I’ve got to tell you, I’m pretty excited about the word August popping up on my calendar. You see, it means I can start saying that I’ll be back in France next month! It’s so exciting. Of course, I’m blithely overlooking the truth of the matter – we don’t actually fly until the last week […]
The Distant Francophile Blog
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Ok. So if you have been playing along at home, you’ll know that details on how French women groom their eyebrows were a little light on. But there is no way in the world that you can say the same for skin. It is extremely clear from everything you read or watch for on the […]
The French are lucky enough to be blessed with a truckload of what we in Australia call ‘Public Holidays’. In some parts of the world they are known as Bank Holidays or National Days. But regardless of what they are named, what they equate to is a State sanctioned day off. And an opportunity for a […]
I’m a little bit embarrassed to admit that, when it comes to eyebrows, I’ve been guilty of neglect. For more years than I’m happy to admit, I didn’t pay any attention to them at all. No shaping, no enhancing, no nothing. Eventually, maybe about ten years ago or a little more, my eyebrows finally made […]
When it comes to French inspiration, the Melbourne suburb we live in is really rather lacking. We have the usual discount stores offering French styled ‘tat’, (as my dear friend Suz would say) and a bakery or two that offer a croissant. But, disappointingly for me, not much else. One place that I can find […]
Last week’s guest post from Claire – the Multiples Of Two Packing Plan – really resonated with the Distant Francophile community. And why wouldn’t it? Who doesn’t love picking up advice from fellow travellers. Well, luckily for all of us, Claire has generously agreed to share another of her packing lessons – thank you so much […]
The other day, one of my closest friends and I got to talking about the importance of grooming. We both agreed that while there are a few blessed souls out there who can look spectacular with assistance only from a hair tie and a little lip gloss, the rest of us have to work somewhat […]
Happy Bastille Day Everyone. July the 14th sees the French celebrating their national day. Some French will join the crowds that descend on Paris to see the parades and the fly overs, which deliver jet streams in shades of blue, white and red. Others will use the holiday to escape with family and friends. French […]
This might sound silly, but creating Distant Francophile has brought all sorts of artistic joy into our lives. We spend way more time than you might imagine discussing topics and the associated photographs that might be worth sharing. But the whole creative process is not my favourite part of Distant Francophile. In fact, it doesn’t […]
I’ve been travelling for work a lot recently. Which means I’ve had a stack of time to think – the only upside of delayed flights is that they provide valuable thinking time! Top on my list of ‘thinking topics’ has been how the French dedication to style forms the foundation of all that that they […]
You don’t need me to tell you that you can find some of the best sweet treats on the planet in a French pâtisserie. Small, exquisitely crafted and absolutely delicious, enjoying a cake or pastry created by someone who knows what they are doing is almost the ideal way to Frenchify your Friday. This is […]
There is only one thing for it. I’m afraid someone is going to have to run an intervention. Yep, I’ve done it again. I’ve purchased (yet) another guide book. For Paris. A city I’ve travelled to more times than I can remember. Of course, in my own defence, I was always going to buy this […]
I always look forward to July. It is a fun month for the Distant Francophile team, with many of our friends and family celebrating their birthdays this month. And on top of all the birthdays, there is Bastille Day to consider – always a good excuse for an evening with a French flavour. It’s just […]
Previously on Distant Francophile….we’ve discussed the Parisian adoration of wearing black. People watch for any length of time and you will definitely see a lot of black. When you are in Paris black is favoured shade for coats, tops, boots, jeans and just about every other item of clothing you can name! But watch for […]
I’ve been thinking about inspiration this week. If you spend any time at all reading Distant Francophile you’ll know that I am a big fan of taking inspiration from all things French. In fact, it is the premise of this entire blog. If you suddenly decide, as I did, to look up the etymology of […]
Although I couldn’t tell you exactly who it was, I remember someone telling me once that macarons – those gorgeous jewel-like French sweet treats – were just a passing fad. That was about 10 years ago now. At this point in time I’m prepared to make a call and say that whoever they were, they […]
It is time to Frenchify Your Friday, and we have Distant Francophile reader Anita to thank for this week’s idea. You see, it was Anita who, via a comment in response to our Managing Your Withdrawal Symptoms After A Visit To France post, reminded me of Google Street View. Here’s how Anita articulated the idea: […]
Last week’s post about my complete lack of anything that even resembles a capsule wardrobe certainly got the conversation flowing. Thank you so much to all of you who contributed your thoughts and tips – they really were amazing and very much appreciated. We’ve completed our wardrobe makeover now and while I (still) have many […]
I was reading an article earlier in the week regarding some of the differences between the French culture and other cultures. It was a well researched piece, full of interesting facts and figures. One difference jumped out at me. According to the writer, the French don’t eat out as often as some of the rest […]
I’ve never written about this before but I am a big, big fan of goal setting. While I don’t go as far as reading my goals every day, I do write them down. And I am very happy to talk about my goals with the special people in my life. I remember very clearly the […]