Tag Archives: proust q + a

the return of proust

marcel-proust-illustration

 

 

After a two-year hiatus, I’m eager to announce the return of my Proust Q + A series! I really enjoy delving into the psyches of my favorite bloggers, and it seems you do too. In the past, I was mostly focused on fellow Francophiles, and considering the questionnaire is that of the famous French author Marcel Proust, it seems only fitting. However, I can’t promise it will always be a Francophile…I’ll mix it up to keep things interesting. Feel free to suggest your favorites, if you haven’t already seen them here, (and you can nominate yourself). I’m looking forward to featuring new bloggers very soon…stay tuned!

illustration by fernando vicente

proust q & a…paris in four months

carin-olsson

 

Discovering Carin Olsson’s blog recently was a happy day for me. Paris in Four Months is filled with francophile delights, from the mundane to the magnificent. Her gorgeous photography first caught my eye…the “lèche vitrine” (window shopping) alone is such a treat. A Stockholm native, Carin will soon to be calling Paris home once again, and I’m excited to experience more through her lens. Be sure to follow her on Instagram for a daily dose of eye candy!

 

If not yourself, who would you be?

I would love to be Garance Doré or Jamie Beck for a couple of days, simply because I would love to learn so much more about what I love to do; photography (with a little bit of fashion).

What is your present state of mind?

A little bit low…the snow and the extreme cold have just arrived in Stockholm (where I’m currently located) and I’m just counting down the days until I can board the plane back to Paris.

Your favourite colour and flower.

I’m a sucker for anything in the tones of light powdery pink or beige but I also love to have bright orange, yellow and pink colours around me – those shades really make me happy. My favourite flowers are peonies. And hydrangeas.

Your idea of happiness.

Being around the people that I love (including our family pug Nixon) in a place where I feel stimulated, doing what I love to do. I would also prefer if the sun would shine as much as possible.

Your idea of misery.

Being without the people that I love, horrible diseases, cold weather and darkness.

Your favourite occupation.

Strolling around the streets of Paris, with the camera in my hand.

Where would you like to live?

Some place where I wouldn’t get bored… so preferably in a bigger city. I also think I could see myself living in different places during different times of the year. I can’t stand the winter and the cold and would love to be able to escape it.

Your favourite hero (or heroine) in fiction.

Indiana Jones, if he could be called a “hero”. I would love to go on all those adventures around the world, swing through the jungle, looking for treasures and historical items. Otherwise I’ll pick Batman. 

Your favourite hero (or heroine) in real-life.

My mom. Just because she’s amazing in every possible way. She’s my role model and the person that I look up to. In my eyes she can do anything. 

Your favourite motto.

Do what you love.

 

 **the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

 

proust q & a…uncle beefy

bradford-crowder

 

There are certain writers who immediately feel like one of your best friends, and blogger extraordinaire Uncle Beefy (aka Bradford Crowder) is one of them. Hailing from Seattle, he is witty and quirky and not afraid to speak the truth. His blog was one of the first to capture my affection, as I can always count on him to either provoke introspection or make me laugh out loud. Prime example…his answers to this questionnaire! Champagne + cake with a side of self-awareness, please. I encourage you to explore his amazingly full and flavorful world, over on The Bedlam of Beefy. 

 

Your idea of happiness.

A tidy, little home and a life comprised of and consumed by creativity and beauty. Oh…and cake and champagne!

Your idea of misery.

Attempting or feeling compelled to create a life based upon other people’s expectations and opinions.

If not yourself, who would you be?

In the past, I would surely have come up with a running list of others I’d rather be. But now I’m finally understanding the futility and self-deprecation in comparing yourself to another and wishing you and your life were more like them and their life. So now I’m just wanting to be the best me I can be. And since that’s still a work in progress, it’s other than who I am right now. That counts, right?

Your favourite colour and flower.

I think I’d probably have to go with orange. Combine that with pink and I’m gonna be one happy camper! My favorite flower is and has always been a peony.

Your favourite food & drink.

Cheese! Particularly if it’s Camembert or Triple Crème Brie. With bread, crackers, and fruit? Perfection! Top that off with a glass of good champagne and I’m set! Picnic anyone? (Then again, I also have a massive sweet tooth, especially for pastries, and love a good martini. So there’s that, too.)

Where would you like to live?

