May 31, 2017

Celebrating Two Months and Summer at Fleur de St. Louis!


Time flies when you're working on something you love. Today marks two months here at Fleur de St. Louis. I could not be more proud of what's been built and what is to come. Just like I did after one month, I am going to take some time to tell you what I've learned. And if you continue reading to the end, I've got a special surprise in store! First off, ce que j'ai appris pendant le deuxième mois:

Sometimes you have to be OK with not following the plan. When I started Fleur de St. Louis I set a goal to post a minimum of two times a week. I thought I would always have a Wellness Wednesday and a Francophile Friday. While this plan gave me guidance in the beginning, I've been finding that it doesn't always fit with what I'm inspired to write about in the moment. I'm glad the plan got me going, but I'm equally as glad that I've allowed myself to change as I learn and grow. 

You can learn about opportunities you never knew existed if you just put yourself out there. Each time I go to a new French spot in STL, I let them know that I am a blogger and ask permission to take photographs for my posts. A few weeks ago at Comme à la Maison I was approached by Susanne who had overheard me asking. She was interested in the blog and shared with me that she was a member of an organization, Les Amis, that promotes "education, preservation, and awareness of French Creole heritage and culture in the Mid-Mississippi River Valley." I have always known that I wanted to explore French history here in St. Louis and in Missouri. My boyfriend and I are now joining Les Amis and I am excited for new opportunities to learn and become involved in my community. 

When you are trying something new, you probably won't get it right the first time, and that's OK! Posting my creative work has given me some new and exciting opportunities, one of which I began to work on with enthusiasm only to find that it wasn't turning out how I wanted it to. I will be honest, I panicked. I felt embarrassed. Then a very wise woman asked: "So you aren't happy with it. Then what happened?" The answer is nothing. I simply needed to step away, get myself into a better mindset, and return. Part of changing my mindset involved me asking myself, "What am I not happy with, and what tools do I need to grow so that I can move closer to the outcome I desire?" Let me tell you, this approach did a whole lot more for me than the panicked/embarrassed approach. I still have plenty of growing to do, but I am happy to be on the journey. 


***

And now for a fun summer treat! To say merci for being a part of this community, for believing in my passions, and most of all for pursuing your own, I'm planning a summer of Fleur de St. Louis giveaways! Each giveaway will match my mission here at Fleur de St. Louis: to allow wellness, learning & creativity to flourish. June will be centered around creativity. 

One lovely reader will receive a box with a few of my favorite bullet journal extras delivered right to their door! This is my way of saying merci for reading, for continuing to stop by, for e-mailing and commenting and sharing so much love... and to spread the mission of Fleur de St. Louis which is to pursue your passions and live a life you love. 

To enter, follow me on Instagram @fleurdestlouis. Watch out for a giveaway post in the next few days, and comment with your name and what brought you to the Fleur de St. Louis community. I cannot wait to continue to connect with you!


Merci beaucoup beaucoup and warm wishes from me to you,




May 29, 2017

La pause-café


La pause-café. Coffee break en français. So often I adore the way the French express things in words. This post is as much about coffee as it is about pausing. In our drive through, instant packet, K-Cup world, it seems like coffee gives us anything but pause. It's often just one more thing we rush through as we're on to the next. 

Café, je t'aime. I love coffee. It's a part of my morning routine, and visiting my favorite local coffee shops is a treat I look forward to. About two years ago, I became interested in the process of brewing coffee. I did some research and purchased a few items so that I could see my brew through from grind to sip. 



People sometimes ask me why I take the time to brew my coffee this way. For me, this process not only yields a better end result, it causes me to slow down and ease into my day. I enjoy using a little arm strength when I'm hand grinding my coffee beans (this is honestly probably my main source of arm workout...). In that moment as the oils and aromas of the coffee beans fill the air, I get to anticipate what I believe to be a more flavorful, less bitter cup o' joe. While I'm doing this, the kettle rattles on the stove top, announcing that its freshly heated water is ready. I measure my grounds into my ceramic dripper (I do about 2 Tbsp. per 12 oz. of water, but I do tend to drink my coffee strong) and begin to slowly pour over the water, the fresh coffee filling my cup. For a single serve, I go straight into the mug. For a full pot, I use my glass carafe. After pausing to enjoy the process, I revel in wrapping my hands around a warm mug and continue my pausing as I sip and savor. 






