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..

1Q84 and other reading news

I did it! I finally finished 1Q84. This was one of my dedicated reads for the Japanese Literature Challenge 2012. It's been an epic journey for me to get through this book, but I really wanted to do it. I enjoy Murakami's writing, he can transport me to the strangest of places, and this book was just as good a read as others. Although, the ending left alot to be desired. I'm mean, after all they'd been through, and the mysterious little people getting such a feature, why did it just end 'happily ever after' for the lovers..... why didn't the little people play a stronger part in the ending? what about the dhota and the mezza? I'm left with more questions than answers.. Did I miss something? or did other readers feel similarly 'let down'.

On a more practical note to self - one of the reasons I found this book so difficult to finish was that I do alot of my reading on the train to work - but this one was too big to throw in the bag. I really would've been better with three books separately, or electronically.

So, since Christmas I've been getting familiar with Kindle on  my minitab (7") and I've been reading a little more from that. I recently finished "Goodbye Madame Butterfly: sex, marriage and the modern Japanese Woman" by Sumie Kawakami. This was a collection of interviews with Japanese Women about the reality of their relationships. A fascinating read, touching, humbling and encouraging. Now I'm reading "Snow Child" on my Kindle, as was recommended by Dolce Bellezza last year.

So while I'm reading one book on the train, and in waiting rooms etc.... I've also got some real books on the TBR list. As in the photo above, I was given these books for Christmas and really want to read them, but finding the time is the challenge. For now, I've picked up 'The Lady Cyclists Guide' which got some great reviews in the blogging world last year also. See Fleur Fischer, Jennys Blog, and 1girl2manybooks. 

Reading has been a significant challenge for me, and one of the things I'm proud to say I'm working on as an adult. I recently sent myself off to a reading course, which turned out to be very encouraging. It was more focused on reading for business, but 2 significant learnings for me were

• reading for pleasure should be just that - pleasure. No rules, no deadlines, and no need to read something you don't enjoy reading.
• sometimes it can be very helpful to guide your eyes because moving your eyes in a line is not actual normal. using one or two fingers to guide to eyes can be very helpful. 

 So, I have today off and I'm going to find the time to actual read for pleasure.

Les Merveilleuses

I love visiting the Ladurée website – I would prefer to be in the shop, but I’ll take the second best option. Visiting this weekend, I found that Ladurée are celebrating Les Merveilleuses with the release of a special flavour of macaroon. But who are they? I’ve not heard of the féte les Merveilleuses before. So a little bit of research was in order. (some from Wikepedia)

Did you know about The Incroyables ("incredibles") and their female counterparts, the Merveilleuses ("marvelous women", roughly equivalent to "fabulous divas")? 

They were members of a fashionable aristocratic subculture in Paris during the French Directory (1795–1799). Whether as catharsis or in a need to reconnect with other survivors of the Reign of Terror, they greeted the new regime with an outbreak of luxury, decadence, and even silliness. They held hundreds of balls and started fashion trends in clothing and mannerisms that today seem exaggerated, affected, or even effete (decadent, self-indulgent). 

Many Incroyables were "nouveaux riches" who had gained their wealth from selling arms and money lending. Members of the ruling classes were also among the movement's leading figures, and the group heavily influenced the politics, clothing, and arts of the period. 

Ornate carriages reappeared on the streets of Paris the day after the execution (28 July 1794) of Maximilien Robespierre, which brought an end to the Reign of Terror and signalled the commencement of the Thermidorian Reaction. There were masters and servants once more in Paris, and the city erupted in a furor of pleasure-seeking and entertainment. Theaters thrived, and popular music satirized the excesses of the Revolution. 

Napoleon’s wife to be, Marie-Josèphe-Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie, was one of a small elite of remarkably gifted, charming and alluring young women around whom Parisian Society gathered at the close of the eighteenth century.

Out of the chaos of the Revolution and the Terror, French society slowly started to collect itself. A subculture of aristocratic and fashionable young people established themselves around the “salons” held by these women of means, charm and education. They provided the setting for a society of shared political allegiances, cultivated conversation, parties, balls and amorous dalliances. They attended the theatre and drew attention to themselves in public by adopting a supposed simplicity of dress – or as one wit described it “undress”.


