A French co-worker introduced me to the work of this fantastic photographer. Love the planet, love the Earth.
To preserve amazing quality of life we have to care for it.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
A Food Revolution?
On Friday March 26th, I watched the season premiere of Jamie Oliver's new show on ABC called Food Revolution. His endeavor is very noble as he is intending to start a revolution in food eating habits in America. America's obesity epidemic is truly a tragedy and helping Jamie makes sense.
Eating good food, being healthy and enjoying life is definitely part of the "Provence state of mind" as we all know that eating good fresh food is an essential part of the Provence way of life. It's also good for student test scores:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/29/jamie-oliver-school-dinners-meals
Click on the image below to sign the petition:
Eating good food, being healthy and enjoying life is definitely part of the "Provence state of mind" as we all know that eating good fresh food is an essential part of the Provence way of life. It's also good for student test scores:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/mar/29/jamie-oliver-school-dinners-meals
Click on the image below to sign the petition:
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Lunch? Ridiculous...
I was in Canada last week for focus groups. We were evaluating the relevance of the line "Lunch? Ridiculous..." regarding fast cook food.
It was quite interesting to notice the cultural difference between the English vs French speaking part of Canada. The English speakers kind of understood what the line meant while the French Canadians didn't. The French speakers didn't understand why people couldn't have time for lunch. In Montreal, everyone takes an hour for lunch.
Now that's the "Provence state of mind"!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Embrace Life
The "Provence state of mind" is about appreciating life. This English commercial for road safety brings this idea to life beautifully, don't you think?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Rainbow
Part of the "Provence state of mind" is taking the time to appreciate what we have and the beauty of life around us.
It has been a rainy week in Los Angeles which provides some interesting and unusual views of the Southern California usually basking in sun. My friend EB sent me this picture from Long Beach where which he took from his iPhone during a meeting. He liked the way the rainbow seemed to come out of the church in the distance. Enjoy.
It has been a rainy week in Los Angeles which provides some interesting and unusual views of the Southern California usually basking in sun. My friend EB sent me this picture from Long Beach where which he took from his iPhone during a meeting. He liked the way the rainbow seemed to come out of the church in the distance. Enjoy.
Monday, January 18, 2010
MLK's "I have a dream" word cloud
Since the "Provence state of mind" is about a fantastic quality of life, we should spend a few minutes acknowledging MLK on his birthday. He definitely fought for the ultimate expression of quality of life - freedom.
It is interesting to read his speech and to process his words through a word cloud program to see what words were repeated the most. Not surprisingly, "freedom" came up the most often.
Below is a link to a video of his speech here. His oratory skills were incredible.
Happy birthday MLK. Thanks for what you have done.
It is interesting to read his speech and to process his words through a word cloud program to see what words were repeated the most. Not surprisingly, "freedom" came up the most often.
Below is a link to a video of his speech here. His oratory skills were incredible.
Happy birthday MLK. Thanks for what you have done.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Hotel Healdsburg
Sonoma, California feels like Provence. It is hot, dry and surrounded by vineyards. When we were there it was not very crowded and therefore felt more relaxed than the over touristy Napa Valley.
Our favorite hotel in Sonoma is the Hotel Healdsburg located, not surprisingly, in Healdsburg. It is located right off the charming center of town where there are many delightful food choices and outdoor cafes.
The hotel itself has contemporary and modern architecture.
In the evening, we enjoyed sitting by the fire in the lobby sipping glasses of local wine.
The pool actually reminded us of Provence the most because it is surrounded by olive trees.
Our favorite hotel in Sonoma is the Hotel Healdsburg located, not surprisingly, in Healdsburg. It is located right off the charming center of town where there are many delightful food choices and outdoor cafes.
The hotel itself has contemporary and modern architecture.
The rooms are comfortable and very nurturing.
In the evening, we enjoyed sitting by the fire in the lobby sipping glasses of local wine.
The pool actually reminded us of Provence the most because it is surrounded by olive trees.
The pictures used for this post were found on the Hotel Healdsburg website.
