One of the most frequent questions I am asked by visiting tourists and student groups is: “Has France changed?” and if so, “how?” Since France is people by the French, it’s fairly obvious that you can’t address the question of whether France is changing without addressing the question of whether the French are changing. […]
In today’s Joie de Vivre post, I’ll be talking not about France, but about America, and the joie de vivre I experienced growing up in an historic home n Shenandoah, Iowa. Built in 1895, it was and is beautiful and spacious, elegant on the outside with a wraparound enclosed porch and a turret,
An historic American home – mine Read More »
Valentine’s Day in Paris. Doesn’t it sound romantic? It is! I kicked off the pre-Valentine’s day period by attending a reading by three American writers celebrating their love affair with…Paris. Held at the Paris Culinary Institute on the Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, the event featured a drinks hour which consisted, among other things, of
Red Velvet Pancakes and Valentine’s Day in Paris Read More »
Thirty years ago President Ronald Reagan called upon the leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to “tear down this wall”. He was, of course, referring to the Berlin Wall which had divided West and East Berlin for almost a quarter of a century. Now we are hearing President Trump boast and brag about building
Tear down this wall! Read More »
The day after Trump’s inauguration Philippe and I took the metro to the Place de Trocadero to join the Women’s March in Paris. It was a joyous hodgepodge of young and old, women and men, Americans and French and a sprinkling of other nationalities. I was standing there holding my poster before the march
A little bit of courtoisie, s’il vous plaît Read More »
Q & A with Harriet Welty Rochefort, author of “Joie de Vivre” and other books about the French by Janet Hulstrand, writer, editor, writing coach, and teacher of writing and of literature. This interview appeared on Janet’s blog, Writing from the Heart, Reading for the Road. Harriet Welty Rochefort, in the gardens at the Palais Royale. Photo
Harriet talks about writing and living in France Read More »
Sorry to toot my own horn but if I don’t do it, who will? Below is a lovely review of my third and latest book, Joie de Vivre, by John Pearce, author of the intriguing mysteries Last Stop: Paris and Treasure of St. Lazare. John’s third book is scheduled for publication in mid 2017; you
An American living the Paris life and writing “cultural dictionairies” Read More »
Why Do All Those Parisiennes Wear Black? I am sitting on the 69 bus going from our place near Place Gambetta to the Bastille and looking out the window at the grey sky. You know how you assign colors to places? I assign bright blue to Marseilles in the south of France even though it
Some Memories of “Don’t Eat Your Soup With A Fork” 40 years have passed since an irreverent, fun and sassy publication called The Paris Metro hit town. Tonight, in Paris, the founders of and contributors to that very special magazine, which unfortunately died after only two years and 64 issues, will be celebrating its 40th
Don’t Eat Your Soup With A Fork Read More »
The Bonjour Bullies and the Bonjour Drill What’s in a word? A lot, if you consider one of the most important ones in the French language and that is Bonjour. Here’s what you need to know about Bonjour etiquette when visiting France: if you ask directions of a French person and don’t preface your request
The Bonjour Lesson Read More »