Currently • May 2021

“The mind moves in the direction of our currently dominant thoughts.” — Earl Nightingale

READING:

• World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments — “a collection of essays about the natural world, and the way its inhabitants can teach, support, and inspire us” (Goodreads).

• Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child — “Bob Spitz’s definitive, wonderfully affectionate biography; the Julia we know and love comes vividly — and surprisingly — to life” (Goodreads).

WATCHING:

• …or rather, rewatching the first five episodes of Lupin before the part two drops on Netflix June 11th. We really enjoyed this action series and it’s music to my ears to hear Parisian French.

• Since we’re loving Omar Sy these days, we also rewatched Intouchables, one of my favorite French films about an aristocratic quadriplegic who hires a young welfare recipient from the projects to be his caregiver. So funny. So touching. So good.

• Friends: The Reunion aka “The One that’s Disappointing” — Still, I feel like rewatching all ten seasons.

• Halston on Netflix: “His name built an empire. His style defined an era. American fashion designer Halston skyrockets to fame before his life starts to spin out of control.” His portrayal by Ewan McGregor was disturbing — too aggressive, too camp. I did enjoy learning the connections among Halston, Elsa Peretti (who passed away last month), Liza Minelli, Babe Paley, Andy Warhol, and the whole Studio 54 scene. Fascinating as it is, the 70’s still hold little attraction for me. Although, I do love all of Elsa Peretti’s jewelry for Tiffany — the open heart, the bean, the bone cuff, diamonds by the yard…

• The Real Housewives of New York City Season 13 — Although I really like new “housewife” (i.e. single author, podcaster, producer, and attorney), Eboni Williams, I really don’t know why I still watch this train wreck.

Wow, what an eclectic list! How did I go from PBS’ Ken Burns Hemingway Documentary and Masterpiece’s Atlantic Crossing last month to Halston and RHONY this month? I’d better pull it up!

LISTENING TO:

• I Want My 80s Podcast on Sirius XM: “Each week original MTV VJs Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter & Nina Blackwood will flashback to the most totally righteous decade ever to talk about and give personal insights to the biggest 80s moments! From broadcasting LIVE AID to wearing parachute pants and seeing Dirty Dancing multiple times! Also, their part in changing how music was consumed as they were there for the launch of MTV! It’s a totally awesome pop culture exploration!”

FEELING:

• Stronger, healthier, and proud: As I write this, I have rowed 75 days in a row for 300,000 meters [100,000 meters from March 13th to April 1st (water bottle) and 250,000 meters by May 1st (white socks)]. I have donated three times to water.org (every 25 days you row). My form and speed are improving and I have earned several badges including 75-days and 10-weeks milestones, Commit to Fit Spring ’21, Earth Day Team workout, World Water Race, Land and Sea, Team Player, and Wanderlust. It isn’t easy and I’m not always motivated, but I’m committed and happy to have found a routine that I enjoy.

ENJOYING:

• Gradually getting back to “normal” — We’ve had a few lunches and dinners at some of our favorite restaurants in Delafield, Downtown Milwaukee, and The Third Ward. We even enjoyed a lovely cocktail (Manhattan for Eric and French 77 for me), spiced olives, and the amazing view at Blu on the top of the Pfister Hotel (featured photo).

• Mondays off — I had a lot of flex time this year due to the work I did last summer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a year to travel and Paris was completely off limits, but it has been nice to start the week with leisurely coffee and beagle cuddles, to read, to work in the yard, and to sit on the deck as the weather gets nicer. Not working on Mondays also makes Sundays even better.

LOOKING FORWARD TO:

• June 11th — The end of the 2020-2021 school year can’t come soon enough.

• A vacation or even a long weekend getaway — soon, I hope!

Links I Love • May 2021

“Lilacs are May in essence.” — Jean Hersey

• Paris me manque:

  • Knowing Paris by Its Bridges — In Billy Wilder’s 1954 romantic comedy Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn explains to a skeptical Humphrey Bogart the magic of a walk past the bridges of Paris: “You find one you love and go there every day with your coffee and your journal and you listen to the river.” But how do you choose?

  • Get out your Google Cardboard, here is a virtual visit of the Petit Palais

  • Monet’s Garden Prepares to Reopen – In Pictures

  • Eiffel Tower to Reopen in Mid-July

  • Paris Bookstores Are Designated Essential — But These Landmarks Struggle To Survive

  • Paris’ Best Tarts and Sweets

  • French Artist JR Debuts Spectacular Optical Illusion at the Eiffel Tower

• Florence Welch to Write a Great Gatsby Musical — Intriguing!

• Ever Dreamed Of Living In These Iconic TV and Movie Homes? Well This Is How Much You’d Need — I wrote a post about Holly Golightly’s apartment on the Upper Eastside. Read it here.

• Monica and Rachel's 'Friends' apartment is on Booking.com — Booking.com is taking reservations on May 21 at 10 a.m. ET and the apartment is available for just two nights, May 23 and May 24. By the time you read this, it’s probably too late.

• There’s a Perfect Number of Days to Work From Home, and It’s 2 — I’d be on board with this.