If you are interested in this process, here is a list of the items mentioned above, plus a few extras that I believe make for the best at home cup:

*Coffee bean storage container
*Manual ceramic burr coffee grinder
*Pour over coffee and tea kettle
*Ceramic coffee dripper
*Glass coffee carafe
*Paper coffee filters 
*My favorite mug :)
*Ronnoco Hazelnut whole beans (made in STL)

In case you are feeling overwhelmed, I did not start all of this at once. I got the grinder first and used it with my Mr. Coffee. Over time, I added on the coffee bean storage container (it really does keep the whole beans fresh longer). The pour over process came later for me. If you live in St. Louis, Blueprint Coffee is a great place to get a taste of the pour over process. They also have a lovely store (in store or online) where you can purchase everything you need to brew your coffee in this way at home. 

Do you enjoy the coffee brewing process? What's your preferred method? I would love to hear from you in the comments. Enjoy a pause-café today. Challenge yourself to try the pause part, truly. I think you will very much enjoy the experience. :)

A special thanks to my boyfriend who spent his first morning off in a while helping me shoot for this post. 


Warm wishes and warm coffee from me to you,

May 28, 2017

Petits Moments: Seeking Inspiration and Listening

Summer means more time to devote to my passions, which also means Fleur de St. Louis has the opportunity to take on new life. With more time to write and experience my city, I'm not bound to Wellness Wednesday and Francophile Friday. There is room for new. There is room for growth. I'm still in the process of figuring out what that looks like for me and the site, but during that process I am seeking out a whole lot of inspiration and doing a whole lot of listening to that which is speaking to me. I know that what is right for me and the growth of this project will come with time. Here are some of the places I am continuing to seek inspiration:

Instagram. I loved this post from @mylittleparis about being in the now.

(Later will be too late. Our life is now.)

Podcasts. If you follow me on Instagram @fleurdestlouis, I gave a shout out to Shannon of the Simple Sophisticate podcast a few weeks back. Shannon is a beautiful person and I encourage you to follow her blog, read her book, or listen to her podcast if you are someone on a journey to live your best life. She has done more for me than she knows. The episode I was listening to centered around Julia Child, and Shannon provided a quote that encouraged me to continue doing what I love:
"Julia didn't know how it was all going to turn out. She just did what she loved."

Books. Reading whether it be a book for wellness, a memoir, a novel, etc. is my greatest source of inspiration. I just finished an awesome livre de voiture (I usually talk bedside books, but this was an audio book I enjoyed while driving). I listened to Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes after several recommendations. I quoted her a few posts back when I talked about how I haven't just been dreaming, I've also been doing a lot more. I finished the book today, and here was another favorite quote:
"Happiness comes from living as you need to, as you want to, as your inner voice tells you to. Happiness comes from being who you actually are instead of who you think you are supposed to be."
Fleur de St. Louis is definitely a part of my mission to be the truest me I can be, to live the happiest life I can live.

I'm currently reading You are a Badass by Jen Sincero who I also mentioned in a previous post. Only a few chapters in, I have already found great inspiration. One stand out quote echoes Shonda's words:
"You're on a journey with no defined beginning, middle or end. There are no wrong twists and turns. There is just being. And your job is to be as you as you can be. This is why you're here."
I'm working on letting the true me shine. Seeking inspiration and listening gives me guidance and provides me with energy, but the most important person I can listen to is myself. What are my goals? What feels right for me on my path to accomplish them? I can't wait to see what unfolds, and thank you so much for stopping by to be a part of that journey, too. I hope you maybe even found some inspiration for yourself here today. :)


Warm wishes from me to you,






May 26, 2017

Bonjour BuJo (n°9): The Collections


Readers, you have spoken. It seems you enjoy bullet journaling just as much as I do. I know it has been several weeks since I've talked bullet journals on the blog, but today I'm back with one of my absolute favorite reasons to bullet journal - the collections. And you will see soon that several of my collections have a little French flair. :) 

You've set up the key. Your index is in place, and your future log is ready to keep you on track for any important dates coming your way. A monthly spread is ready for the start of a new month, and you're playing with some daily layouts or your simply letting it flow. These are the bullet journal essentials. You could stop here and have a fully functioning journal. But if you're anything like me, you're in to spicing things up a bit!

