NO PARKING... BUT YOU CAN SMILE

NE PAS STATIONNER... MAIS SOURIRE.

Street art as anti-ism.

The ubiquitous anti-parking posts lining almost all of the streets of Paris and surrounding towns have been a great source of "blank canvases", so to speak, for irreverent artists. Some have just painted them over in bright colors, but a lot have embellished them with all kinds of fun and quirky patterns. 

The one who adds those large eyes signs his work le Cyklop

Very cheeky, very Parisian...

au revoir.

REALITY or MAKE BELIEVE?

REALITE ou FICTION?

These images look like 2 illustrations. They are not. One, a photograph of a bedroom in Morocco, the other, a painting of a street in New York City. Both were guided by a human hand and envisioned by the human eye. One was created and enhanced through technology alone.

What a great era we live in.

au revoir.

FRENCH EYE VIEW

COUP D'OEIL

Just something that caught my eye

The celadon hue, the contrasting floor, the metal details, the clean sharp lines, the clinical minimalism, the 20's mood.

TAROUDANT MOROCCO THE COLORS OF A FRENCH DESIGNER'S HOUSE

TAROUDANT 

LES COULEURS D'UNE MAISON AU MAROC 

Bright colors spice up the softly hued architecture 

The colors of Tamgrout pottery accent rooms inside and large spaces outside

Moroccan arches leading to restful rooms

Baroque mirrors break the simple lines of the bathrooms

and the fabulous pool with its orange wall and lush greenery.

FROM NORMANDY WITH RAIN… sometimes

LA NORMANDIE SANS LA PLUIE…parfois.

2 of our very best friends, adorable sisters, bought 2 houses on the same piece of land. The properties are only separated by a low hedge and a cute gate with a rose harbor on top.  Even though they live 2 blocks from each other in Neuilly, on the edge of Paris, that's where the "duo act" stops. They never know until the last minute if they will both be in the country unless they really plan for it on a special occasion. 

This was the case this long May week-end; much to our benefit.

It rained, the wind blew like crazy on the Houlgate beach, sleet came down at the train station on the way home (we avoided a car ride back on Sunday at all cost: it was the end of the April school break and of a 4 day week-end. And we all know what that means in France: BIG, HUGE traffic jams.

In spite of very capricious weather, a fabulous time was had by all. Great food, fun get-togethers, gorgeous houses, roaring fires, green, very green, postcard-perfect scenery and even a fun game of Scrabble in the train back to Paris.

Can't wait to be re-invited!

au revoir.

TAROUDANT, MOROCCO DAR ZAHIA

DAR ZAHIA: LE RIAD PARADISIAC

Our March trip to the south of Morocco started in Taroudant, near Agadir. We had opted to stay in Dar Zahia and what a great decision that was!

A low-ceilinged entrance way with spectacular beam work. I love the guard-of-honor row of leafy pots.

Curvy lines everywhere, proof that most of the work was done by hand.

One of many cosy corners for a quiet moment between excursions

The riad was drenched in the earthy shades of "pisé", the local adobe-like mud, with a few bright shots of color here and there.

The weather did not quite permit a dip in the zellige covered mini pool.

As we took over  the whole riad, the living area was turned into an elegant bedroom.

Simplicity throughout.

Our hosts Zahia and Marc could not have been more extraordinarily pleasant, helping us in everyday possible, guiding us endlessly all over Taroudant. 

Well above and beyond the call of duty.

au revoir.