Spring 2021 in My Garden

“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” — Ruth Stout

Blossoms on the redbud and “Bertine”, fragrant sweet Woodruff, bleeding hearts, beautiful white and red trillium, Virginia blue bells and brunnera, bloodroot, hepatic and violets, fiddlehead ferns, lilies of the valley and double columbine, and of course a pretty little beagle — this spring in our garden is especially lovely.

Make a wish! "Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them." — Winnie the Pooh (A. A. Milne)

April 2021 in Pictures

“They came on one of April's most brilliant days--a day as sparkling as a newly-washed lemon...” ― Beverley Nichols, A Thatched Roof

Links I Love • April 2021

"Where flowers bloom so does hope." — Lady Bird Johnson

• 30 Ways to Pursue a Parisian Lifestyle — C’est normal.

• The Louvre Just Put Its Entire Collection Online

A Walk Through the Palais-Royal — one of my favorite spots.

• Stunning Footage Shows Restoration Work on Notre Dame

• Two Years Later, Here’s the Latest With Notre-Dame’s Restoration — It’s still so hard to believe that the devastating fire occurred two years ago, but these images provide hope.

• The Samaritaine to Reopen in May? I have always wanted to visit this iconic department story that has been closed for renovations since 2005. Next time…

• The Hemingway Daiquiri (David Lebovitz) — Too bad I didn’t read this before watching the six-hour PBS documentary.

• A TV Series Based On The Life Of Audrey Hepburn Is In The Works — You can never have too much Audrey.

• A Nerdy History of the Ampersand — I love a good grammar lesson.

• France Will Reopen To Vaccinated Americans This Summer, Macron Says — As eager as I am to return, I’m not sure that it’s time yet.

Travel Bucket List: UK and Ireland

“Beauty is where it is perceived. When I see the sun shining across the pond, I think this side the richer which sees it.” — Henry David Thoreau

Note: All London photos are my own except for the Tower Bridge and Notting Hill photos.

With all the hype about Brexit, popularity of The Crown, and the sad news of Prince Philip’s passing, the media has been saturated with articles, documentaries, and movies about the British royal family and England in general. We also just finished watching the delightful Men In Kilts with Sam and Graham of Outlander fame and are fascinated with the beauty and traditions of Scotland. Eric is a descendent of the MacIver clan and would love to learn more about his heritage. Although I have been to England several times and technically in Ireland (the airport in Dublin), there’s so much more I’d like to see, do (and redo) in the UK. Traveling “across the pond” is relatively quick and we already speak the language. So here is my UK + Ireland Bucket List.

ENGLAND

TO REDO IN LONDON:

Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge - London, April 2011

Millennium Bridge and St. Paul’s Cathedral — London, April 2011

• Westminster Abbey (especially Poets Corner)

• Palace of Westminster | The Houses of Parliament

• Notting Hill | Portobello Road Market

• Abbey Road

• St. Paul’s Cathedral

• Millennium Bridge

• The V&A and The Tate Modern Museums

• Kensington Gardens

• The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace

• The Tower of London + Crown Jewels

• Shopping at Harrods and Selfridges

• Covent Garden

• Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

• Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross

• Taking the Eurostar to Paris — Yes, I know this post is about traveling in the UK and Ireland, but I can’t be 3 hours away by train and not visit my beloved Paris!

NEW TO DO IN LONDON:

• See a play in the West End

• Thames Cruise — London’s answer to the Bateaux Mouches.

• London Christmas Lights — Maybe it’s because I’ve watched Love Actually so many times, but it seems to me that London does Christmas unlike any other city.

• London Eye — It just feels like something you should do, like going to the top of the Eiffel Tower when in Paris.

• High Tea in an iconic hotel or tea room — Claridge’s, The Savoy, The Ritz — How to choose?

FARTHER AFIELD:

• Oxford and Cambridge

• The Cotswolds

• Bath

• The Lake District

• Devon and Cornwall

• I suppose I should include Stonehenge although it wasn’t as interesting as I’d hoped. I did like Salisbury though.

London, April 2011

SCOTLAND

My eighth grade teacher, Grace Lippert, hailed from Glasgow and went in school in Edinburgh. Her Scottish brogue still rings in my ears, but curiously, she taught me more about Shakespeare and French vocabulary than she did about her native country. Here’s what I’d like to see and do in Scotland:

• The Royal Yacht Britannia

• Isle of Skye

• Scottish Highlands

• Edinburgh Castle and Old Town

• Loch Ness

• Glasgow

• Scotch tasting

Scottish Countryside

IRELAND

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

As I mentioned, I’ve spent a total of four hours in Ireland where I hand just enough time to learn the funny expressions like gobshite and for feck’s sake, watch the airport bartender pull a pint of Cute Hoor, and buy this Claddagh ornament for our 2018 Christmas tree. Next time that I’m in Ireland, here’s what I’d like to see and do:

• Stroll down Grafton Street and, enjoy a pint of Guinness at Temple Bar in Dublin (even though I’m not a beer drinker)

• The Clarence Hotel (owned by Bono)

• The Cliffs of Moher

• Trinity College Dublin

• Killarney and the 111 mile long Ring of Kerry

• Cork County and Blarney Castle (although traveling post COVID-19, I don’t think I would actually kiss it)

• The Dingle Peninsula

• Galway and a boat tour of Galway Bay

 

If you have traveled to England, Scotland, and Ireland, what recommendations do you have? And what about Wales and Northern Ireland?