Something about San Francisco always feels like home when I’m there. But I also have a soft spot for Paris and Copenhagen.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Easy-going, kind, generous, loyal, good humored, and with me, you’re gonna need to be patient.

Your biggest flaw.

I think it’s a toss up between desiring/expecting perfection or over-committing myself.

Your favourite occupation.

Working on anything creative from crafts to art, baking, and, truthfully, a good solo dance party in my living room.

Your chief characteristic.

I’d like to think it’s my wackiness and sense of humor…? Otherwise, it may be my extreme lack of self-awareness.

 

 **the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

 

proust q & a…where is bryan?

bryan-pirolli

 

It continues to amaze me how small our world is…I was introduced (online) to Bryan Pirolli by our mutual friend, Lindsey. Bryan lives in Paris but is also a Philadelphia native, sharing that pa/paris connection that we all have! In addition to reading his blog, I learned just how much Bryan is involved in-he is one talented guy! I was flattered to help Bryan with the Philly launch of COLunching, another great venture he is involved in. Between his studies, travels, and freelance writing, he is one busy dude. It’s great to learn more about him via the Proust questionnaire…merci Bryan!

 

If not yourself, who would you be?

I’d be my dad so I could marvel at having such a fantastic son. Just kidding (kind of). But I’d love to be behind his eyes to see how I got this way.

What is your present state of mind?

I’m torn but resolute on a certain issue. Like, I made up my mind, but I’m not happy about it.

Your idea of happiness.

Easy. A chocolate ice cream-filled pool.

Your idea of misery.

A chocolate ice cream pool filled with children who just drank a lot of lemonade.

Your favourite food & drink.

Chocolate peanut butter ice cream, the kind with the ripples of salty peanut butter in it, and a good red wine. For drink, preferably a Loire or Burgundy. Finding the right wine to pair with the ice cream is a challenge…I don’t suggest it.

Where would you like to live?

At 22 I moved to the place that I now want to live, Paris, but I still dream of having a farm with an orchard for a backyard (apple or peach) and a small but well-chosen selection of livestock for petting, not eating.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Easygoing, understanding, and selfless.

Your biggest flaw.

I’m naive, as most Pisces are, and I have a hard time saying no…

What gift from nature would you like to have?

I want radar so I can swoop like bats to catch bugs when I fly. Birds can’t swoop as well, because without the natural radar, there’s nothing to prevent them from swooping into the ground or an object.

Your favourite occupation.

Whale trainer. Or maybe a dolphin trainer, since dolphins are less temperamental and blood-thirsty than killer whales. Really, it’s all in the name. “Killer” whale? No one should have been surprised…

 

**the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

proust q & a…stephmodo

stephanie-brubaker

 

After reading the tales of renovating a 400 year old stone cottage in the Dordogne region of France, I was hooked to the stephmodo blog. Stephanie Brubaker is inspiring to me as an American who made her French dreams come true, and for her amazing style! Just take a look at her gorgeous home away from home, La Maisonette, featured on Design Sponge. I am dreaming of staying there in my lifetime, as it is available to rent! I enjoy reading about her adventures with her husband and four children, whether in France or Seattle, where she currently lives. Thank you for sharing Stephanie!

image courtesy of Aran Goyoaga 

Your favourite virtue.

Generosity in any form (time, skills, means, listening ear, etc.)

Your favourite colour and flower.

My children ask me this all the time and I have the same answer…”I like all the colors”. This answer is not their favorite, so I’ve been forced to think long and hard and realized I’m always drawn to “periwinkle”; in fact, my favorite flower is the hydrangea in the same shade.

What is your present state of mind?

Trying to be more aware of my health-spiritual, physical and emotional.

Your idea of happiness.

Feeling content, confident, and having the three most basic needs covered (shelter, food, clothing).

Your idea of misery.

Comparison, hate, and port-o-potties.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Understanding, non-judgemental, trustworthy & fun!

Your biggest flaw.

Learning to bite my tongue at times.

Your favourite motto.

You get what you get, and don’t throw a fit. This is per my children’s preschool, but it applies to both adults and children alike. :)

What gift from nature would you like to have?

I wish I had the pleasure of witnessing a thunderstorm at least once a month (as long as I had shelter!)

Where would you like to live?

We would like to live in France again someday when the time is right, and going back to the Bay Area would be lovely too. However, I am a big believer in going where the job opportunites are so I’d like to live anywhere my husband or I have a great opportunity. Wherever that may be.

 

**the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here**