This is where the collections come in. I went back to the source for all things bullet journal to see how they defined collections:
Sometimes you’ll have notes and tasks that are related by a common theme or purpose. Rather than having all these related entries scattered across your Bullet Journal, simply create a Collection Module. Collection Modules, or Collections, are great for organizing specific lists (shopping list, reading lists etc), classes, and projects.
I've already talked collections on the blog, though I don't know that I called them by this name. You might remember my post about using your bullet journal to log your reading, or my post about using my journal to plan for Paris. Both of these are examples of collections in my journal. How do you start a collection? Go to the next blank page, make a heading, and index it. It can be smack dab in the middle of any month. By indexing it, you will be able to easily return even months down the road. With collections, they sky is truly the limit. This is where you take your bullet journal and customize it for your goals, interests and passions. 

Here are some other ways I have used collections in my journal:



(Places to Visit in Paris & Francophile Finds - a few of my very first collections.)

(a list of ways to live Simply Luxuriously every day)

(Food for Thought inspired by Fiona Ferris)

(le Français: des habitudes de travail - French study habits)

(inspiration for finding peace)

(Capsule Wardrobe - notes and inspiration from The Curated Closet)

And a few collections in my new journal:

(one month until Paris to-do list & my packing list)

Collections are as useful as they are fun. I hope my ideas here give you a place to start, but I know you could think of collections that would inspire me, too! If you do, please post them on Intagram with #FdSTLbujosetupseries. I would love to see them! Have a beautiful weekend!

Warm wishes from me to you, and happy journaling!



May 25, 2017

Petits Moments: Abandoning a Book (for now or forever)


Do you see this stack of books? And that doesn't even begin to cover it. There's more where that came from, though this stack alone would be a very healthy amount of summer reading for me. While reading is one of my favorite ways to relax, it can also become overwhelming. There is just so much to read, so little time. I used to suffer (maybe a strong word, but I'm trying to paint a picture here) through books I was not enjoying. I felt guilty starting something without finishing it. You can imagine what this did for me views on reading. That, and it sloooooooooowed me down big time. I didn't want to pick up my book, but I wasn't finished yet so I wouldn't give myself permission to pick up another. 

Well I'm here to tell you - THAT. WAS. CRAZY. There are plenty of times in our lives when we have to read something that isn't necessarily for pleasure, whether that be for school or for work or to figure out a necessary skill. The relaxing reading time should not be one of those. Enter Anne Bogel (Modern Mrs Darcy). She made me feel like it was OK to put a book down. She made me realize that reading should bring joy, and if a book you choose for leisure isn't bringing joy it's OK to set it aside. Maybe you're just setting it aside for now because it simply isn't the time in your life. Maybe you're setting it aside forever because it truly is not for you. Either option is OK. You are making more time for books you will love, books you won't be able to put down, books that will make you a voracious reader. 

I tell you this because I recently had a moment like this. I listen to What Should I Read Next? regularly. It's a great way to grow your "to be read" list and discover titles you may not have otherwise picked up. My ears perked up a bit every time I heard them discuss This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. I got my name on the hold list right away, and was ecstatic when my turn finally came. It isn't that I didn't like this book. It's more that as I started to read, I didn't find myself wanting to pick it up at every available chance. This told me that while this book is likely a great book for me, it wasn't the best book for right now. So I gave myself permission to set it aside. Then I looked at the rest of the books in my "on deck" stack and realized the reason this book wasn't for me right now is because I am eating, sleeping, breathing, dreaming of all things Paris. With one month until my much anticipated trip, I want to bask in francophile reads, and bask I will. I'm going to follow my reading intuition and read that which brings me joy in the moment. :) 

May you find immense joy in your reading. May you give yourself permission to set a book aside for now or forever so that reading never loses it's magic. 


