A Californian in love with all things French. Join me as I explore La Vie Francaise!
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Saying Good-bye to Blogger
I have moved my blog to wordpress effective 7/12/15 - come join me at our new location for dreamsinfrench!
Thursday, July 9, 2015
Quelques-uns de Mes Articles Préférés Français :: A Few of My Favorite French Things
Also known as an on-going subject of my blog to include other blogs, books, movies, food, ideas, fashion, bakeries, restaurants, locations, podcasts, etc.
Phew! Je suis épuisé après que la liste :: I am exhausted after that list...
When I think about it there is so much for me to share with you about my love for France. In fact, just this morning I was thinking about where my Francophile nature began. My parents were not international travelers and no one I knew growing up was French, had been to France, nor was particularly interested in la vie Francaise.
So where did it come from? Hmmm....something to think (and write) about for sure.
What about you? Where did your love for France begin?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday, on my Instagram page (@dreamsinfrench) I shared a small sneak peek of a piece of mail I had been waiting for...
A few friends were like, "Well, what was that? What did you get in the mail?" So here it is, a beautiful letter with a gorgeous watercolor...
and a very sweet handwritten note from the artist.
The artist, Janice MacLeod-Lik, is also an author. I read her beautiful and sweet memoir, Paris Letters, a few months before we left on our trip. The book both got me (more, is that possible?) excited for our trip to Paris and also got me thinking about taking up watercoloring. (I will discuss the subject of watercoloring/sketchbook journaling in an upcoming post, because there is - as with most of my stories - much more to it.)
In any event, I was very excited to get my first letter from Janice. I subscribed to her letters for several reasons:
1) I love to get mail
2) I like to support fellow creative types
3) the letters are both beautiful and inspiring
4) they are fun and make me smile.
what more is there :: Qu'y at-il?
à bientôt!
Jessica
Phew! Je suis épuisé après que la liste :: I am exhausted after that list...
When I think about it there is so much for me to share with you about my love for France. In fact, just this morning I was thinking about where my Francophile nature began. My parents were not international travelers and no one I knew growing up was French, had been to France, nor was particularly interested in la vie Francaise.
So where did it come from? Hmmm....something to think (and write) about for sure.
What about you? Where did your love for France begin?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yesterday, on my Instagram page (@dreamsinfrench) I shared a small sneak peek of a piece of mail I had been waiting for...
 |
A few friends were like, "Well, what was that? What did you get in the mail?" So here it is, a beautiful letter with a gorgeous watercolor...
The artist, Janice MacLeod-Lik, is also an author. I read her beautiful and sweet memoir, Paris Letters, a few months before we left on our trip. The book both got me (more, is that possible?) excited for our trip to Paris and also got me thinking about taking up watercoloring. (I will discuss the subject of watercoloring/sketchbook journaling in an upcoming post, because there is - as with most of my stories - much more to it.)
In any event, I was very excited to get my first letter from Janice. I subscribed to her letters for several reasons:
1) I love to get mail
2) I like to support fellow creative types
3) the letters are both beautiful and inspiring
4) they are fun and make me smile.
what more is there :: Qu'y at-il?
à bientôt!
Jessica
Friday, July 3, 2015
French Simplicity
I have been interested in the idea of simplicity and minimalism for years. It doesn't mean that I have been able to live that way fully, but it is a goal of mine and something I aspire to.
Our recent trip to Paris has freshly - and Frenchly - inspired me to clear away even more clutter and simplify my closet, my routine, and my life.
What I noticed as we walked the streets of Paris - and trust me, we did a LOT of walking - was the simple elegance of the Parisian woman. I noticed that what I had been reading for years seemed, to my eyes, to be true.
The women I noticed and most admired were dressed in high quality, simple outfits. Some common themes were skinny jeans with stylish flats, sandals or ankle boots; a well-cut blazer (fitted, not the oversized ones from the thrift store I wore in the 80's); and a well-cut simple blouse or a well-made tee or tank.
Accessories were not flashy and overbearing; rather they were understated, in classic shapes, and fewer in number than what most American women wear.
NOTE: I know I am making gross generalizations here, so please pardonnez-moi, for these are only my observations and clearly I am only sharing what I saw and how I perceived it.
I noticed that many of the younger women (let's say, under 50) had hair that looked like their natural color - which is to say if it was colored to cover the grey it was tastefully and subtly done with no obvious ombre, highlights or lowlights.
Their hair was clean, well-kept, and moved! I am not one to talk about hair that doesn't move, because when I want my super short, very fine hair to have any semblance of volume I have to shellack it up! In any event, I didn't see much hair that was sprayed into submission on the locals - with the exception of some much more mature "ladies who lunch" in the swankier part of town on a Sunday afternoon.
Make-up, per se, was minimal. No cake faces!
Whatever maquillage they wore was minimal - perhaps some mascara and lip color, but not much and it looked very natural to me.
On the negative side many women were smoking - which i still find gross, stinky and unhealthy.
All in all I was inspired. And so I decided, when I got home, that I would try to simplify even more. That I would take the Parisian style I saw on the streets there and try to embody some of that here, in California. I work in a government office, so it's appropriate for me to dress well, and somewhat conservatively.
