driving me gaga minus the Lady to live in the middle of nowhere where the street traffic will finally finish the job. Even the real estate agent (and trust me, in these parts they are not exactly known as bastions of honesty) admitted, “Well, if you are looking for quiet, then this is not the house for you.” Et voooooillaaaa. Dude, is anyone not looking for quiet in the country?
The day was not wasted, however. We rewarded our very patient puppers with a stroll through the surrounding vineyards…

…where we were rewarded ourselves with technicolor harbingers of the everlasting Spring.
Which makes it time for a peppy Frenchy tune that I heard on the amazing fip radio today:
I responded to it because the chorus translates roughly to: “With time, everything will work out.”
And it will. 
We are getting closer. I can feel it.
Would you like some proof?
Click here to read the “news”…

Turn down the sky

I am simply offering up some happy-inducing photos of a walk in the Alpilles today. No diatribe, no philosophy, just a dose of swashbuckling sun that is so bright you might ask to turn down the sky!
What? You are still feeling sleepy and wintery? Really? Ok, here you go…
To listen (and loudly):
Have a great weekend everyone! Hope that there is light and happiness wherever you are…

“How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World” by Sophia Stuart

“Life can be tough and exhausting. Do you know how to rest?” 

It is a good question, one that is at the core of Sophia Stuart’s really phenomenal new book, “How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World.” So, think about it. Do you? I don’t. Not really, I’ll admit it. I even pitter around to keep myself “busy” because I feel guilty about not having a full-time job. So I do much to over-compensate and often feel…tired.

Sophia gave a lot too. She had a truly impressive career in the media that included creating the digital strategy for 300 international brands such as Cosmo and Harper’s Bazaar at Hearst. She travelled the world, stayed in five star-hotels, and worked out of the legendary Carrie Donovan’s former office with a sprawling view high above Midtown Manhattan. But then, she became ill. Three tumors were found and removed from her throat during a five-and-a-half hour surgery. The recovery process was long and grueling.
Already, Sophia had reached outwards from her stressful life by creating teamgloria.com. There, she anonymously wrote through the guise of a character named “gloria,” a trainee angel who “was determined to see the world through rose-colored glasses” and the blog became dedicated to featuring “glorious people, places, and things.” After her surgery, Sophia realized how important the community she had created was to her well-being. As she healed, she also embraced the necessity to make some very important changes to her life and how she lives it. She now resides in Los Angeles and is expanding like a rocket in her initial dream of being a professional author, journalist and photographer.

I found teamgloria right after Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, having been moved by a comment at Daily Plate of Crazy and I was instantly hooked. I too was drawn to Gloria’s vision of the world as a calming counter-balance to our chaotic society. So it was with great excitement that I read the news that Sophia was planning a book, the very one that she wished that she had by her side during her recovery.
And now that I have it, I can say that it is absolutely beautiful. In my typical way, I nearly wrote that it is beautiful beyond belief, but in fact that is what I love about it so much – it is utterly, utterly believable. There is no hullabaloo. It is presented as a modern day Book of hours and is carved into three sections: “Inspiration” for the morning, “Perspiration” for the working period of the afternoon and for the wind-down of evening, “Exhalation.”

While each chapter is generously doted with Sophia’s glowing images, they are slightly different in their approach but each are truly…helpful. Because we all can use reminders on how to slow down, how to sit back and appreciate…but we don’t need a patronizing or sappy voice coaxing us to do so. Sophia’s advice, while often as simple as “Be silent at sunset” (one of my favorites) or as practical as “Book medical appointments in January”  just…works and is often funny to boot. There are also wonderful lists teaching us how to make a Kindness Kit (who doesn’t need one of those?) and what films, music or books could do the right trick. Just to get us through, gracefully.
I read “How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World” all in one go (and if you buy it, you will want to as well) but now it sits nearby on my desk. It is just such a lovely object in itself that I want to keep it near me (and this, my friends, is why I would say no to the Kindle version). While I am down-loading photos or waiting for a computer program to warm up, I will open it randomly to bask in some seriously charming good will. And as Sophia is one of those brilliant women who are always two steps ahead (which probably explains a little about her previous career), she does something that I have never seen in a book before: she invites you to come to teamgloria.com and become a part of the community. To share your favorite treats and music. She wants to keep the conversation going. And that is a “glorious” thing. I’ll be there.

To read an extract from “How to Stay Sane in a Crazy World” please click: here.
To read more at teamgloria.com, please click: here.
To listen to a delightful and interesting radio interview with Sophia about the book, please click here.
This post is my monthly contribution to the By Invitation Only International Blog Party, hosted by the indomitable Marsha at Splenderosa. The theme for March is “Ways to/ I stay creative.” Even before Sophia’s book had arrived (and trust me, I hunted down our French mail dude until it was in my hot little hands), I knew exactly what my answer would be: “With a little help from my friends.” I have been and am continually so deeply inspired by my friends in the blogging arena and by those that have put their research and gorgeous ideas into a solid form. Both require a generosity of spirit that is really stunning to behold. Sophia’s book is no exception. I recommend it not because I consider her a friend (and yes, there is a little mention to all the new friends that she has found, including one in Arles) but because such a sincere, big-hearted and yet grounded book “to soothe the soul” can do us all good.


Something for Sophia and perhaps gloria too:
I know that my fellow bloggers in By Invitation Only are going to hit this theme out of the park. 
To visit their websites, please start by clicking here.
Thank you for reading…