SERENDIPITY (le don de faire des découvertes heureuses par hasard...)

La clef sur la porte...

2008-05-07T00:33:00.001-07:00

Belle aventure que celle d'un blog,
aujourd'hui je met la clef sur la porte pour une période
non encore déterminée ...

Merci à tous ceux et celles qui sont passées par là ...

A très bientôt, peut être...
Ailleurs...

peut être...

Sun, Sea and Surf...

2008-05-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

Sable blanc, mer et ciel bleu,

déco en bois flotté...

X Vacances "j'oublie tout"..!

Spring Break...

2008-04-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

vamos a la playa...

à bientôt..!

Cape Coast...

2008-04-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

the road to...

Nothing but great memories of childhood holidays...

Life underground...

2008-04-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

I came across this whilst searching the web,

(as usual, for something totally unconnected)

and just had to share it...

Learn more about this amazing low impact dwelling at http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm.

"Pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés"...

2008-04-09T04:43:00.000-07:00

Dans la vraie vie, je tiens à mon intimité, à mon jardin secret, à ma part d'ombre.

Je n'éprouve pas le besoin de tout dire, de tout dévoiler, de tout montrer.

Les personnes qui veulent toujours tout savoir m'insupportent.

Et aussi incroyable ou improbable que cela puisse paraître pour quelqu'un

comme moi qui ai un blog,

j'adhère complètement à la maxime

"Pour vivre heureux, vivons cachés".

Good parenting...

2008-04-08T12:01:00.006-07:00

"Good parents give their children roots and wings.

Roots to know where home is, wings to fly away

and exercise what they have been taught"
Jonas Salk

Thanks S. for sharing this with me...

Common sense from " The Telegraph"
I loved it!

Image du jour...

2008-04-08T12:01:00.001-07:00

The Eiffel Tower, Paris
XX

I know...sports should be separate from politics,
and it's no fun for the athletes or for the cops...
but governments aren't taking on China, so it looks like it's up to us,
the people to protest...

Besides, how can anyone even care about games

when people are being murdered

and the very liberties that allow many of us to travel and enjoy those games

are being denied others?

I just don't get it...

Check this out :
The Dalai Lama

Blog 'til you drop...

2008-04-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Apparently people who blog for money are blogging

so frantically they're dying at their keyboards.

Thank goodness it's only a hobby for me!

Still going strong...

2008-04-07T01:13:00.001-07:00

"For most, cool is ephemeral, but for Converse, it's eternal.

The company that was founded 100 years ago by Marquis Mills Converse

in Malden, Mass., introduced its most famous sneaker in 1917—

and it's still tied on the feet of hipsters today.

The Converse All Star was initially designed as a performance basketball shoe...

In the '70s, they were the uniform for legendary punk bands like

the Ramones and the Sex Pistols, and in the '80s,

they showed up in classic movies like

Footloose and The Outsiders.

Today, with fans ranging from Reese Witherspoon to Mick Jagger,

Chuck Taylor All Stars are a style slam dunk."
X

Time Magazine

Snow in April...

2008-04-06T09:13:00.001-07:00

the UK is under snow.

again..!

The Pier, Littlehampton, Sussex

Freak weather all over Europe...

the photo above was taken today, yet only a day or two ago the nearby beaches were

crowded with sunworshippers..!

Trivial Pursuit...

2008-04-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

1.. Ce que j'aime dans les blogs, avant tout, ce sont les photos, des ambiances.

Je considère les blogs un peu commeune continuité aux revues de déco...

2. Je préfère être à l'écoute des autres que parler de moi...

3. Je n'aime pas l'humidité, j'aime la chaleur sèche
ou un bon froid sec avec un grand soleil

4. Si je peux vivre sans télévision impossible de vivre sans musique...

5. Je travaille souvent dans l'urgence et j'aime cela - je crois qu' une bonne dose
d'adrénaline stimule ma créativité!
X

Shabby chic...

2008-04-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

in the lounge...

These photos remind me so much of the farm in Hampshire,
n'est-ce pas P..?

Marche Blanche pour la Liberté...

2008-04-05T08:52:00.001-07:00

à Paris, et en Provence,

demain...

