Paris On My Mind ~

{ Via: Tiffany LaBelle }

With the Olympics opening in Paris today, all eyes are on the City Of Lights. I look forward to watching the athleticism of all the participating athletes from every country. And I am sure we all will be treated to the sights and sounds of Paris, while doing so. Today's wrap up is all about Paris and France. Not a bad theme. Oui?

The Goop Paris Guide: If you are planning a trip to Paris, or just want to dream a little, head to Goop for the best Guides to this beautiful city. You'll find Where To Stay ~ maybe Paris's only Chateau Hotel in the 16th. Where To Eat ~ the Foodie's Guide to Paris, where to take the kids and so much more.

Jeanne Damas on Paloma Picasso and How To Avoid Dressing Like A Tourist In Paris

Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter of Team USA in the Olympics. He will reveal the uniforms during the opening ceremony. You can explore the men's and women's styles now at Bloomingdale's.

French Hair Accessories: Get the French Girl Look with Alexandre de Paris accessories. You'll find clips, barrettes, and more in tortoise shell with Swarovski crystals, pearls or plain. The collection is all made in France.

Ormaie Paris: Maison of Haute Parfumerie. This fragrance design house is new to me, and the bottles caught my eye. The fragrances are made of exceptional natural ingredients. You owe it to yourself to look at the collection. One bottle is more gorgeous than the next.

Chanel: What could be more Parisian than Chanel? I wanted to share a stylish source for pre-owned vintage Chanel pieces. You can trust WGACA 

( What Goes Around Comes Around) with pre-owned designer goods. In fact they have 59 pages of Chanel bags and jewelry. A dream for many!

Cafe Chic: If you have had coffee in a French Cafe, chances are it was served from a French Press. We use one at home. The New York Times has rated the best ones. Their favorite is the Espro P3. What makes it so good is the double filter. Makes sense. Find it at Amazon

All things OUI: Clare V is a stylish and functional line of handbags and accessories. It's a fun line that offers the perfect marriage of classic French glamour and minimalist LA cool. I love their use of the word OUI on some of their products.

St - Germain Liquor: It's an oh so very French liqour made from elderberry flowers. It's also the base of some sophisticated cocktails and apertifs. The bottle is elegant and the taste unique. Just a few drops will make your cocktail bloom. You can order it from  Wine.com

20 Delightful Cocktails Made With St-Germain

Speaking of fabulous.....I found these vintage French Champagne Buckets that are cooler than cool. I actually think they are made to look vintage, but they are indeed imported from France.  Doesn't matter. They are pretty nifty for $90.

Oh Julia! Could anyone be more quintessentially French than chef Julia Child? Add her Leather Bound Book "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking" to your collection. It deserves a place of honor in every chef's kitchen. A great gift.

Atelier Choux Paris: For the prettiest baby gifts ever. This line of luxurious cashmere baby blankets, organic swaddle blankies, and clothing are made with illustrations of french scenery. It's all enchanting. Find the line at Childrensalon.

 XOXOX

Au revoir

Deb

Tuesday Trend: Haute Hair Accessories

{ Via: Dolce & Gabbana }

No bad hair days for us girls this Summer! One of the biggest trends of the season is the hair accessory. Pull it back, wear it up, tie it up, or clip it....just do something to adorn your tresses. And when it comes to barrettes, more is more! It's a fun way to change up your look, and to make a bad hair day better.  
Here's inspiration.

L. Erickson Cherry Collection
Cherries are always in good taste.
France Luxe

Spell It Out

This season, let your hair speak for itself. For a fun affordable collection shop hair 
accessories at
Baublebar

Lelet NY Crystal Barrette
What a pretty piece! Handcrafted in NY,  this beautiful barrette features 14 karat gold plating and Swarovski crystals.
Moda Operandi

Shibori Hair Scarf Set
Scrunchies taken up a pretty notch.
Anthropologie

Namjosh Sequin Headband
A beautiful way to elevate any outfit. 
A glam look.
Shopbop

Marc Jacobs Strass Barrette
Perfect for a low key glam moment. Now marked down by 40%, and one of my faves of the edit.
Marc Jacobs

Jennifer Behr Flower Barrette
Beautiful blossoms add a Summery look to all of 
your outfits.
Neiman Marcus

Oscar De La Renta Hair Clip
Shop a beautifully detailed hair clip with faux pearls from Austria. Perfect for your dressiest of days and nights.
Saks Fifth Avenue

Lele Sadoughi Crystal Embellished Headband
I love this chic collection of padded headbands.  Perfect for the bistro, beach, or ballroom. Click for more colors
Nordstrom

Cult Gaia Ria Set
Two hair clips have been made from hand poured tortoiseshell acrylic. So fun worn stacked as see here, but each one also stands on its' own. Also available in pink. They are presented in a pretty pink box, making them a thoughtful gift.
Shopbop

Eve Green Circle Tortoise Shell 
Hair Clip
A different shade of tortoise. Also available in ivory, gold, and dark tortoise. It's handmade and ships for free. 
Super affordable.
Dear Soho

Design B London Girl Boss Barrettes
This two pack is too cool. A darling little gift for all of the girl bosses out there. After all, girls do love pearls.
ASOS

Silke Protective Hair Wrap
Say goodbye and good night to bed head, frizz, split ends  and hair damage. This glam silk accessory is meant to wear for sleeping, but its pretty enough to wear in the day, as well. Available in many colors to match all of your linens and lingerie.
Neiman Marcus



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Foodie Friday: Fabulous French Recipes & Cooks' Tools

{ Via: Kerri Hess }

I was super excited that Bastille Day landed on Foodie Friday. No need to say where my inspiration came from for this post! If you enjoy French fare, I think you will find that this recipe roundup  has a certain "je ne sais quoi." 
Bon appétit!

