Fairytale Hausfrau

Sunday Afternoon in Colmar

2012-02-09T16:28:00.000+01:00

As promised, more pics from our recent weekend trip to Alsace:

Weekend Away: Strasbourg and Colmar

2012-01-31T16:18:00.000+01:00

We spent a recent long weekend in Strasbourg, which is less than three hours away from our home. We'd been to Strasbourg once before, back in 2010. We stayed in the same Hotel Ibis both times (they have reasonable prices and allow pets). That was our home base, and we day-tripped to nearby Colmar. It took us about ten hours (give or take 8 hours) to get into town to the hotel and find a parking space in one of the garages. Saturday afternoon was super-busy due to major January sales all across France, and our hotel is attached to a mall!

Once we got settled in, we walked for about ten minutes and arrived at the famous Cathedral. The Boy kept wanting to climb to the top again, but we didn't get around to doing that. Plus, it was too cold!

Here we are (three out of four), having a bit of fun outside an adorable brasserie across from the Cathedral. We ate dinner at another traditional Alsatian place a couple of doors down. Ho-hum food but "maximum quaintness" (Audrey, European Vacation).

On Sunday, we took a local train to Colmar. It was our first time there, if you don't count a 30-minute drive-through back in 2010.

Colmar is so terribly photogenic.

Pretty cute, non?

We couldn't resist stopping for lunch in this café. More adorableness and quaintness. I want one of those enamel pots!

We didn't try any of those huge macarons, but we did have some apple cake and a piece of a fab lemon tart.

I'll be back soon with more Colmar pics--I took quite a few!

Mussels from Brussels

2012-01-26T15:27:00.000+01:00

A couple of days after Christmas, we drove just over two hours to the outskirts of Brussels, to visit dear friends we knew in Japan. They have just recently moved to Europe. Can you believe they are living in part of a carriage house on this estate? It's every bit as amazing as it looks!

We enjoyed catching up around their big open fireplace. All the kids showed off their fire-tending skills.

A metro station is just a few minutes' drive from their house. On our second day there, we all took the metro into the city and immediately stopped off at a fantastic international Christmas market. We couldn't stop gawking at this incredibly-creative carousel there.

This little girl appeared very pensive as she rode atop the ship. I hope she enjoyed herself more than she let on.

We lingered in the market for quite some time, in large part due to the fact that we managed to stop for something to eat from a different little hut about every five minutes. Here are the mussels we shared--they were fragrant and full of garlicky flavor. Notice the glove and mittens on the table--it was cold, cold! That didn't stop our five kids from going ice-skating in the outdoor rink, though.

We finally made it to the famous Grand Place, the large square in the center of town. Our friends bought some chocolate from this Neuhaus shop and were generous enough to share with us. Hooray for Belgian chocolate!

Look closely.

So many kinds of mussels, so little time!

You didn't think we'd go to Brussels sans intrepid canine companion, did you? Hopefully we'll visit again soon!

Edinburgh: A Miscellany

2012-01-24T15:14:00.000+01:00

Okay, so here are the rest of the photos I wanted to share from our trip in December:

Apartment breakfasts, chocolate soup, our name everywhere, Adam Smith, fried Mars Bars (insanely good!), Harry Potter, Scottish Reform, Neoclassical architecture, thistles, and a big wheel--see you again, beautiful Edinburgh!

Edinburgh: The Castle

2012-01-18T16:26:00.000+01:00

Ah, here we are outside Edinburgh Castle, preparing for our visit! I'll bet you can't tell from the photo that we are half-frozen already. But I guess you can tell it's raining (hello, tartan umbrella!).

Not sure I heart rain, exactly, but I don't necessarily mind it, except when the wind is blowing fiercely and the temperature is hovering around freezing.

The Husband had to stand in line--for a very long time--to buy our tickets. He got bored and took this photo.

This is outside the military museum, which is on the castle grounds. It's pretty cool. It's one of the first things we visited, and The Girl didn't want to leave (note: indoors, with heating).

Outside the museum, you can see a royal dog cemetery, some of the castle wall, and a nice view of Edinburgh.

Imagine firing this thing!

After several bone-chilling hours spent seeing a number of things we didn't photograph, due in part to the weather conditions (did I mention it was cold?), we're leaving the Castle. Despite the chill, it was all quite impressive.

Edinburgh: Victoria Street and The Grassmarket

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000+01:00

Ah, back in Edinburgh. Here we are in the Old Town--these streets are just south of Edinburgh Castle.

I love how doors and woodwork are often brightly-painted in Edinburgh--such a lovely way to offset all the local stone that gives the city so much of its character.

Part of that purple exterior on the right is the front of Howie's. We tried to eat there (and in their other Edinburgh location nearby), but we were turned away both times due to large holiday party bookings.

No matter. We had lunch a few doors down at Oink instead. The people at Howie's recommended it, and I'd already read good things about it, anyway. And let me tell you, it was good. The friendly guys who work there said that all they do is salt a whole pig and roast it--they bring the roasted pig from the restaurant's farm each morning, and when they run out of pig, they close for the day. Oh, and that's all they serve--roasted-pig sandwiches, with your choice of haggis or sage-onion stuffing inside, and chili relish and pork cracklings atop, if you want them--and you do. The sandwiches are inexpensive and huge, and we pronounced them delicious--with haggis! The Boy ate his alongside a non-alcoholic ginger beer, his favorite drink while in Edinburgh.

This view looks toward the street/area known as The Grassmarket.

Here are the kids, hamming it up inside the incredible, stuffed-to-the-gills second-hand shop Armstrong's. It's visible (barely) in the photo above this one. I found a wonderful vintage green tweed coat there, but I didn't have room to bring it home on the plane (after all, we flew RyanAir), and I probably didn't really need it anyway. I guess.

This photo was taken a day or two before the others, in The Grassmarket at a little cafe that should definitely be known more for its Castle view than for its cuisine. It was very cold, rainy, and windy on this afternoon, though, and we were just happy to rest our feet and ingest warm, cheap soup and baked potatoes. Speaking of the Castle, I'll share more about it in my next post!

Edinburgh: Our 'Hood

2012-01-05T15:36:00.000+01:00

Happy New Year to you! We're getting back into some semblance of a routine following a delightful winter break, spent half at home and half away--a perfect mix. We enjoyed the first five days of the break in Edinburgh. We'd never been to Scotland, and I'd been wanting to go for several years, so I was pretty excited about this trip.

We stayed in a wonderful furnished apartment on E. London St. This is the view from the apartment's living room--or maybe the master bedroom. It's hard to say what time it was; it got dark around 3:30 each afternoon. Actually, this photo may have been taken early in the morning. Husband is an early-riser, even on holiday, and he always enjoys going on little jaunts before the rest of us wake up. He might have taken this before setting out.

He always someone/something photogenic on his walks. He usually manages to find some coffee and a newspaper, too.

Look! It's the site of Conan Doyle's birthplace. He led such an interesting life.

Now for the coffee: Artisan Roast on Broughton St.--some of the best coffee in Edinburgh, supposedly.

Husband certainly liked it--he bought a bag for us and one for a friend.

Cheeky! This is a reference to The Elephant House, the cute Old-Town Edinburgh coffee shop where J.K. Rowling used to write. The Elephant House is featured at least a couple of times in the Sunday Philosophy Club series by Alexander McCall Smith (is it okay to mention that I considered stalking him while in Edinburgh? Just kidding! Sort of.).

More soon from Edinburgh!

Frohes Fest

2011-12-24T20:46:00.000+01:00

Be happy.

We're back from Edinburgh in time to enjoy Christmas at home. Have a warm, merry, blessed holiday season!

Trier Weihnachtsmarkt 2011

2011-12-13T14:31:00.000+01:00

We visited the Trier Christmas Market last Saturday, on a chilly but clear afternoon. It seemed that everyone else in far-western Germany had the same idea. Here are The Husband's photographic impressions of the market--taken when he could stop long enough not to fear being immediately crushed or elbowed in the spleen.

I realize that these photos don't really give you a clear idea of the sheer volume of people crammed into the Trier Marktplatz. But trust me, they were there--especially around the glühwein huts. Move along, people--move along!

Ah, but it's all so beautiful. Christmas markets are absolutely one of the best things about living in Germany.

More from Nancyfrance

2011-12-08T15:08:00.000+01:00

As promised, here are more photos from our day-trip to Nancy a few weeks ago. Coming soon: Christmas market pics!

Gypset Style

2011-12-01T14:33:00.000+01:00

I've been meaning to blog about this book for ages. I bought the book last year, but somehow I just discovered the blog. Here's what author Julia Chaplin has to say about Gypset Style:

My general approach to life and my writing is to have hi-low grand adventures. During my travels I came up with the word Gypset: (gypsy + jet-set) to describe a new type of travel, and cultural foraging at home, that redefines the optimal adventure as something with the global references and chic speed of the jet-set mixed with the alternative, anti-commercialism and nomadic wile of a gypsy.

Cool, yes? Though I may not have the financial profile (not necessary, supposedly, but...) or street-cred (Devendra Banhart! Jade Jagger!) of the true Gypsetter, I certainly appreciate the mindset and aesthetic. And I certainly don't think I'd mind hanging out for a bit with Damien Hirst and Maia Norman on their Thames-River houseboat.

Note: the book is more about a way of life than a certain "look," so don't expect lots of house photos (I would have liked more). But since it's text-heavy, if you're curious about the Gypset lifestyle, you're likely to learn a lot.