Warm wishes and joyful reading from me to you,



May 24, 2017

Wellness Wednesday (n°5): La Bonne Beauté


Bonjour, and happy Wednesday! It's been a bit, but I'm back with a Wellness Wednesday. Today's post, titled La Bonne Beauté, means good beauty. Today, I am going to be talking beauty products that feel good - in the sense of confidence, in the sense of kindness towards all living things, in the sense of kindness towards our planet, in the sense of kindness towards our bodies. A little disclaimer before we get started: I am new to this topic. While I've known about cruelty free and vegan cosmetic options, it wasn't until a few weeks ago when I was chatting with my boyfriend's sister that I really started to think about it. I'm no expert. All ideas and opinions here are mine, and I am not promoting any of these products and brands for any other reason than to discuss healthy beauty options with you. :)

If you are new to cruelty free (as I am), Cruelty Free Kitty is a great starting place. It is here that you can find answers to the questions "Why switch to cruelty free?" and "What does it really mean to purchase and use cruelty free products?" One of the biggest reasons to go cruelty free is to stand up against harmful animal testing, but there are other benefits to shopping and using cruelty free cosmetics. Here are some of the reasons I have become interested:

*Less is more. When it comes to items in my home, in my closet, in my medicine cabinet, I've been really drawn to the less is more approach. I want a beauty routine that is simple and uses high quality products that make me feel good inside and out. I want to buy fewer, higher quality items to reduce both my waste and my spending. 

*I want to take care of my body. As Cruelty Free Kitty reminds, "Our skin absorbs everything we feed it, and using lotions [and other products] full of parabens, fragrance, and harmful chemicals isn’t a healthy habit." You only get one body, one beautiful skin. It is so important to protect it. 

*I want to take care of the environment. Cruelty free brands are often natural brands too. The same harmful chemicals absorbed by our bodies are absorbed by the environment, and I know I can personally increase my role in helping the planet.

I recently subscribed to Petit Vour and am eagerly awaiting my first box. Petit Vour is a company with a standard to be la crème de la cruelty free. Petit Vour's monthly subscription boxes contain samples from different cruelty free and vegan brands. I already have the lavender body oil from Mullein and Sparrow and love it, and I'm really looking forward to trying out some products from French Girl Organics

In addition, I took some time to explore cruelty free options at my local Target this past weekend. Here are some of the items I picked up to try:

Thayers Witch Hazel Toner in Lavender  (Click here for my lavender products I love.)
*Several of the products listed on my past lavender post are cruelty free including the Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Liquid Soap and the J.R. Watkins Natural All Purpose Cleaner. I listed a lavender deodorant that is not cruelty free and am going to purchase Lavanila or Jason next. 
Acure Facial Cleansing Gel

Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer SPF 15


So far I am loving all of these products. Follow me on Instagram @fleurdestlouis to see what's in my first Petit Vour box and learn more about my journey with cruelty free products. 


Do you use cruelty free or vegan products? If so, what are some of your favorites? I would love to hear from you about how you are loving your body, all living things, and the planet through your beauty routine. Let me know in the comments below!


Warm and beautiful wishes from me to you,


May 22, 2017

A Taste of France in STL: Comme à la Maison {Like Home}


As I continue my exploration of the various tastes of France in St. Louis, I could not wait to check out one of our newest pâtisseries, Comme à la Maison {Like Home}. Clemence Pereur, chef pâtissier and chocolatier, made her way to St. Louis from France to become the assistant pastry chef at the St. Louis Club. She then decided to follow her passions and open her very own pâtisserie in Grand Center (read more of her story here). Comme à la Maison truly lives up to its name. I felt so at home as I sat munching pastries (a croissant and a brioche au sucre) and sipping coffee. Several hours passed in the blink of an eye. I can see this being a regular spot for me to read, work on the blog, and have coffee dates with friends. 


