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August means stretches of long, hot days with bright skies, followed by days of heavy air and storms. We're finally at the end of a week-long heatwave and the last two evenings have given us spectacular sound and light shows over the city.  Tuesday afternoon a photographer captured some incredible photos of lightning striking the Eiffel Tower . I wish I had witnessed that! Our neighborhood, le 15ème, is mainly residential and always very quiet this time of year, as most of our neighbors have left for the month and the little mom-and-pop places have closed for their annual vacation. I've ventured into the center of Paris a couple of times, near Notre-Dame and parts of Saint Germain, and both neighborhoods were devoid of the crush of tourists that this month usually sees. It's nice for those of us who have stayed in town, yet it does feel strangely deserted this summer. Friends have told me how nice the museums are without the crowds, so I plan to take advantage of this...

Hello? Is there anybody out there? I know it's been ages, so I decided it was time for a quick catch up. The last couple of months have presented us with a few ups and downs, and I haven't been writing much, but I wanted to share some of what's been going on around here, what a few friends have been up to, some interesting links, and what I've been listening to, eating and reading. January started off with a quiet NYE at home with a friend visiting from the US, followed by a sunny, delicious, carb-filled, 48 hour trip to Rome (which thankfully renewed my faith in that crazy city!). December and January were full of doctor's appointments to prepare my husband for hip replacement surgery. I'm going to say it again...the healthcare in France is incredible! He's now working with a physical therapist and will be ditching his crutches soon. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make my annual trek to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in February, which totally bummed me ou...

1) When you have a stressful afternoon at the doctor’s office and walk outside, turn the corner and see this. And you can't help but smile. 2)  Paris offers endless opportunity to sit down, slow down, and watch the world go by 3) Beautiful, aged mimolette 4) Yes, it smelled incredible 5) Chocolate, as far as the eye can see

We love our big terrace with its views over the 15ème and feel very lucky to have a few square meters of outdoor space to enjoy. We know that this is a rare thing in Paris. And as an added bonus, we have a view of the Eiffel Tower. Funnily though, we've had friends tell us that our view of the Iron Lady just isn't that great. "Well, you can only see the top of it."  "If you could just tear down that white building, your view would be better." Yeah, we know, of course it could be better. But...really?

1) This is December 2) Choices, choices 3) New view 4) Stacked 5) Friends, fizz and latkes

As my husband said the other day, " here we go again, off on another adventure." It's a big one this time. We're moving to Paris. Enfin bref , we're moving on and leaving Normandy. Which is incredibly bittersweet. As much as we're excited to head to the city, our hearts are still heavy. Normandy is such a gorgeous, friendly place, and we love our little house here, so we are truly sad to be leaving. But after commuting to Paris for the last year and a half, relying on the kindness of friends who let me crash on their couches or in a spare room for a night or two, then staying at a friend's place for several months last autumn and finally renting a room in a shared apartment last winter, I am over it . Actually, we're both over it. Being away from home - away from my husband, our  dog  and our  cat  - has proven to be more difficult than I ever imagined. And let me tell you, having roommates at my age is kind of weird. I am so happy that it's fi...

1) Smoked garlic 2) I always miss the beauty of the Minervois this time of year 3) Gym? Who needs a gym? 4) Sweet autumn treats 5) The joys of being une flâneuse