Nancyfrance

2011-11-29T15:27:00.000+01:00

We went to Nancy (Nancyfrance--you know, rhymes with "fancypants") for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It's a lovely city that some call the "other Paris," or something like that, and it's just over two hours from our home. We had a great time just walking around, taking pictures (more to come), eating chocolate, and having lunch (outside! in the sunshine! in November!) in the gorgeous Place Stanislas. Quite a nice day!

Speaking of nice days, I hope all my American family and friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We hosted 28 friends we knew in Japan who all now live in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. They've become a second family to us, and it was so nice to be together.

5 Senses Tour, #1

2011-11-16T14:33:00.000+01:00

watching: this episode of Wallander (from the subtitled Swedish version, not the Kenneth Branagh series, which I haven't seen yet). Perfectly atmospheric on a foggy, chilly day.

tasting: the hint of balsamic vinegar, which makes such a difference in this wonderful lentil soup.

listening to: Stan Getz and Bill Evans, on Verve in the '60s. Ideal in the evenings.

touching: the silky hair of my adorable canine companion, who loves sitting in my lap when I turn on (and sit under) our Japanese heater table (kotatsu).

smelling: rosemary I dried for a week or so and then stripped off the branches and placed in a small jar. Such an energizing aroma!

Yes, I've finally remembered to participate in Monica's 5 Senses Tour this week!

Eatrip

2011-11-14T15:06:00.000+01:00

Some beautiful musings on good food:

I'd love to see the entire movie sometime.

Travel and Food Memory

2011-11-09T13:19:00.000+01:00

I was browsing over at anthropologie yesterday when I happened upon the book Bought, Borrowed, and Stolen: Recipes and Knives from a Travelling Chef.

I was immediately intrigued, so I went and found this video (enjoy it--it's short and sweet). I love how British chef Allegra McEvedy pores over her well-used travel journals and comes up with her own recipes based on wonderful things she's eaten on her travels.

I was reminded of how great a role meals have played in my family's travels (as if I could ever forget--we practically plan vacations around food).

There was dessert after my 2008 birthday meal in Hong Kong.

There were many instances of amazing ramen and gyoza in Japan.

There was this canal-side omelet in Amsterdam,

roasted chicken in Bruges,

and fanciness-aplenty in Provence.

That's only scratching the surface, of course. I hope you all have some wonderful travel-related food memories, as well. Oh, and I'll be buying Allegra's book and sharing in her "borrowings." Maybe I'll try some re-creations of my own--just not the fried crickets and ants we had in Hanoi...

Soup Like Baxters

2011-10-26T11:42:00.000+02:00

I've never eaten Baxters Soups before, but their latest TV advert really speaks to me. Last-minute company coming for dinner at your isolated stone cottage in the beautiful, windblown countryside? Just drag out an old wooden table and chairs and an armload of candles, get a small bonfire going, and head outside with wool-sweater-clad family and friends and, of course, your adorable dog, to dine upon warming soups and crusty bread amidst laughter and reminiscences. Sunset over the lake makes it just that much better.

Around Here Lately

2011-10-20T14:09:00.000+02:00

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. I've been spending more time on Pinterest lately; in fact, that's become my new repository for cool things I find online (including great finds via other Pinners, of course!). But here are some photos that will show you a few things we've been doing lately:

Here is The Husband with his Scottish friend, both be-kilted and ready to cheer on the Scottish national soccer team at a match down in Lichtenstein. The Tartan Army was on the move!

Bagpipers instead of cheerleaders: a good choice, in my opinion--just sayin'.

And back in our neck of the woods: these fluffy, curious cows hang out in a field out behind our village. They are so adorable, but one of them is not very kind to the other one.

This is the nice one.

If you're out walking or riding on the paved roads that cut across the fields, you'd better be on the lookout for these road-hogs.

Here's the reason we were out on our bikes, dodging the road hogs that afternoon: foraged sloes and rose hips! We had our first frost the night before, so it was a good time to pick. I'll be getting more soon!

Real School

2011-10-06T14:52:00.000+02:00

As a devoted, ardent Anglophile, I'd love to have slightly easier access to England. Yes, I know I'm comparatively close, but it's no simple thing just to hop over from Germany on a weekend--it's possible, but unlikely for several reasons, financial and otherwise. Anyway, I think it would be pretty cool to be able to attend the occasional workshop at River Cottage (even the males in my family go gaga when they watch Hugh cook).

There are also wonderful-sounding classes at brilliant Alain de Botton's The School of Life, in London. How to Spend Time Alone, Words for Life, Dinner with Virginia Wolfe? Sign me up! Of course, there are many and varied reasons for going to England; these are just two life-skills-related ones that popped into my head this afternoon, when Monica's post touching on the concept of bibliotherapy reminded me that The School of Life actually employs bibliotherapists. Could bibliotherapist just possibly be one of the coolest jobs ever?

Magazine Love: A Shot of Green

2011-10-05T14:38:00.000+02:00

It's starting to turn chilly here now, after a few fits and starts over the past several weeks.

But just before all thoughts of color turn toward oranges, browns, reds, and yellows, let's behold the green glories of the holiday home (I think?) of Helma Bongenaar and her family, in Amsterdam. When I caught a glimpse of this wonderful house, I had to buy the August 2010 issue of Vtwonen right away. I've been meaning to share this feature here for a while.

I especially love the kitchen, of course!

It's all so vintagey-gorgeous! Hope you like it as much as I do. Now, Autumn--full speed ahead!

Today's Tiny Harvest

2011-09-28T14:20:00.000+02:00

We're nearing the end of our summer grape-tomato harvest. I also decided to bring in some more lemon balm and thyme to dry, as I have a ton of both. Like my colander? It's a Japanese rice-rinser/strainer--hence the pouring spout and tiny holes on the bottom (which you can't see in this photo). Real Japanese rice needs to be rinsed before it's cooked, in case you didn't know.

We'll be doing a bit of fall planting in our little raised beds this weekend. What are you growing in your neck of the woods?

Nettles Aplenty

2011-09-21T13:46:00.000+02:00

One of the most ab-fab things about our village is that we have these wonderful paths for walking and biking (well, they're pretty nice for farmers and all of their equipment, too). This one runs behind our house.

Remember how I was talking about borage recently? Another wild plant growing in insane abundance around here is stinging nettles, and I found a perfect patch flourishing alongside this path.

As you can see, I had thought to bring my colander, scissors, and the all-important gloves. I'm new to using nettles, but I've been doing some research, and with the new fall crop so handy, I thought it was a great time to do some harvesting.

I'd been out solo that day, but a couple of days later, The Husband and I headed by bike into the forest that begins just down our street.

Of course, we spotted loads of nettles, and I (necessary supplies in tow again) had to stop for more. This patch wasn't as fresh-looking--I can afford to be picky--but I still snagged enough for two nice cups of tea that evening. The Husband is usually willing to try my foraged concoctions as long as he feels certain I'm not trying to poison him; The Boy, who needed the tea due to a cough, is a tougher sell. After repeated urging, though, I think he drank most of his. He hadn't keeled over from the potato and nettle soup I'd served the night before...

For a fantastic array of info on using nettles, go here.

Sunday Afternoon in Luxembourg

2011-09-13T14:42:00.000+02:00

photo credits 2, 4: The Boy

Borage Aplenty

2011-09-08T14:45:00.000+02:00

Before moving to Germany, I knew next to nothing about the herb borage. Even after moving into our house and finding a bunch of furry, blue-flowered plants out back, The Husband and I didn't know what they were (nor, oddly, did our garden-happy neighbor, who is older and has lived in this area all her life--turns out she's more of a Flower Person). After asking another German friend, we learned that our plants were, in fact, the edible herb borage. I really wasn't sure how to use them, especially since the leaves and stems are fairly spiky, so I didn't bother with them for a long time.

Though we got rid of most of what we had while putting in two raised beds, a couple of the plants came back heartily this summer (apparently they pretty much grow like weeds in our area and are sometimes used in a well-known Frankfurter "green sauce" eaten with potatoes at certain times). I decided it was time to learn more about this free food growing next to our strawberries and tomatoes. According to some of my research, borage is a good anti-anxiety/stress, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diarrheal herb that can also help with hormone regulation, fevers, skin ailments, and coughs. Flavor is cucumber-like, and in fact, borage is often paired with cucumbers in recipes.

We've started using the leaves to make tea--a good way to avoid/diminish the spikiness of the leaves. To infuse, pour a cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup bruised fresh leaves. Steep five minutes. The flowers can also be used in teas or in drinks or atop salads or desserts. Since our own plants aren't supplying us with as many leaves as we've been wanting lately, we did a bit of--um, foraging during our bike ride the other day. Don't worry, our neighbor has plenty to spare!

Here's a good link about using borage, and here's another one, with recipes.

By Bike in September

2011-09-06T11:13:00.000+02:00

Ah, yes--we are indeed back in Germany now. School has begun, and we're starting to settle back into a routine. The weather was beautiful here for much of the weekend, so we decided to take a bike ride en famille (minus The Girl, who was in Paris with a friend's family). There are some great paved walking and biking trails in our village, beginning behind our house and just down the street. This is one we've walked many times in the past two years, but for several reasons, we hadn't biked there yet.

Here's The Husband, atop my persimmon-colored Japanese cruiser. His much-used-in-past-years, fancy American mountain bike is pretty much out of commission--one reason we hadn't been riding together. He thinks he wants his own cruiser now--too bad we didn't buy him one while we were still in Japan, where this kind of bike is ubiquitous (and cheaper than here).

photo credit: The Boy

Our neighbor owns a large patch alongside the path, where he grows all manner of flowers, herbs, and veggies. Outside his home and throughout this space, he proves that he's truly a master gardener.

