My Mélange

Gifts for your favorite Francophile

Now, you didn't think I would leave out gift-giving ideas for the French half, did you?

I know it's a little last minute, but c'mon, you are all not done with your shopping yet, are you?

I didn't think so!

Here are some gift ideas for the lover of all things French in your life:

A delicious smelling candle or perfume from the Parisian company Diptyque, founded in 1961, would send any Francophile jumping for joy!  The black and white old-fashioned logo is recognized as a cult favorite.

A French enamel sign would brighten up anyone's home wanting some little French touches. Choose from blue and green street signs or classic black and white announcing the bath or kitchen.

French music wafting through the air goes a long way to transporting any armchair traveler to a Paris cafe.  Any of these personal favorites would do the trick!

A bottle of the best Pastis is a true Provençal gift.  Mix with water and let the subtle licorice flavor wash over you like the strong sunshine in the South of France.

Little French ruled notebooks, called Cahiers, are great French-inspired treats for your favorite writer, notetaker or doodler.  Perfect for Art-Nouveau gurus.

Gourmet goodies from Fauchon are a great option for foodies.  This French company offers chocolate, confections, teas, fruit and gift baskets and more!

Who wouldn't want better sleep and stress reduction? Real French lavender is that herbal remedy no Frenchie should be without!  L'Occitane carries hand creme, pillow spray, candles and bath products that are all infused with its addictive scent.

The Fleur-de-lys and the Eiffel Tower are both symbols of France.  For those who think the tower has been done to death, why not give some hand-made fleur-de-lys jewelry from Etsy?

Keep it clean with these well-known blocks of Marseille soap, an age old recipe that contains palm or olive oils.  They leave even the driest skin soft and smooth and their pure scent makes 'em perfect for both men and women. 

Maybe your special someone prefers the charming villages of France to big city Paris.  This book, filled with fabulous photos would be perfect and would Frenchify any coffee table.    

Why not start a French nativity, called a crèche, for someone you love.  Hand-painted Provençal figurines, called Santons are handmade in the South of France.  Give one every year until the set is complete.

Calling all you Francophiles out there!  What's on your gift list? 

Contests and Giveways Galore!

First and foremost, I want to again thank Claudia for giving her time and for coming back to try and answer all of your questions.  I love that about her.  I think we both consider ourselves nice and helpful people who like to conversate with our readers!

Next, I would like to thank all of you who stopped by to read the interview and enter to win the book. Honestly (and I know that Claudia feels the same way) I wish I could send each and every one of you a copy of her book- you sure deserve it!  Really, you do.

I thoroughly enjoyed all of your lovely and inspiring comments.  I know some of you are new to my blog and I intend to visit each and every one of your blogs (if you have one of course) in the very near future.

I just *love* making new friends.

But, alas, for this contest anyway, there can only be one winner. I will not make you wait any longer.

The winner, as selected by the Random Number Generator, is Pam!!!

Congratulations Pam!  

Pam, please forward me along your full name and addy { please email me at mymelange(at)yahoo(dot)com} so that we can get your signed copy of The Paris Apartment in the mail for you.  Hopefully, you will have it in time for Christmas. 

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And because we are all in the giving spirit, the giving continues...

 I was lucky enough to win a darling necklace from my friend Shelbi.  Shelbi has an Etsy shop, called ShopMarigold and she makes the sweetest jewelry.  You can have a little looksie here at my prize, which I can't wait to wear around the holidays.  

And while you are at it, why not have a little peekie at her other jewelry for sale.  You just might find a little bauble perfect for a holiday gift  Or better yet-for yourself!

It just so happens that a blogger is hosting another giveaway for something in her shop, a beautiful pair of blue cloisonné earrings!  So, head on over to Shelbi's blog, The Keeper of the Chocolates (what a scrumptious name for a blog, don't you think?) to find out the details of that giveaway.

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Oh, no, we can't stop now.  We are on a contest kinda roll.....

My Italian lovin' blog buddies, Joe from Italyville and Maryann from Finding La Dolce Vita are hosting a special food blog event to virtually celebrate the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner.  It is called Seven Fishes Feast.  

You have until the 18th to make and send a fish recipe and photo in.  Once you do, you will be entered into the drawing for a delicious fully-stocked basket of authentic Italian products and a copy of the book, The Feast Of the Seven Fishes.  

Happy shopping, cooking and contest entering everybody!

