In my family, the week between Christmas and New Year's is when we forgo obligations, deadlines, routines.

This month I am sharing my favorite things that cannot be bought. They are more observations, impressions, more than things.

The scandal happened over one hundred years ago, because nowadays a socialite with one dress strap falling over her shoulder would not make the news.

When I was a kid school started on September 1st, and we got to buy all the new books, notebooks, pens and pencils. Now I still get excited and buy myself a few stationery things but the real happiness comes from the garden tasks that can be accomplished only in the fall.

It is the almost the end of the summer and the house is basically finished. With a few tweaks here and there, and the work on the laundry room scheduled for September, we now have this house for ourselves to live in and enjoy.

As is always the case I have too many favorites to mention in this post. After all I impose my own limit of three. And there's always the questions, what might interest my readers?

This time one of our Lyon trips happened to be just when the summer sales started. I made a bee line to my favorite shops - it was hard to narrow it down to just three...

After nearly a year most of the spaces in our old house are finished, with the exception of some details. How can I describe the feeling of finally having a near "normal" life back, having the comfort and space?

French women take the care of their skin very seriously. I think from a very young age they have their cleansing and nourishing routines. I see women my age with youthful complexions, which can be attributed to good nutrition, good skincare routine, or just a general "joie de vivre".

The thing with crystal chandeliers in my opinion that a bit of dust or a cobweb here and there only add to the patina and charm.

I just spent a few days in Paris after a looong break. Yes, I live in France and Paris is only 2 hours away by train for me, but you know what they say about life - it gets in the way.

When visitors come to France, they rarely venture beyond Paris and Provence. And they rarely come to the center of the country

I have been through some projects of home improvement, but never this big, and extensive one.

Favorite things, places, finds... After over six years here France is still a country full of surprises

This last year started a bit rocky, continued complicated, and finished with a heartbreak.

Where are we after five months of the house restoration project? I am sure many of you are waiting for the before and after pictures

On the first visit I really liked the house and its potential, but the garden was a proverbial "cherry on top".

It feels like it has been forever - living in one bedroom, waking up early before the workers arrive (because who wants to parade in front

As I am writing our first summer in Bourgogne is slowly fading. It is early September, we wake up to cold mornings, cobwebs in the garden,

I saw layers of old wall paper, covered in flowers, and the old plaster, in the prettiest pastel hues, pink and off white.