Have you ever walked the labyrinth in Chartres?   Chartres is 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Paris which makes it ideal for a one-day visit.  It’s a picturesque city along the Eure river where the main tourist attraction is the cathedral, and that is the first thing you see on the hill when…

  First of all, I want to thank every one of you who entered the contest last week.  There were so many entries that I had the names of the winners within a few hours and wished I could gift you all a book! The winners had to be in the order of the 1st,…

Today I go LIVE with my NEW Paris Book Club!  I have created a comprehensive list of Personal Memoirs written by WOMEN about their adventures in Paris and other parts of la belle France. I’ve  personally read and reviewed each one of these books and they are on my website under BOOK CLUB. Interview Series Later this…

Did you know that in 1835 the beret was adopted by soldiers in France who began wearing blue ones to show that they were elite members of the French Army? Then, in the 1920s, the beret became popular in French fashion for women, as well as for men.  In fact, it became such a cliché…

  God, my Dad could be difficult, impossible, and infuriating… And how I loved him. I miss his sense of humour and fun. Dad had a way words and storytelling, and most of all, that he had a sparkle in his eye that never ever diminished, not even with age and creeping dementia. My Dad…

Painting by Sylvia Kingsley, UK   Connecting with women all over the world is one of the best things about having a blog. So, let me introduce you to three of my loyal readers, in Europe and beyond, with whom I keep in regular contact. I am happy to say that during this difficult time,…

  As if Paris did not have enough to offer, another vibrant element is its street art. There are even paid tours you can go on.   Sometimes I take my own tour, that is I go for a  long aimless walk, iPhone at the ready,  photographing what I find.   Some of the wall…

  Canal Saint-Martin is a 4.6 km (2.86 mi) long canal in Paris.  It starts with a wide basin at the top. Then it narrows into three tree-lined double stair-cased locks drawing down towards the Seine river.     And you probably have never heard of it. It is not on the usual list of Paris…

    I am not ashamed to admit that one of the very first things I will do once we can finally feel confident about the relaxed restrictions is to schedule a hair appointment! I was lucky that I got a haircut a week before we all went into confinement. My hair is kept pretty…

  “All By Myself” Written by Eric Carmen And sung brilliantly by Celine Dion    Recently I asked a male friend for advice about a business matter. He answered me this way; “Well I can give my two cents worth, although my wife says that since I have been home here all day every day,…