wine on the Seine

March 26, 2014

What better place to sample French wines than in a boat on the Seine?

On a recent overcast afternoon I experienced Wine Tasting in Paris, started by wine connoisseur Thierry Givone. Admittedly, I didn’t know too much about the many wine regions of Paris, other than which regions produce my favorite wines, namely Bourgogne and Bordeaux. And the Champagne region of course! This was the perfect occasion, not to mention setting, in which to educate myself.

I was joined by friend Amy Feezer. Following a glass of bubbly we all became better acquainted.

One glass of wine followed another, from the Loire to Bourgogne to the Côtes du Rhône. And with each glass a thorough description of the grapes, the notes, the tastes… even a lesson in the way wine should be savoured. Thierry has a particular affinity towards Bourgogne, that region being his home, but he is an expert on all regions of France and certainly has developed a nose for wine! I was pleased to taste wines I would otherwise not have thought to try, and was impressed with Thierry’s expertise and attention to detail when it came to French wines.

After over 3 hours of tastings and conversation, with a view of the sun setting over the Seine in the distance, Amy and I left the boat a little bit tipsy and a lot more knowledgeable. Santé!

For more information: www.wine-tasting-in-paris.com and Facebook and Twitter

five years later

March 18, 2014

As anyone who has read my blog will know, I wasn’t raised to believe in fitting in nor living by societal standards. I was raised believing that anything is possible, and that life was meant to be a design of our own creation. This was instilled by two creative, soulful parents who themselves rarely followed conventions. Above all, I was taught to live by my heart.

It was by following this unconventional script, from the urban jungle of NYC, to the scenic landscapes of the earth’s far corners, that led me to my Italian. And to Paris. Exactly 5 years ago.

Everyone has a story. Some have yet to live theirs. Today we celebrate ours.

art{ist} collecting

March 6, 2014

These days, while I visit Paris museums and galleries, admiring the masters, I’m also on the hunt for art and artists with which to decorate my home. During my around the world travels, it was often undiscovered artists that caught my eye, a lacquer painting by a local artist from the village of Hoi An in Vietnam (see below), or a Chilean artist whose work I became enamored with in Santiago. And then there was the Brazilian sculptor in Olinda… and thus began my art collection.

Since I don’t currently travel to these remote lands, I search online. Most recently I discovered incredible abstract drawings by artists from around the world, from a favorite London based gallery, Saatchi! Not to mention paintings by talented emerging artists. A few of my favorites…

nr 185/2 by Henni Van de Lande of Breda, Netherlands

Lovers by Jarek Puczel of Olsztyn, Poland

abstract N° 632 [emerald green] by Koen Lybaert of Geel, Antwerp, Belgium

Through the international site Etsy, I’ve also discovered two artists whose work I admire, one of them a Danish girl living in Paris, and the other a Dutch artist based in Rotterdam.

Springtime by Rikke Clausen of Copenhagen, Denmark

Blue and White Buildings by Ronald Hunter of Rotterdam, Netherlands

The only problem now remains, which artist to add to my collection?

curating inspiration

March 2, 2014

As anyone in Paris is well aware, given the amount of fashion forward (and fashion faux pas) walking the streets of Paris these days, it’s Fashion Week. Rather than attending crowded shows to catch a glimpse of new trends that are often only seen on the catwalk, I chose a more inspired path. Friday night was the opening of the Dries Van Noten exhibition at Musée des Arts Décoratifs. I was lucky enough to join Anne of Ritournelle Blog, along with the who’s who of fashion, including Dries himself! This is the Belgian fashion icon’s first solo exhibition, aptly titled Inspirations. Not merely a fashion exhibition, but a look into the mind of a designer through art, imagination and creativity.

The starting point of a collection can be either very literal or abstract, a painting, a certain colour, a thought, a gesture, a smell, a flower, anything really. What matters to me is the journey from that first flash of inspiration to the final destination, the individual garments, the collection.

I was impressed and inspired by this in-depth look into the mind of an artist. Here’s what Suzy Menkes of the International New York Times had to say, along with a video tour with Dries himself. This exhibition, which took 2 years to mount, will be on display until August 31st. Well worth a visit for anyone with creative sensibilities and a love for fashion, art & travel. Worth even a trip to Paris!

year of the horse

February 27, 2014

This is the year of the horse. In the Chinese zodiac, that is. The spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese people’s ethos – making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able. Returning to Paris just in time enjoy the local celebrations, living close by to one of the cities Chinese neighborhoods. In NYC I lived not far from Chinatown and reveled in the yearly parade that wound it’s way through the streets. This felt much like those days, living amidst an ethnic people and sharing in their traditions.

The traditional costumes were elaborate and impressive!

The parade took place near Arts & Metiers, close to the Marais. There lives a small population of the Wenzhounese from the Zhejiang province of China. The majority have settled in Belleville, which along with the 13eme arrondissement, is considered Paris’ Chinatown, the largest in Europe.

My quest this year of the horse, in addition to improving myself, is to find a dim sum restaurant!

adventures in the keys

February 21, 2014

Admittedly, I’ve seen much more of the world than of my own homeland. My dream of driving cross-country to experience what is truly America remains to be realized. One day. For the time being my American adventures remain in New York and Florida with family and friends. During our recent trip to the Sunshine State, we did have the good fortune to take a mini road trip to the Florida Keys, along with my mom and her husband, final destination Key West.

Our first stop after nearly 3 hours of driving was just past Key Largo, which left much to be desired with it’s multitudinous strip malls and pharmacy’s, a kitschy fish restaurant in Islamorada. Savouring the catch of the day (and not thinking too much about which day it was actually caught), we continued on our way until we reached our destination for the night in nearby Marathon.

Our secluded refuge was Tranquility Bay Resort, also home to the iguanas.

And tranquil it was, surrounded by clear blue stillness.

That evening we experienced a magical sunset along the 7-mile bridge… that alone worth the drive.

And still in time to sit beneath the glowing sky with a bottle of French wine.

The following morning we got back on the road, crossed the infamous bridge and made our way to Key West. First stop, Hemingway’s House. Not to mention his cats, all 45 of them.