Day 1/100 of The 100 Day Project Challenge

The 100 Day Project starts now! Woo hoo! I'm really excited to participate in this year's challenge. Here are the three projects I will be working on:

1. Read a paperback set of Jane Austen's novels that I recently purchased. I'll be starting with:

2. and 3. I'll be writing and art journaling in my new Louise Carmen notebook cover:

I'll be sharing all about my projects throughout the next 100 days. Wish me luck!

JLC17 starts now!

Hiya, folks! Just wanted to share about a fun challenge that my dear friend, Meredith, is hosting. It's called the Japanese Literature Challenge 17 and it is seriously a good time. From January through February all you have to do is read one (1) book that has been translated from Japanese. That's it! Of course, you can read loads more than one book, which is what I normally do. However, this year, I may just stick with two or three.  If you want to know more about the JLC17, head on over to Meredith's blog, Dolce Bellezza.

I need to peruse my bookshelves to figure out what I want to read for the JLC17. I'm thinking of rereading a Murakami...The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Norwegian Wood, or Kafka on the Shore - I have all three in the Folio Society editions and I've been itching to give those copies a read. I also have The Penguin Book of Japanese Short Stories, so maybe something from there. Hmm...and I do have a stack of books by new-to-me authors that I could give a go. So the options are great, it's just that I have to figure out which ones will suit my mood. Either way, I'm excited for the challenge and can't wait to share about which books I've read. Hope you decide to join in on the fun, too. 

As for now, I'm off to work in my art journal. Today's prompt is throwback. That should be a fun one. Hope you all are having a great day! Happy reading!

Paris in July!

 

It's time again for all things French. Yep, Paris in July is back (thanks to Tamara from Thyme for Tea for hosting and creating this terrific challenge) and I am thrilled to be participating in this challenge. All month long I will be reading books and watching films set in France (or written/created by French authors/directors/actors), listening to French music, and indulging in some French foods. Talk about bliss! 

I'm thinking of Jean Rhys. I recently bought a few new editions of some of her books and was leaning toward re-reading Good Morning, Midnight. What do you think? 

Not sure what else I'll read, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out. Also, I decided to make my journal Paris themed this month. So, I'm really looking forward to decorating it and writing about this challenge. 

Let me know if you're participating, too. Or, if you have any book recs you'd like to share. 

Happy reading!!

Currently Reading and Just Watched...

I picked up this gem on the recommendation of an old friend of mine. I thought it would be the perfect book to read for Paris in July.  I started it over the weekend and have been making my way through the story rather slowly. For some reason, I want to savor it and just take my time. It's a slow-going read and I like that. Right now, I want stories that detail characters and the mundane trivialities of life. I'm craving routine, so I'm enjoying reading all about Ambroise and Manelle - he's an embalmer and she's a home help carer. They have yet to meet, but I believe when they do that sparks are going to fly. I'm looking forward to reading some more chapters later on today.

As for Paris in July, I've just started to join in on the fun. I'm reading the above mentioned book and I just finished re-watching the following film:

I've seen this film a number of times and I always seem to find myself laughing out loud at this quirky family and all of their farcical drama. Don't get me wrong, there are some serious topics  - suicide, murder, and adultery - yet, somehow the movie is able to move past these issues with aplomb and not weigh you down. So, what exactly is this film about? Well, here goes:

In Le Divorce, we have a film about family, love, a painting, and Paris.  Isabel Walker has traveled to Paris to check in on her older sister, Roxy (who is married and pregnant with her second child).  Eager to embrace French culture, Isabel is excited about the prospects that Paris is sure to bring.  However, once there, she is confronted with a depressed and suicidal sister who has just been dumped by her cheating husband - not exactly a warm welcome.  And, things get even more complicated when her brother-in-law's mistress' husband tries to insinuate himself into her and Roxy's lives by stalking them.  Plus, Isabel has found a new job, a sort-of boyfriend, and a married man to keep her occupied.  Oh, and the painting of St. Ursula that hangs in Roxy's home may or may not be a real La Tour - which brings the whole Walker clan out to Paris (plus, they're all worried after Roxy's attempted suicide).   All the while, Roxy is dealing with her husband's meddlesome family about a divorce that she is adamantly against.  Sounds pretty crazy and kind of ridiculous, right?  Well it is, and its not.  Thanks in large part to the stellar cast of actors in the film, this movie is a surprisingly sweet treat to watch.  Oh, and of course, it helps to have Paris be the backdrop amidst all the drama.  The Eiffel Tower, those ubiquitous scarves,  a red Hermes handbag, delectable dishes, chic apartments, and country estates - what more could I want?

Definitely check it out if you get a chance. Its fun, engaging, and such a treat to watch.


