There's hardly anything nicer than being invited for an apéro.
I'll never forget my very first one in France. At the time, I was living with a French family in Lille while teaching at the university. One evening, the daughter of the family announced that she was hosting an apéro in the garden so ...
L'Art de Vivre
A Summer Favorite: Saffron Aioli and Steamed Asparagus
One of the things I love most about France is that everyone seems to have a story—and often a passion project. Several years ago, while being driven across Paris by a private driver, we began chatting about his life and work. To my surprise, he let me know I was one of his last clients. He was ...
How French Women Stay Chic During a Heat Wave: Five Summer Style Lessons I Learned in France
Many years ago, I spent three weeks in August traveling from Paris to Carcassonne with two French girlfriends. We made our way slowly through France, stopping in small villages, enjoying long lunches, and exploring along the way.
With France once again enduring record summer temperatures, I often ...
Œufs en Cocotte: A Simple, Seasonal French Recipe
I saw the Emile Henry Solo Individual Baking Dishes in Paris and, honestly, everything else faded for a moment. They were displayed on a beautifully set table—one covered dish at each place setting—and I fell in love with the idea instantly.
My mind went straight to what they could hold: a ...
Five Simple Tricks to Always Look Polished
Looking polished isn’t about having a closet full of designer labels—it’s about intention and perhaps that elusive je ne sais quoi—the subtle, indefinable quality French women seem to mastered. Women who appear perfectly put together understand how to make everything work in harmony.
Over time ...
Pied-à-Terre or Boudoir? You Decide.
I’ve always referred to my in-town apartment as a pied-à-terre. It sounded chic and cosmopolitan—the perfect city base, a “foot-on-the-ground” for someone who mainly lives elsewhere. In my mind, it was a convenient little nest for errands, short stays, or easy escapes from the suburbs.
But my ...
