This & That: No. 21

A book to put on your wish list, an app to use and love, my new favorite tea and a few classic clothing items to add to your wardrobe . . .

~Article

~Clutter, Storage and Happiness by Gretchen Rubin in The New York Times

As a fan of Gretchen Rubin’s blog The Happiness Project and first book of the same name, I am looking forward to reading her second which will be released Tuesday, September 4th – Happier at Home. In preparation for the release, her recent article “Clutter, Storage and Happiness” found in The New York Times shares a glimpse of what will be found in her upcoming new book.

~Apps

~Pinterest App

Finally, I have the new Pinterest app on my iPad, and oh, how I love it. For free, this app is available and shares a screen of three columns-full of the pins you follow, easy transitions from tab to tab and beautiful high pixel images. Simple and fine-tuned for easy pinning while on the go.

~Book

~Stuff Parisians Like: Discovering the Quoi in the Je Ne Sais Quoi by Olivier Magny

Francophiles will enjoy Stuff Parisians Like as it offers a glimpse into the behaviors, preferences and eccentricities of the culture that so piques our interest. While it has been available since 2011, if you don’t already have it, I suggest you add it to your French library. Learn about why the French woman brings Laduree macaroons to nearly every occasion as a gift, how they really feel about tourists and why, which city in the US they most desire to live in and so much more. Organized in simple 2-3 page chapters, you’ll be entertained, intrigued and even more curious to visit.

~Shopping

~Lanvin leather ballet flats - $495

Lanvin leather ballet flats have always been on my fashion wish list, but I have yet to purchase a pair as they are quite the luxury. Thankfully though, I realized that when I do have the funds to purchase my first pair that they run a bit small. With my size being 10 (40 UK), I learned that 41 was more to my fitting. Good to know because one of the most sigh-releasing moments is when the items you order online fit exactly as you expect them to. Soon a pair will be mine!

~Vince Shirt – silk shirred neckline half placket - $275

A simple white silk blouse is a wonderful staple to include in your capsule wardrobe. Easy to transition from work (tucked into a pencil skirt) or left untucked for evening over a pair of skinny jeans with flats or heels, it is comfortable, chic and will forever be in style.

~Tea

~Mariage Frères tea

While I didn’t come home from Europe with oodles of souvenirs, what I did come home with was an abundance of tea. As gifts and personal luxuries, I thoroughly enjoyed choosing from the list of Mariage Frères loose leaf and sachet teas. With their black signature tin (they also have white and green as well), it is a lovely gift for your tea-loving hostess or friend, as it not only will be a scrumptious treat to savor, but will also look delightful on the shelf.

If you’re not sure you want to purchase their tea, but would quickly label yourself a tea lover, have a look at their tips on how to make the perfect cup of tea. The three flavors I brought home and am slowing beginning to enjoy are Earl Grey Provence, Darjeeling Princeton, and Earl Grey Imperial. And to translate, while it initially appears the business name means “brother’s wedding”, it is simply in homage to the brothers and the family who created the business and includes their family name – Mariage. Click here to learn more about the company’s history.

 

What to Read?

Every once and awhile I find myself without a book in which I can’t seem to put down.  Thankfully this is not the case right now, but just in case you’re currently in limbo, looking for a book to read and unable to find one that grabs your interest, I thought I’d share a few that I would gladly read again and would be happy to lend you if you only lived nearby.

My selections are each from a different genre or category, and each, in their own way, offers a bit of pleasure, a smile or two, or additional contentment to your already fantastic life.

 So read on to maybe find the book you’ve been looking for to add to your nightstand.  Fingers crossed.

1. Take It Up A Notch

Happiness that is.  The word “project” looks and sounds a bit daunting, but do not be deterred.  Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project is for anyone who already knows that the life they have is quite all right, but they just don’t feel they are appreciating it enough, or feel that with just a few tweaks and adjustments they may find their life more enjoyable.

Some excerpts:

“Act the way I want to feel. This . . . sums up one of the most helpful insights that I’d learned in my happiness research: although we presume that we act because of the way we feel, in fact we often feel because of the way we act.”

“Even a modest pleasure can be a luxury if it’s scarce enough – ordering coffee at a restaurant, buying a book, or watching TV – which is why deprivation is one of the most effective, although unenjoyable, cures for the hedonic treadmill.”

“It is easy to make the mistake of thinking that if you have something you love or there’s something you want, you’ll be happier with more.”

“Enthusiasm is more important to mastery than innate ability, it turns out, because the single most important element in developing an expertise is your willingness to practice.”

2. Inspiration to Start Anew

Kristen Lobe’s novel Paris Hangover has been available for a handful of years, but I had to include it.  I have revisited this book a number of times, and I still find myself being mesmerized by the main character’s gumption and tenaciousness. 

If you’ve ever wanted to find the courage to pack up just enough of your belongings (and your furry-haired friend) in a couple of suitcases and relocate to the city or locale of your dreams, this novel will give you the nudge to make your dream a reality.  The protagonist, a bit whimsically, begins the novel by deciding to start her life fresh in Paris after having lived in New York City most of her adult life.  The adventures and loves she encounters make for a scrumptious tale.

3. A Light-Hearted, Enjoyable Caper

When picking up a book to dive into, I need to feel better after having read a chapter or two, not disturbed.   And while I love mysteries, sometimes the violence involved is too much. 

Well, if you are of the similar mind, I have an author for you to begin reading – Peter Mayle.  He, like the aforementioned protagonist in Paris Hangover, up and moved from the states to Paris and currently resides in the south of France.  The majority of his fictional books involve a mystery, but death is not the crime.  In The Vintage Caper the mystery lies in “who stole the wine?”  Other subjects in earlier books included the seeking of the beloved truffles, and stolen artwork as well.  Light-hearted, yet still illegal activities nonetheless.

What you will find in his most recent work (pictured below) is savory descriptions of French cuisine, brief, yet interesting schooling on wine and vivid imagery of beautiful chateaus and wine cellars in France.  Needless to say, this novel piqued my interest immediately. 

4.  Common Sense Repackaged

Bethenny Frankel has kind of taken Bravo by storm lately, and I must admit I jumped on the bandwagon.  Her first book, Naturally Thin, came out last year, and she has since followed it up with a book of even more recipes, as well as a book of rules for remaining naturally thin – The Skinnygirl Dish and The Skinnygirl Rules.  Before you skip over this book because it involves “dieting”, read a few of the excerpts because it might just catch your attention.  As much as we all pride ourselves on knowing what we should do, this book reiterates and gives specifics to make sure we do indeed do what we know we should do.

Excerpts:

“I think everybody deserves to be healthy and get into the best shape of her life.  That’s why I’ve collected all the simple facts that have taken me twenty years to learn, and crystallized them into ten simple rules.”

“Your diet is your bank account. Don’t eat too much of any one thing, don’t eat the same thing twice, balance starches with proteins, vegetables and fruits with sweets, and always balance a splurge with a save.”

“Dieting is not helping you; it’s hurting you and subtly undermining your own personal power.  It also negatively alters your metabolism.  I’m serious about this.  Diets, by definition, tell you what to eat. Why should anybody else tell you what to eat?  What does anybody else know about what you need and desire?  It’s your body, your taste buds, your preference, your life.”

Hopefully, your curiosity has been teased a bit regarding at least one of these books, and if not, please share what you would gladly read again or pass on to a friend.  I’m always in search of my next new book.

Here’s to a lovely treasured Thursday.  Happy reading!

Images: (1) Image Source