A short ride through the woods dead-ends into this open field, overlooking a neighboring village.

On the way back home, The Boy couldn't resist snapping a photo of one of The Ladies, who posed obligingly. Lovely!

Flea Market Fail

2011-08-05T03:21:00.001+02:00

So, to explain my absence for the past month and a half: several days following my previous post, I headed across the pond with the fam for our annual visit to see family and friends. Every year at this time, I tell myself that I'll post at least once a week, but sadly, that never seems to happen. This year, I don't have that great of an excuse, as we haven't done as much traveling to several states as we normally do. However, I simply haven't been taking photos or doing anything terribly blog-worthy (watching back-to-back episodes of "The Millionaire Matchmaker" and making Sonic runs for Cherry Lime-Ades don't count, do they?). So I'm retro-ing it a bit with this previously-promised Fail account. Here goes...

A couple of months ago in Germany, The Husband and I had a free Saturday (The Girl away managing girls' soccer and The Boy without a baseball game). It just so happened to be the right Saturday of the month to head down to the Homburg Flea Market, a favorite haunt of my blog- and books-buddy Eurolush. It's just far enough away from our town for us not to have visited already, but this seemed like the perfect day.

The town of Homburg is really overtaken by this monthly market, which is really, really huge. We had difficulty finding a place to park, and in fact, our chosen spot resulted in the gift of a little white ticket on our windshield at the end of the day. Yeah, that should give you some idea of how the day went. Here is another clue:

Do you ever see something so very ugly that you go, okay--how could anyone want to buy that? Well, we found plenty of those kinds of things at Homburg. Here is another plum specimen:

Can you believe we didn't buy this? Me neither! But to be fair, there was lots of cool stuff, especially some great French enamelware in several stalls. It was hard to resist, but alas, it was pretty pricey. After several hours of browsing and enjoying the sunshine and a brat or two, we almost left Homburg empty-handed, but at the very last stall I visited, I found this:

No, not the sweetie dog, silly, we already had him--the photo! It's an old photograph of a German boys' school--maybe just one class, I'm not sure--and their stern, bespectacled schoolmaster. I found it charming, and it cost me all of one euro. I fixed the frame a bit, and up this went in our living room. It's simple, and I like it. Maybe I'll do a bit better the next time we venture to Homburg, though, and here's hoping it'll be a ticket-free trip.

Savon de Marseille

2011-06-15T13:29:00.000+02:00

I know. I've been away from here for a couple of weeks, and now I'm back with a post about--soap. Not just any soap, though; it's savon from the famous perfume town of Grasse, where we took an excursion on one of our spring break days in Southern France. Notice this soap; it's pastis-scented! What's not to love? I picked up a couple more at the shop, too--in "olive" and "cedre" scents. I got a little overwhelmed by the many choices available on the rack in the front of the shop, but I settled on three that really say "Provence" (and "Riviera") to me. They're from L'Eau de Cassis, and they're delightful.

In non-soapy news, I didn't quite make it into the Top 25 Expat Mom Blogs, but I came pretty close (41st?). Thanks to those of you who voted! It's an honor just to be nominated.

Field Trip Fail: Vianden

2011-05-29T20:38:00.000+02:00

First of all, I do apologize for not being around here the past two weeks. I had at least four posts in mind (I know--wow!), but unfortunate circumstances (I hate unfortunate circumstances!) kept me from posting anything at all. The Husband had a nasty virus, and then his back went out, and I have been playing nursemaid in a serious way for the past week and a half. He's getting better, but it's slow going. Very slow.

The day before he came home sick, he'd decided to take a day off, and he and I took off in his Mini Cooper for a late-morning journey to Vianden, Luxembourg, an adorable town just over half an hour from our house. We had no purpose in mind for this visit (his third and my fifth, I think)--just a walk through town, some photo ops, good views of the famous reconstructed castle (not pictured--ahem), and some lunch.

It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot. Perfect short-sleeves weather, really. And as you might ascertain from what I've said so far, the town is pretty darned photogenic.

So I know what you're thinking as you read this. "Is that all? Where are the rest of the photos--the GOOD ones?" I hear you asking. Normally I do a bit better than this, right?

I am sorry to say that after something like five years, apparently I still cannot properly operate a Nikon D80. I expect it to take perfect, postcard-worthy pics every time, but occasionally, it fails me (or more likely, I fail it). Either way, almost every photo I took that day was quite literally a wash-out. I thought I'd be sneaky and post some photos I took in the town last August, but alas, I can't find them anywhere (lame).

Evidently sometimes this is the best a gal photographer-poseur can do:

I know--sad. And hey--I'll be back with another Fail story soon; I've got plenty of 'em!

**In other (non-fail) news, the editors at Circle of Moms kindly nominated Fairytale Hausfrau for inclusion in their upcoming list of the 25 Best Expat Mom Blogs. I appreciate the shout-out, lots! Now, if you like FH and would be so kind, you can hop over to the Circle of Moms link in my left sidebar at the top, then when you're there, scroll down and clicky-click on the "thumbs-up" to vote for my blog. I doubt I'll make the cut, but at least you can help keep me from looking so pitiful! And--you can vote every day until June 6, if you're so ridiculously inclined. Thanks bunches for your charity--mwah!

April and May in the Garden

2011-05-11T15:53:00.000+02:00

photo credits 1, 2, 8: The Girl

It's been astoundingly beautiful and sunny in the German countryside. That's why I chose to take some garden photos in full sun--to show you what it's looked like for the past month or so. It's rare to have so much sunshine here, so I've been trying to take advantage by being outside as much as possible: watering and checking on all of our plants, going for long walks, and watching lots of baseball and soccer. The lack of rain hasn't been so great for the farmers, unfortunately. We finally had a thunderstorm last night, which cut short The Boy's baseball game and made us all go running for cover. It didn't last long, but at least the fields got a welcome drink.

French Countryside Holiday: Miscellany

2011-05-10T16:50:00.000+02:00

out and about in Fayence, Mons, Draguinan, Antibes, Grasse...

Hovis Soft White

2011-05-04T11:19:00.000+02:00

I'm taking a break from sharing France photos to give you a glimpse of this hilarious British advert, which I found via The Blue Hour, via 10 Engines. I love so much about this, especially how the race participants drink cuppas rather than water along the way. I got some additional laughs just thinking about how it would be if the German rapeseed farmers around these parts had a race: all participants dressed in black, wearing glasses, and grabbing Bitburger beers en route.

French Countryside Holiday: Seillans

2011-05-03T15:19:00.000+02:00

scenes from our medieval village home for five days in April...

French Countryside Holiday: Our Hotel

2011-04-28T15:52:00.000+02:00

photo credits 2, 3, 5, 6: The Girl

Hotel des Deux Rocs, Seillans: antique-filled, surprisingly spotless, quirky, dog-friendly (witness the resident attack-hound, Biscuit), well-priced, completely charming--feels like the maison of an eccentric French aunt and uncle. Our home for five delightful days.

French Countryside Holiday: Day 1

2011-04-26T15:53:00.000+02:00

The lovely town of Beaune, steeped as it is in wine and mustard, proved a delightful stop for several hours. We were spending the night outside nearby Dijon, just over four hours away from home, en route to our holiday destination in the high country of the Riviera. Our time in Beaune was a pleasant, unintended bit of serendipity along the way.

Modern Vintage Style

2011-04-05T15:42:00.000+02:00

I have a new design book to love (sorry about the fuzzy photo--I'm too lazy to take another one). It's the latest offering by Emily Chalmers, the woman behind two other favorites of mine, Table Inspirations and Flea Market Style. Have I mentioned that I made a pilgrimage just over a year ago to her London shop, Caravan, only to find it closed for the winter holidays? Oh, the disappointment!

I'm such a fan of the eccentric, hodge-podge interiors that catch her eye. Did you read that recent article about the "trend" of undecorating? To me, the lived-in creative world of Emily Chalmers exemplified this kind of style way before it had a name.

It's a look that's quirky and deeply personal. I love that Chalmers encourages us to "clash fabrics." Isn't that fantastic?

She also wants us to "bring back crochet" and "create clusters." Pile on the color and texture, and please do mix vintage items with modern ones. Yay!

all photography by Debi Treloar

The last photo? That's Nathalie Lété's bedroom! I'm so not surprised it appealed to me.

So, yeah--this is a lovely book that exceeded my expectations. Maybe you'll like it, too!

Yakimo

2011-03-31T13:38:00.000+02:00

You must see this creative, delightful video put together by Isabelle and shared on one of my favorite blogs, Hello Sandwich. In a very short amount of time, it somehow manages to say something quite meaningful about the people, food, and culture of Japan. The "yakimo" soundtrack is a recording of a yaki-imo man--that's the guy who goes street by street selling the most fantastic roasted Japanese sweet potatoes. These guys and their little trucks (I suppose there may be some who still go around on foot with a cart) can be found rolling through neighborhoods all across Japan, mostly during the colder months of the year. The sound of the yaki-imo truck is a happy memory for my family.

By the way, I'm sorry I haven't blogged lately; I just have been a bit lacking in inspiration. I do plan to be back next week with a couple of book and magazine posts (even possibly a Magpie), and then my family be on spring holiday for a week. After that, I should have some beautiful photos of the French Riviera to share with you! Can't wait!

