Category: Uncategorized

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…

No, no and whoa

There has been extensive behind the scenes clamoring for a house-hunting update (you know who you are). You ask, I deliver. But we have been looking at so very many houses that it is too much to show you in depth, so I have picked just a few that didn’t work out for various reasons plus a tasty treat at the end.
We were extremely tempted by the fine renovation work on this rental. It was, as the French say, un coup de coeur. We both loved the mix of modern and ancient architectural elements such as the fireplace next to a sculptural oak and steel staircase.

We visited on a day when it was pouring buckets and the sky was positively black but we could easily imagine this South-facing kitchen flooded with light.

And yet *sigh* there were practical issues. Practicality, you are starting to get on my nerves, that is all I am going to say on the matter. I am warning you.
For despite the fact that there is plenty of room, including a nifty mezzanine that could have been my yoga loft, there isn’t the space that we need. I have mentioned before that we have certain pieces that are non-negotiables: our gallery printer, Remi’s equipment, the monastery table. But we couldn’t even figure how to get our sofas in through the tiny, anciently carved windows and doors. I have a feeling that the people that lived here before us must have a very zen futony lifestyle, mais alas, that is not us. A shame because I think that we just might have fallen for this otherwise. A bonus from the experience? The owner and his Sister are so charming that I am sure that we will invite them over for drinks once we do finally find a new place to live.
In the worst case scenarios, I don’t even take photos. And that is saying something as I am usually an obsessive clicker as Remi and I can both see the possibilities in just about anywhere.

This smallish house has a lovely facade and a giant garage with a spacious back room that could be transformed into an office leading to a small outdoor area. French doors, stone walls, wooden beams…promising right?

But then you walk upstairs and see…this. A renovation that has sucked the bone-marrow out of the house’s history. Not an ounce remained and worse…
…this is the bathroom. Enough said.

We had difficulties arranging a visit with the charming young owner of this large and sunny home to rent for a very reasonable price.

It turns out that one of the reasons why is that she is still in the midst of the renovating process, especially for the top floor.

She asked us to use our imaginations to picture what it would be like in a few months time and we assured her that wasn’t a problem, certainly as there are such lovely features as sublime stone throughout…
…save for where it has been painted over…such as poppy red and hot pink…in the same room. Every single room would have to be scraped down, treated or repainted. As we have been through that already, we were pretty sure that we were going to pass…
…and then the toilet, floating randomly in the middle of the bathroom made the decision clear.
Visits like this can be a wee bit depressing. 
Luckily, there exists the stuff that dreams are made on. Such as this Orangerie in Nimes, just ever so slightly out of our price range at 3300€ per month. Remi found the ad for this yesterday and it knocked us both utterly speechless. It is amazing to know that such places still exist. Wouldn’t you agree?

Oh my, that makes my heart jump every time that I look at it. A fairy tale world if ever there was one.
But perhaps you would prefer the garden apartment of a private mansion at 1900€ per month?

It even has something resembling a ballroom opening out onto the lawns…
Here are a few more links. I do hope that these work as they are on a very frenchy website (just click on the photos but do let me know if it is a no go, please) to whet your appetite for some of the fun things available:
Apartment in building “bourgeois” for 1200€ per month
Bastide to rent in Aix-en-Provence, 1600€ per month
Mas in the heart of the Alpilles, 1500€ per month 
Which one would you choose? 
*Edit: I should stress that these are all out of our price range and for dreaming purposes only.*
Oh, how are we possibly on the verge of March? Tell me, how? So while I am a month early, with all of this rain then shine going on out my window, I can’t help but share a favorite tune.
to listen:
Thank you for being here and have a lovely weekend everyone!

Windows to the soul

While the immortal William Shakespeare may have written, “The eyes are the window to your soul,” I beg to differ. For while we can hide within even the most direct of glances, the voice doesn’t lie. This is something that I have been thinking about in recent conversations with my friend Vickie, who is dipping into the realm of author’s reading their work (her book is coming out on June 1, so more of that anon). 
Where does your voice live in your body? Is it something that you give much thought to? As a former theatre actress, I most certainly have in my day, for it is the most expressive tool in our art. And yet, my voice has changed enormously since moving to France. It took me a few years to realize it, actually. I would only drop back into that deep alto on visits home to the States. The rest of the time my pitch was nearly an octave higher as I questioningly tested words and verb tenses. Gone was that reassuring flow. And it stayed that way for many years as I learned and struggled and stumbled with a very difficult language. And today? Well, I suppose that my voice has settled with time and the confidence that comes with age into somewhere in-between. It seems like there is a lot of the in-between in my life these days and that too I have to assume, to be more sure (for when are we ever 100% certain of anything) and listen keenly to another voice, my inner one.

All the better to see you with, my dear.
As for artistic voices? To live a creative life is fascinating and challenging with many colors that blend seamlessly into one another. It takes enormous courage to put yourself out there over and over again, sometimes only to be repeatedly dealt the brutal blow of rejection. But such a life is not chosen, it chooses you. This is why I have such enormous respect for those who endure. I was incredibly inspired by an article on Flavorwire featuring “10 creative women over 80 you should know.” I thought that you might be too. 
You can find it: http://flavorwire.com/441781/10-creative-women-over-80-you-should-know/view-all/
These women are not bogged down by the cult of personality and none of them are afraid of their vision, their voice. The windows to their souls are dazzlingly clear.
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