Content warning: Grief & loss “Time heals”, they say when you lose someone. And it does. The passing weeks and months and years erode the jagged edges of raw grief, soften the blunt impact of shock and disbelief. Maybe you cry more for a while as your brain starts to wrap itself around strange, unruly... Continue Reading →
Success, to me, is filling your life with what brings you joy. It’s being genuinely, deeply happy right where you are — your physical home, your day-to-day routine, your relationships with others, your relationship with yourself. It looks different for everyone. And it can't be ticked off a list, because it's a lifelong endeavour. It's THE lifelong endeavour. Finding joy, and bringing it to others. What else matters, really?
I've spent the last couple of hours raving to various friends, colleagues and whoever cares enough to watch my Stories on Instagram about the croissant I had this morning, and it's not enough. Must. Enthuse. More. So here is a quick (by my standards) blog about my breakfast. On y va. The day dawned bright... Continue Reading →
Surprise, surprise, I’m writing this blog post on a train - speeding through the French countryside, direction Paris, somewhere in the vague vicinity of Dijon. It’s a perfect “golden hour”, the rolling wheat fields and villages of tiny terracotta-roofed cottages bathed in the gorgeous glow of the setting sun. I’m reminded of how much I... Continue Reading →
As you are quite likely aware, this blog is called Adventures of an Anglaise — “anglaise” being the French word for English girl/woman. But in truth, I’m actually half “anglaise” and half “irlandaise”, and although I've never lived in Ireland, I’ve always identified very closely with that side of my nationality/heritage. It’s not particularly surprising,... Continue Reading →
To some, autumn signifies the end of summer. It’s an unwelcome thing that a lot of people resign themselves to, reluctantly accepting the seasonal transition, already wistful for the warmer weather. I’m not one of those people. To me, that undefinable sweet, smoky scent that suffuses the cooling air heralds change, promising new beginnings. I... Continue Reading →
Summer is unmistakably coming to a close. The days are still warm (and sometimes sunny), but you can feel it in the cooling evening air, see it in some indefinable quality of the morning light. I’m no longer leaving the windows of my little rooftop apartment thrown open until the last possible moment before going... Continue Reading →
You'll have to excuse the geeky Greek mythology reference in the title; strange though it may seem, Classics grads don't get to use their degrees too often in real life. If you're not into slightly obscure deities from ancient cultures (though I find it hard to imagine why anyone wouldn't be), Eos is the Greek... Continue Reading →
Joyeuse Chandeleur ! Nope, that's not a real greeting in french, I just made it up - but any day consecrated to the consumption of crêpes is worthy of one, in my humble opinion. And Chandeleur is exactly that.* It falls on the 2nd February every year, 40 days after Christmas. The french name derives... Continue Reading →
Solo travel is a special kind of time to yourself, when there’s no obligation or pressure to do anything specific or productive. How often, in the busy balancing act of grown-up life, do we get the opportunity to spend several (waking) hours in total repose, without any guilt or consequences?
Adventures of an Anglaise 