3191 Love

2011-03-17T15:33:00.000+01:00

Are you a 3191 fan, too? I'm not sure why it took me so long to notice that Maria and Stephanie had started a little quarterly print publication. It's reminiscent of their blog and their book--and every bit as lovely as both. You know how you feel when you look at their photos--the way very simple, everyday things in life seem to attain a new but rightful level of importance? It's the same with the publication, which is not quite a zine, book, or magazine, but something delightfully (and simply) different. There are recipes, projects, stories, and--of course--photos. Somehow--again, with the simplicity--after you read it and look at the inspiring photos, you feel enriched, but not overwhelmed; you think, "Hey, I can do this! I can bake this bread, dye a scarf, and find beauty in concrete." Don't we all need to feel this way?

Trust me, each issue is a gift. I can't wait for the next one. They're all keepers.

By the way, I've been really sad all week about Japan and just haven't felt much like blogging. Thankfully, all our friends there are okay, as are other military and civilians on U.S. bases in Japan. I'll be participating in Friday's Day of Silence for bloggers. You should check it out:

Please click here to join in or to donate via Shelterbox. Arigatou gozaimasu.

Morning Light

2011-03-10T15:40:00.000+01:00

The Husband took this just down the street from our house, before buying eggs and jam from a neighborhood family farm. It was the beginning of a beautiful Saturday.

Magazine Love: Book Decor

2011-03-04T14:05:00.000+01:00

Books in any form just make me happy. I surround myself with them, so it makes sense that I'd love every one of these decorating ideas from Living & More's Country-Träume wohnen. I'd especially like to do a lampshade like the one in the top photo.

I had a couple more posts in the works this week but didn't quite finish them. Ah, well--there's next week! Happy Friday!

Funky Town

2011-02-28T14:11:00.000+01:00

Need a hit of Fairytale color? Enjoy these photos from German magazine We Love Living, 9-2010 (last issue of the year).

This is the home of Birgitte Møller Nielsen, in Denmark. I think Birgitte is a stylist for Rice, which makes perfect sense when you see her style.

A bright orange wall! It works beautifully here, don't you think?

What a great room. I love the wall display, the lamp, and all the green on the couch. I appreciate Scandinavian design most when it's this full of fun color and texture.

If you like We Love Living, you'll enjoy this post by Frau Haselmayer and this one by Holly of Decor8.

Vater und Sohn

2011-02-23T16:25:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday, our family took a day trip to Köln, over two hours away. Who knew that a 9-a.m. train would be filled to the brim with a group of near-drunk FC-Köln soccer hooligans en route to a local match? They were loud but actually fairly harmless, if a bit wobbly and smelly (puffing away in the non-smoking cars). We just kept saying, "This would SO never happen in Japan!" It was all a bit much for 9 a.m. The Girl, who somehow knew ("Called it!") that the tipsy group would break out in enthusiastic song/chant at some point, whipped out her Flip a few times to try to get some of the craziness captured on camera.

When we finally arrived and came out of the main train station to breathe fresh air right next to the beautiful Dom, it was really, really cold. We darted right back inside the large station and agreed on the pending importance of a warm heating vent and something to eat.

Sufficiently fed and warmed somewhat, we headed back outside. I'd hoped to get some good photos around the Dom area, but wouldn't you know it? The Boy's camera, which I'd brought along due to its portability, lost its charge almost immediately. The Boy was able to get this photo inside the cathedral, though.

I think it's nice, and all, but I really wanted more than one photo to document our day. I even pouted a little in the cathedral. Coffee and crepes in a nearby café muted my disappointment slightly. Then we decided to visit Museum Ludwig, thought to be one of the best collections of modern art in all of Europe. We were very, very impressed with this museum, and we stayed so long that we didn't have time to do much else before getting on a return train (Chocolate Museum, we'll see you another time!).

Anyway, the museum has a wonderful bookstore/gift shop, which I couldn't resist exploring briefly. As is often the case, my eye fell almost immediately on the delightful, if small, children's book section. It was there that I stumbled upon the little world of Vater und Sohn.

e. o. plauen's adorable 1930s wordless cartoons are about--yes, a father and son. The two of them have the sweetest little adventures at home and outdoors. I found them very endearing, so I couldn't resist a small yellow book of Vater und Sohn comics, for just over three euros.

Aren't they charming?

We'll hopefully visit Köln again soon. Next time we go, we'll check the FC-Köln schedule...

Eat Pray Love

2011-02-16T15:12:00.000+01:00

Have you seen this movie? If so, did you hate it? Apparently lots of people did, if the many reviews I read online are any indication.

I must confess that I don't quite understand all the vitriol. Sure, it's a movie about an upper-middle-class American woman who just isn't satisfied with her marriage and the way her life is going--and it appears that plenty of viewers don't exactly get what Elizabeth Gilbert (or her character, in the movie) found so terrible about her seemingly-charmed life. Yeah, yeah--okay.

Sure, the plot isn't fully developed, it can be hard to understand Elizabeth's motivation at times, and you'll note some Hollywood-ish inconsistencies if you've already read the book (I have, though it was quite a while back, just after it was published).

But it really wasn't that bad. And man, oh man--this is a pretty movie. I liked it primarily because I couldn't stop ogling all the Italian, Indian, and Balinese architecture, interiors, food, and clothing. To me, Eat Pray Love was more of a (lengthy) video decor and travel magazine than a plot-driven movie. Is there anything so wrong with that?

Compai Style

2011-02-03T13:57:00.000+01:00

photo by Carla Richmond

I think I'm in love with this bedroom styled for Valentine's Day by Caitlin Levin and Justina Blakeney, who, along with her sister Faith, owns and operates a design studio/consultancy called Compai. I can't believe it's taken me this long to find the Compai blog, but I'm so glad I did. Check it out if you like colorful, boho, sustainable style. And be sure to have a look at Justina's Jungalow, decorated on a budget of only $700!

Go Away I'm Reading

2011-02-01T16:56:00.000+01:00

I could spend so much money at U.K.-based The Literary Gift Company. Thankfully (or not, depending on your bank account), they ship to the European Continent as well as to the U.S.

Did You Read...?

2011-01-28T08:37:00.000+01:00

Ah, Portlandia: this is pure genius. These are my people. The Hubs and I lived in Oregon (though not in ~~Utopia~~ Portland--couldn't afford it!) for a while back in the 90s. Yep.

Thanks to blog pal Eurolush for the find! I can't wait to watch episodes in their entirety.

The Mysterious Genius of Vivian Maier

2011-01-27T17:14:00.000+01:00

Do you know yet about Vivian Maier? I hadn't heard of her until a couple of weeks ago, but now I'm completely taken by her art and her story. Vivian Maier (1926-2009) was a "street photographer" who, as a hobby, took thousands of photos that she tucked away in obscurity for many years while she earned a living as a nanny and caregiver. Why would anyone take so many stunning, evocative photos and not want to share at least some of them with the world? The answer to this query remains mostly unknown.

Thankfully, John Maloof discovered her work by accident at a Chicago auction, and he, along with Jeff Goldstein and others, are now giving this enigmatic photographer her artistic due. Maier's unusual and eccentric life story--what we know of it--only enhances the mystery surrounding her work. The fact that she began living in Chicago in the 1950s, around the time my mother and her parents moved away from Chicago's South Side to New Orleans, makes Maier's urban artistry that much more interesting to me.

I hope you'll enjoy and appreciate the raw beauty that is apparent in her long-lost photographs.

Our 23 Minutes of Fame

2011-01-12T13:40:00.000+01:00

Untitled from Andrew Brewer on Vimeo.

Um, so--Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, right? I apologize for my lengthy, semi-intentional absence from blogging over the extended holiday season. Frankly, I got a bit lazy and distracted prior to Christmas. I really did mean to post some pictures from a couple of local Christmas markets, but--well, I just didn't. We didn't make it to as many markets as we'd have liked, anyway, due to the crazy weather (almost a month of snow accumulation--at long last, it has finally melted!). Thankfully we hadn't planned a trip over the holidays.

There was also this small thing, of Husband's back locking up and his spending a week and a half in a local German hospital. Fun times. He's okay now, slowly recuperating and now back at work. Here's a photo of our view from the eleventh floor on New Year's Eve. That's one we'll remember.

Amidst all of the holiday hullaballoo, I forgot to let you all know that our HGTV House Hunters International episode (I mentioned it a while back) aired on January 1! Of course, we weren't able to watch it as it aired in the States, but we've seen it now, thanks to a cousin of mine.

In case you watch the video, I feel the need to say that while we are every bit as goofy in real life as we were on TV, we aren't quite as dumb. We knew beforehand that German homes usually don't have built-in closets and that (built-in) kitchens aren't often "included." We also knew that German restaurants typically have German menus. Hey, it's all about maximum entertainment value, people! I'll put it this way: there's a whole lotta' acting involved.

Don't hate us 'cause we're famous.

Forlorn

2010-12-14T09:47:00.002+01:00

Thursday, nine a.m.: snow, snow--everywhere! There must have been five (fifteen?) inches, and it was still coming down, pretty hard. He squinted. Perhaps his ten-year-old eyes were deceiving him--or it could be the fever--but wasn't that William at the end of the road? Evan opened the window and stuck his head out, just a little (but enough to make his mother very unhappy, should she pick this moment to slink into his room with a bowl of steaming oatmeal atop a bed tray).

Ah, yes--it was, in fact, his rotund nemesis who was plodding his way down their street, dragging his expensive, bragged-about sled behind him. The tracks he made looked like those of some giant, inelegant slug-like creature. His puffer jacket and thrice-wrapped scarf only added to the bulbous effect. Evan briefly pondered shouting some pre-adolescent insult, then reconsidered (again, Mom). Anyway, he needed to shut the window. Brrrrr!

