The Paris newsletter

Bonjour,

I hope you and yours are well.

I’m sending you this newsletter from Paris where I’m catching up with some friends to visit some of the most iconic sites – from cafés where Ernest Hemingway was inspired to write, Edith Piaf sipped Champagne, and impressionist artists doodled on napkins – to gorgeous stores like the perfumery where Josephine Bonaparte shopped, and the cake shop founded by the patisserie chef at the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. Come with me via Instagram where I’ll post photos and videos as we go.

My trips are very Jekyll to the Hyde of my normal life which largely consists of renovating an old farmhouse (yes still renovating, I know I said I thought we’d finish soon, 21 years so far, but… next year. Maybe!). We (me and my husband Mark) are renovating with our bare hands (which is why it takes so long), and we have an unhelpful team that consists of 4 boisterous dogs, 2 Labradors, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, and 2 Australian Shepherds, Nina Simone and Lady Ella. I must admit I never even considered just how challenging it would be to take in 4 puppies at once and 2 of them with long hair that needs regular brushing. I have had to learn to be a doggy hairdresser – that was never on my plans! We also have 6 needy cats, one of whom is a clingy stalker, Tigger (a part Norwegian Forest cat with big ears that can hear me a mile off!), and chickens who are all divas, and latterly, a gang of hedgehogs who have joined our little family and are now living in huts on the terrace. Quite a lot of my time is spent cleaning up after everyone, I don’t know about Dr. Dolittle, more like Dr. Doalot. I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way though, and if I ever write a best-selling book that makes a lot of money, I’d take in more rescue animals.

But for this weekend, I’m loving being a tourist, sightseeing, drinking hot chocolate at Angelina’s Tea Room near the Louvre and sipping coffee at La Procope, one of Paris’ oldest brasseries which opened in 1686! The cleaning job will have to wait…

Wishing you a very bon weekend mes amies and amis,
Bisous from the City of Light,
Janine
Editor

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