I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
Our first full day in Paris was a relaxed one…one of our first stops was the Musee Carnavalet. Located in the Marais (which is one of my favorite neighborhoods), it dates to 1560. I was especially excited about the Louis Vuitton exposition, a collection of the iconic trunks and luggage spanning 150 years. It was beautifully curated, and was a feast for the eyes! The exposition runs until February 2011, and I highly recommend checking it out. Vive la Vuitton!
"I have seen all, I have heard all, I have forgotten all."
Marie Antoinette….born 255 years ago today.
Mark Twain described the Heidelberg Castle in his 1880 travel book A Tramp Abroad…
“A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been better placed. It stands upon a commanding elevation, it is buried in green woods, there is no level ground about it, but, on the contrary, there are wooded terraces upon terraces, and one looks down through shining leaves into profound chasms and abysses where twilight reigns and the sun cannot intrude. Nature knows how to garnish a ruin to get the best effect. Misfortune has done for this old tower what it has done for the human character sometimes−improved it.”
Last (but not least) in my series of chateaus (that I have visited)…Cheverny. The more "modern" of the castles, the interiors are beautifully furnished, and descendants of the original owners still live in a portion of it, which is quite unique. I had the most fun here, as my brother has always been a huge fan of the comic "The Adventures of Tintin", in which the chateau was always featured. There is a museum on the grounds for the comic book characters which is very interactive-we all had a blast!
(image of Monet’s Rue Montorgueil 1878, taken at the Musee D’Orsay)