Evan made his way back to bed and flopped under the covers. He thought of his own sled, that marvelous old hunk of an heirloom presented to him with grave pomp by his father, around this time last year ("Son, I think you're old enough to appreciate this now.") It must be waiting, forlorn, in a corner of the mudroom; surely it itched to get out and skim across the snow just as much as its young owner.

Ah, well. After breakfast and maybe a cup of hot chocolate, he'd nap and make himself dream of a monster powder-coated hill and an easy race victory over a certain evil slug. No fair being sick on a snow day, no fair at all. That was all there was to it.

This is my latest bit of microfiction for Willow's Magpie Tales.

Let's Bring Back

2010-12-02T09:25:00.000+01:00

Smart, stylish New Yorker Lesley M. M. Blume, woman-about-town and author of a handful of quirky children's books, is my new hero(ine).

Have you read her delightful compendium Let's Bring Back? If not, I'm afraid I must insist that you buy it immediately. I don't just love this book, I want to live in it! I would eat it if I could, alongside some cold berry soup and original-recipe Girl Scout Cookies. Mmmmmm....

Chanel No. 5, Audrey, Istanbul

2010-12-01T11:45:00.000+01:00

This commercial, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, has been out for quite some time, but I just love it and had to share it here. Of course Audrey Tautou is fabulous and Chanel No. 5 is a classic, but there's also just something about the luxe feel of this little film that is so mesmerizing. It's fueling my wanderlust and definitely increasing my desire to visit Istanbul, in particular. Maybe next year?

For more glitzy escapism starring Audrey Tautou, see Priceless, which was recommended by Valerie. Fun!

Kodomo no Kuni

2010-11-18T16:34:00.000+01:00

The Fireplace, 1932, by Takei Takeo

Isn't this lovely? It's from a great archive of illustrations from a forward-thinking Japanese children's magazine called Kodomo no Kuni, which was published from the 1920s through the 1940s. Takei Takeo was one of the magazine's illustrators.

Here are a couple more by Takei:

Millet Straw Crafts, 1925

Origami, 1927

The magazine was full of pictures, stories, children's songs, dances, plays, and handicraft ideas for children. Editorial advisor Kurahashi Sozo, leading authority on children's education, believed strongly in the role of art in the pursuit of the ideal way of life. How can you not love that?

Thanks to Le Divan Fumoir Bohémien for the link to the Kodomo no Kuni site (I can't wait to check out more of her fascinating links!).

Taken

2010-11-16T12:34:00.002+01:00

His father had always called him impulsive, and without knowing it, the old man would be proven right yet again. Dan knew this necklace should belong to his mother; it was rightfully hers just like all those other symbols of his father's misplaced affection for Stepmother One, Stepmother Two, and now, Stepmother Three.

So many dollars, euro, and yen had been wasted on conniving women half his father's age. Much had been taken, but the discarded wives hadn't left with all their jewels; Dan had quietly seen to that. It was almost a shame that he'd become so good at theft, since he certainly didn't need the money.

Three had called Dan to brag drunkenly about the honeymoon in Venice, and it was likely she'd forget that she'd made the call. Well, Dan should have known his father would choose the villa. After Three had dropped her phone and the connection, Dan had made his own call, for a First Class ticket the following afternoon.

Impulsive, yes, but Dan could be patient as well. He'd waited until he'd seen them tuck themselves into the silver convertible and back out of the garage. Then, worming his way into the villa had been too easy--not much of challenge at all.

Now Dan stood in the sun by the bureau, briefly considering his fate as the second son of a wealthy but stereotypically cruel financier. Views of the Grand Canal were all well and good, but at what price? What had been taken from Dan and his mother was great, and his frequent thefts were really only a small way to take something back. Things were suspected but never proven; stepmothers fretted and complained.

Dan worked the seed pearls with his fingers, rubbed with his thumb the form of a monkey wrought in gold. Then he let the necklace dangle, almost drop from his grasp, but he wouldn't let go. Gripped tightly again, the necklace was shoved into Dan's pocket as he turned toward the door.

I wrote this for Willow's Magpie 40.

Mr. Bangs

2010-11-09T12:31:00.000+01:00

She'd never liked the nameless resident female poultry in Gran's back yard. But there was something about Mr. Bangs, the rooster, the Big Daddy, that really made her crazy. Sure, the crowing at dawn (roosters have no concept of Summer Vacation) was enough to make any eighth-grade city girl despair, but it wasn't just that.

It was the way he'd look at her when she entered his domain, that dry, cooped corner, literally crawling with perfect food for a demanding rooster--and the ladies, when Mr. Bangs deemed them worthy. Oh, he'd stand stock-still, his head cocked slightly to one side, in a silent face-off, that beady left eye catching the light. It was an unspoken but quite apparent dare: "Go ahead, Sweetheart, just try taking one more step toward My Brood!"

She'd try reasoning with him, alerting him to the fact that the people, those beings living in that big coop over there, were the ones ultimately in charge. There were weapons, stew pots, and coyotes in neighboring states. But no, Mr. Bangs cared nothing for logic. Well, forget it; too much stood--again, literally--between her and those eggs. She'd go get Gran one more time and resign herself to trying another day. A second summer of admitting defeat just wouldn't do, but for now, Mr. Bangs and his reign of terror would continue.

This is for Magpie 39. As always, thanks, Willow!

Lovely Autumn

2010-11-08T12:17:00.000+01:00

I recently took part in an autumn-themed swap put together by Relyn. Would you believe she went to the painstaking trouble of pairing people according to certain criteria? Relyn is amazing!

She paired me with Jaime, a wonderful photographer, writer, and piano teacher from British Columbia. Just look at the wonderful things Jaime sent me! I can tell that she really took time to get to know me and my interests. I just love the Asian wind chime and the interesting tea blends. The book, a favorite of Jaime's, looks fascinating, and I do love her heart-shaped rock photo. How sweet! Oh, and it's chilly today, so I'm wearing the cozy socks right now...

Thank you, Relyn, for a new friend--and thank you, Jaime, for such heartfelt and beautiful gifts!

Fractured

2010-10-28T18:46:00.000+02:00

Whisperings in winter:

tales of memory and loss

chiseled in stone--

everywhere, the fallen.

Quietly lingering

amidst discarded wishes

and dreams of rebirth:

a lone figure

somehow summoning healing

in the passing shadows.

A scent of moss and ashes:

drifting, earthy,

leaves crackling underfoot,

trampled like so many forgotten hopes.

One too young, found:

lying grey,

cold, exposed--

not cracked,

but split quite in two,

awaiting eternal repair.

trying my hand at some pre-Halloween poetry for Magpie 38.

Eccentric in Opinion

2010-10-25T14:52:00.000+02:00

Thanks to sentense.me for posting this, Little Augury for sharing it, and Bertrand Russell for saying it. Here's a book by Bertrand Russell that I plan to buy soon:

Happy Monday!

Strasbourg

2010-10-21T16:31:00.000+02:00

The Girl gets credit for all but two of these. My favorite is #6.

Eccentric Paris

2010-10-19T15:30:00.000+02:00

Just a bit of fun and frolic...

Paris in August

2010-10-15T15:35:00.000+02:00

Fallish Things

2010-10-14T13:15:00.000+02:00

ever-so-cozy, via Toast catalogue

Forest Tearoom, by Anna Emilia

I'm looking at these glass jars and thinking of canning--also wishing my pantry looked like this...

*But can anyone alert me as to the origin of this photo?

adorable autumn jacket from Gudrun Sjödén

Monday in the Woods

2010-10-13T12:26:00.000+02:00

No work, no school--instead, this walk, less than five minutes from our house:

It was a beautiful day in western Germany...

Autumn Haus

2010-10-08T19:01:00.001+02:00

I peeled and sliced over fifty apples yesterday. Yeah, that's what I said. Mmmmm, applesauce...

In Bruges

2010-10-07T10:28:00.000+02:00

We had a lovely couple of days here in August, despite the chilly rain that fell off and on. My favorite shopping stop was Netherlands-based Dille & Kamille (loads of homekeeping goodness!), and we had two wonderful meals at tucked-away Koets, in a remodeled carriage house just down the street from our hotel.

Oh, and we celebrated a certain very special boy's twelfth birthday here...

Apples Threaten Takeover

2010-10-04T20:56:00.000+02:00

I've been picking up quite a few of these guys on a daily basis for the past few weeks. At first, I'd retrieve six or seven keepers and maybe twenty for the compost, but now that many apples are ripe, I'm getting perhaps thirty of each. We have no idea of the variety of apple, but the tree is a nice old one, in our large side yard. Our neighbor told us that these apples are "not for keeping very long." Some of his, apparently, are. I saw him out on a ladder doing some harvesting of his own this morning. Let me tell you, there are many kinds of apples growing in these here parts. It's great!

The ones from these trees, behind our house but unfortunately not on our property, are used mostly for schnaps, we've been told. Any opportunity to turn something semi-edible into alcohol is much-appreciated and admired in small-town Germany. Hey, we live in the hometown of the famous, national-football-team-sponsoring Bitburger Beer, after all. Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with our imperfect but organic apples, which seem to be somewhat sweet. So far, I've made pie, crumbles, something like a cobbler, and lots of apple bread, from a wonderful recipe in the lovely Apples for Jam. But now I'm getting so many (I just picked up 35 more), I'm really going to have to do some canning, and soon. I'm more than slightly a canning novice, so it should be interesting; wish me luck.

Every time I head outside to pick up apples in the yard, this guy follows me out the door--but he's not so interested in the apples. He's always, always ready to play: he fancies himself something of a star soccer player because he knows how to punch the ball. He's a bit obsessed with any kind of ball he sees, really. Mind you, a soccer ball, even the small one pictured here, is much too large for Yoshi to hold in his mouth, so he mostly barks it into submission. All the neighbors love us, I'm sure.