It was a cloudy Saturday morning when I approached the the brightly painted corner shop (Vandeventer and McPherson for my fellow St. Louisans). Already it had brought a little sunshine to my day. As I entered I was greeted warmly and helped promptly. As I waited for my coffees and pastries, I peered through the glass window behind the counter and watched Christine and Patrice (Clemence's parents) baking fresh pastries for the day. All pastries at Like Home are made daily with love. As I paid at the register, I was delighted to grab an Eiffel Tower key chain, complémentaire! Each detail at Like Home is so well thought out. Check out some of the beautiful images I captured below: 




As I sat at my shiny white mid century modern table on a brightly colored molded plastic chair, I took in the truly sweet atmosphere. Comme à la Maison is painted in a sunny yellow that is complemented by a calming blue. It is complete with a homey sofa and chairs, and a bookshelf full of French pastry magazines. I can't wait to go back and spend some time with these as another way to practice my French. Speaking of practicing my French, Christine and Patrice took the time to speak with me en français. I told them my story and my mission at Fleur de St. Louis. I told them about my summer trip to Paris and asked them for any advice (they are from just outside of Paris). I am eager to check out their suggestions, one of which was L'Éclair de Génie. One just so happens to be located near our hotel! 




My experience at Comme à la Maison was complètement parfaite! I will be returning this week as Patrice offered to give me his card should we have any questions while visiting Paris this summer. Christine and Patrice's passion and friendly nature radiated. I cannot wait to meet Clemence as I am sure she will be the same. :) If you are looking to bring a little sunshine into your day and find a home away from home, visit Comme à la Maison. I think you will adore your experience! 

Warm wishes and happy Monday from me to you,
For more tastes of France in STL, check out my other posts in the series:

May 20, 2017

What I Learned This School Year & My Summer Plans


The chairs are stacked, the room is clean, and another successful school year is in the books. For those of you who are new to Fleur de St. Louis, I am an elementary school teacher. From August to May my time is dedicated to my students and my desire to instill in them a total love of learning. In order to do that, I must also be a learner myself. It's no coincidence that learning is part of my mission here. I am on a constant quest to learn - learn French, learn about other cultures, learn about teaching, learn about books, learn about myself. I did a whole lot of the latter this year. Here are a few things I learned:

*Take care of yourself so you can better care for others. This year I got overwhelmed. I got overwhelmed to the point that I knew I had to make a change. I realized the immense value in self care and began putting more time and energy into simply feeling good. I will admit, at first I felt a little selfish. Then I realized that in taking care of myself, I took care of my students, friends, and family in a much better way than I had before. Take care of yourself. :) 

*Be present. In that overwhelmed state, I was always thinking about and worrying about what was coming next. Sometimes the things occupying my mind would be things that were completely out of my control. While I am not a total pro at being here now, I have definitely become more mindful of bringing myself back to the present moment. It has made for more quality time with those I love. It has made for more quality time with myself.

*Dance, dance, dance. This was the year of weddings. We attended five. I was in the bridal party for three. And my boyfriend and I danced. We let go of inhibition, we got lost in the moment, and we danced. We didn't stop dancing. When the last song played at that fifth wedding, we wondered, "What are we going to do now?" It doesn't have to be dance, but I think this idea of dancing is a great reminder to find something that brings you immense joy and throw caution to the wind. 

*Take time to breathe. I got back to yoga this year. I got better at noticing when I physically could not take deep breaths, and I slowed down and focused on calming my nervous system. Breathing is something we do often without thinking. Thinking about your breath has great power. It's that simple. Breathe.

*Rest when you need to. I went and I went and I went. I needed to rest. I needed to grant myself permission to stop - stop working, stop producing, stop creating long enough to rest. I did all of the above better after rest.

*It really is the little things. A Monday morning croissant, a coffee date with a friend, time with a good book... the smallest things often bring me the greatest joy. Take time for those little things. Treat yourself to those little things. 

