I don’t know about you, but I’m like a moth to a flame when it comes to French related bits and pieces. It doesn’t matter if it is a book, a seminar, a podcast or a YouTube video. If I stumble across it, you can guarantee that my curiosity will get the better of me […]
French inspiration
58 posts
So, it’s now less than four weeks until Scotty and I head back to France. We’re headed back to the French Riviera and it’s safe to say that I’m super excited. I’ve been in full scale planning mode. Thoughts of what to pack have obviously been on my mind. I’m thinking there will be lots […]
You’ll probably think I’m slightly bonkers when you read this. But I knew I was a francophile before I knew what a francophile was. Mmhmm. I know. That makes no sense at all. I was in my late twenties and, at the time, working in retail banking. An elegant woman had sauntered into our Williamstown […]
Welcome to episode two of The Franco-Files. This time round, it’s my great pleasure to introduce you to the fabulous Jo Karnaghan. Jo is the very clever founder of frugal first class travel. Jo’s website has long been one of my go-to sites when it comes to travel planning. From packing tips to hotel and […]
Scotty and I have recently returned from a fabulous trip to Canada. We loved the people, the food and, of course, the gorgeous scenery. And I loved the opportunity to test how far my French language skills had come since our last visit to France, earlier this year. If I’m being candid, most of the […]
Ten years ago this week my family and I were getting ready to return home following our first visit to France. On our last day in Paris, as we prepared to brave the 24 hour flight to Australia, Scott and I splurged by ordering two glasses of champagne. We sipped them, gazing out toward the […]
French girl dresses are definitely a thing. Sit for just two seconds on any Parisian terrace when the weather is just a touch warmer and you will see examples of them everywhere. And you don’t have to take my word for it. Who What Wear recently featured The Cool Dresses French Girls Always Wear. So […]
Megan Dalla-Camina, the fabulous Australian author, coach and speaker, regularly references the concept of ‘following breadcrumbs’. The idea is that you pay attention to the things that spike your curiosity and simply see where they lead you. Megan suggests that utilising this strategy is one way to find your life’s purpose. I’ve found […]
It has been such a long time since I’ve pulled together a French inspiration post like this one. I used to write them quite regularly and can’t quite remember why I stopped. I’m thinking that it probably had something to do with the amount of time I kept losing in the name of ‘internet research’… […]
I was chatting with a colleague at work the other day about the pressure on her 14 year old daughter to not only fit in, but also to own what is currently considered ‘the best’. Being a teenager has always been kind of tough. And I vaguely remember this kind of peer pressure from […]
“Ha. Style. It’s just too hard. I gave up on all that a long time ago.” I was chatting with someone the other day who shared exactly these words. She went on to express the fact that in her mind, style is frivolous and inconsequential. As a Style CoachTM, I obviously take a different view, […]
I know. I must have written it a gazillion times. But I really do get super excited when I receive questions from Distant Francophile readers. I can’t tell you how important it is to me to create content here that is, first and foremost, useful, If I can also provide a little bit of entertainment […]
It happens every single time I visit France. I am absolutely inspired to lift my style game. It is as simple as that. It starts as a little niggle soon after I arrive. And by the time I head for home it is a full blown commitment. I return to Melbourne just wanting to look […]
Now that I’m down to counting sleeps until our next trip to France, it seems very appropriate to be reviewing Katrina’s Lawrence’s Paris Dreaming. After all, I’m dreaming of Paris almost constantly at the moment. Interestingly enough though, I really resisted reading this book, which was released back in November 2017. I have no […]
It seems that February has turned into ‘Review Month’ here on Distant Francophile. I’ve been promising to share my thoughts on a few different bits and pieces for a while now, and I’ve finally found the space to gather – and articulate – my views. Way back in November I mentioned that, after using […]
It’s the height of summer here in Melbourne. The weather has been hot (and oddly steamy) and the days are luxuriously long. It is the perfect time of the year for a little rest and relaxation. And what are lazy days without a good book – or two – to dip into? Jamie Cat Callan’s […]
Despite the fact that it shows up at the same time every year, the holiday season seems to have snuck up on me this time round. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that we’ve been travelling but I was quite shocked yesterday when someone wished me a Merry Christmas. I got a second jolt when […]
For me, their dedication to quality in everyday life is one of the things I love most about the French. In their world, food has to be spot on, regardless of whether they are dishing up a simple meal of ham, cheese and bread or indulging in a celebration dinner. A lacklustre wine won’t be […]
Well, I finally made it to The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture exhibition here in Melbourne. A girlfriend and I had been keen to go as soon as the show opened back in August, but as happens, life had managed to get in the way of us attending. All that said, if […]
How many Parisian travel guides does one household need? That’s the question I asked myself recently as I unwrapped our autographed copy of Don’t Be A Tourist In Paris – The Messy Nessy Chic Guide. Given the fact that our home already contains plenty of guide books, my intuition tells me that the answer to […]