L'Auberge de la Madone
I was thinking that it could be fun to add some of the favorite hotels we have stayed at that feel like the "Provence state of mind".
So let's start start out in Provence at l'Auberge de la Madone which is located in a remote hilltop near Peillon. Peillon is the quintessential Provencal hilltop village. Tiny, rustic, remote and super scenic. There is a windy road going up there but the trip is worth it!
The hotel itself is charming and the only place to stay in town. Although it's been a while, we had one of the best meals there. I remember that there were few choices - which was surprising - but the limited selection was exquisite.
After dinner, you can take a walk through the old village and feel beyond time.
If you have the courage, the hiking from Peillon offers stunning views.
So let's start start out in Provence at l'Auberge de la Madone which is located in a remote hilltop near Peillon. Peillon is the quintessential Provencal hilltop village. Tiny, rustic, remote and super scenic. There is a windy road going up there but the trip is worth it!
The hotel itself is charming and the only place to stay in town. Although it's been a while, we had one of the best meals there. I remember that there were few choices - which was surprising - but the limited selection was exquisite.
After dinner, you can take a walk through the old village and feel beyond time.
If you have the courage, the hiking from Peillon offers stunning views.
Around the World in 80 Days in the rain
Today the rain started in Los Angeles. Perfect excuse for a board game - my favorite way to slip into the "Provence state of mind"!
Around the World in 80 Days is a German game that accurately allows players to relive the adventures of the famous Jules Verne book of the same name. I read the book over the holidays and found it a lot more fun than I expected. The race is intense and the story is actually action packed. The end is classic race to the finish and surprisingly contemporary.
The game, which takes about and hour or more depending on the number of players is perfect for a more casual family-type audience. The artwork is simply beautiful - deliciously retro circa 1900. Very old world.
My Amazon game review is posted here:
"Around the World in 80 Days is a great family game. The rules are a bit confusing at first but once one figures them out the game is a blast.
The aim of the game is to race around the world using a combination of train and ship travel cards as well as special travel cards. The winning player is the one who completes the journey in the least days as long as he/she doesn't come in last on their own.
This game is a lot of fun because it is often decided in the last few rounds.
The game is family friendly because there is a fair amount of luck although careful planning can mitigate this somewhat.
The game is very educational because it is very close to Jules Verne's book. So often we are used to movies "based on" a book but the movies don't feel like the book. This game feels like the book!
The cards and pieces seem very durable.
Overall, this game is 5 stars for what it is. It's not the deepest strategy game in the world but doesn't pretend to be either. Hard core game geeks may not want to play this amongst each other but could do worse than sharing this with their casual gamer friends. In addition, the artwork is simply stunning which greatly adds to the game's enjoyment. So, read the book and play the game or vice versa!"
The game and the Jules Verne book I read in French are listed below.
Around the World in 80 Days is a German game that accurately allows players to relive the adventures of the famous Jules Verne book of the same name. I read the book over the holidays and found it a lot more fun than I expected. The race is intense and the story is actually action packed. The end is classic race to the finish and surprisingly contemporary.
The game, which takes about and hour or more depending on the number of players is perfect for a more casual family-type audience. The artwork is simply beautiful - deliciously retro circa 1900. Very old world.
My Amazon game review is posted here:
"Around the World in 80 Days is a great family game. The rules are a bit confusing at first but once one figures them out the game is a blast.
The aim of the game is to race around the world using a combination of train and ship travel cards as well as special travel cards. The winning player is the one who completes the journey in the least days as long as he/she doesn't come in last on their own.
This game is a lot of fun because it is often decided in the last few rounds.
The game is family friendly because there is a fair amount of luck although careful planning can mitigate this somewhat.
The game is very educational because it is very close to Jules Verne's book. So often we are used to movies "based on" a book but the movies don't feel like the book. This game feels like the book!
The cards and pieces seem very durable.
Overall, this game is 5 stars for what it is. It's not the deepest strategy game in the world but doesn't pretend to be either. Hard core game geeks may not want to play this amongst each other but could do worse than sharing this with their casual gamer friends. In addition, the artwork is simply stunning which greatly adds to the game's enjoyment. So, read the book and play the game or vice versa!"
