France – Francois et Moi

Weekend Soundtrack: French Favorites

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 13:05:33 +0000

Hello and Happy Friday to you! My colleague, LuAnne of Lilu Interiors, just returned from a fall jaunt to Paris, and her pictures and stories are stirring up some rosy memories of the City of Light. (Check out all her trip details on the Lilu Interiors’ blog.) Today I’m sharing my favorite French tunes (and one Italian one!) to keep the french-y buzz going into the weekend. Hope you enjoy! P.S. Happy Halloween! Apologies for completely glazing over it. (It wasn’t on my radar this year!)

The post Weekend Soundtrack: French Favorites appeared first on Francois et Moi.

5 Parisian Shops I’m Dying to Visit

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 12:55:41 +0000

Lately I’ve come across several shops in Paris that have caught my eye, not only for their swag, but also their interior design and their neighborhoods. I’ve officially added them to my travel file and can’t wait to check them out next time we find ourselves in the City of Light! Housed in a 19th century fabric factory, Merci is a 3-story design general store, if you will, showcasing products from all facets: apparel, furniture, home goods, and jewelry. Throw in a literary cafe and restaurant and you’ve got yourself a full afternoon in design heaven. The coolest part? They donate all their profits to charity! Merci, 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais. Photo via Sivan Askayo. Okay so you can visit Le Labo in NYC, but how cool is their shop in the Marais? Not to mention their impressive host of naturally derived fragrances. Must go and smell the Rose 31. Le Labo, 7 Rue Froissart Photo via Vosgesparis. La Droguerie. A Parisian craft supplies mecca for the crafting inclined. Need I say more? La Droguerie, 9 Rue du Jour Photo via Mokkasin. Handmade in an antique Bastille workshop originally home to Napoleon’s silversmith, Astier de Villatte’s milky-white glazed black terracotta pottery celebrates classic forms inspired by 18th and 19th century […]

The post 5 Parisian Shops I’m Dying to Visit appeared first on Francois et Moi.

Travel Files: Paris

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 18 Jul 2014 13:05:28 +0000

I love looking back through our travel photos whenever I’m having a tough day, as they spark happy thoughts and help me move past whatever I’m feeling that day. Here are a few photos I came across recently that never made it onto Francois et Moi. I hope this quite random collection of Parisian moments help start your weekend off right, and perhaps give you a lift too if you’re in need of one. See you Monday!

The post Travel Files: Paris appeared first on Francois et Moi.

5 Days in Paris: DAY FIVE

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 13:11:32 +0000

On a whim, we decided to spend our fifth (and last!) day in Paris at Versailles after seeing a sign posted on the Metro the day before that said you could get to Versailles in 20 minutes by RER. So we hopped on the train that Wednesday morning, and arrived at the foot of the Sun King’s gilded gate in less than an hour. Who knew it was so quick and easy to get from Paris to Versailles?! We toured the palace and marveled at the beauty, grandeur and utter excess that is Versailles, and began exploring the grounds (which are completely free and open to the public!) when it began to rain. I was a little disappointed at first, but the rain ended up to be a blessing in disguise as it cleared a lot of people out, so you could really take in the beauty sans tour groups. After making our way down the Royal Path, lined with classical marble sculptures, we took a right at the Grand Canal and headed towards Le Petit Trianon and La Hameau de la Reine. By this time it was all our pouring rain, so luckily we […]

The post 5 Days in Paris: DAY FIVE appeared first on Francois et Moi.

Hooray for Friday!

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Fri, 06 Jun 2014 12:44:37 +0000

Have a fantastic summer weekend everybody! See you on Monday!

The post Hooray for Friday! appeared first on Francois et Moi.

Le Refuge des Fondues

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 13:02:50 +0000

The Refuge des Fondues, a tiny, quirky, casual fondue place tucked into Montmartre just a few blocks off the Abbesses Metro Stop, where the menu is concise–cheese fondue or meat fondue–and the wine selection is simple–white wine or red wine–served in baby bottles. The restaurant is quite small with two long rows of tables running the length of the restaurant, and I knew we were in for an exciting experience the moment we walked in and let the server know we were ‘Deux pour le dîner.‘ He nodded, took two paces backward, made a gesture with one hand as if to say ‘Voila! Your table.‘ and held out his other hand for me to steady myself as I stepped up onto a chair, over the table and onto my seat against the wall. The server then pushed the table in towards me nice and close, and motioned for Ken to take a seat across me, shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors. As I mentioned, the wine is served in glass baby bottles, as a way to avoid the outrageous city tax on serving wine to patrons in open glasses. Drinking wine from a baby bottle sounds crazy, but it was hilariously fun! The fondue arrives in a big […]

The post Le Refuge des Fondues appeared first on Francois et Moi.

5 Days in Paris: DAY FOUR

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 17:13:03 +0000

I think our 4th day in Paris ended up being my favorite. We were really starting to feel at home, and at the same time we were also starting to let go, relax and really feel like we were on vacation. I’m not even sure if that makes sense, but I’m going with it! We began the day with a stop at the Jardin du Palais-Royal, another beautiful garden near the Louvre in the 1st Arrondissement. When we arrived, there was a group of elderly men playing what looked like American bocce ball, but other than than those dapper gentiles we were just about the only others in the gardens. It was so fun and unusual to photograph this urban oasis without the flow of people we were used to encountering. From Jardin du Palais-Royal we hopped on the Metro over to Musee d’Orsay. Prior to our trip, I had several people tell me that if I was going to check out one museum while in Paris, it had to be Musee d’Orsay. Beside the grandeur and beauty of the main hall of this former train station, Musee d’Orsay houses all the great Impressionist pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries. And it’s the perfect […]

The post 5 Days in Paris: DAY FOUR appeared first on Francois et Moi.

Parisian Dwelling

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Wed, 28 May 2014 13:18:20 +0000

It’s been a long-running dream of mine to live in Paris at some point in my life, so when researching where to stay while visiting Paris, we decided to rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel in an attempt to shake the tourist label and simulate that feeling of calling this city home (at least for a few days!). We wanted a discreet address on a quiet side street, and we found just that through Parisaddress, an apartment rental company that offers hundreds of flats (in all styles and price ranges) located throughout Paris. We went with a studio located on Île Saint-Louis, one of Paris’ natural islands, because of the killer central location. The flat was less than a block from the river, and when you leaned out the window and looked to your left, you could see it! Check out the flat’s listing for that river view. Not only was the river a great wayfinding tool, but the central location made it super easy to walk most places and take the metro everywhere else. Our flat had recently been renovated and felt modern, yet comfortable with touches of Parisian charm. How incredible are those huge casement windows?! There was a cool murphy bed, the kind that folds down from the wall, […]

The post Parisian Dwelling appeared first on Francois et Moi.

Films Abroad

francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 13:08:17 +0000

Lately, I’ve been in the mood to watch movies that take place in the areas of Europe that are on our travel itinerary. These four movies are probably my most favorite, and they’ve gotten me so excited to get back over there and continue my exploration and understanding of these incredible places. Do you have a favorite? Marie Antoinette | The Talented Mr. Ripley | Roman Holiday | Amelie

The post Films Abroad appeared first on Francois et Moi.