*Don't be too hard on yourself. Set goals and work toward them, but be OK with the fact that life happens. As one of my favorite quotes reminds, "Be gentle with yourself, you're doing the best you can." You are enough. 

*Don't just dream, do! If your passion is calling, listen! I am currently listening to the Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes on audio. I loved when she said, "Dreams do not come true just because you dream them... ditch the dreams and be a doer." To me this doesn't really mean ditch the dream. It means make the dreams real by doing. This year I stopped thinking about continuing my French language learning and I joined a class at the Alliance Française de St. Louis. I stopped wishing I was more of a reader, turned off the TV, and picked up more books. I stopped fantasizing about the possibility of starting a blog of my own and I started writing. I stopped hoping I would make it back to Paris one day and I planned a trip. More opportunities have presented themselves to me than I could have imagined. I no longer feel like a part of me is missing. My passions called, and I listened. I am continuing to listen. 

(End of the year gifts from my students. Do they know me or what?)

And now for my summer plans. I will be the first to agree with you. Being a teacher has its perks, and summers off are definitely up there with the best of them. I am excited to take a rest from my every day teaching responsibilities and recharge for the next school year. I am excited for the time I will have to pour into my other passions. Here's what you'll find me doing this summer:

*Writing, writing, writing. I am looking forward to bringing you more here at Fleur de St. Louis. I absolutely love hearing from you the readers, so please comment and let me know if you like what you are seeing. This blog is just as much a passion project for me as it is meant to be an inspiration for you. Let me know how I can help inspire your passions!

*Reading, reading, reading. You should see the physical stack of books on my nightstand. And on my window sill. And in the box to the right of my bed. And in my nightstand drawer. Not to mention the 214 books on my Goodreads "to-read" list. Of course I won't get through all of this, and as I mentioned above I'm not going to be hard on myself. I just want to take advantage of the gift of time and get lost in as many good books as I can.

*Traveling, traveling, traveling. In June my boyfriend and I are off for our European adventure. We will be visiting Copenhagen, Amsterdam, PARIS!!!, Zermatt, and Carpi, Italy. I cannot wait to experience different languages and cultures. I cannot wait to surround myself with Paris and parler français. Check back here for pictures and stories of our travels. 

*Creating, creating, creating. If you are a regular here, you know how much I love my bullet journal. I also love creating hand made greeting cards. This summer I want to spend more time with these things and toy with some ideas that I've been bouncing around in my mind. It may just be time to take those ideas and do

I share these lessons with you in hopes that one might speak to you at just the moment you need it. I share these summer plans with you in hopes that you will be inspired to channel more energy into those things that bring you the greatest happiness. As always, thank you for stopping by the blog. You are appreciated more than I can express. Have a great rest of your weekend! 

Warmest of wishes from me to you,

May 17, 2017

A Taste of France in STL: Spectacle and Leisure in Paris (Degas to Mucha)

(Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - Click here for the image source.)


It's Tuesday afternoon, and in the midst of this busy week I am stealing a moment to write because I've been missing it. Sometimes it can be wonderful to miss something. It just goes to show how much joy this blog brings me (and I hope to you too). 

Last week I was having coffee with a friend who asked if I'd heard about the current exhibit at Washington University's Kemper Art Museum. While I am usually in the know when it comes to all things French in STL, this one had slid under my radar. Saturday I was out and about meeting a friend for coffee (it's a favorite activity) and running errands. I realized Kemper was on my route, and decided to make a stop for yet another artistic taste of France in STL. St. Louis is so incredibly lucky to have many wonderful museums. If you live here, taking advantage is a must (and most are free!). 

Spectacle and Leisure in Paris: Degas to Mucha was a camera free exhibit, so I will do my best to paint a picture of what I saw and learned for you here. Featuring works by Edgar Degas, Alphonse Mucha, and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, this exhibit highlighted a moment in Parisian history when work weeks shortened, leisure was of high value, and the arts & entertainment scene boomed (1870-1940). While Degas and Mucha created works inspired by the ballet, opera, and theatre, the Lumière brothers experimented with film. All of these images played a pivotal role in Parisian culture during this period. 

