Roma (Rome) is the antithesis of New York…streets have little organization, the pace is slow (other than cars and scooters zipping by), food is a constant topic of conversation and at times the city can be completely unruly.

Say Roma backward and you have amore (love)!

Rome isn’t for everyone, the lack of organization and efficiency alone could drive the average New Yorker insane, but the city’s long history, hidden corners, and delicious food keep me coming back.

As a visitor I rarely want to leave.

When starting a visit to Rome…the best is to start slow.

I hope these images of Rome will offer you a little escape to slow down your day… which is probably speeding by at warp speed.

Enjoy!

Leslie

I was hoping to post more from the South of France but I had some major technical challenges.

Happily…here are a few more highlights for you to enjoy with a big thank you to Mapi and Claudine for another great girls weekend.

…And a very special thank you to Richard, who helped save my photos so I could continue posting.  Merci Richard!!!!!

Aix en Provence…culture, food and yes a little shopping…

Another Village Inconnu… no restaurant, 2 bars, 1 boulangerie (bakery), 1 epicerie (small supermarket), 1 newstand and a lot of beautiful homes all link together in a winding hilltop town in the shape of a snail.

Our Chambre D’Hote (Bed & Breakfast), a refuge for rest and relaxation…

The seaside Village of Cassis – I think the pictures say it all…

The Team!

Bye Girls!!!  See you next year!!!

Bises (Kisses)

Leslie

I have been sprinkling French words in my postings and Italian will soon follow.

The idea of speaking a foreign language, especially French or Italian, usually excites people, “Oh la la….French!”.   For me speaking a foreign language is pure enjoyment.

People are usually suprised when I tell them I was a horrible French student, my parents can vouch.  I was consistently tutored to pass required high school and college coursework…but a trip to France changed everything.

I can’t really say what changed me during that first visit except I couldn’t imagine not speaking French.  So I bought a phrase book, called my parents and announced “I am going to speak French.”.  My mother kindly asked if this was her daughter.

My friend Dan says “Learning and speaking a foreign language is like exercise, you have to do it everyday to see the benefits”. He is right!

I am still a horrible student but I work at it almost everyday.  I love the ability to communicate in another language.  It is fear, joy and sometimes exhaustion all rolled in one.

Moving forward you can click on the category Language Lessons to see all postings where I have used and translated words in French or Italian… to have a little language escape of your own.

In the future I hope to offer a word of the month, one in French and one in Italian…because who doesn’t enjoy saying a few words in a foreign language.

I hope you agree!

Enjoy!

Leslie

Per Wikipedia “An apéritif (also spelled aperitif) is an alcoholic drink that is usually served to stimulate the appetite before a meal, contrasting with digestifs, which are served after meals.

Apéritifs are commonly served with something small to eat, such as crackers, cheese, pâté, olives, and various kinds of finger food.”

When my friend Pascal first arrived in the US we made dinner plans.  As a New Yorker, I recommended we meet directly at the restaurant.

But being very French Pascal said “Mais non, avant on vas faire l’apero a la maison!” (But no, before we will have the apero at my apartment!”).  I laughed and told him he was very French.

L’apero (the French love diminutives) is one of my favorite rituals in France and Italy (l’aperitivo – no diminutive), starting between 5pm and 6pm the apero is a way to end the day and start the evening.

It is a way to socialize with friends or acquaintances, without a commitment for dinner (although sometimes the little snacks become dinner) either at home, at a bar or cafe.   As noted by Wikipedia, the alcoholic drink is always served with something small to eat, chips, crackers, olives.  It is typically light and salty and wets your appetite for the dinner to come.

Serving the apero in France is an art, I don’t think there is a home in France with out a plateau (serving tray) and bag of chips or cacahouettes (peanuts) ready to be ripped open and placed in a bowl for an impromptu apero.

Upon arriving in Clermont I was invited to an apero… this made me very happy, because a real apero in New York is hard to come by.

So if you haven’t yet been invited to a French apero for a little enjoyment and escape, I hope this will inspire you to create your own (alcohol optional)!

Enjoy!!!

Leslie

I try to visit my friend Claudine every year.  We met when she was living and working in Paris.   Today Claudine lives in Clermont Ferrand, a small city in the center of France surrounded by rolling hills and dormant volcanos.

If you read my original blog www.L-List.com you may remember that Clermont is not the sexiest city in France but I like it…mainly because it’s where Claudine lives.

Apart from seeing Claudine, I love to visit with her 4 year-old son Edgar (my boyfriend).  Edgar and I are finally starting to communicate.  He often asks “Ou vas tu?” and “Pourquoi?” (“Where are you going?” and “Why?), just like a real boyfriend.

I also love to spend time in Claudine’s kitchen.  It’s always filled with French staples… bread, honey, chocolate, yogurt, and homemade food from Claudine’s mother-in-law, Mammi Nicole, who is an amazing cook.  Nearly every week Mammi Nicole sends a care package of prepared vegetables (fresh from her garden), meat and more to Claudine, Richard and Edgar – I love this!

I have put in my request several times to have Mammi Nicole overnight me care packages, but I am still waiting…

If I don’t find a job I told Claudine I will come back to Clermont to babysit Edgar in exchange for Mammi Nicole’s cooking.

The weather in Clermont can be less than agreeable as the city sits in a valley but this year the weather was perfect and Claudine was able to take me on a hike to the top of the Volvic mountain (see the front of a Volvic water bottle) for incredible views of the Puy-de-Dome (the oldest mountain range in France and part of France’s largest national park) and a picnic dinner.  Amazing!!!!!

Friends are important and having rituals help me stay connected, especially during busy or stressful times.

If you don’t already have rituals with friends, think about creating one, a morning walk, a bicycle ride, a French breakfast or even a French vacation.

Whether every month, once or twice a year, it is amazing how important these rituals quickly become.

Enjoy!

Leslie