A country wedding

parisdiaHappy moments4 Comments

The date, October 3rd, was a little risky weather wise, but the young couple was eager to get married and since Felix had proposed to Marguerite, kneeling down on a beach in Cuba, last April, it seemed silly to postpone… After a civil ceremony in very trendy Cap Ferret in July, the mixed Calvinist and Catholic marriage was celebrated, in … Read More

A gastronomic adventure

parisdiaHappy momentsLeave a Comment

Would you like to grow pleurotes mushrooms in your cellar with the leftover grind of your coffee machine ? Well here is the recipe provided by Arnaud Ulrich at Comptoir des producteurs, a newly decorated vegetable shop which is conceived as a showroom for three star chefs. The very pretty Monte Cristo mushrooms, have a definite coffee aftertaste and I just … Read More

These royal pieces can be yours

parisdiaArt, Happy momentsLeave a Comment

It is always exciting to walk into a pre auction exhibiton and choose (abstractly) the pieces one wants to buy ! This is exactly what I did at Sotheby’s this week, for the royal collection of the Orléans family. The last king of France, Louis Philipe had a short reign (1830-1848) as you can discover in Munro Price’s excellent biography, … Read More

“Vie de Château” in Beaujolais

parisdiaHappy momentsLeave a Comment

There is something almost sinful in waking up at Château de la Chaize, watching French gardens designed by Le Nôtre from my window and thinking about our hostess, Caroline von Klitzing, who is working hard in the cellar to conclude the wine making season. And I enjoyed it immensely.

François 1er comes to Chantilly

parisdiaArt, Happy momentsLeave a Comment

What better way to celebrate your 21st birthday than to win a battle which will make you famous for the rest of your life ? This is what François 1er, brand new king of France, did on September 13 th and 14 th (his birthday was on the 12th) 1515, in Marignano, near Milan. This is the only date that … Read More

Glacier National Park, a real surprise

parisdiaHappy moments4 Comments

Driving to Glacier National Park at the border of Montana and Canada, can sound like a big adventure, especially when the Going-to-the-sun road (opened in 1932) is closed for fire alerts, but I must admit that the five hour or so drive from Missoula was only fun and beauty as far as I am concerned. After a shopping spree at … Read More

Flying through the New Whitney

parisdiaArt, Happy moments3 Comments

Walking along the birch trees of the High Line from 14 th street at 10 am is very gratifying. The heat was such in the City on that summer morning, that everyone was looking for the shade side of the sidewalks and the coolness of the trees. The beauty of the benches, artwork and wooden floors of the High Line … Read More

Marc Voinchet, from anchor to director

parisdiaHappy momentsLeave a Comment

He will be 50 in December and has just been promoted Director of France Musique, the famous classical music French public radio. After 20 years at France Culture, culminating with his own morning show, Les Matins de Culture, where he had to wake up at 3.20 every day for the last 6 years, Marc Voinchet was honored with the prestigious … Read More