Category Archives: proust q + a

proust q & a…de quelle planète es tu?

meg-gagnard

 

So…what planet are you from? That is the question Meg Gagnard asks, inspired by the book Le Petit Prince. She has created her own dreamy digital world on her blog, De Quelle Planete Es-Tu? and inspires and delights through her adventures in Paris and beyond. A Denver native, she has been residing in France ever since attending The American University of Paris for her degree in Global Communications. Her stylish ways are a perfect fit for her surroundings, and she has a romantic spirit that permeates her world. Whatever planet she is from, I want to go to there. Merci encore Meg!

 

Your favourite virtue.

Courage.

What is your present state of mind?

Ambitious. 

Your idea of happiness.

My idea of happiness is comfortably living in a place I like with a person I like, doing a job I like. If I have all that in life, what more could I need?

Your idea of misery.

Loneliness scares the bijesus out of me.

Your favourite colour and flower.

My favorite color is yellow, any and all shades. My favorite flowers are columbines & peonies. Something about daisies really make me happy as well…

Your favourite food & drink.

FOOD: There is most definitely a tie between homemade mac ‘n cheese, and salmon & avocado eggs benedict.

DRINK: Great Divide Brewery’s Raspberry Ale. It’s Colorado beer that is just so-gosh-darn delicious. If only they had Great Divide in France…

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Caring, supportive and inspirational. 

Your biggest flaw.

Impatience. I am oh so impatient that my brain just never stops and I constantly want to check things off my messy and ever growing to-do list! I like to know things are moving forward no matter how big or small the task.

Your favourite names.

There are so many names I like! Lucie, Gwendolynne, Jane, Margot, Bertille, Gaspard, and Loic. I should probably think more about boys names I like as most of these are for girls! HA. Silly. I always am curious about people’s stories as to why they choose certain names for their children. 

Your favourite occupation.

Being a friend and a lover.

 

 **the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

 

proust q & a…happy interior blog

igor-josifovic

 

I’m returning to featuring my favorite bloggers and fellow francophiles via the Proust Questionnaire, and I can’t imagine a happier start than Igor Josifovic! A worldly chap who delights in sharing his travels and inspirations, he has made the popular Happy Interior Blog a digital home for all things happy. – it will surely inspire your home decoration! Currently based in Munich, his posts reflect his cultured background and adventures, and I enjoy following along. He often finds himself in Paris, bien sur…which I take vicarious pleasure in. I hope you enjoy learning more about him…danke Igor!

 

Your favourite virtue.

Optimism. The ability to see the good things and the bright moments in life. And then ponder the difficult bits. Not the other way round.

Your favourite colour and flower.

Blue like the Aegean Sea. As for flowers, I love playful ranunculus. 

Your idea of happiness.

When you start your day with a smile and just want to dance along. Having a lovely family, a caring partner and the best bunch of friends on the planet.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Straightforwardness, honesty, people who are passionate, can laugh and love.

Your idea of misery.

Living a life you don’t want to live.

Your favourite food & drink.

The fig baguette from the ‘boulangerie du quartier’ in Belleville, Paris. And a glass of my favorite red wine ‘Castillo de Sajazarra’ from the Rioja region in Spain.

Where would you like to live?

Paris. Oh oui, Paris.

Your biggest flaw.

I’m a morning grouch. I can’t help it-early mornings freak me out.

Your chief characteristic.

I’d say my happy spirit.

Your favourite occupation.

Scouting inspiration and blogging about it.

 

 **the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

 

proust q & a…where is bryan?

bryan-pirolli

 

It continues to amaze me how small our world is…I was introduced (online) to Bryan Pirolli by our mutual friend, Lindsey. Bryan lives in Paris but is also a Philadelphia native, sharing that pa/paris connection that we all have! In addition to reading his blog, I learned just how much Bryan is involved in-he is one talented guy! I was flattered to help Bryan with the Philly launch of COLunching, another great venture he is involved in. Between his studies, travels, and freelance writing, he is one busy dude. It’s great to learn more about him via the Proust questionnaire…merci Bryan!

 

If not yourself, who would you be?

I’d be my dad so I could marvel at having such a fantastic son. Just kidding (kind of). But I’d love to be behind his eyes to see how I got this way.

What is your present state of mind?

I’m torn but resolute on a certain issue. Like, I made up my mind, but I’m not happy about it.

Your idea of happiness.

Easy. A chocolate ice cream-filled pool.

Your idea of misery.

A chocolate ice cream pool filled with children who just drank a lot of lemonade.

