french is beautiful

March 13 2015

“God invented the Parisian so that foreigners wouldn’t know what to make of the French.”

Alexandre Dumas

As you may have noticed, we’re headed to Paris as a family! I couldn’t be more giddy about it. The anticipation of introducing my children to the city (and country) I love so much has me completely blissed out. Of course, I also went into panic mode – I had hoped to be further long with my French studies before returning. While my journey to fluency is well underway (thanks to French is Beautiful Level One), my everyday, operational French needs some polishing. Which brings me to an exciting announcement – Carrie Anne James has designed a course specifically for traveling, called French for Paris! She so sweetly included my input in the planning of the course, and I’m eager to help spread the word.

Launching in April (the 4th to be exact), the efficient course covers the most crucial topics for a traveler, and teaches you how to improvise, not imitate. There have been quite a few instances where I either didn’t get a response I was expecting, or I froze in fear…I’m hoping to avoid that this time around. From mastering the Métro to bargain shopping, the focus is on feeling confident in everyday situations. Right now you can pre-order the class, and the first ten signups will receive a one hour private Skype session! I might have had something to do with the “traveling with kids” bonus session (wink).

* french is beautiful is a regular series – browse the archives here *

*tutoring c/o French is Beautiful…no compensation is received + as always, these opinions are my own*

je suis charlie

January 8 2015

I had another post planned, but after the attacks in Paris, this is the only thing that feels right to me. My French family (my niece especially who lives + goes to school in Paris) and many of my friends are on my mind. I’m heartbroken in the wake of these violent acts of terrorism – for France, and for us all. Feeling such love + solidarité.

#JESUISCHARLIE

centre commercial kids

December 16 2014

Every time I shop for the kids, my mind drifts away to my favorite children’s boutique in Paris. Steps away from Canal St. Martin (and a stone’s throw from here), Centre Commercial Kids is a modern space packed with handmade treasures, locally sourced goods, and eco-friendly designs. The child of concept store Centre Commercial in the 10th arrondisement, it opened in 2011 and unfortunately, it took me until this year to discover it! Catering to a wide range of ages, their goods are suitable for ages 0-14. The shoe selection alone is worth a trip-I brought back the most amazing boots for Marie + Henry. Between the vintage furniture, local goodies and brands like Oeuf, Blabla + Bobo Choses, you can’t go wrong.