Cette mobilisation prendra la forme de marches blanches

organisées dans toute la France, dimanche 6 avril.

Il sera demandé aux participants de venir tout de blanc vêtus,

dans la mesure du possible,

en symbole de paix.

pour plus d'info:
http://www.agirpouringrid.com/

Homemade Bread...

2008-04-05T05:05:00.001-07:00

Recipe from Mother Earth News

Ingredients :
1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting.
You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.
1 1/2 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran for dusting
X
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended.
The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18,
at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.
The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.
Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it.
Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface
or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball.
Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour.
Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour.
Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours.
When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back
when poked with a finger.
At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready,
heat oven to 475 degrees.
Put a heavy covered pot in the oven as it heats.
When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid.
Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up.
Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned.
Remove the bread and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
X
BON APPETIT !
X

An Indian Summer Bazar...

2008-04-05T04:22:00.001-07:00

Check out the bazaar's new range...

April in Paris...

2008-04-05T02:51:00.003-07:00

Doris Day immortalized Paris,

not only in the film and song versions of April in Paris,

but also "I Love Paris."

In France, a clip of her singing "Let's Keep Smilin'" is the
theme song for Orange Livebox commercials ,
millions of viewers
snap and sing along with "ho, ho, ho, ho -- HA!"

Curiously, April in Paris was filmed entirely on the Warner Brother's
set in Burbank.
As Doris Day admits that she is afraid of flying,
I wonder if she's ever been to Paris in person at all..?
X

Breathtaking...

2008-04-04T14:22:00.001-07:00

Lac d'Annecy aux aurores...

Music by Hot Chocolate
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=NosS1rpJ7tU&feature=related

April...

2008-04-04T14:02:00.000-07:00

• It's the 4th month of the year.

• It's one of 4 months with 30 days.

• It begins with "A" along with August.

• The name is derived from the Latin Aprilis.

• April's flower is the Sweet Pea, Lathyrus Odoratus which means:

Thinking Of You.

• The Daisy, Bellis Perennis is also April's flower.

• April's birthstone is the diamond.

• April in the northern hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent to

October in the southern hemisphere.

• April begins on the same day of the week as July every year,

and as January in leap years.

Homecoming...

2008-04-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until

he comes home and rests his head

on his old, familiar pillow"

Lyn Yutang
Chinese prolific writer and editor, 1895-1976

Tout l'esprit de Paris...

2008-04-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Une autre façon de découvrir la Capitale...

Le nouveau venu dans la famille Art de Vivre

Back Soon...

2008-03-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

Coins Secret...

2008-03-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Preparing for the Holiday season...

Here is an great link I discovered whilst browsing the web

coins secret or secret corner.

A secret corner in France?

Need I say more?
The site has translations in several languages and is very easy to navigate
to rent a 'mas' provençal.
This is a six person gîte or (apartment) inside a large mas,
my favorite for today
The stone work on this mas is to die for...
X

Just the way it is...

2008-03-26T06:07:00.001-07:00

X
X8 Pet Peeves of Mine...

1. People who cut you off in traffic. Are you really going to get your kid

to school faster than mine? They go to the SAME school!

2. People who can't drive & talk on their cell phones. If you're going to do it illegally,

at least learn how to do it well.

3. People who show up without letting you know they're coming. and then stay...

forever and a day !

4. On the flip side, people who DO call, but don't show up on time...
if at all. Why am I waiting around for you again?

5. People who stick their noses into other people's business.

Mind your own business!

6. Petrol prices... need I say more?

7. The disappearance of common courtesy.

Really, when did that happen?

8. Filthy public bathrooms, particularly in restaurants, cafés.

People are PAID to clean those, so why are they always dirty?

Beyond Words...

2008-03-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

X
Lake Annecy, early morning...

UNICEF Photo of the Year...

2008-03-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

X
Child Brides
by Stephanie Sinclair
X
Quite simply unacceptable...
X

Don't Worry, Be Happy....

2008-03-24T12:28:00.007-07:00

Mes envies...

2008-03-24T12:28:00.005-07:00

Mes 10 envies du moment...