And now, I'm off to read some more of The Rest Of Their Lives. Hope you are enjoying Paris in July.

Paris in July is back!!

How exciting!  Paris in July, the popular blogging event hosted and created by Tamara of Thyme for Tea is back.  And I am so excited!  As a huge fan of all things Paris, I am really looking forward to reading everyone's posts this year.  I swear I always learn something new each year and its always fun to see what everyone decides to write about. Plus, there are always some great photos of Paris to look through.   As for me, I will pop in some French music, eat a pain au chocolat, and settle down with some lovely new reads to enjoy during this month.  Here are some of the books I'm considering:

So many good books to choose from! I can't decide which to read first. Let me know what you think? Have you read any? Which one(s) do you recommend?

And now, I'm off to flip through a baking magazine for a recipe to make macarons.  Wish me luck!!

Paris in July is back!

Hurrah!  Its nearly time for Paris in July - a fantastic challenge hosted by Karen of BookBath and Tamara of Thyme for Tea.  I look forward to it every year, as I am obsessed with all things French.  Plus, this challenge isn't a reading one, its an anything goes challenge  - meaning that you can post about books, music, films, food, travel, etc.  All you have to remember is that the challenge runs from July 1st through July 31st. How awesome is that?  Last year I posted about some of my favorite French items (Longchamps and pan au chocolat) and the film Midnight in Paris (LOVED this movie!!!).  And, I enjoyed checking out the other participants' blog posts - you learn about so many new books, films, and foods.  This year I plan on watching some movies and reading some books, all the while listening to my Midnight in Paris soundtrack on repeat.  Here are some of the titles for both films and books that I have in mind:

What do you think?  They all look pretty fantastic, no? Well, if you have any suggestions, feel free to leave me your ideas in the comments below.  And now, I'm off to start reading The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison.  Happy reading!!

2 Days in Paris - A film by Julie Delpy

For Paris in July, I watched the film, 2 Days in Paris.  Written and directed by Julie Delpy, this film centers on Jack (a New York interior designer) and Marion ( a French-born photographer); a couple who have been traveling through Europe in the hopes of rekindling their relationship.  So far, Jack and Marion are not doing that well - whilst in Venice they got a bout of some sort of intestinal illness, therefore putting a damper on the romance aspect of their trip.  On their way back home to the States, they have decided to stop in Paris (Marion's hometown) for 2 days.  Unbeknownst to Jack, Marion has always kept in contact with her many ex-lovers and so he is shocked to discover this fact - it seems that everywhere they go, Marion runs into one of her many ex-lovers.  Jack also has to contend with the mockery he endures from Marion's family, who have all viewed a very private photograph (a naked picture that Jack took for Marion's eyes only) of Jack and cannot help but laugh whenever they see him.  Sadly, it appears that 2 days in Paris will not spark the romantic flame that has petered out. 

My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this film! It was such a fun movie - I was laughing out loud the whole time.  It was hilarious watching Goldberg (Jack) struggling to accept the fact that Marion (Delpy) has been keeping in contact with her exes and sees no reason why she shouldn't; while he clearly does not see a reason why she should want to keep in contact with any of her exes.  We watch Jack endure an uncomfortable lunch with Marion's family, where they mock him because of his French speaking skills and over a naked picture that they have seen of him.  Then there is the party that Marion takes Jack to, where he is forced to make small talk with Marion's exes and wonder how faithful Marion has truly been.  We watch Marion get into a shouting match with an ex at a cafe, which results in her and Jack getting ousted from the cafe.  Then there is Jack's visit to a burger joint in Paris where he befriends a young man who may or may not be a terrorist.  And during all of these events we see Paris - the streets, cafes, outdoor markets, etc.  We watch two people struggling to come to grips with their own personal insecurities, all the while creating a divide that is pushing their relationship further and further apart.  Definitely an interesting film - not your typical romantic comedy, where boy meets girl and they fall in love under the Eiffel Tower.  I loved how this film explored the romantic relationship between two very quirky characters in Paris.  What a treat to watch! Both Goldberg and Delpy were spot on with their acting - you could believe Goldberg to be a neurotic, hypochondriac who has no problem lying to his fellow Americans when they ask him for directions.  And you can believe that Delpy is a free-spirited, independent woman, who has no problem confronting racist cab drivers or maintaining an apartment in Paris that is located directly above her parents'.  The dialogue is sharp and witty and the character development is solid.  2 Days in Paris is a must see! 

Such a great way to participate in Paris in July! Now I just need to find a good book to read. I started to read the first few page of Nadja by Breton, but its a rather difficult book to get through. Its surrealist in origin and slightly off putting with its non-linear structure - rather reminds of something I would have had to read for my postmodern lit course in college. So, we'll see if I can stick it out. Until my next post, Happy reading!!!