And one last note.  There is so much left to do before the holidays.  There is shopping, baking, decorating wrapping and of course, partying.  In order to get it all done, I have to ease off  the gas a bit, before I have a Christmas Coronary. 

 I will not be sticking to my regular 5 day a week schedule from now until after  the New Year. I will still be posting, but it will be less than 5 days and it will be random days.  That being said...

I will be back tomorrow for Travel Tip Tuesday.  I'll give you some stocking stuffer ideas for travelers!

Where else you can find me

Just in case you might be the slightest bit interested...

A few months ago I told you about an article about Flea Markets.  If you haven't read it, you can still read it here.

Well since then, I have cranked out a few more. I hope you will allow me to share.

If you are heading to The Big Apple during the holidays or just want to read up on Christmas Traditions in New York, head on over here.

And speaking of Christmas, Christmas in Italy is always a special treat.  And speaking of special treats in Italy, Panettone, which is an Italian type of fruit-studded brioche, is ubiqutous this time of year. Head on over to Dream of Italy and read my short article on the bread and a sinfully delicious recipe for Panettone French Toast.  

And last, but not least, if the economy has got you down and the winter blues are setting in, perhaps watching a movie that showcases a fab travel destination will perk you up!  Well, wouldn't ya know it- I happen to have written 8 Movies that Inspire Travel, which you can find here.

And if you are not sick of me yet (how is even that possible?), you can always pop on over and friend me on Facebook or tweet me on Twitter.

Careful though, it can be adddicting.

So, pull up your laptop and a cappuccino and settle in for the weekend!  

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 If you haven't already, enter to win your free autographed copy of The Paris Apartment.  The deadline is tomorrow at midnight EST.  Leave your comment on this post to be entered.  I will announce the winner on Monday!

Until then...Good Luck and have a Great Weekend!!

On Creative Minds

Creative minds are a blessing.  And a curse.

A creative mind is a scattered, jumbled, caldren of ideas- brewing, churning, boiling over at its best or smoldering at its worst.

Those with creative minds can appreciate how they work.

Ideas come at you with the speed of light, only to pass you by in a flash before total darkness sets in like a bad storm.

With creative minds, it is always ebbs and flows.

A creative minds best friend is pen and paper-always at the ready.  You never know when the flood gates will open.  And when they do- hold on tight, it's a bumpy ride!

A creative mind is sometimes a hot, disorganized, mess.  Scribbled notes litter my purse, my desk, my nightstand and house.

Daily, I scoop up these creative seeds of love and form a pile on my desk and start to sort through, trying to decide if any can sprout into something more.

Those snippits of text of leading you somewhere..or possibly nowhere.

Those small post-it notes, pieces of scrap paper, journal and notebook pages, often folded, dog-eared, torn, crumpled and in dissaray are not legible to any other naked eye.  Between the shorthand, scribbles, and scratches is sometimes the same idea written again and again.

Perhaps my creative mind forgot what it wrote?   

Creative minds work even in the deep of sleep.  Often times they are jolted awake by a dream, of something that sparked an idea.

Creative Minds take inspiration from many places and in many forms.

It could be a movie, a website, a dream, a conversation, a picture or a mundane task like a trip to the post office.  Or you could be standing at the kitchen slaving over a hot stove, only to run into the other room and scribble something down on paper, before it leaves you.

Creative minds can drift into space and stare blankly at the computer screen, while having two totally different experiences.

One, a productive, jumbled spinning machine about to crank out ideas or frustrated, writers grid lock.

From the outside looking in, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. 

It has taken me years to learn how to deal with my creative mind.  To understand how it works, and how it sometimes doesn't work.  How to harness it or let it have free reign.  How to ride the wave or weather the storm.

But, as many other things in life, it is a work in progress.  Everyday always brings something new. Life is never stagnant.

I look forward to what my creative mind has in store for me next!

So, do you have a creative mind?  When did you know?  What do you do with your ideas?  

And speaking of creative minds, Michelle over at Bleeding Espresso has one of the most creative minds I know.  She invited me to be a Guest Blogger for her today. I'd be a fool to say no, so head on over there this morning to read my post!

Those Crazy Italian Laws

 

According to a Reuters article published on Monday, Italian governing bodies have been taking some liberties this summer by instituting some strange laws in their towns.  Italian newspapers have coined this the "summer of bans."