X1...envie d'un mug de thé chaud...

2...envie de weekend en tête-à-tête avec mon amoureux...

3...envie de printemps

4...envie de revoir mes amies d'enfance...

5...envie de réussir mes projets en cours...

6...envie de voyages lointains...

7...envie de prendre les bonnes décisions

8...envie de voir la fin des conflits au Tibet

9...envie d'avoir plus confiance en moi...

10...envie d'avoir moins froid..!

Insolite...

2008-03-24T12:28:00.003-07:00

j'adore...X

I guess as they never seem to be in working order anyway,
why not use them to store your picnic gear...

Whiter shade of pale...

2008-03-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Inspiration Nordique...

cottage style deco.

For the love of Piano music...

2008-03-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

XX"When I hear music,

I fear no danger

I am invulnerable.

I see no foe

I am related to the earliest times,

and to the latest"

Henry David Thoreau

View from the Semnoz...

2008-03-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Lake Annecy is beneath the blanket of clouds..!

Can you believe it...

it's supposed to be Spring..!

Pause lecture...

2008-03-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

Envie de Printemps...

X
alors que la neige continue de tomber dehors...
X

Forever Friends...

2008-03-22T01:09:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday !

"Birthdays are good for you.

Statistics show that the people who have the most

live the longest"

unknown

R, can't wait to see you next week !

Early Easter...

2008-03-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know...

This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see
for the rest of our lives!
And only the most elderly of our population
have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!)...
xx

For the One and Only...

2008-03-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !

"Men are like wine:

some turn to vinegar,

but the best improve with age"

anon

A méditer...

2008-03-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

"For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.

For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.

For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it."
X
Ivan Panin

Trash or Treasure..?

2008-03-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

what do you think...?

Pêche à la linge...

2008-03-20T13:22:00.000-07:00

au levée du jour...

Lac d'Annecy

Typically French...

2008-03-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

As well as being a fashion statement

on and off for decades,

the distinguishable blue beret
is always associated with France and being ‘French’...

Photo by Elliott Erwit X

XX
Why is it so?
X
In all the years I lived here the number of berets I have sighted in France
could be counted on one hand.
Admittedly, most of my time has been spent skiing in the Alps,
swanning around Provence,
the French Riviera and living it up in Paris,
so perhaps I need to head (pardon that pathetic pun)
for the Basque region...!

Paris in Spring...

2008-03-20T10:52:00.001-07:00

A day early
Leap Year oblige..!

Today is the first day of Spring...
so, tell me, why is snow forecast for the weekend..?

Jeu d'ombres...

2008-03-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

tranquille...

X
far from the madding crowd...
X

Filing made fun...

2008-03-19T06:20:00.001-07:00

I love these new cheeky file folders from

Knock Knock

A great way to keep a sense of humour at work,

or even at home...

Sandra Lane...

2008-03-19T05:57:00.001-07:00

Photographer
I love her work...

Pour en voir plus, c' est

ICI

"Brocantes"...

2008-03-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

by Sébastien Siraudeau

chez Flammarion

"Il nous y livre ses coups de coeur : collection de lieux et boutiques

de brocanteurs, choisis pour l'originalité de leur marchandise,

la fantaisie de leur mises en scène

et la personnalité de leurs propriétaires."

X XX

Envie de légèreté...

2008-03-17T08:58:00.001-07:00

Grâce à Esprit Bohême,

j'ai fait la connaissance de...

BLANC-LEGER

Une adorable australienne qui est en train de construire un site très joli...

This and that...

2008-03-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

C'mon, don't hide

don't be shy...

1. I have a special, unshakable, deep-rooted love for London.

For the city itself with all its vibrancy, buzz and layers, but also because

that is where I met my lovely husband.

2. I love the aroma of freshly brewed coffee...

3. I grew up on Enid Blyton. I still have a soft spot for children's books, and love
literature and language on the whole.

4. I have this thing against overhead lighting, I much prefer lamps and candles

5. I keep a spiral notebook with me at all times in case I get a sudden surge
of inspiration or if I hear a great quote or idea...

