I just picked my first figs of the season. With over 100 degree temperatures here in Texas, it’s no wonder the fruits are ripening on the vine. What is a wonder is that the birds and squirrels have not yet discovered the green-brown jewels in the corner of the front garden. The figs were sweet…

Each and every time I am in France, I am amazed at the creativity and beauty in things large and small. On a big scale in Paris, you have of course les grands travaux, the great works that French presidents have sponsored like les pyramides of I.M. Pei in front of the Louvre and the…

Even though Paris is a huge, bustling metropolis, les espaces vertes (green spaces) abound. Window box on the Boulevard St. Germain In fact, the French cultivate what I call ‘garden moments’ with spectacular ease. From the lowly window box to the tiny courtyard corner to lavish park lawns, the French create-and enjoy-nature quite regularly. On…

Spring has arrived in Paris. The tilleuls (linden trees) that line the grand Parisian boulevards are crowned with bright green leaves. Warm temperatures last week filled cafés and parks to overflowing making weekdays feel like weekends. Heureusement (happily), I was among those soaking up the sun every moment I could. Vive l’indolence à la parisienne!…

On most of my sojourns in Paris, visits to cafés end up being more of an accessory than a mainstay. Sitting outside on a sunny café terrace during le beau temps (good weather) or inside because of la pluie (rain) is a filler activity in days packed with cultural events, visits with friends, wanderings through…

Provence is a magical place at any moment but there are some particularly good reasons to visit le Midi this year. Here is a short list of 2009 special attractions à ne pas manquer (not to be missed): 1) Art in Aix-en-Provence: Following the blockbuster exhibition “Cézanne in Provence” in 2006, the Musée Granet is…

When lawmakers on the floor of the Assemblée nationale (French version of the U.S. Congress) in Paris want to kill a bill or proposal, all they have to do is throw out the word ‘anglo-saxon’ and the legislation is dead in the water. Fortunately, not everything American or British in France these days meets the…

Walk by a bucket of mimosa flowers at a Provençal market right now, and you would swear it was the height of summer. The sprays of yellow blooms and heady, honey-like scent seem to advertise sunny days and warm nights. The sun part is a given-Provence boasts approximately 300 days of sunshine a year-but warm…

To me, it’s Paris’ restaurant row. La rue des Grands Augustins in the sixth arrondissement in Paris hosts more good dining spots in a few short blocks than many cities in the world can boast in multiple square miles. Just a few steps from la Seine (the river in Paris), this slice of gourmet heaven…