For example, sandcastles are banned in Ercela, close to Venice.

Sandcastles?  What the...

And you cannot mow your lawn on the weekend in Forte dei Marmi.

Alright, maybe it's hard to hear that soccer game with the roar of the mower's engine.

PDA in a car could cost you 500 euros in Eboli.

In a country where love and romance are celebrated, you would think it was encouraged, no?  Hmm, 500 euros, depending on the affectioneur/affectionee, could be worth it!

And in lovely little Lucca, feeding the pigeons is not permitted. 

If you have ever been to Saint Mark's Square in Venice, you would totally be on board with that one!

My curiosity was piqued by the article and I wondered what else I might find in terms of Italian bans.

So I googled it.

Up popped an interesting story about a couple in Rome that was banned from naming their own son, Vendredi, which means Friday in Italian.  It seems they chose the name based on a character from Robinson Crusoe, but the Italian courts deemed that the name "would prevent him from having serene interpersonal relationships".

Ha.  Love that one. 

Also in Rome, last month the Mayor banned groups of three or more signing, dancing, drinking or eating in the street.  You may face a fine of up to 500 euros. 

This sounds like what I would do on a good vacation, celebrating in Italy.  So am I not allowed to have fun in Rome now?

And how could we forget that at the end of 2006, Italy was one of the first countries to ban women deemed too skinny from fashion show runways.  

This is my personal favorite, celebrating normal and chubby girls, worldwide!!  We like fashion too, ya know.

One of the most well known Italian bans went into effect in January 2005.  The dreaded smoking ban. 

As the law states, there should be no smoking in all enclosed public places, which includes offices, shops, bars, cafes and restaurants, unless a sealed off room can be provided for the non-fumatori. Fines range form 275 euros for the smoker, up to 2,000 euros for the business owner.  Fines can be higher if the smoking happens in front of children or pregnant women.  

Since there are so many stipulations and definitions, many loop-holes are created and different interpretations are prevalent. 

Needless to say, the smoking ban is obeyed in Italy about as much as traffic lights, speed limits and the implied fidelity in marriage vows.

That is to say, "just a suggestion."

And the further South you go, the less it is enforced.

In spite of that, as a result of the smoking ban, heart disease and heart attacks in Italians are reportedly dropping every year.

A welcome side effect, wouldn't you agree?

So, what are your thoughts on these crazy Italian laws?  Do you think this is a case of local governments trying to take too much control?  Are they trying to do the right thing or just collect a windfall in fines?  Which laws do you agree or disagree with and why?

Fun with Words

Or should I say Wordle.   My fellow francophile friend Claudia over at The Paris Apartment had these cool word clouds over on her blog. I decided to play around and these are a few my creations.  

This is too cool.  But consider yourself forewarned.  This is addictive.  You could spend hours playing around on this.  

Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Wanna play?  Please do.  And if you do, please tell me so in the comments so that I can come see your Wordle Word Cloud!

Have fun playing!!

Earth Day 2008

A spectacular blooming Japanese Cherry Blossom in all it's glory, bowing gracefully, reminding us of all the beauty we are surrounded with on this Earth Day.  This is what we are fighting to save and preserve.  Please do your part  more than your share to protect such wonders of nature for generations to come.

Need I say more?

Tell me, what changes are you making in the quest to Go Green on this Earth Day?

Chatty Blog Award

Anne in Oxfordshire gave me a Chatty Blog Award.  Imagine that?  Me, a talkative person?  Sheesh, I guess she knows me all to well!!  Yeah, I guess I like to chat it up a bit!!  I also have chatted via email with many people I have met through my blog.  I really enjoy responding to all the comments left on my blog, getting to know new people from all walks of life and have made some great friends here just from chatting!!

So, my fellow chatters, I pass this Good Chat Blog Award onto....

Bleeding Espresso
Jessica in Rome
Rochambeau
Some Pink Flowers

Let's all chat happy!!

US Airlines in Trouble?

In the last few weeks several situations have occurred that frankly, makes me question the Airline industry here is the US.

It started a few weeks ago with Southwest Airlines.  Many of their planes had to be grounded for not performing required inspections.  Seems that they may have conspired with their buddies over at the FAA, who decided they didn't need to inspect their planes for cracks in the fuselage.  Are these airlines and our government just a little too chummy?

Next up are American and Delta, who grounded planes and canceled hundreds of flights due to wiring concerns.