Nathalie Lété, Again

2010-09-27T13:41:00.001+02:00

You may recall how much I love the artwork and home decor of artist Nathalie Lété. Well, it seems she has lots going on right now, including a collection for France's Monoprix.

It just so happens that I recently broke down and finally bought the lovely Paumes book A to Z de Nathalie Lété (hmmm, can't find it on their site now), which I'd been eyeing for quite some time. It's lovely, as I knew it would be. Here are some images I want to share with you (click for more detail):

In case you're wondering where you can buy some Nathalie Lété-designed products, visit Anthropologie (those plates--I'll take one of each, thanks!) or Lapin & Me.

The Best in Bohemian, Lived-in Style

2010-09-23T14:03:00.001+02:00

I think this may well be my favorite home tour by The Selby so far: the Harlem home of Albert Maysles (of original Grey Gardens fame) and his wife, therapist Gillian Walker. It's the real thing: unstudied and not "decorated"; radiating with life; and full of color and beautiful, meaningful items that have obviously been lovingly collected and curated over a number of years. Of course, I especially love all the books and the not-just-for-show kitchen. When The Husband and I get to this age, I can only hope our house will look half this cool. Head on over for a look (be sure to read Gillian's views on Maximalism) and then come back to let me know if you love it as much as I do!

Amsterdam Gardens

2010-09-20T15:25:00.000+02:00

Another Day, Another Abbey

2010-09-14T12:33:00.000+02:00

She knew what he was thinking. The gravel was a temptation, for sure.

"If you throw one of those and it hits that window, that nun is going to get you!"

"How did you know...? No, she won't! She'd have to catch me first!" His heels scooted back and forth in the pebbles, making a pleasing grinding sound. It was something to do; after all, there was nothing else. These abbey visits were dead boring.

"Let's run, then!" Movement was often on his mind, especially as he spent far too much time sitting stock still on these holiday trips.

"You know Mum and Dad said to sit quietly and wait for them here. I'm not letting you get me in trouble again today!" Ah, the joys of being an older sister.

"But my bum hurts! And they've been in that gift shop for a hundred years! I think Mum has enough herb tea already, don't you? Why does she always want to buy what the nuns make?"

"Because nuns are good at that stuff. Hey! You better come back here! Stop running or I'll tackle you! Or I'll get that nun. Don't make me get that nun after you! Don't make me, James!"

This is for Willow's Magpie Tales 31.

Amsterdam in August

2010-09-10T16:39:00.000+02:00

We visited Amsterdam for four days in August while my mother-in-law was here. It had been fifteen years since the Husband and I had been, so it was nice to go again and to take our family. I love bicycle cultures, but I must say I'd forgotten how aggressive the non-rule-following bikes can be in this city. You really do have to pay much more attention to the bikes than to cars. But maybe that's not a bad thing? Anyway, here's a handful of photos from our trip.

Most of these were taken in the peaceful Jordaan neighborhood, which we loved. Some parts of Amsterdam are so busy and crowded that it can be hard to slow down and take leisurely photos. Thankfully the Jordaan is very photogenic. More later...

Wandering Wednesday

2010-09-08T15:31:00.001+02:00

Here I stand (my little dog, too!), by the new raised planter box the Husband, the Girl, and the Boy put together recently in our back yard. We're slowly, slowly attempting to begin growing vegetables here for the first time since we moved to this house last year. Until recently, we'd made do with potted herbs, various ornamental plants in the front and back, and the big, mature apple tree we inherited (more on that soon!). In this small planter, you'll find some spent strawberry plants and some new pea, mixed-lettuce, rucola, and spinach babies. I'm very happy just to see these infants, as I've had precious little experience planting from seed.

In case you're wondering, this is my first time to play along with GardenMama's Wandering Wednesday, and I think it's a good time to think about what I'm wanting to accomplish here--by here, I mean in our home in this little tucked-away German village. Sometimes it's hard for us really to feel at home, since most everyone in the area either grows up here or comes here for a few years with the U.S. government/military. Of course, there are those who come and end up staying for years, even sometimes (like us) buying a house. I think I need to get to know more of these people, since in the depths of winter, I'm not sure I quite get the appeal of this place. But let's think about that later!

But anyway, I want to make the most of our rural location, and that includes al fresco dinners, countryside walks, fires in the fire pit on chilly nights, visits to local Christmas markets, and plenty of herbal concoctions and vegetable gardening. I've read a lot about gardening, you understand, but there are many things I've not had a chance to put into practice until now. So here we go...

Incidentally, along with GardenMama, I've just found (today!) several lovely blogs that are already giving me an education in and appreciation for rural living (often with crafting and homeschooling in the mix). I'm sure I'll be finding more...

The Magic Onions

Natural Suburbia

Rhythm of the Home

edited to add Plain and Joyful Living

Farmama

When House Hunters International Came to Call

2010-09-03T12:56:00.000+02:00

I have a fun surprise to share with you: my family is going to be featured on the HGTV show House Hunters International! I was contacted by a production assistant who saw my blog and encouraged our family to apply. Now, before you go thinking, "Wow! That's really cool!", let me just say that a person has to be something of a lunatic to agree to doing a show like this. I'll explain more, but first...

Here's our friendly crew for our one-day shoot in Texas in mid-July. For HHI, in case you aren't familiar with it, there is always a "before" shoot, to show where you lived before you embarked on the insane journey of buying a home overseas. We hadn't lived in Texas for seven years and our home there has been sold for a while, but we couldn't very well go back to our rented house in Japan for the "real before"--that would have been delightful but awfully impractical.

These guys taught us all about how to get miked up, how to answer to-be-edited-out questions from the director without making it seem like answering questions, and how to appear to be candid and fresh when doing a third take. It was terribly, terribly hot, so any real freshness was pretty much out of the question.

It was necessary to inject occasional moments of levity into what can be a long, tedious process. TV people work hard for their money! I should probably mention that we decided to do this shoot at my grandmother's house, where we stayed this summer but had never actually lived.

Oh, now here we are back in Germany in our house, with a simply lovely British crew. This was Day Two of our three-day shoot. Day One was spent out and about, looking at two other houses in the area with an agent, as if we were in the midst of choosing a house to buy.

Did you notice that there is no furniture in that photo with the crew? That's because they hired movers to move everything out of our entire house to make it look as if it wasn't ours yet. Oh, the acting we had to do! Thank goodness the Husband was in Advanced Drama in high school. I won't go too much into how ridiculous it feels to have most of your household goods moved into and around your garage and then all moved back in, on the same day. This kind of thing can be (was) a major promoter of mental instability in homeowners (us). This day was not fun at all.

Day Three was better, because we were total celebrities. To show what it's like to live here, we went out around town and ostentatiously took over a restaurant (got to eat a nice "typical German" meal on HHI's tab!), a bakery, an outdoor cafe area, several streets, and a walkway alongside a lake. Make way for the crazy Americans and Brits, everybody! That's right, go ahead and stare! And most of all, stay out of our way. No autographs, please.

Oops, this is back on Day Two, with our kitchen empty and our new friend, agent Gabi, waiting around with us for our next take. She was such a good sport and also a good actor.

Here's the last thing we did, at the end of Day Three when we were all dog-tired: we sat in the field behind our house and shared our thoughts (director-led, you understand) on buying our house and living in Germany. We had to lie a little so people who see the show won't want to go stick their heads in ovens immediately after watching.

And here we all are: our American (German-speaking) P.A. Chuck, director Katie, sound dude James, our family, and camera wrangler James. They were a fun bunch (we had a little too much fun at the end of Day Three) who helped make this whole thing almost bearable. Cheers!

Maybe you're wondering when the show will air; we are, too. They're telling us it will likely be next year, in the Spring. I guess it's a little late to be concerned about possibly looking like idiots on TV?

U2, and Summer's End

2010-09-02T13:49:00.002+02:00

I know, I know. You've probably been thinking I abandoned this blog. But no--for the past two months I've just had plenty of things to do--and people to see, like this guy:

Yep, it's Bono, fresh off his back surgery here in Germany! While my mother-in-law was visiting a few weeks ago, the Husband and I took the opportunity to head to Frankfurt for our first (not only, if we can help it) U2 concert. I can't say enough about how great it was. Incredible.

No, we didn't use a super-powerful zoom lens. We really were this close! But being on the floor next to the stage meant arriving very early and then standing and waiting for a long time--I'm talking hours. So what did we do to kill time before the concert began? We read the books we'd brought with us, of course! I geeked out on Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris and cared not in the slightest that reading a book at a concert might have seemed more than a bit strange to the sweaty, teeming throng sharing floor-space with us. I'm thinking book-freak Ms. Fadiman would be proud.

Yow! You know, I didn't think I would be so star-struck, but I totally was. Really. Jumping up and down with arms raised overhead, fists pumping, for the entire concert? Check! Singing along continually? Duh! Crying when it was over? Almost!

These guys really know how to put on an amazing show--just sayin.'

Coming up soon on this resuscitated blog: more excuses why I was gone for two months (Paris, Amsterdam, Texas, House Hunters International...).

Magazine Love: Gypsy Style

2010-06-26T05:04:00.000+02:00

I hesitate to say that something is "gypsy" style--it just somehow seems a bit "un-p.c."--but in this issue of the new German mag "We Love Living," that's the exact term used for this feature. I found this spread irresistible and right up my alley; I'd love to have an outdoor party like this. It's eccentric, boho, set in the country, and--apparently--based around gorgeous textiles and delicious food! Enjoy the photos (click to make them larger). Sorry that a couple of them are more than a bit blurry; I just noticed!