6. I love going to the movies but find that I am more particular, these days,
with finding something acceptable

7. I enjoy working in the garden. I like to get my hands dirty.
It’s another place to be creative

8. I love learning foreign languages. They fascinate me

Stunning sunsets...

2008-03-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

here and there...

Inacceptable...

2008-03-17T02:01:00.001-07:00

"Anti-Chinese protesters in Tibet facing
harsh punishment by chinese authorties..."

Tibetans hold a vigil at the Dalai Lama's Palace in Dharamsala yesterday

'Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, accused China of
"cultural genocide" after a violent crackdown on Buddhist monks and Tibetan
citizens in the capital Lhasa and other Tibetan centres
left at least 100 people dead.'
X
http://topics.edition.cnn.com/topics/tibet
X

Spring will soon be here...

2008-03-16T12:11:00.002-07:00

guess I'll have to do some Spring cleaning,

well more sorting and clearing out than actual cleaning really

I love these ideas for storage from Cabbages and Roses...

L'humeur du jour...

2008-03-16T12:11:00.001-07:00

When Life

Gives You

Lemons

Make

Lemonade

Si un mas m'était conté...

2008-03-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

J'adore...

les matières nobles, les couleurs, la sérénité

qui émane de l'ensemble...

Photos Côté Maison

Reflections...

2008-03-15T09:36:00.001-07:00

just never seem to tire this beautiful view...

X X

"The richness I achieve comes from Nature,
the source of my inspiration."
Claude Monet

Things I’ve Learned...

2008-03-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

X
- No matter which path you choose to take in life,

even if it is the wrong one,

you will always end up right where you're supposed to be.

- If someone doesn't change the first time they say they're going to,

chances are they aren't planning to at all.

- You can only get by on charm for so long.

After a while, you better know something.

- Don't waste your time with fake friends.

After a while, you will realize who the fake ones are.

Once you do, move on.

- Never expect anything out of anyone.

If you do, you will be let down the majority of the time.

It's better to be pleasantly surprised.

- No matter how thin you slice it, there are always two sides.

- It's much easier to react than it is to think.

- Always leave loved ones with loving words,

even when you're angry with them.

It may be the last time you see them.

- You can always keep going long after you think you can't.

- Either you control your attitude or it controls you.

- Sometimes a good cry is all you need.

- Learning to forgive takes practice.

- There are people who love you dearly

but just don't know how to show it.

- Sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down

will be the ones to help you get back up.

- Sometimes when you're angry you have the right to be

but that doesn't give you the right to be cruel.

- No matter how much you care,

some people just don't care back.

- Maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had

and what you've learned from them

and less to do with how many birthdays you've had.

- No matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while

and you must forgive them for that.

- It isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

- No matter how bad your heart is broken,

the world doesn't stop for your grief.

- Our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are

but we are responsible for who we become.

- It takes years to build up trust and only seconds to destroy it.

- It's not WHAT you have in your life but

WHO you have in your life that counts.

- Two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

- No matter how many friends you have,

if you are their pillar you will feel lonely and lost

at the times you need them the most.

Salade de Chèvre Chaud...

2008-03-15T09:05:00.001-07:00

avec sa Vinaigrette au Poivre Vert...

Take a flavourful chèvre like the Picodon, and slice it into 6 wedges.

Split each of the wedges in half along the center.

Choose a quarter of a good round loaf of substantial bread,

like pain de campagne, or a pain au noix.

Slice it into flat triangles and toast the bread triangles briefly in the oven

to make them crisp but not too brown.

Wash & dry your lettuce or mixed greens, herbs of your choosing,

wedge some garden tomatoes, thinly slice an onion, peel a shallot,

and crack 8 walnuts.

Make a sauce vinaigrette with the blender using one whole shallot,

a rounded teaspoon of brined green peppercorns,

½ a teaspoon of salt, olive sunflower and walnut oil,

and plain simple cider vinegar to taste.

Place the wedges of cheese on the toast with the crust

of the cheese facing up.

Put them in the hot oven to slightly melt and brown the cheese.

Arrange the salad ingredients in a bowl.

Give the salad a first drizzle of vinaigrette.