The game and the Jules Verne book I read in French are listed below.
TV5 Monde in the evening
In Provence, there is a sense of history - "old stones", they say. I think that a "Provence state of mind" includes nurturing a connection with our roots - the land and the people.
For me, TV5 Monde plays such a role. This TV station provides French content for the world to enjoy. The point of view is very different and refreshing to me. There are many francophone news programs as well as high quality documentaries.
Tonight, for example, we got together with my parents and my son to watch a couple fascinating documentaries on the famous Lascaux cave paintings and on Louis XVth.
The documentary on Lascaux suggested that the cave paintings were an actually depiction of the night sky and functioned as a calendar. Pretty amazing.
The documentary on Louis XVth was interesting because it showed the declining power of reluctant king at the expense of a money driven parliament. This kind of reminded us of the power of Congress in the US. 15 years after his death, the French Revolution started. Hopefully, this won't happen here.
To learn more on Louis XVth, here is the wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV_of_France
The documentary on Lascaux suggested that the cave paintings were an actually depiction of the night sky and functioned as a calendar. Pretty amazing.
The documentary on Louis XVth was interesting because it showed the declining power of reluctant king at the expense of a money driven parliament. This kind of reminded us of the power of Congress in the US. 15 years after his death, the French Revolution started. Hopefully, this won't happen here.
To learn more on Louis XVth, here is the wikipedia link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XV_of_France
Saturday, January 16, 2010
San Juan in the afternoon
As I reflect about the "Provence state of mind", I realize that it is about taking the time to slow down and enjoy quality time - like playing a board/card game with a friend. We are so busy with our families that we seldom give ourselves the time to enjoy one of our favorite hobbies - board-gaming. Yes, I am a little bit of a geek.
So, today, while the boys were playing the Wii, my friend JB and I took an hour to ourselves to enjoy one of his rarely played games, San Juan. San Juan is a good 2-4 person card game about building a profitable economy in Puerto Rico.
It's fun to lose ourselves in a thematic game. It's also fun to feel like you are building your little city. The game is basically an economic engine where you build buildings worth victory points which often produce goods that you can then trade for cards which allow you to build more buildings. When one player built 12 cards the game ends. It sounds complicated but it really isn't. The interesting thing is that the cards have dual roles - either as buildings (like a factory or market place) or money. Thus, you have to decide how to use your cards best.
We enjoyed this game a lot. There were many interesting decisions to make and the game seemed tight until the very end. I'm sure that both of us will remember this afternoon fondly as we return to our regular lives. Such activities provide a little mental vacation that make us happy. And being happy is important in Provence and the rest of the world.
This game can be found here:
So, today, while the boys were playing the Wii, my friend JB and I took an hour to ourselves to enjoy one of his rarely played games, San Juan. San Juan is a good 2-4 person card game about building a profitable economy in Puerto Rico.
It's fun to lose ourselves in a thematic game. It's also fun to feel like you are building your little city. The game is basically an economic engine where you build buildings worth victory points which often produce goods that you can then trade for cards which allow you to build more buildings. When one player built 12 cards the game ends. It sounds complicated but it really isn't. The interesting thing is that the cards have dual roles - either as buildings (like a factory or market place) or money. Thus, you have to decide how to use your cards best.
We enjoyed this game a lot. There were many interesting decisions to make and the game seemed tight until the very end. I'm sure that both of us will remember this afternoon fondly as we return to our regular lives. Such activities provide a little mental vacation that make us happy. And being happy is important in Provence and the rest of the world.
This game can be found here:
Now we live in Los Angeles...
Life is great in Los Angeles too where we strive to keep the "Provence state of mind" alive. In our garden for example, we planted French lavander and olive trees.
When we lived in Provence...
We lived in the hills behind Grasse - the city of perfumes. It was a typical villa - earthy with splendid sea views in the distance. We had a great terrace where we had most of out meals. Although it has been many years, I distinctively remember the deafening sound of the cigales in August and the fragance of the yellow-scented genets.
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