(A scene from An American in Paris (1951)- Click here for the image source.)

As I explored the gallery, I conjured up images of Gene Kelly in An American in Paris (1951) selling his paintings in bustling Montmartre. While the setting of this film dates a little later than the period featured in this exhibit, I couldn't help but think about how what started during Degas and Mucha's time inspired much of the Parisian culture we know and love today. Street culture mattered then as it does now. People walking past Morris columns would be entranced by the colorful and eye catching posters of Toulouse-Lautrec and Mucha. They would be drawn not only to forms of entertainment, but also to products promising an enhanced life. The exhibit explained that the women portrayed in these works were meant to express "carefree states of beauty and abundance", both of which aligned well with the desire for a more leisurely pace and enjoyable life. 

(Alphonse Mucha - Click here for the image source.)
  
While Paris is beautiful in it's architecture, monuments, history, baked goods, and spring blooms, it is the people, the creativity, and the passion for quality both in products and in life that further enhance the city's beauty. In her book The Only Street in Paris, Elaine Sciolino beautifully describes her life on the Rue des Martyrs. It is the people (the green grocer, the fromageur, the café and shop owners) that give the street and neighborhood it's color and life. I love the way that every day life, leisure, art, and entertainment come together in Paris to form une très belle vie indeed. 

Can you imagine if this Paris did not exist? In a shocking twist, I also viewed a documentary with my boyfriend last week called Citizen Jane: Battle for the City. This film highlights the life and work of Jane Jacobs, an author an activist who believed strongly that it is the people who truly make cities what they are. In the film, they discussed a plan in the 1920s to demolish a part of Paris and modernize it, making it clean and "pure". See a model of that plan below.

(Click here for the image source.)

I can't imagine this Paris, and I am grateful that the vitality that existed in Paris' people and streets during Degas and Mucha's time remains today. To me, this is Paris at its purest. 

Learning about Paris through the lenses of art and history are some of my favorite ways to get to know the city more. If you are in St. Louis and you have the time, definitely check out Spectacle and Leisure in Paris: Degas to Mucha. It only runs through this Sunday (5/21/17), but why not make a Friday afternoon, Saturday morning, or Sunday afternoon of it? If you go on Saturday, it wouldn't be too far out of your way to stop in for a pastry at La Pâtisserie Chouquette and truly experience France for a day right here in our home town. :) 

Warm wishes for the rest of your week and beyond,

May 14, 2017

Bonne Fête Maman!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the amazing, wonderful moms out there. I wanted to get a little personal today and share my love for my mom with you.

When I was five, my mom stepped away from her job as a special education teacher (which she was incredible at) to stay home and take care of my brother and me. This was a selfless decision, as all of her decisions are. I would never have had the experiences I had was it not for her. Her minivan got my friends and I to many practices, club meetings, and activities around town. If school needed volunteers, she was there. It was always such a treat to see my mom present throughout my schooling experience. 

As we got older and more independent, my mom chose not to return to work. She used her time to care for my grandparents, volunteer countless hours at a food pantry, and truly be there for all of those connected to her whenever needed. When I say this woman is one in a million, I mean it. There is a lot to back that statement up. She is a giver, first and foremost. She is thoughtful, forgiving, and so genuinely kind. 


 (Mom and me circa 1991 - she's seriously the coolest.)

Today I am lucky to also call her my best friend. Whenever I need her, she shows up. When it's least expected, she's got a grocery store gift card just because she knows we could use it. She does all of this without expectation. She does all of this, sometimes, without the thanks she deserves. Mom - today (and every day) is for you! MERCI for all the beauty you bring to this world. I attribute the woman I am today to your example. I am so grateful. 

(No matter my age, I still love a handmade Mother's Day card.)

To my mom and moms everywhere, bonne fête! Take some time today for YOU, because if I know anything about moms, I know you probably don't do this often. You deserve it, and you deserve all of the love we can give. 

Warm wishes from me to you, and happy Mother's Day!
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