And so, chaque matin, I look at my closet with an eye towards what is truly flattering on me and what I feel really, really good and Parisian in. I have moved out what may not fit my new, refreshed, ideal look.
I took notes in my journal, and these were the three guidelines I gave myself:
1) Is it high-quality?
2) Is it simple?
3) Does it make me feel French?
I know, it may seem silly to you - fille simple américaine! - but the truth is, to me, feeling Parisian means feeling more focused, less stressed, and more confident, and that, mes amis, is what matters.
Until next time :: jusqu'à la prochaine fois,
Jessica
Our recent trip to Paris has freshly - and Frenchly - inspired me to clear away even more clutter and simplify my closet, my routine, and my life.
What I noticed as we walked the streets of Paris - and trust me, we did a LOT of walking - was the simple elegance of the Parisian woman. I noticed that what I had been reading for years seemed, to my eyes, to be true.
The women I noticed and most admired were dressed in high quality, simple outfits. Some common themes were skinny jeans with stylish flats, sandals or ankle boots; a well-cut blazer (fitted, not the oversized ones from the thrift store I wore in the 80's); and a well-cut simple blouse or a well-made tee or tank.
Accessories were not flashy and overbearing; rather they were understated, in classic shapes, and fewer in number than what most American women wear.
NOTE: I know I am making gross generalizations here, so please pardonnez-moi, for these are only my observations and clearly I am only sharing what I saw and how I perceived it.
I noticed that many of the younger women (let's say, under 50) had hair that looked like their natural color - which is to say if it was colored to cover the grey it was tastefully and subtly done with no obvious ombre, highlights or lowlights.
Their hair was clean, well-kept, and moved! I am not one to talk about hair that doesn't move, because when I want my super short, very fine hair to have any semblance of volume I have to shellack it up! In any event, I didn't see much hair that was sprayed into submission on the locals - with the exception of some much more mature "ladies who lunch" in the swankier part of town on a Sunday afternoon.
Make-up, per se, was minimal. No cake faces!
Whatever maquillage they wore was minimal - perhaps some mascara and lip color, but not much and it looked very natural to me.
On the negative side many women were smoking - which i still find gross, stinky and unhealthy.
All in all I was inspired. And so I decided, when I got home, that I would try to simplify even more. That I would take the Parisian style I saw on the streets there and try to embody some of that here, in California. I work in a government office, so it's appropriate for me to dress well, and somewhat conservatively.
And so, chaque matin, I look at my closet with an eye towards what is truly flattering on me and what I feel really, really good and Parisian in. I have moved out what may not fit my new, refreshed, ideal look.
I took notes in my journal, and these were the three guidelines I gave myself:
1) Is it high-quality?
2) Is it simple?
3) Does it make me feel French?
I know, it may seem silly to you - fille simple américaine! - but the truth is, to me, feeling Parisian means feeling more focused, less stressed, and more confident, and that, mes amis, is what matters.
Until next time :: jusqu'à la prochaine fois,
Jessica
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Welcome to "Dreams in French"
Bonjour et bienvenue a mon blog.
My name is Jessica and this is a chronicle of my love of all things French. Yes, I am a died in the wool francophile - c'est vrai!
About this time last year I vowed that I would take my family to France this summer.
I didn't know HOW we would make it work, how we could possibly come up with the money for it, or how it would happen, but I knew we would go.
And we did! C'est Magnifique!
In upcoming posts I will explain to you how I made it happen (perhaps not the most financially responsible, but worth every penny for the experience, in my opinion!)
I will explain why I so desperately wanted to go.
And I will share with you how it went.
That's not all I plan to do with this blog. Mais non!
There is so much more of la vie francaise for us to explore together...
If you love Paris, Provence, Nice and all la lavande, vin, champagne et plus then stay with me.
I will share with you my favorite French blogs, books, movies, ways to learn French, photos of France, travel ideas, how to save for your trip (you CAN DO IT!), and other things that illustrate la vie Francaise and that very special French joie de vivre.
I plan to explore local French shops and restaurants and share my finds with you. Since I am in the Bay Area of California there are many places to explore.
I hope you will join me! :: Je espère que vous vous joindrez à moi!
À bientôt,
Jessica
My name is Jessica and this is a chronicle of my love of all things French. Yes, I am a died in the wool francophile - c'est vrai!
About this time last year I vowed that I would take my family to France this summer.
I didn't know HOW we would make it work, how we could possibly come up with the money for it, or how it would happen, but I knew we would go.
And we did! C'est Magnifique!
In upcoming posts I will explain to you how I made it happen (perhaps not the most financially responsible, but worth every penny for the experience, in my opinion!)
I will explain why I so desperately wanted to go.
And I will share with you how it went.
That's not all I plan to do with this blog. Mais non!
There is so much more of la vie francaise for us to explore together...
If you love Paris, Provence, Nice and all la lavande, vin, champagne et plus then stay with me.
I will share with you my favorite French blogs, books, movies, ways to learn French, photos of France, travel ideas, how to save for your trip (you CAN DO IT!), and other things that illustrate la vie Francaise and that very special French joie de vivre.
I plan to explore local French shops and restaurants and share my finds with you. Since I am in the Bay Area of California there are many places to explore.
I hope you will join me! :: Je espère que vous vous joindrez à moi!
À bientôt,
Jessica
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