Being at home, I have started going through my closets, and other nooks and crannies, with the intention of doing a little spring cleaning.   However, it’s easy to get side-tracked, stumbling and stalling over something that I have not seen or looked at in years.   When Shardie, my BF, suggested that I…

  Hello all — First of all, I pray that you and your families are well and safe wherever you are. Like me, I am sure that you cannot begin to digest or absorb all that has transpired in the last few weeks. I am trying to process our world unnerved, where there is so…

  Are there still counts in France? Yes indeed. As part of a Loire Valley Château tour, I paid a visit to the stunning Château de Nitray built in the 16th century. This where I met my first count | Monsieur le comte.     The Count de Nitray Despite the French revolution, nobility still…

  Even a girl who loves Paris needs a vacation in the sun once in a while,  and this year  I went to visit my cousin Maggie who lives on Maui. It’s a long way away so the last thing I expected to find there was a little bit of France. Most tourists don’t know…

  Can you see yourself sitting at this outdoor café in Paris? A  frothy coffee at the ready, pen in hand, finally starting something you have only dreamed about? “Nowhere in the world is someone more inspired to write or become a writer than in Paris,” says my new friend Gabrielle Luthy. Gabrielle has started…

  “Diana, do you actually know what you are paying for?” That was the first question that Stacey Aarssen asked me. Stacey is a financial planner who specializes in educating people about the ins and outs of travel insurance. Personally, I have a travel insurance policy that provides annual coverage. It was very reasonable considering I…

  The Menu   Asperges avec Comte, Coriandre et Baies Roses Asparagus with Coriander, Pink Berries and a slice of Comte cheese     La Morue avec sauce Noilly Pratt  Cod with Noilly Pratt Sauce Carottes glacées | Glazed Carrots       Fondant au chocolat Disgustingly good molten chocolate cake     My good…

  “Women in France don’t just love fragrance; they can’t imagine living without it.”   As I walk down the street in Paris, I notice that people smell nice. Not in a heavy or sickeningly sweet or disruptive sort of way, but just a light, seductively fresh and uncomplicated way. So much so that a…

  Another great thing about Paris?   You are never very far from magnificent soul-enriching art.   Or a haunted house.       Right around the corner from the apartment I rented, no more than 30 metres away at 14 rue de la Rochefoucaut is an elegant three-story gray stone house.     You…

    If you have a week or more in Paris, you might consider building it around French language classes. A language-focused holiday is fantastic fun and some of the best vacations I have ever had! Not only does it enhance your visit, but you meet wonderful people and get into discussions you might not…