"If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know."
Louis Armstrong
image via here
historic preservation
I have my parents to thank for my interest in history, and my local area for inspiring my love for historic preservation. Ever since moving to historic Chester County, Pennsylvania, I have been a bit obsessed with absorbing all the information I can, studying the regional history, and photographing as much architecture as possible. No matter where you go, history surrounds you. When a friend told me of the first annual Preservation Fair I was so excited by the idea…I just HAD to go! I nerded out (as my husband says) on so many experts under one roof…I learned quite a bit, and met many talented people. My passion continues to grow…
renovation…part un
So far our home renovation has consisted mostly of plaster wall repair and painting…much more than we anticipated. We made the decision a while back to use Farrow & Ball paint, and I’m so glad we did (and am SO thankful for my trade discount)! The colors are rich and saturated…unlike any other, and their well known chalky matte finish is really gorgeous, and hides imperfections on old walls. I have been seriously tempted to lick the walls. Oh yeah. That’s how much I love the paint. Details and photos will soon follow, I promise!
parisian chic…
I'm excited about this book, written by former model Ines de la Fressange, in stores today (the French version came out last year and I was tempted to buy that one). A Chanel muse, always effortlessly chic…she offers her insider tips and secrets for discovering your "inner parisian". Mixing high and low in an elegant way is my goal, and I'm hoping to kick it up a notch!
image via here
mon frére
I just realized, after almost a year of blogging, that I haven’t introduced my brother, Christopher. He is at least half responsible for my francophilia…because, well…he IS French! To make a long story short, my father met his first wife while stationed in France and had my brother. Technically speaking, we are “half” siblings, but don’t think of each other that way. We have a 13 year age difference – when I was little he would send me care packages, which fed my love of all things French. I cried when I heard his voice for the first time in 2000, and when we finally met in 2002 I REALLY cried.
There is something inexplicable about looking into someone else’s eyes and seeing your own. I know those who have siblings understand, but imagine seeing them for the first time when you are 22. We look so much alike-it’s like there were no mothers involved at all! We have built a strong bond over the years, and for my wedding in 2009 we pulled off the biggest surprise for our father…he had no idea he was coming, and it was the first time we were all together. I met his lovely partner Isabelle and got to know my beautiful niece Elisabeth even better. As of TODAY, I am a “tante” again to a baby boy, Eliott! I hope to meet him soon, but for now, I’m sending him a lot of love from the states.