When the cheese is adequately soft on the toasts, place them on the salad,

drizzle again with vinaigrette plus

a light dusting of sea salt or fleur de sel, and serve.

BON APPETIT !

For the love of Hermes...

2008-03-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

and all things Indian...

Hermès Spring/Summer 2008

I just love the new Hermès campaign featuring Indian model Lakshmi Menon.

See the the rest of the campaign at Nirali Magazine.

Col de la Forclaz...

2008-03-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

déjeuner en montagne...

Repas typiquement savoyard dans un cadre sublime...
X
http://www.lapricaz.com/
X

Shabby Chic...

2008-03-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

Nordic Style...

photos : Vakre Hjem & Interiør

Home of the owner of Vintage by Nina online shop.

Pink blossom...

2008-03-14T15:14:00.001-07:00

"Winter is on my head

but eternal Spring is in my heart"

Victor Hugo

And the winners are...

2008-03-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

Once again,

The Washington Post

has published the winning submissions

to its yearly neologism contest in which readers are asked to supply

alternate meanings for common words...

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer

the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over

by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die,

your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

En attendant les premiers brocantes...

2008-03-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

heureusement que les dépôts-ventes sont là

pour les chineuses impatientes et trépignantes

Duffy's Mercy...

2008-03-14T14:32:00.001-07:00

Just cant get enough...

(photo and interview from BlackBook Magazine)

"She's been tagged as the next Amy Winehouse and the female Otis Redding.

This 20-something British singer/songwriter has topped the BBC Sound charts

and is debuting in the states..."

Check out her smoky cover of Dusty Springfield's "Mercy" and take advantage

of the free download on itunes this week!

XCheck these out, I just know you'll love them she's just so good...
X

En pause...

2008-03-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

DANS CERTAINES CIRCONSTANCES UNE PAUSE S'IMPOSE...X

back soon...

Can you spot a fake smile..?

2008-03-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

This has nothing to do with usual interests,

but I was fascinated anyhow...

Think you can tell when someone's smile is forced?

Take a quiz,

brought to you by the BBC, and find out.

Watch little movies of 20 individuals smiling and

judge whether they're faking it or not...

I got 13 out of 20 right. What was your score..?

The Snow is Back..!

2008-03-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

just as Spring was knocking at the door...

Snow Kiting on the Semnoz...

Idées Vacances...

2008-03-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

au bord de l'eau...

Le dernier recueil de

Marie-Dominique Perrin

pour s'échapper au bord de l'eau...

Question time...

2008-03-06T06:44:00.000-08:00

You.Can.Only.Type.One.Word.In.Answer.To.Each.Question

Not as easy as you might think...

XX1. Where is your cell phone? nearby.

2. Your significant other? abroad

3. Your hair? blonde

4. Worst bad habit? stubborness

5. Favorite food? curry

6. Your favorite thing? teddy

7. Your dream last night? baffling

8. Your favorite drink? water

9. Your dream/goal? zen

10.The room you're in? office

11. Your ex? which?

12. Your fear? heights

13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? nirvana

14. Where were you last night? home

15. What you're not? racist

16. Muffins? plain

17. One of your wish list items? peace

18. Where you grew up? tropics

19. The last thing you did? text

20. What are you wearing? jeans

21. Your TV? small

22. Your pets? retriever

23. Your computer? laptop

24. Your life? interesting

25. Your mood? optimistic

26. Missing someone? friends

27. Your car? Landcruiser

28. Something you're not wearing? makeup

29. Favorite Store? Hermes

30. Your summer? hot

31. Love someone? madly

32. When is the last time you laughed? hours

33. Last time you cried? weeks

Degas...

2008-03-06T06:17:00.000-08:00

For the love of...

This beautiful umbrella almost makes you want it to rain..!

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly...

2008-03-05T03:14:00.000-08:00

Don't miss this beautiful film based on a true story...

~ it's like watching a work of art in motion ~

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I highly recommend it...

L for Love...

2008-03-05T01:40:00.001-08:00

Love is the answer...

XNow, what is your question?"

Author Unknown

I love this quote...it's my favourite of the moment...
What's your favourite quote..?