 “Les Merveilleuses” – literally, the Marvellous or Wonderful, cultivated garments based on the almost transparent, body-revealing garments of Greek and Roman sculpture and even the Roman hairstyles of tumbling curly hair. The boldest of these women, Madame Hamelin, whose portrait by Andrea Appiani is in the Napoleon exhibition, notoriously appeared in public virtually naked beneath the flimsiest of muslin dresses, sometimes bare-breasted. The young widow Rose de la Pagerie, the Vicomtesse de Beauharnais, was less extreme in her dress than her friend Madame Hamelin – although no less alluring.

Initially the wearing of simple Greek and Roman-like garments served to reinforce Revolutionary rejection of the excesses of the AncienRégime, and nakedness in art signalled purity, however the sheer garments of Les Merveilleuses – their simplicity notwithstanding – were decidedly erotic.

Last of the Summer Fruits

It's pretty clear that summer is on its way north now. It's been raining here for the past two weeks, the temperature's dropped 5 degrees C, and we're moving in for the comfort food. I know it's been a while since I posted because I took this photo of the last peach on my tree about 3 weeks ago for the sole purpose of posting it here. Sorry for the delay. It was as gorgeous to eat as it was to look at.

Clear sunny days feel like a thing of the past, yet my partner has been finding unbelievable moments to get out for some kayaking. He's about to go away for three days paddling while I'm about to do another one of my epic bike rides - tomorrow I'm doing 110kms (probably in about 5 hours) for charity. Next week I'm off with friends to do another one of our annual rides, Loop the Lake, which will be approx 90kms (hopefully under four hours this year).

So now summer is leaving, I've planted up the garden with my favourite autumn and winter veggies - lots of leafy greens, egg plant and tomatoes (self seeded). At present I'm bringing a decently bundle of basil in each week, making pesto and freezing it. This will keep me in stock for those months we don't have basil in the garden.

I think I mentioned previously that I'm loving The Healthy Chef and here's one of her recipes I did last night - it was so gorgeous, I made it again today..

Superfood Tabouli from The Healthy Chef

 Reading Updates: I'm still going on Murakami's 1Q84, getting much closer to the end now. My main problem with this book is that I do most of my reading on the traing, and this one's just too big to carry! I've also been reading on my tablet, a kindle version of "Goodby Madam Butterfly" which is a colelction of interviews with Japanese women about love, life and sex.. I'm also nearly finished this one. So I'll do a reading post soon - promise.

Indian Gifts

 

What a surprise I got to find this parcel on my doorstep after work. Post marked India, with Indian customs paperwork all over it, the material wrapped parcel was stitched up and addressed to "Tamara & Chris". I love parcels, but this one was more special than most.

The Elephants, Swans and Soaps were hand made by women in India as part of a micro finance and income generation scheme supported by the NGO that I support. The program is struggling to find forums to sell their items through, and unfortunately, the tax rulings here in Australia prevent us from doing it easily.

So for now, these beuatiful gifts adorned my dining room, while I try to think of ways to use this small collection to raise money to send back to India. If you have any ideas on how I can use these resources to raise more money, please let me know.... in the meantime, to learn more about my charity in India, check out these posts, and links.

• my charity in India
• Reflections on Volunteering
• Indian Joy
• Monsoon Wedding
• Hostel Appeal
• Self Help Groups

 Email me if you'd like to chat more about this passion of mine.

Farewell Grandma

My grandma made it to 93 yrs of age and was bright and cheeky to the last day (and that was her life long ambition). As my sister said at the memorial gathering - we were so lucky to have had such a wise, cheeky, smart and stoic grandma with us for our 40 something years. Not many people have grandparents when they're 40!

My grandma lived interstate, and I visited her when ever I went there. I was extremely blessed to be able to visit her 3 days before she died, and then to also be with her for her final 24 hrs. I then had the honour of facilitating her memorial service on behalf of the family.

My family and I could not have imagined a better ending for her chapter here on earth - she was content in her life, still reading, taking visitors, and enjoying the gardens around her. She did not want for anything, she was proud of all of us, and she still had all her faculties and capabilities. What more could one want?

Grandma, you will be missed here on earth, by family, friends and the strangers you did not yet meet. I know you are where you want to be now, and I know you will be smiling. As long as I remember you were just Grandma, but in your last week you mentioned Alan to me - and now I know you are with Poppa again. You have been a powerful influence in our lives, and for me, a great inspiration - encouraging me to experience life, value people, honour family, and continually learn. Your vocation was to care for other widows, and your generosity was testimony to your faith.  May I honour your life in mine.

Farewell.