Paris in July - Week 2 wrap up

View from Mt Ventoux

Paris in July is a joy to host and an honour to be involved in - I'm always amazed at how diverse our posts can be, yet we're all heading in the same direction - towards Paris and all things French.  Tonight I'm reviewing the weeks activities - from July 8 - 14th. I've flicked through all the posts I could find (I'm sorry we've had issues with Mr Linky over at Karen's Blog, and my own blog presence has been lacking this week), but here's a quick look what's been happening.

Book Posts

• Slaying the Badger - about the Tour de France
• Paris in Color
• The Sweet Life of Paris
• Paris by Edward Rutherfurd
• Letters from Sky (WWII)
• Footprints in Paris
• Paris in Love
• Cross and the Dragon
• A Movable Feast
• Scarlet Pimpernel
• The Paris we Love * recommended post
• Les Enfants Terribles
• Paris to the past
• Short stories of Guy du Maupassant
• A town like paris
• a collection of book reviews - Flappers, The Great Gatsby and A Terribly Strange Bed
• Treachery in Bordeaux

Film and Music Posts

• Chocolate
• Jardin d'hiver * recommended post
• Romantics Anonymous
• Les  Miserables

Photo Posts

• All-through my eyes - Daryl posts photo's each day
• texting priest - a photo posted by Esme  * my favourite... it's just so everyday!
• Paris and beyond - Genie posts beautiful Parisian photos each day
• Paris & the Eiffel Tower - photo's from Mae
• La Piscine Molitol - Vagabonde posts about a famous swimming pool - history and photos
• Villandry - gardens in France - post 1 and post 2
• La Chatonnier
• Snapshots of Paris
• Snapshots of Lyon
• Summer & Jasmin
• Window shopping in Place de Veledrome
• Bastille Day

Recipe & Food Posts

•  Creme brulee
• chicken and onions
• Pistachio Paste 

History Posts

• 14 July - Bastille Day - Vagabond provides some history
• Nari at The Novel World is posting the A - Z of Paris, France - check out some of these...
• Arrondissements
• Bastille
• Cafe
• Degas
• Eiffel Tower
• Fromage
• Godard
• Haussman

It's difficult for me to summarise in detail each post, but I've made a recommendation of my favourite posts for your ready reference.

I wanted to award a gift to one blogger for this week and also a gift to a Bastille Day post - I've decided to wait til Wednesday to identify the Bastille Day winner, but for this week I've selected Vagabondes' post on La Piscine Molitol as very interesting, engaging and informative. Vagabonde, if you can email me (see my about me page for email) your address I'll send you a small gift.

Also, I wanted to bring everyones attention to Vagabondes' comments on my Bastille Day post - I've found this very helpful information

I wrote a comment earlier and deleted it because it only talked about the name of our national holiday “le quatorze Juillet” which is called Bastille’s Day in the Anglophone world. The storming of the Bastille in Paris was a symbolic gesture as there were only 7 common criminals in the prison then. The people were revolting against two inequalities and privileges held by the aristocracy and the clergy - this is why after the revolution so many churches were burnt and destroyed – then later on of course they were repaired by the government as they had been seized from the Church and made into national monuments. What people celebrate really is not the Bastille but what were the ramifications from this people revolution – more solidarity, more social equality – for example there is universal health care and free education starting at 3 years old, five weeks of vacation is mandatory (by law) in comparison to the country where I live, the USA, vacations are not guaranteed by law. So people keep celebrating their freedom from the aristocracy and the clergy and the laws which help them have a happy life. Thank you for taking an interest in my country, this is very kind.

Check out Paris and Beyond for the photo of the day - 14 July. 

Bastille Day Celebrations

Bonjour! This weekend is the French Celebration of Bastille Day. I look forward to seeing what you all do and experience for the famous occasion! Me, I will be away at a training course, so I took the opportunity to celebrate last night with friends at one of our local micro bistros - there were only 20 people in the restaurant, and it was packed!

I enjoyed my favourite french dish - salade de chevre chaud - then I tried something a little different - the steak tartare. I thought it would be too weird eating raw steak and egg, but it was actually very delicate, light and tasty. Of course a french meal with friends would be incomplete without a lovely bottle of french red, and a smooth and creamy, crispy topped brulee. I had a lovely evening, and was reminded of some wonderful meals I've shared in France over the years with great friends.

Now for a word of apology - 'je suis desole' - for my tardiness at returning messages to all you wonderful participants. It seems every time I log on to see what's happening there's another person joining our journey and some great new posts. I have been swamped with work and some of my voluntary commitments have demanded some attention at this time as well. I have been reading your blogs - love em all... I will be doing a review post this weekend - so be sure to link your comments to any one of my posts - and I will be adding the new names to my side bar soon.
For our regular visitors, you know I like to give away a prize or two - there'll be a prize for the Bastille day post that captures my attention, and another random prize for a post from this past week.

Here's something I found peaceful, interesting and very french.... let me know what you think.