Your favourite food & drink.

Chocolate peanut butter ice cream, the kind with the ripples of salty peanut butter in it, and a good red wine. For drink, preferably a Loire or Burgundy. Finding the right wine to pair with the ice cream is a challenge…I don’t suggest it.

Where would you like to live?

At 22 I moved to the place that I now want to live, Paris, but I still dream of having a farm with an orchard for a backyard (apple or peach) and a small but well-chosen selection of livestock for petting, not eating.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Easygoing, understanding, and selfless.

Your biggest flaw.

I’m naive, as most Pisces are, and I have a hard time saying no…

What gift from nature would you like to have?

I want radar so I can swoop like bats to catch bugs when I fly. Birds can’t swoop as well, because without the natural radar, there’s nothing to prevent them from swooping into the ground or an object.

Your favourite occupation.

Whale trainer. Or maybe a dolphin trainer, since dolphins are less temperamental and blood-thirsty than killer whales. Really, it’s all in the name. “Killer” whale? No one should have been surprised…

 

**the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

proust q & a…stephmodo

stephanie-brubaker

 

After reading the tales of renovating a 400 year old stone cottage in the Dordogne region of France, I was hooked to the stephmodo blog. Stephanie Brubaker is inspiring to me as an American who made her French dreams come true, and for her amazing style! Just take a look at her gorgeous home away from home, La Maisonette, featured on Design Sponge. I am dreaming of staying there in my lifetime, as it is available to rent! I enjoy reading about her adventures with her husband and four children, whether in France or Seattle, where she currently lives. Thank you for sharing Stephanie!

image courtesy of Aran Goyoaga 

Your favourite virtue.

Generosity in any form (time, skills, means, listening ear, etc.)

Your favourite colour and flower.

My children ask me this all the time and I have the same answer…”I like all the colors”. This answer is not their favorite, so I’ve been forced to think long and hard and realized I’m always drawn to “periwinkle”; in fact, my favorite flower is the hydrangea in the same shade.

What is your present state of mind?

Trying to be more aware of my health-spiritual, physical and emotional.

Your idea of happiness.

Feeling content, confident, and having the three most basic needs covered (shelter, food, clothing).

Your idea of misery.

Comparison, hate, and port-o-potties.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Understanding, non-judgemental, trustworthy & fun!

Your biggest flaw.

Learning to bite my tongue at times.

Your favourite motto.

You get what you get, and don’t throw a fit. This is per my children’s preschool, but it applies to both adults and children alike. :)

What gift from nature would you like to have?

I wish I had the pleasure of witnessing a thunderstorm at least once a month (as long as I had shelter!)

Where would you like to live?

We would like to live in France again someday when the time is right, and going back to the Bay Area would be lovely too. However, I am a big believer in going where the job opportunites are so I’d like to live anywhere my husband or I have a great opportunity. Wherever that may be.

 

**the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here** 

 

proust q & a…sarah of paper + cup design

sarah-livescault

 

I have a new blog (and blogger) crush…it is a beautiful happy place, filled with great design, fun posts, and Paris! Sarah Livescault is the art director of Paper & Cup Design operations abroad, and has been writing blog posts from Paris, along with Minhee Cho who founded the company. The stationary and design company is based in New York and has recently launched a new website! Their products are fabulous, and the blog really is dreamy for design buffs and francophiles alike. With the posts written in both English and French, I’m finding it a great way to practice. Sarah infuses the blog with bits of her personal life (a newlywed!) and anecdotes of French living…I just can’t get enough. Merci encore Sarah!

 

What is your present state of mind?

It changes a lot depending on what I’m surrounded by (music, movies, weather, people…). It can be annoying, especially for my husband.

Your favourite colour and flower.

That’s a tricky one…I love the combination of black and white and I love love love peonies and orchids.

Your idea of happiness.

To love and to be loved.

Your idea of misery.

A lonely life with no family or friends.

Your favourite food & drink.

My mom’s food with a nice glass of wine!

Your biggest flaw.

 I’m very stubborn! 

Your favourite occupation.

Going to the movies with my hubby.

Your favourite qualities in friends.

Trust and honesty in good times and bad times.

Your favourite hero (or heroine) in fiction.

Peter Pan & Alice (in Wonderland)

Where would you like to live?

If I could, I would go back to New York…but can’t complain about Paris! I could reverse Gerturde Stein’s quotation: “France is my country, but New York is my hometown”. 

 

**the proust q & a is a regular feature..check out the archives here**