10 Things About Daughter...

2008-03-05T01:26:00.001-08:00

Only a small part of Daughter's universe...

1° Daughter is tall, vivacious, intelligent, fun, beautiful..!

But then she is my daughter...what else would you expect..?!!

X
2° Daughter is a Chocaholic...

she can't survive a day without a chocolate fix !

3° Daughter is extremely sporty and excells in sports of all kinds...
it's a bit of a family heritage...

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4° Daughter loves chilling out in her PJs around the house...

when she's not at school or snowsurfing, skiing, sailing, windsurfing,

playing championship basketball..!

5° Daughter is extreme in all she does...it's all or nothing (see above 4) :

active/inactive; interested/uninterested; inspired/uninspired..!

6° Daughter is excellent at negotiating...

particularly when it concerns pocket money..!

7° Daughter has always been a quick learner...

she climbed before she could crawl, ran before she could walk..!

8° Daughter is destined to be the tallest in the family...

she's already taller than her older sister and as tall as mother..!

X
9° Daughter has a fantastic sense of humour...

well, she is half British, what do you expect..?

10° Daughter is a mobile addict...

when not chatting, she's taking photos, listening to music...

aren't all teenagers nowadays..?!

Summer holiday...

2008-03-05T01:11:00.000-08:00

spoilt for choice...

X
which will it be..?
which would you choose..?
X

Méditation du jour...

2008-03-05T01:07:00.000-08:00

"Great minds ... discuss ideas.

Average minds ... discuss events.

Small minds ... discuss people"

author unknown

Rendez-vous Brocante...

2008-03-05T00:48:00.000-08:00

tous les derniers weekends du mois...

toute l'année

dans la Vieille Ville...

Pour le plaisir des yeux...

pour les dates et lieu de Brocante/Vide Grenier :

http://vide-greniers.org/agendaDepartement.php?departement=74

Nick Brandt...

2008-03-04T05:26:00.000-08:00

Photo du jour...

Hommage au photographe animalier américain
Nick Brandt.
Il nous offre des photos d’animaux, souvent en voie de disparition,
d’une telle sensibilité que l’on se surprend à (re)découvrir ces espèces,

comme si c’était la première fois.

Chaque photo est magique.

Je vous invite vraiment à découvrir son univers.

I just love Nick Brandt's photography...

don't you..?

Day out...

2008-03-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

and about...

Geneva, Annecy...

Futilités du jour...

2008-03-04T04:44:00.000-08:00

X1° Je nourris une vraie passion pour tout ce qui est ancien

2° Je mélange, je mixe sans aucuns préjugés : valable pour la déco, la mode,

la cuisine,la musique, les couleurs, les styles ....

les règles établies m'ennuient toujours à mourir !

3° Je déteste les matières synthétiques et le plastique.

4° Je ne m'ennuie jamais. La solitude ne me fait pas peur, au contraire
je l'apprécie et parfois même je la recherche

5° Selon les circonstances et les moments, je peux être tout et son contraire,

c'est à dire extravertie, extravagante et volubile

ou alors complètement l'inverse,

très réservée, discrète et taciturne.

Tout ou rien, c'est bien moi ça, jamais dans la demi-mesure.

Souvent dans la contradiction.

Parfois dans l'insaisissable...

6° C'est sous les tropiques que je me sens vraiment chez moi...

7° Je déteste la routine en général. Le train-train quotidien m'effraie.

Il me faut régulièrement du changement, des défis, des surprises,

des rêves, des découvertes, du nouveau,

des challenges, des projets...

8° Je suis phobique au dernier degré des reptiles, surtout les serpents

For the love of a good book...

2008-03-04T04:05:00.001-08:00

à suivre...

Inspiration du moment...

2008-03-04T03:33:00.000-08:00

photos : French Home by J Ryan

Africa Works...

2008-03-04T03:00:00.001-08:00

Benetton

vient de lancer une campagne mondiale sous le slogan

Africa Works

et sous le parrainage de Youssou N’Dour et son association Birima

qui aide financièrement les entrepreneurs africains

à concrétiser leurs projets.

Le poster de la nouvelle campagne symbolisent l'Afrique qui travaille;

le micro crédit permet de créer sa petite entreprise

et ainsi de sortir de la pauvreté.