Go to www.asphalt-tango-shop.de for some real gypsy music. Now, are you ready for a party?

Magazine Love: Another Colorful Home

2010-06-21T10:44:00.000+02:00

So, you know about my little magazine obsession, right? Well, in preparation for our month-long summer trip to the States, we've been on a spending moratorium for the past few weeks. I bought three German magazines, anyway, reasoning that I hadn't bought any--not a single one, that I can remember--the month before. Makes sense, yes? Anyway, I couldn't resist this spread from Living & More, definitely one of my favorite mags here because of their obvious love of color and eclectic decor.

I can't say enough about Tine Jolander's home--what a fantastic mix! Click on the photos for more detail.

Honestly, what's not to love?

Back to our trip: we leave oh-so-early tomorrow morning and will be away for a month. Preparations for that much time away are always so much fun, you know? That's why I am sitting here blogging--so I can avoid packing suitcases and cleaning out the fridge. I do plan on posting a couple of times a week while I'm stateside. So, see you again soon!

My Style in One Picture

2010-06-17T11:29:00.002+02:00

AT8, originally uploaded by sammybee.

From the Right Bank has issued a challenge: show off your personal decorating style in one--just one!--photo. This isn't easy to do, but I decided to give it a try. I thought about sammybee's house right away, as I have several rooms from her home in my flickr favorites. Her kitchen is so wonderful to me: boho-eccentric, bright but dark, rustic and glam, layered and personal. Clearly it's a space that is loved and used. I think it's pretty great.

Through the Keyhole

2010-06-14T22:06:00.000+02:00

I'm joining Holistic Mama's Through the Keyhole ("real people, real homes") for the first time this week. This time the theme is a real-life view of our coffee tables and how we use them. This is ours, which is actually a Japanese kotatsu, or heater table. Japanese homes can be quite chilly and drafty in winter. Our Japanese house had large, single-paned windows and no insulation, so during the cold months (which thankfully weren't that many or all that cold in our part of Japan), we would sit on pillows on the floor under this table, which has a quilt that sandwiches between the top and the base (we remove it during warmer months). You sit under the quilt and turn on the heating element under the table. It's quite cozy.

Now that we're in Germany and have a woodstove right by the table, we don't really need the heater part, but it's still nice to sit under the quilt. We often eat dinner, Japanese-style, here, which is why there are place mats. It's also often a study center for my kids and the place where I have breakfast and get on my laptop every morning next to my trusty hund, Yoshi. Oh, and there's usually a stack of books atop; right now the titles are Gypset, Garden Anywhere, MaryJane's Outpost, and The Idle Parent. Our coffee table is a happenin' place, indeed.

Haus Vignettes

2010-06-10T14:52:00.000+02:00

I realized recently that I haven't posted very many photos from my haus. Here's a handful I took awhile back. They are somewhat Asia-centric, but that's because--well, much of what we own and love came from Asia, especially Japan.

Okay, enough for now. Have a lovely day!

New Mori Girl Mag

2010-06-05T14:12:00.000+02:00

This is a great new Japanese mook called Valon, which is all about the Mori Girl lifestyle. I was excited to find it on ebay. If you know and like Spoon, you'll like this. Click on the pics below for more detail.

You know how Mori Girls like baskets and clogs, right?

Kawaii!

Such adorable succulent mini-gardens--and check it: there are Mori Boys, too!

I love Japanese bikes. Crocheted mushrooms? Yes, please!

Lovely, fresh style...

Mori Girls are often musicians, like Yuki Hanai. And Mori Girl picnics are always fun...

Incidentally, if you know of any cute Mori Girl blogs, I'd love to hear about them!

Bernkastel

2010-05-20T14:55:00.000+02:00

See, I told you I'd post some Germany pics! These are from Bernkastel-Kues, an adorable, touristy town on the Mosel River, about 45 minutes from our house. It's a very popular place to be when the weather is nice or when it's September--wine-festival time. It's also quite nice in December.

We spent a lovely afternoon with my parents here two weekends ago. And yes, we did have some delicious crepes.

Paris: A Miscellany

2010-05-18T08:37:00.000+02:00

I've been meaning to post some more Paris photos, but the past week really got away from me. I am a creature of habit, and when I get out of my little routine, things just don't get done quite the way they should. But here's another handful of pics, taken mostly by me:

Peace! That's all from Paris until the next trip. Maybe soon I'll post some photos from Germany! I know, right?

Paris: Left Bank

2010-05-07T16:13:00.000+02:00

Sorry I've been remiss in posting more Paris photos recently; my parents are here from the States (very exciting--their first time to visit us in our almost seven years overseas!), and we've been busy this past week doing little driving tours of villages and towns in our area. But here's a handful of pics from the Left Bank, where I made my obligatory trip to the wonderfully-ramshackle Shakespeare and Company bookstore, seen in the first photo below:

Paris: Cimitiere de Montmartre

2010-04-27T13:52:00.000+02:00

I've always been fascinated by cemeteries, ever since my grand-dad started taking me to view the graves of dearly-departed relatives in central Texas back in the 70s. I used to wander through aisle after aisle, reading inscriptions and being morbidly interested in the stones of children and other people who left the earth too soon; I wondered how they might have died. Perhaps this was an odd thing for an (over)imaginative girl-child to do, but in the scorching heat of small-town-summer Texas, it was a good way to pass the time. Even at that age, I keenly observed the designs of the various headstones, and until my grandparents insisted that we leave and head for a coffee and ice cream break, I would search for the oldest and most weather-worn.

So you can imagine that I simply had to visit Cimitiere de Montmartre, especially since we stayed right across the street from it. There are quite a few famous people buried there, such as Truffaut, Berlioz, Degas, Delibes, Stendahl, Nijinsky, and Récamier, and we did spot some of their graves. But true to my old ways, I preferred just wandering and observing.

Paris: Clignancourt

2010-04-26T15:18:00.000+02:00

The St-Ouen neighborhood/suburb of Paris is not exactly beautiful--it's an immigrant area that feels rough around the edges--but our roundabout walk to the famous St-Ouen (Clignancourt) Marché aux Puces (flea market) had me stopping several times to take pictures of walls and doorways--yes, before we ever got to the market itself, which is huge.

Okay, now we've actually made it to the market. There was lots to see on this street--wish I could remember the name.

Some people just look so "French," you know? One of our favorite things for The Girl and me to do while in Paris was to pick out people who looked impossibly-French, maybe impossibly-Parisian, to us. Most of the people we selected were men, because somehow it seems easier to tell when a man is French. There's a definite je ne sais quoi factor here, so it's hard to explain.

Oh, hi! C'est moi--not French. That guy whose face you can half-see behind my head probably is, though.

This is Manuela, who has apparently been singing Edith Piaf standards at Chez Louisette, tucked away inside the market on rue des Rosiers, for years. We had poulets frites here. It is very loud and feels very "local." I heartily recommend it for a true Parisian experience.

Hey, it's another wall, and yes, we're back outside the market now! I'm not sure why I didn't get more photos of market stalls and shops, except that I was too busy taking it all in. Maybe next time!

Paris: Montmartre

2010-04-23T19:30:00.000+02:00

Just a few of our photos from a favorite neighborhood...

Either The Husband or The Girl took this one--beautiful!

pretty cool, n'est-ce pas?

wonderful little alleyway

Where "Amélie" worked--Café des Deux Moulins, on rue Lepic!

une carafe d'eau=tap water, a great way to save some euro in Paris

Fun Things from Paris

2010-04-20T23:26:00.000+02:00

We got back on Thursday from our five-day trip to Paris. Thankfully, we didn't fly (it's only a four-hour drive--well, make that five if you're actually braving driving into and out of the heart of Paris, as we did--not for the faint of heart or claustrophobic, mind you). Of course, we had a delightful time and ate waaaaaay too many croissants, crepes, and baguettes. But more on that another time. Right now I'm sharing a few things I picked up while we were there--just some items that are small and (fairly) inexpensive and which make me more than a little bit happy.

Yes, those are Nathalie Lété notebooks! One is a garden journal, and the other is for "idées folles" (crazy ideas). I couldn't pass up either one. One came from the largest shop in the Pompidou Museum--so much great stuff there--and that's also where I got the "carnet de collages" book. The other came from a little shop I loved in Montmartre, called Trait, which is also where I bought three rolls of washi tape. They sell the "carnet de collages" book (and others in that range), too.

Aren't these just the most adorable key chains? I found them at Les porte-clés, on rue des Rosiers in the Saint-Ouen (Clignancourt) flea market. There were so many porte-clés in that little place, I had a very hard time choosing--but the French cheeses won, and for only one euro apiece! And just down the way I found...

...these little vintage tins, in a stall run by Tombees du Camion. They also have a shop in Montmartre--I also visited that one, but I didn't buy anything there. So much cute vintage stuff, all displayed in lots, though you purchase most items individually. Nothing's cheap, but it's a stylist's dream.

Yep, I had to make the requisite stop at Ladurée. The macarons really are as tasty and beautiful as you've heard. Trying different flavors is a must, though I think I could be happy sticking with chocolat forever. And speaking of macarons, the lovely Katrina of Pugly Pixel, which has become one of my favorite blogs, is kindly offering an adorable set of free macaron digital clip art! I know, isn't she sweet?

I'd been wanting to go to a Kusmi shop, and we found one in the Marais. I'd actually never had Kusmi tea before, but I've been a fan of their packaging for quite a while. Now that we're back home, I'll be trying out the tea soon!