HERE: 25 Ways To Celebrate

French Martini
The truth is, I am not a martini drinker. The ingredients in this classic cocktail however, just may make both you and I believers. Think raspberry liqueur, pineapple juice, and vodka. 
Wined Harma 

Coquilles Saint-Jacques
I have made this before, but only once. It was the first meal I made for my husband as a married couple. It wasn't a success, in fact, "Mr. Shop This" was very ill following dinner. Obviously I did something wrong. I think it is time to try these gratineed scallops again! You can find the shells HERE.
Saveur  

Rhubarb and Custard Crème Brûlée 
With the flavors of Summer, your guests will love cracking into the caramelized layer of this make ahead dessert. It calls for a kitchen torch, and I found one for less than $25 at Sur La Table. Get the pretty recipe at
Good Housekeeping UK 

Truffle Omelette
Special instructions for this over the top treat are "Store truffle and eggs in an airtight container for 1-2 days until ready to use. This allows the truffle fragrance to permeate the eggs." Enough said.
Gourmet Traveller 

Mixed Berry Almond Croissants
I remember my first French croissant. I thought that I died and went to heaven. This recipe is a mix between a croissant and beignet. They are best right out of the oven!
Half Baked Harvest 

Provencal Vegetable Tart
This recipe is so aesthetically impressive! It's made with eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. A great use of the Summer's bounty.
Food and Wine 

French Market Basket with Double Handles
Le tote. Hand woven and heavenly for Summer days at The Farmer's Market. It is oh so très chic.
Food52

Confit Salmon and Potato Salad With Lentils and Champagne Shallot Vinaigrette
Daniel Boulud's composed salad is at heart, actually simple and unfussy rustic fare.
Elle Decor 

Classic Chocolate Mousse
It's simple, sophisticated, and a specialty of mine. This is the recipe I have used for years, and it works every time. I just can't imagine anyone not liking this. Oh! I always add a bit of liquor....whatever I have on hand. Cointreau is extra good with it.
Saveur 

Moules A La Normande
One of my favorite dishes. I never thought of serving homemade fries on the side!
Gourmet Traveller

Perfect Croque Monsieur And Croque Madame
Americans would call this a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, but it is really much more. The Croque Madame has a fried egg on top. The recipe includes my favorite cheese, Gruyère, and a Béchamel Sauce. Not exactly Velveta.
Pudge Factor

Banana Tartes Tatin
This recipe is for my Sister, Carole, who never has a craving for dessert unless there are bananas involved! Don't be intimidated, it's made from frozen puff pastry.
 Bon Appétit  

Five Things That Will Make Your Kitchen More Parisian
It's the little things like French Finishing Salt and Butter Keepers that will have you cooking like Julia in no time.
Food52 

Artichokes Barigoule Au Pistou
Served with creamy Burrata and basil. So very French and a lovely appetizer. Get the Palermo Block Print Tablecloth at Serena and Lily and the recipe at

Elle Decor 

Tuna and Tomato Tart With Dijon Mustard

This tart features the taste of the Summer sun! It's topped with Herbs de Provence. Gorgeous!

A French Girl Cuisine

Carrot and Poppyseed Cupcakes
This is such a pretty and interesting recipe. Lots of fresh ingredients and even a pinch of red chili pepper!
My French Kitchen  

Steak Tartar
Oh boy, do I love this dish! In fact many moons ago, I made about six pounds of it for a New Years Eve party we were hosting. Well, the biggest snow storm in years hit that day, and our big event turned into a party of four. Needless to say, this recipe also makes good burgers! You can get the Salt Plate HERE.  Recipe 
Williams-Sonoma 

French Spice
I can highly recommend Dean and Deluca's spice collection. When in NYC, I try to pick up some. This set of herbs is the foundation of seasoning French Cuisine.
Dean and Deluca 

Chicken Tagine With Olives And Preserved Lemons
This recipe wins the prize for good looks! It's a rich and fragrant chicken stew that is filled with complex flavors.
NY Times Cooking 

French Crepes Suzettes
Lucky me. I grew up on crepes, and my Mama knew nothing about French cooking. She just loved gadgets, and bought herself a crepe pan. This recipe is authentic with a Grand Marnier butter orange filling.
Dells Cooking Twist 

Vintage French Champagne Bucket
Made in France and therefore fancy! But their rustic look makes them perfect from the porch to the patio. Each one is unique and different. Cheers!
Food52

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose 
My very favorite champagne, thanks to Sara and Gary. It's expensive but beyond fabulous. Worth every penny. Try it with burgers like I did one fun night in San Francisco.
Wine.com

Nicoise Salad with Sesame Seared Tuna
Is this not a pretty platter? The purple potatoes make this a standout recipe. It's one of my favorite things to eat. A must make for this Summer.
Heather Christo

Blackberry French 75
It's Soixante-Quinze if you are in France. This cocktail calls for four ingredients; gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar. Love the way Heather changes it up for Summer.
Heather Christo

Macaron 101 French Meringue
I so enjoyed this article and recipe. Even after reading it, I am not sure that I have the courage to take the plunge and try these.  If you do, this is a great place to start.
No So Humble Pie




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