Wednesday Wishes - France in Autumn

It's the only thing that would do today. France posts, French lessons, Alsace, & a Haven in Paris. Don't forget to Manger. And to sing - no matter what.

xo/bisous

(photograph by Johnny Santo Domingo)

Summer Sunday in France

If you're not there: pretend. There is a particularly long list of good French films (& films set in France) available on Netflix Instant this summer. (Use A Better Queue for a quick list.) Some favorites: My Best Friend, La Cage Aux Folles, Pauline at the Beach, & Happily Ever After.

For some Paris daydreaming, visit the Haven in Paris blog & the Girls' Guide to Paris. And GG friend Carole will be back in Paris for most of the rest of the summer. Visit her at Paris Breakfasts for all the news. If you don't know what to make for dinner, here's a great idea, especially if you live near a good fish market (we do:).

Happy Sunday!

ciao/the Mgmt

(photograph detail crop by Gordon W. Gahan/National Geographic)

Roses in Winter

The David Austin Handbook of Roses 2012 arrived in the mail yesterday. We really do place it on the night table for a flip-through (often). It also makes lovely gazing when in a bubble bath. Definitely order one here (it's free & beautifully photographed). Even if you don't have a garden, many of the roses do well in pots. And if you don't have a place for a pot, you might consider giving a rose as a gift. (If you're not in the States, click here.)

ciao-meow/GGCM

PS: For a short list of wish-list catalogues to order, a post from Bricolage.

(lovely photograph by Cindy Prins via Automatism)

Daydream a Garden

Because actual planning this moment may be too daunting. Whether you have a plot of earth or a balcony (or not) though, few things beat the pleasure of flipping through seed & nursery catalogues while lounging in your pjs. The catalogues are usually free (or very low cost). We pore over the lovely White Flower Farm offerings that arrive regularly.

Read this Washington Post article for a seed catalogue review. Check in with Martha Stewart for some ideas. And then click over to Terrain for some serious staring.

Then repeat (to yourself): Spring is 6 weeks away. (Give or take:)

ciao-flowery-meow/GG's gardener

(lovely photograph by Le Portillon)

Wednesday Wishes - Paris in Winter

While we are catching up on work, some links to Paris in the winter. Also a big recommendation for people to visit Strasbourg (& all of Alsace) anytime but the wintertime is lovely. The Alsatians know how to do cozy.

Kiss My Spatula has a persuasive (if you need that:) list of 10 Reasons To Visit Paris in the Winter. Hop over to look at rental apartments at Haven in Paris (& also the HiP blog) - the photographs are wonderful. Then think about an itinerary for next winter (or sooner if that's a possibility). As we've said before, if you don't begin to plan, you will go nowhere - ever.

ciao-meow/GG Travel

PS: Paris & Beyond blog has lovely carousel photographs

(This photograph is everywhere w/no attribution. A combined 4-hour+ search turns up nothing. The only reason we're posting this is to find the photographer & give credit. Please contact us here or on Twitter)

Wednesday Wishes - Sunset Apéro

At a Fourth of July party we met up with an acquaintance who was flying off to France & Italy the next day. Her excitement as she detailed her itinerary for her much-delayed first trip to Europe was exhilarating. She flew into Nice & so today we are wishing that we were meeting her for an apéro somewhere in Provence/the French Riviera. Lest you think that you would never take children to the Riviera, how wrong you are!

Where do you want to go? Are you planning an itinerary? The 36 Hours travel series from The New York Times can get you started.

More inspiration is always available by visiting Jilly Bennett's beautiful photography blogs: Menton Daily Photo & Monte Carlo Daily Photo.

ciao-meow/GG Travel Central

(photograph via Pinterest)

Wednesday Wishes - Plan An Itinerary

I like to think of an itinerary as the cover of a book that piques your curiosity, encourages you to take action... J. Peterman

Enter J. Peterman's second annual travel sweepstakes by June 30th. Now. Someone has to win, right?

Today, buy a travel book or magazine & put it on your nightstand. Then read a little bit every night & begin to plan your itinerary. It might change over the course of the planning but a notebook & writing instrument are essential. If funds are low, take out a book from the library or borrow one from a fellow traveller. This is exactly how GG's editor starts each & every trip.

We want to hop off to Italy or France, of course (especially to see friends) but this article about the Cambodian seashore is so tempting that it's definitely on our short list (with a side trip to Vietnam & Indonesia. And Thailand. And...OK, well it's a $5,000 prize but travel to Asia from here is rather expensive.)

Check out Budget Travel magazine's website for ideas & deals.

ciao-muse-meow/GGCM

(Kampot, Cambodia by Cailin Callahan - visit her blog to read about her trip to Asia)

Wednesday Wishes - Sott'er Celo de Roma

...or On an Evening in Roma. If you want a little blast into the past, play this song & dance about.

Click on the video & watch Audrey & Mr. Peck set to the song by DrSamoora. If you want to plan a trip to Roma, see Italian Notebook for some excellent tips from expats. For many laughs, visit that wacky Roman family at 2 Kids & a Dog. As always, Giampaolo Macorig's photographs are wonderful. Here's his Rome set for your viewing pleasure.

ciao-sigh-meow/GG

PS: Giulia is whipping up a classic Roman Insalata di Cipolle con le Sarde & making an absolute mess. (Well, what can you expect from a cat?)

Wednesday Wishes - Kiwi Edition

It's January daydreaming here at GG Central. An Antipodean journey would be ideal right about now...

This pair of Kiwi kittens has one good & one (reportedly) evil twin. Can you tell who? (We can:) Giulia thinks probably this is a mere misunderstanding. (Hmmm.) A mosaic of nature shots. All by the terrific Andrew Smith of the Cuba Gallery.

Visit Miss Moss, a clever blog out of New Zealand. (Update - Oops. Miss Moss is in South Africa.)

The closest we'll get to NZ this year is at Cassatt's, a Kiwi café in Arlington, VA (Washington, DC area). It's very friendly with yummy food. It's their 8th year in business--if you wish them a Happy Birthday, you'll get 10% off your bill.

ciao-meow/GGCM

Au Jardin d'Edgar - GG's Balcony Dream

A little green relief from GG Central. Some day wouldn't this be lovely? Au jardin d'Edgar is in Paris (we heard about it from Paris Breakfasts) but we'd be just as thrilled to be planning a jardin, balcon or otherwise, elsewhere in France or Rome & points south.

Have a great evening...and if you simply cannot "go offline" (or you're waiting to watch the speech on your laptop, A Cup of Jo is a fabulous blog that has come to our attention recently. We do have our standards & this is above & beyond. Check it out...and don't forget Menton Daily Photo & Riviera Dogs by Jilly Bennett.

Bisou, ciao, baci, & xoxo, GG

Nous sommes en France aujourd'hui...

Giulia is thinking French thoughts...yes, she is half-French, half-Italian. Our friends Isa & Phoenix are visiting family in France & we miss them. We also miss France. So, here's a little video about tying a signature scarf from Mireille Guiliano of Frenchwomen Don't Get Fat fame. Giulia is looking particularly fetching today. She is sporting a moss green organic cotton collar, a gift from our friend Hermione who visited in May. Giulia considers this a sort of "cat scarf" & is mulling over different pin-on flower possibilities for this evening. She has just announced that it will be a pale pink silk camellia...a Chanel tribute.

We have more to post on France today, but Giulia has decided to nap. Her editor is going to take advantage of pretending to be in small-town midsummer France & do the same.

Ciao-meow.