I Spy Something Blue

"Oh, darkly, deeply, beautifully blue/As someone somewhere sings about the sky." -Lord Byron

Pink may be my signature color, but the cool, beachy serenity of aqua is what soothes me most.  The colors of the sea and sky fill my own home.  Whether with a slight patina like the ceiling of an old Southern manor or crisp and saturated like a fresh, new tile floor, shades of aqua can't help but put a little spring in your step.

Pour le bébé

I have no plans of turning this blog into a mommy-zone, sharing stories of diaper woes or onesie wonders.  But...I am a mom now.  It's inescapable.  I cannot separate Pink Frenchie from Maaaammmmaawwww (that's how my own bébé says it these days).  So from time to time, I do want to share some special finds for the petits people in your life.

Berthe Morisot, The Cradle, 1872

Pretty Monday: Lovely Lanterns

Mondays are usually anything but pretty. Banal, yes. Exhausting, sure. Pretty, probably not.  So, here's a dose of Monday morning pretty to get you on the right start for the week.  

A beautiful print from The Wheatfield shop on Etsy

How about some dreamy lanterns to get you inspired to relax on your porch with a nice cold glass of lemonade or a lemon drop if you're naughty?

Caps and Gowns

"You see the two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you discover why you were born." -Viola Davis, Providence College Commencement Address 2012

Image borrowed from The University of Alabama

I never attended my college graduation or my graduate school graduation.  In college, I finished a semester ahead of schedule and in grad school, let's just say my thesis took longer than expected to write (or I just became exceptionally gifted at procrastinating). 

Strawberry Fields (Forever)

If there is a better activity for a Saturday summer morning than picking strawberries fresh out of the field, I cannot imagine what that might be (okay, maybe sipping mango coladas in St. Thomas would be equally as delightful, but work with me here).  Until you've tasted a real, ripe strawberry that is warmed by the sun and speckled in morning dew, you haven't tasted a strawberry. 

The Art of the Unexpected: At the Airshow

My husband is one of those guys who can sit and watch some snoozefest on the History Channel for hours (and hours and hours). Don't get me wrong, I am an art historian by profession and love learning about bygone days; however, dear hubby's fascination with the past is even more fanatical than my own.  

Cocktail du jour: The Caipirinha

The warm summer sun and clear blue skies make me crave beachy cocktails.  Though I've never been to Rio, I have tasted plenty of limey and delicious caipirinhas (pronounced:kai-pee-reen-ya). Cue the bossa nova tunes, throw on your swimsuit and sarong...here's the scoop on these sweet and tart libations.  You'll be on Copacabana in no time!

Smitten for Kitchens

Apartment living has many lovely advantages, but customizing one's kitchen is simply not one of them.  As someone who spends many hours a day scurrying through my kitchen (mostly chasing my speed-crawling munchkin around and around the island), I often think about what I'd want in my someday-maybe-perhaps dream cooking space.  

Tu me manques

Translation: I miss you.

Wow, it's been a long while.  The last year has brought so many changes, the first and foremost being the birth of my sweet baby daughter.  But as you parents out there will know, the first few months of your first child's life alter you in deep and indelible ways.  

Wanderlust: Italia Edition

"Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti." 

-Sophia Loren

I've written about wanderlust here before but now I've got it bad.  I feel like sitting in LAX and just choosing the first flight I spot on the departures screen (fingers crossed I score Shanghai or Milan and not Springfield or Midland).  

At the moment though, I continually dream of Italia--it happens every year at this time when I recall my last adventures there in 2008.  This yearning was made even more unquenchable after seeing the Wall Street Journal's entire "Off Duty" section was devoted to Italy.  (insert Italianate hand gestures of frustration here)

Brunching: Fig and Ricotta Pancakes

Growing up, the only fig I ever met came in the form of a Newton.  Now in the agricultural paradise known as California, I am lucky to have all varieties of fresh, seasonal produce available for culinary experimentation.  

Each autumn, my hubby consumes vast amounts of figs...usually with a wedge of brie as an evening snack.  So when I saw Tyler Florence's recipe for Spiced Fig and Ricotta Pancakes in the October 2011 issue of House Beautiful, I knew I had to sample the figgy goodness.  

Words to Live by

Flowers for Friday

"There is nothing more difficult for a truly creative painter than to paint a rose, because before he can do so he has first to forget all the roses that were ever painted."
-Henri Matisse

A Little More Pink for Frenchie

Hello there!  Remember me?  Your ole' pal, Pink Frenchie?  Well, I've been absent from blogland because I was busy making a little human and then birthing/feeding/burping/de-pooping said little human.  Now that my sweet baby Gigi has started to understand the difference between day and night, I will try to write again....sporadically.  