Paris in the Spring

2010-04-07T15:56:00.000+02:00

I've been to Paris twice, but the last time was fifteen years ago, when the Husband and I visited as part of a first-anniversary backpacking trip around Europe. It's high time we went again, don't you think?

We'll have our kids in tow this time, and we're excited to show them some of the sights we remember fondly. We'll stay for five days over spring break, and we'll be driving there, which will feel a bit strange. As you can see from my stack of Paris-related books and dvds, we'll be focusing on food, shops, art and design, and a couple of markets.

A few notes on the books: Taschen's Paris is a huge, hefty tome, full of gorgeous photos of lush places--many, but not all, of them out of our budget. It's a nice coffee table book that just makes you want to get to Paris, right away, whether you make it to many of the featured places, or not.

If you're a designer or stylist, Paris: Made by Hand is lovely, but it's also a nice guide to shops that can be appreciated by the casual crafter or design afficionada.

I've used the books of Rick Steves since my first time in Europe, way back in 1989, and Rick rarely disappoints. He's not a shopper, but he loves art, and his pithy museum tours are especially helpful.

At an OxFam shop in London, I picked up a cheap copy of StyleCity Paris, part of a British series on cities in Europe. The photos of hotels, shops, and restaurants are very enticing, indeed, and I like that they're arranged by neighborhood.

I'll be back again with more info on the other books in the photo, plus another one I have in my purse. Of course, many photos should be forthcoming, about a week and a half from now!

That Egg and I

2010-04-06T23:02:00.000+02:00

"I see you made it to the flea market, after all."

"What? Oh, the egg--yes. I found just the one I wanted," Ella called from the kitchen.

"Did you get anything else?"

"No, that's all I bought. I got a bit sidetracked, Amy. That egg and I, we kind of had an adventure." Ella set the tea tray down on the antique chest that she'd put to use recently as a coffee table.

"An adventure? Tell me more!" Amy reached for a cookie and bit into it, while Ella poured the tea.

"Well, just after I paid the woman at the booth for my egg, I kept on walking. It was getting a bit late, and many of the vendors were beginning to pack up. I stopped at one more table to drool over some French enamel things, but then I saw why most of them hadn't sold--they were asking way too much."

"Where does the adventure part come in?"

"Patience, Amy. I was about to leave the market when this guy came up to me--just stepped in front of me, out of the blue. He had this goofy smile on his face. He said, 'I know this will sound weird, but you look really familiar. Were you on an overnight train a few years ago going from Prague to Amsterdam?'

I just said,'Um, yeah, I was. Why?'

'I think we were in the same sleeping car. You were talking to your friend about this Russian egg you'd found in Prague, laughing about how you'd pretended to be French so the guy you bought it from wouldn't think you were a gullible American who would pay whatever he asked. I offered you a cigarette. You took it but didn't smoke it. Am I right?'

'I'm sure he could already tell by the look on my face that I was that girl. I recognized him then, remembered taking that cigarette from him but not wanting to smoke it in front of him, because I didn't smoke and didn't want to look stupid trying."

"Are you serious, Ella? You really pretended to be French so you could get a good deal on an egg?"

Ella laughed. "Sorry, but it's true. And to add to it, I even tried out being French again later in our Amsterdam hotel. I pretended to be a French girl visiting her two American friends at the hotel so I wouldn't have to pay to stay the night. But hey, I was out of money from buying that egg--and a few other things!"

"Wow. So back to the present--what happened with this guy?"

"He asked if I wanted to go somewhere for coffee. I did, and we ended up spending hours together, mostly walking. Somehow we managed to stop by his apartment, where he said he'd like to show me something. Yeah, I know! But guess what that 'something' was? An assortment of about twenty Russian eggs, similar to my two. He said he'd started collecting them after our encounter on the train. Before I found my egg this morning, he'd seen it and wanted it, but something told him not to buy it. You know, this may sound crazy, but I'm thinking our eggs could be very happy together."

This post is for Week 8 of Willow's Magpie Tales. A tiny portion of this brief tale is true.

Seven Things (You Didn't Need to Know) About Me

2010-03-31T14:42:00.001+02:00

Earlier I received the sweetest award from Carrie at carrotspeak. It's called the Beautiful Blogger Award, and when you receive it, you're supposed to tell seven things about yourself. Here are mine, which should probably be called Seven Things You Didn't Need to Know About Me:

I have a son who is my Mini-me, except he is much better at sports. He and I can argue for ages. The Husband doesn't get this at all.
I have a daughter who seems to take delight in diagnosing herself with all manner of ailments and conditions. Recently, she claims to be OCD, ADD, and just plain Weird. Wonder where she gets this? P.S. She is none of these things except probably the third.
I am something of a hypochondriac (see #2).
I have had long hair for many years, and it has made me dislike wind. I will never own a convertible.
I am a procrastinator of the first order. Why do today what you can put off until next year?
In health and environmental matters, I am very Crunchy. I nearly came to blows recently with a German doctor.
I'm a Word Person. I'm not that bad at math, but numbers just aren't my thing. I remember absolutely nothing from two semesters of college accounting except that there are these things called debits and credits. Never ask me to be treasurer of your club.

Okay, so my dog is standing still as a stone and staring at me from across the room. He doesn't normally do this, so I think I will investigate. But I will leave you with a photo of him, in all his cuteness, just because.

Yes, I know he needs a haircut. It's on my list (see #5).

Daffodil Disaster

2010-03-30T14:58:00.000+02:00

Welcome to Magpie Tales #7--I can't believe it's Tuesday already!

"I'm afraid there's been some kind of mix-up, Madam."

"How on earth could there be a "mix-up" in an entire field, Jasper?"

"I'm afraid I may have shopped in the bulk bins, Madam, in order to keep expenses down--what with the recent Financial Unpleasantness at the Manor, Madam."

"I thought you were told not to speak of the Unpleasantness, Jasper. Anyway, what gardener can't tell the difference between hyacinth and daffodil bulbs? That's what I'd like to know."

"It was an unfortunate, large-scale error on my part. But if I might say so, it should be remembered that I was trained as an accountant and financial analyst, Madam."

"You were aware, were you not, that the mere sight of yellow flowers of any type gives me migraine?"

"Yes, Madam. The daffodils must be most offensive to your sensibilities."

"I'll say! Well, don't just stand there! For heaven's sake, pull them all up! I tell you, you'd be out on your ear this minute if you weren't my brother!"

Fairytale Style: Mori Girls

2010-03-24T15:52:00.001+01:00

Even though I haven't been called a "girl" in years, I'm pretty sure I'm a Mori Girl. Mori Girls are girls (and women) who look like they live in the forest--or something like that (mori is the Japanese word for forest). The style of the Mori Girl--the term originated in Japan, where the trend is prevalent and understandably long-lasting--really goes much further, as you can see, and no one is wearing moss or making leaf vests.

Hello Sandwich led me to this description of what it means to be a Mori Girl. This excerpt says a lot:

Fashion wise, there is an affinity for floaty a-line dresses, an admiration of lace, puff sleeves, and retro prints, a fussiness over natural materials, and a preference for warm, earthy hues and deep traditional colors like navy, wine red, and forest green. Oft-spotted accessories include leather satchels, fur stoles, tights, round-toed shoes, pocket watches, and handmade jewelry.

More than meeting a fashion requirement, however, Mori Girls exude a certain aura of a dreamy slow life. Picture them strolling one of Tokyo’s few remaining bohemian neighborhoods, like Shimokitazawa or Koenji, analog SLR camera in hand. Or scribbling in a leather-bound journal from the corner of a café where none of the teacups match (but are served as a matter of course on saucers). It is likely that a number of them can make macaroons from scratch.

A "dreamy slow life": I love that! Since I've decided to share more about my fascination with (and life in) Japan, I thought I'd share some photos of Mori Girl style, from the June 2009 issue of Spoon, a mook that is highly regarded by many a choosy Mori Girl (click for more detail).

It's funny, because I didn't even know the term "Mori Girl" until after we left Japan! I have quite a few magazines and mooks showcasing a style I loved for six years before knowing what to call it. Sigh.

So what makes me a Mori Girl? Here are a few things:

I like tea, a lot, and I love hanging out in cafés.
Deer, matryoshka, dala, gnomes, mushrooms, rabbits, ladybugs, lotus flowers: these motifs make me happy.
I prefer vintage things and natural fibers.
I enjoy my own company, maybe a bit too much.
I am smitten by the scenery and fresh air of the forest and country, though I usually prefer the amenities of city life: bookstores, museums, trains, quaint shops, food markets...
I love clogs, lockets, and wool felt.
I sew and embroider, and I love taking photos of just about anything.

It's nice to see that Mori Girl style knows no bounds, age-wise. Another excerpt from the Fashion Snoops article:

While hardly aggressively counter-culture (appearing instead almost limply indifferent), Mori Girls do posses a certain against-the-grain quality. They make their style choices based on the “atmosphere” of an item, as opposed to its trendiness or brand name value. Consequently they shun conventional fashion magazines and mass-produced items in favor of handmade, original pieces. Quirkiness is important. Age is not. There is nothing in the creed that singles out youth or a particular generational experience. And unlike teenage fashion cults like the Shibuya gyaru (who see many members “graduate”), there is nothing about being a Mori Girl that rebels against growing up.

Lovely! Now, for all things Mori, check out the very cool Mori Girl blog. There are also some other great, recent posts about Mori Girl style at Oh, Hello There and Daydream Lily. And if you hurry, you can buy a copy of a Mori Girl magazine from Jollygoo's Uguisu shop! You know I had to buy one...