Réédition de la chanson Birima de Youssou N’Dour

et création d’un dessin animé sur le micro crédit qui sera diffusé

sur les télés africaines...

Envie de légumes...

2008-03-03T07:19:00.000-08:00

Tian

Ingrédients :

8 tomates

4 courgettes

3 oignons

3 aubergines

2 gousses d'ail

3 brins de thym

3 brins d'origan
3 brins de persil

6 feuilles de basilic

2 feuilles de laurier

1 c. à café de sucre

de l'huile d'olive

sel, poivre

Coupez les aubergines en rondelles,

salez-les et faites-les dégorger pendant 30 min puis égouttez-les.

Coupez en rondelles les courgettes et les oignons pelés.

Dans une sauteuse, faites chauffez 4 c. à soupe d'huile d'olive

et faites-y revenir des deux côtés les aubergines essuyées,

puis réservez-les.

A leur place, faites rissoler les oignons, puis les courgettes.

Ajoutez un peu d'huile si nécessaire.

Préchauffez le four à thermostat 5 (150°C).

Coupez les tomates en rondelles et épépinez-les. Huilez un plat à gratin,

rangez-y les rondelles de légumes en les alternant, poudrez de sucre,

ajoutez l'ail haché, le persil, le laurier, les feuilles de thym,

l'origan, salez et poivrez.

Enfournez et laissez cuire pendant environ 40 min.

Avant de servir, parsemez de basilic et arrosez d'un filet d'huile.

Make it meaningful...

2008-03-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

"Old friends pass away,

new friends appear.
It is just like the days.
An old day passes,

a new day arrives.
The important thing is to make it meaningful:
a meaningful friend or a meaningful day."
Tenzin Gyatso
14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

Paris Passionnément...

2008-03-03T06:19:00.000-08:00

Sunrise...

Sundown...

I never tire of the place and all it has to offer...
X
Music by J Cocker & J Warns
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=bviO2SM5H7k&feature=related

Katoucha Niane...

2008-03-03T05:25:00.001-08:00

Disbelief on learning the tragic news...

I supported (and will continue to support) her campaign against

female genital mutilation...

Spare a Prayer for her family and friends...

"Niane, known as Katoucha, was the face of Yves Saint Laurent,

the French haute couture guru, in the 1980s before leaving modelling

to launch a campaign against female genital mutilation..."

Xhttp://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/29/katoucha.dead.ap/index.html

"Say a Little Prayer"

Aretha Franklin

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=STKkWj2WpWM

Lieu de création...

2008-03-03T05:20:00.000-08:00

Photos : Vania Leroy pour MCI

En parcourant le blog MCI,

gros coup de coeur pour l'atelier de Vania Leroy,

styliste pour la revue.

Mais quel rêve cet atelier!
Un joli meuble de grainetier pour camoufler le petit bazar,

des piles de tissus bien rangées, pots de peintures sagement empilés,

bobines de ficelles alignées...

Une belle atmosphère propice à la création...

Retour dans les Alpes...

2008-03-03T05:11:00.000-08:00

le lac ce matin...

"And above all watch, with glittering eyes
the whole world around you because the greatest secrets
are always hidden in the most unlikely places.
Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
~ Roald Dahl ~

Blog en Pause..

2008-02-23T11:43:00.000-08:00

X
X

A BIENTOT !

Cliché du jour...

2008-02-23T11:30:00.001-08:00

Grooming the Bride...

Bangalore, India

Banana Buns...

2008-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 cup milk

1 cup mashed ripe bananas

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp salt

150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Preheat oven to a moderately hot 200oC [400oF].

Line a 12-hole standard muffin pan with patty cases.
Sift flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl.

Add the sugar and mixed spice. Stir through the flour.

Make a well in the centre.

In a jug mix together the milk, eggs, butter,

mashed bananas and vanilla extract.

Pour this mixture into the well made in the dry ingredients.

Fold the mixture gently with a metal spoon until just combined.

The mixture should still be lumpy.

Divide equally among patty cases, filling each hole to about

three-quarters full.