Not to be excluded is United.  Seems they may have missed some maintenance checks as well, so they grounded about 30 planes.

Newer discount carrier Skybus announced that they are closing up shop.  Oh, and passengers who have purchased tickets aren't necessarily getting their money back.  They need to contact their credit card companies.  This one really hits home for me because Skybus was helping to fuel growth at my local airport, Stewart International.

Tonight I am watching CNN and they announce that yet again American Airlines is disrupting service.  AA is canceling hundreds of flights to inspect their MD-80 fleet. Again.

Oh come on already! 

Canceling flights for inspections?  I don't understand this concept.  Shouldn't someone be managing this inspection process?  Shouldn't there be a way to schedule a plane for an inspection without disrupting service, without canceling flights that people have already paid for and have planned vacations or business trips around?

I know, it would take someone with a plan, someone with intelligence. A stroke of genius. A college degree. I know it is asking alot, but this isn't rocket science or brain surgery.  Or is it?

What are your thoughts on this?  Does this affect which airline you fly with?  Does this scare you?  Are you considering not flying or taking a vacation because of this poor mismanagement?  Is the FAA doing all that they can to protect us in the air?

Ok, now it's your turn to weigh in!

Meme, Meme and More Memes

Two new blog buddies I met at The Ultimate Blog Party have tagged me for memes.  Linda from Milanese Masala, tagged me for a 7 facts about yourself meme.  I have done this one before, so you can read more about me here and here, but I still came up with another 7 things.  My life really doesn't seem that interesting, but here goes...

1.  I love roller coasters and amusement parks!
2.  I dislocated my elbow when I was 9 years old.  And yes, I still remember how much it hurt :(
3.  I have never tried Sushi.  Don't know why really.
4.  I used to Square Dance.  Yep, do-ce-do, petticoat and all!
5.  I have an obsession with scarves.  I have a serious collection...maybe 30 or more!
6.  I came in second place at a Karaoke contest.  I guess I have some pipes.
7.  My first trip to Paris was a 10 day solo trip.  It was a scary and exciting adventure, but it was also one of the best things I have ever done!

Since, this one has been around for a while, I am only going to tag a few folks that I think haven't done it yet.  So, Shawn, Joe and TACE..this ones coming your way!

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And then Not Trying for a Boy tagged me for another meme.  I just love the name of her blog!   Here is the Q & A.

What I was doing 10 years ago:  I was living in Northern California, working for Gold's Gym.

Five things on my to-do list today:

1.  mail my sisters birthday card.  (her b-day is Thursday)
2.  do my homework from our Italian class last night
3.  watch Barack Obama's speech
4.  finalize our Easter plans 
5.  do a blog post  (well, one outta five ain't bad)

Snacks I enjoy:

Chips n' salsa, greek yogurt and fresh berries, a homemade smoothie, peanut butter or nutella on just about anything!

Things I would you do if I was a Billionaire:

That's easy.  First, I would scream.  Loudly.  Then I would faint.  When I came to, I would pay off all my debt and give my parents some dough for all the help they have given me over the years.  Then I would purchase 2 villas.  One in Provence and one in Tuscany.  I would proceed to the best flea markets and antique shops in both France and Italy and spend the rest of the year decorating said villas.  I would spend each year going back and forth between the two, open them both as Bed and Breakfasts and eventually write a book about the whole experience.  Uh, do you think I have thought about this just a little over the years.  Naaa.

Three of my bad habits:

1.  spending too much time on the computer
2.  not proofreading my blog enough..before I hit publish
3.  piling random *stuff* on my kitchen table, the catch-all.

Five places I have lived: 

Long Island, NY
Seymour, CT
Clinton Corners, NY
Walnut Creek, CA
Poughkeepsie, NY

Five jobs I have had.

NY State Park Police Dispatcher
Receptionist in a Dermatologist's Office
Sales Consultant for several Gym's
Store Manager for Kids 'R' Us.
Supervisor for GAP distribution center

and finally...five people I'd like to get to know better.  Consider yourself tagged.

1.  Erin at the Olive Notes...because she is living my dream.
2.  Mental Mosaic...because I love the name of her blog.
3.  Anne in Oxfordshire..because she's a sweetheart.
4.  Joanne at Frutto della Passione because she's all about Italy and food.
5.  Milanese Masala because she tagged me for the first one, so right back attcha.