Parisian Poochies

Regular visitors to Paris know that dogs of all varieties seem to have carte blanche in many public spaces.  From restaurants to department stores, from parks to produce markets, les chiens are everywhere in Paris.  

Carrie Bradshaw with one of Paris' lovable dogs

Magic at Midnight

"Imagination creates reality." -Richard Wagner

Today I needed an escape.  I needed to abandon this world and spend a few hours in movie-land.  Even though I was drawn to Midnight in Paris for the promise of a Woody Allen film set in my dear Paris, ultimately, I found the perfect film about escapism and anachronism---precisely what my soul desired after a sad week.

From the outset, I always adore Woody Allen films.  I appreciate the way the crisp clean opening credits tell us the viewers that witty banter and relatable characters are on their way.  And this time, following those trademark simple black and white credits, Allen allowed the real star of the movie to be seen.  There she was, Paris, beautiful Paris, laid out before the screen in iconic shot after iconic shot.  Montmartre. La tour Eiffel. Le Louvre. Les bateaux mouches. Les cafés.  Sigh....cue, the accordion music, I knew from the first scenes, I would be in love with this movie.

From the heart, for the Heartland

“Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger than magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration.” -Charles Dickens

 
In recent days, I simply cannot bring myself to write about my usual little pleasures and happy thoughts.  My mind has been in a sad fog since Sunday evening around 7:30 when I learned that my hometown of Joplin, Missouri was decimated by one of the worst natural disasters in American history.  You've no doubt seen the tornado footage on CNN or NBC.  You've probably read newspapers describing the tragedy or heard the first-person accounts. 

Some Little Pleasures for Summertime

Oh, the summer night
Has a smile of light
And she sits on a sapphire throne.
~Barry Cornwall

Non-Californians envision a state of endless summer here in Orange County.  In reality, we have our seasons too (kind of).  They are just a little more subtle.  One of the notorious California "seasons" is the meteorological downer known as "May Gray" and its even more solemn sibling called "June Gloom."  These two months are marked by near constant drizzle and overcast skies.

Since today is quite cool and rainy, I am thinking summer. What can I surround myself with to get in the summer spirit?

Sunday Brunching

I cannot think of a meal I adore more than brunch.  (Well, in my pregnant state, pre-breakfast, second breakfast, big Euro-style lunch and midday snack are close to a tie with brunch).  Brunch means your guests will be fresh off a restful night of slumber.  Brunch means you can prepare much of your meal the evening before. And brunch means you can justify eating both sugary baked goods and eggy-cheesy goodness in the same glorious feast.

Some Little Pleasures

Today here are some things that make me giddily happy, in no particular order:

 swimming pool weather

Art Smart: Troglodyte Treasures

For those of you darlings who may not know, my "day job" is teaching art history to college students.  I adore my career and cannot believe I am among the lucky few who spends her days wandering through the history of Western art (for more on this topic, read my post "Do What You Love" from last year).  

In an attempt to share my passion and knowledge with you, I am going to start a series examining one artwork in detail each week.  My desire is to give you the opportunity to see something visually stunning and to learn a bit about art history in the process.  

The Farm Stand Dinner

"To eat is a necessity, 
but to eat intelligently is an art."
- La Rochefoucauld

Each Sunday evening, my husband and I strive to start the week with a healthy meal.  We find it gets us on the right foot for the week ahead and provides us the energy to greet another day.  

This time of year in Southern California, fresh, flavorful produce is available to us in abundance.  At our local farm stand, we can select organic strawberries straight from the field, sweet corn just plucked from the stock and tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes (imagine that!).

Nuptials Neverending: Cinematic Weddings

"I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong. That's getting married. A wedding is an entirely different proposition." 
- George Banks,  Father of the Bride

As much as I enjoyed the fairy tale of Friday's wedding extravaganza, there is really nothing fresh or inspired I can add to any of the following topics: the dress, the dapper groom, the groom's wily brother, the bride's sleek sister, the fascinators, the less-than-fascinating fascinators, dress #2, or possible honeymoon destinations.  

Guest Post: Misadventures with Andi

Bonjour!  Check out my thoughts on "The Five Senses of Paris" over at Misadventures with Andi!  What an honor to be featured on one of my favorite travel blogs!

Words to Live by: On Contentment

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” -Epicurious

Well, hello, my long lost readers.  I apologize for my lack of posts in recent weeks.  A combination of pregnancy anxiety and work woes has left me with a wicked case of writer's block and ennui. But, I'm back for now, even if sporadically.