Henri, Orwell and me - Paris in July

M. Pokora - Le jour qui se rêve (extrait de... by MPokora-Official

Paris in July is about my own journeys to Paris in beyond - my past journeys, and my future journeys. This year I'm making a promise to myself to spend my month in virtual Paris by immersing myself in french language, food & wine, literature, music and travel plans. So here's my plan - each week I'm going to try to do two personal posts, and on the alternate weeks, I'll do a wrap up post of all the Paris in July activity. You'll note that I've added the blog roll to the right hand column of my blog  - so we can all check on what others are doing.

Books on my list include:

• Stuff Parisians Like - this was a gift a while ago, and it's time to have a look inside
• Henri Walks to Paris - this sounds delightful and shouldn't be too difficult to read
• George Orwells - Down and Out in Paris  - my personal challenge to learn more about famous people, and Paris while I'm there... (this is a free edition)

Music - each week I'm going to find a new french artist (or new to me) and share the links with you
Food - I love to cook something on the weekends - so when i can I'll cook something french, and share it with you here too.
Travel plans - When I travel I do my research first. I thought I would like to do some research for my next unplanned trip to France. I'll try and post some of my findings - hopefully on topics like

• best cocktails in Paris
• gluten free in Paris
• Walking in France
• markets outside Paris (there's heaps of websites devoted to Markets in Paris).

One week to go and the tension is building. Cant wait. See you soon in Paris!

Challenges and Buttons

Wow - it just couldn't get any better than this! It's the start of the Japanese Literature Challenge 7 hosted by Bellezza and Karen at Bookbath has made some great new buttons for this years Paris in July - the blogging journey to Paris. Go to Karens Blog to see her great designs.

It's been a busy weekend here in my place - and I had every intention of posting today. I'm sorry - I'll have to get back to this soon - I have started a blog roll for Paris in July 2013 on the righ hand side of my blog, and I'll keep adding as we get more sign up....the meantime - dont forget to post your intentions of joining us for Paris in July by leaving your name here or on Karens blog.

Welcome to Paris in July 2013!

Welcome to the start of the Paris in July blogging event. Karen from BookBath and I are once again looking forward to co-hosting Paris in July, a month purely dedicated to reading, watching, eating, listening to and enjoying all things French. Karen said that ‘although things have been a little quiet around BookBath of late there is one event that is sure to bring me out of blogging exile’. Paris is always good to entice someone out of exile – and for us in the Southern Hemisphere, it gives us a chance to enjoy a virtual summer.

This will be the fourth year that Paris in July has been running and Karen and I are excited to be once again embarking on our virtual trip to Paris with you all.

The event will run from the 1^st – 31^st July and as always there will be no rules or targets in terms of how much you need to do or complete in order to be a part - just blog about anything French and you can join in. Some ideas for the month might include:

- Reading a French book - fiction or non-fiction

- Watching a French movie

- Listening to French music

- Cooking French food

- Experiencing French art, architecture or travel (or remembering travel experiences)

- Or anything else French inspired you can think of...

Karen and I will be writing weekly wrap up posts throughout the month as well as contributing our own Paris inspired musings. As in past years there will be French themed prizes to be given out to some lucky participants too.

Something New! We are also be looking to add another element to Paris in July this year by including special guest posts on our own blogs – if anyone is interested in being an official “Paris in July Guest Blogger” please leave a comment with your blog/contact details on this post and give us some indication of what you might like to write about in your post.

Stay tuned for more details and Paris in July 2013 buttons to pop onto your blogs.

Hoping that you will be joining us in Paris this year!

To join, just leave a comment and link to your blog here or on Karens blog, and we'l collate a blogroll.

 

It's coming....

Paris in July is coming soon....

Karen at Bookbath and I have agreed we're up to hosting 'Paris in July' again - are you up to it too?

Watch this space over the next week and we'll get up more details, but we're pretty much following the same guidelines as previous years.

See what we did in
2010
2011
2012

PS. GO CADEL!!! He's back on the Podium again. Yeh.... here's comes the Tour de France, and many more French 'reves'.

Bookshelves

from Renee Claire

Bookshelves make a home... they bring warmth, wisdom, love, and colour into the room. With bookshelves comes openness, connection and community. We don't have enough bookshelves in our home - so I've been scouring for idea's. Here's just some that I'm excited about.

from Renee Claire - bookshelves

from Annes Built ins & Bookcases

 What can I say, some of these examples just make you want to read, some make me want to write, and some just make me want to sit. I think that's what I'm looking for at home, and haven't quite got.

from Leife Shallcross - bookshelf envy

from Leife Shallcross at Bookshelf Envy

There are some hurdles to get over when it comes to choosing bookshelves - like

• size of the house and rooms
• style of the house
• built in or fee standing
• white or light coloured, timber, or dark colours
• do i have to redecorate the whole room
• can i afford it?

I found an interesting article highlighting 33 of the best bookshelf designs, but I still come back to thinking it needs to be right for your house, your use, and you lifestyle. What are some of the other things I should be thinking about? and what makes a bookshelf work for you? I'd love to hear your thoughts..