Bake for approx 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Leave the buns in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

BON APPETIT !

Out and about...

2008-02-23T11:23:00.001-08:00

London...

Just couldn't survive without my regular visits...

X
Music by 3T
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=N1U8y3a3C-c

Life's Journey...

2008-02-23T11:11:00.000-08:00

X "Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.

It is because we are different that each of us is special.

XDo not set your goals by what other people deem important.

Only you know what is best for you.

XDo not take for granted the things closest to your heart.

Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

XDo not let your life slip through your fingers by living

in the past nor for the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live all of the days of your life.

XDo not give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

XDo not be afraid to encounter risks.

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love is too hold it too tightly.

In addition, the best way to keep love is to give it wings

Do not dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

XDo not run through life so fast that you forget

not only where you have been, but also where you are going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way."

XBy: Expressions From The Heart

Behind the scenes...

2008-02-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

Here's a great news reel showing how music was recorded
and made into vinyl records...
Great little clip and it's interesting to see the behind
the scenes of a Duke Ellington studio session...

De Bric et de Broc...

2008-02-22T10:13:00.000-08:00

Bientôt le Printemps...
la saison des Brocantes et Vide Greniers...
XX

Indian Cuisine...

2008-02-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

XXX

For recipe :
http://choumiecuisine.canalblog.com/archives/2008/02/03/7793254.html
X
I've always preferred vegetable samosas...
if you prefer meat one, just add your choice of meat...
X

Trivial Pursuit...

2008-02-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

10 things I would never do :

10 - Swear in front of my parents...
9 - Drink to excess purely to get drunk...

XXI like my liver the way it is, i.e. not in a jar
8 - Spread rumours, gossip...
7 - Sell my soul...

6 - Stop pronouncing my 'th's. 'Free' is not a number
5 - Blow my own trumpet...

4 - Get involved in office politics...
3 - Open a letter that was not addressed to me...

2 - Betray a friend...

1 - Compromise my dreams to make others happy...

Would you..?
X

Music by E John & Blue
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=AbAX9A8Cq0k&feature=related

Decorating styles...

2008-02-22T05:42:00.000-08:00

I love...

All photos courtesy of House Beautiful

I love these raw materials....

reclaimed wood, stone, and natural fabrics like linen...

The colour palate is so serene, with whites

and subtle, muted neutrals...

Such an unfussy, relaxing atmosphere...

Paris Passionément...

2008-02-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

"Kindness in words creates confidence.

Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in giving creates love."

Lao Tzu
X

Thank you, mon amour..!

Music by G Michael...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0egWXAPGVOo&feature=related

L'inde en photos...

2008-02-22T05:20:00.001-08:00

Quoi ? Une exposition de photos de l'Inde : portraits, moments de vie,

sourires et souvenirs...
Quand ? Du Lundi 3 mars au Vendredi 7 mars 2008.

M AUBRY sera présent tous les jours entre midi et 14h

pour vous rencontrer.

Où ? A Lyon à la salle d’exposition AGORA.

Prendre le tramway T1 arrêt “INSA-Einstein”. Marchez 3min vers

le batiment des humanités, la salle AGORA est juste derrière le batiment.

Plus d’infos : Le vernissage a lieu le Mercredi 5 mars à partir de 18h30

à la salle AGORA.

Si vous souhaitez assister au vernissage,

contacter http://giik.net/blog/ , le nombre de places est limitée

Toutes les photos sur Flick

Event sur Facebook

Lecteurs lectrices du blog vous êtes les bienvenus !

Likes and dislikes...

2008-02-21T02:49:00.000-08:00

Dislike...

XMusic by Aimée Duffy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KE2orthS3TQ&feature=related

Bancs de jardin...

2008-02-21T02:19:00.000-08:00

en bois, en pierre...

vieux, neuf, peint ou à l'état brut...

je les adore tous...

Souvenirs du grand jardin anglais de mes grand-parents avec tous ses bancs,

des bancs devant notre maison coloniale...

pour admirer les magnifiques couchers de soleils...

des vieux bancs en bois massif de Regent's Park, Holland Park

et tous les autres parcs à Londres...

Que des bons souvenirs..!