A transitionary home for my soul stuck somewhere between the Swiss Alps and Parisian chic.
March 30, 2020
March 29, 2020
When the world stays home
A deserted Place de Trocadero looking onto La Tour Eiffel
Clearly I now know what classifies as "essential items” in France...
... No.1 wine retailer is open along with les boulangeries and les tabacs!
Restaurants have been closed for two weeks...
... and terrasses empty during the sunniest two consecutive weeks EVER!!!
March 28, 2020
Feeling slightly competitive...
So far, we are doing pretty well as we head towards the end of the second week of self-confinement. We have found our daily routine between télétravail, online schooling, live-streaming uni lectures, yoga classes via zoom, exercising that ancient treadmill and, of course, the virtual aperòs with friends.
We also have more time for family meals and board games... turns out Monopoly has become a brilliant tool for the kids to practice their negotiation skills... and believe me their Neapolitan side comes out in full flare at times.
We do not regularly play board games but I have found this a good way to take Expat hubby's mind off work and cheer up my teenage daughter who is missing the interaction with her peers tremendously. Of course, it all starts heading south when Expat boy - who hates to lose - realizes he is running out of cash... but the giggles and the laughs far outweigh the Mummy-Son gaming feud.
The French government meanwhile has confirmed a further two weeks of lockdown and I am waiting for Amazon to ship the Louvre Cluedo game by tonight.
We also have more time for family meals and board games... turns out Monopoly has become a brilliant tool for the kids to practice their negotiation skills... and believe me their Neapolitan side comes out in full flare at times.
We do not regularly play board games but I have found this a good way to take Expat hubby's mind off work and cheer up my teenage daughter who is missing the interaction with her peers tremendously. Of course, it all starts heading south when Expat boy - who hates to lose - realizes he is running out of cash... but the giggles and the laughs far outweigh the Mummy-Son gaming feud.
The French government meanwhile has confirmed a further two weeks of lockdown and I am waiting for Amazon to ship the Louvre Cluedo game by tonight.
March 23, 2020
There is always a silver lining...
We have successfully completed out first week under lockdown. We have established our little family routine and if I am honest all family members are working diligently in their rooms on their respective projects. We might get up at different times but we always gather for lunch and enjoy our dinner together as a family. Definitely the best silver lining in this dire situation.
The French have not taken to singing as much as the Italians but every night at 8pm we stand on our balconies to applaud all the hospital workers for their heroic work in saving lives. It might be the unusually cold temperatures but the Parisians are not hanging around on their tiny balconies or open windows...
... rather a habit of virtual happy hour has taken over the daily routine. Be it via House party, Skype, FaceTime or Zoom it has not taken long for most to get organised online. Tele-travail happened pretty instantly since it has already been a coming trend in this country but since we have just skipped into virtual reality - or so it seems - rather than just sharing a screen with your work colleagues why not switch to your friends at the end of the day?
We are into our third virtual aperitivo in three days; some encounters are fun and silly others are more intellectual and even confrontational, either way, emotions are running high and there is clearly an urge to communicate with each other.
For the time being we are establishing a new routine and I am wondering how these "aperòs" will evolve? Is it just the novelty of the situation or are people more inclined to pick up the phone or switch on their digital communication tool to get in touch? Only time will tell... for my part I am very thankful to have a dear circle of friends who are staying in touch more than usual. Hang in there. We are all in this together... in the meantime... chin chin!
The French have not taken to singing as much as the Italians but every night at 8pm we stand on our balconies to applaud all the hospital workers for their heroic work in saving lives. It might be the unusually cold temperatures but the Parisians are not hanging around on their tiny balconies or open windows...
... rather a habit of virtual happy hour has taken over the daily routine. Be it via House party, Skype, FaceTime or Zoom it has not taken long for most to get organised online. Tele-travail happened pretty instantly since it has already been a coming trend in this country but since we have just skipped into virtual reality - or so it seems - rather than just sharing a screen with your work colleagues why not switch to your friends at the end of the day?
We are into our third virtual aperitivo in three days; some encounters are fun and silly others are more intellectual and even confrontational, either way, emotions are running high and there is clearly an urge to communicate with each other.
For the time being we are establishing a new routine and I am wondering how these "aperòs" will evolve? Is it just the novelty of the situation or are people more inclined to pick up the phone or switch on their digital communication tool to get in touch? Only time will tell... for my part I am very thankful to have a dear circle of friends who are staying in touch more than usual. Hang in there. We are all in this together... in the meantime... chin chin!
March 19, 2020
Paris is officially on lockdown
As of Tuesday noon we are officially on lockdown prohibiting all but essential outings. President Macron - appalled by the population’s lack of collective discipline - declared in a somber speech that France was at war and the situation was to be taken seriously. He quoted Philippe Pétain’s infamous 1940 speech: “The spirit of enjoyment has overpowered the spirit of sacrifice.”
Therefore the entire nation is now to self-isolate for two weeks. When leaving home we need to carry a signed form, or attestation, explaining where we are headed and why. The good news you are still aloud out to exercise as long as you go out alone and stay within a 2km radius of your home. The bad news is that my arm is in a cast and therefore cannot go for a run!
However, routines can change fast. Yesterday my day began with a virtual Board meeting and ended with a personalised online yoga class. I followed a webinar about college application essay writing with Expat Girl and watched a youtube lesson on how to use zoom. The highlight was undoubtedly the family lunch. The silver lining to the current situation is that the family is reunited and, once your kids have left home for their studies, family meals are all the more appreciated. Buon Appettito!
Therefore the entire nation is now to self-isolate for two weeks. When leaving home we need to carry a signed form, or attestation, explaining where we are headed and why. The good news you are still aloud out to exercise as long as you go out alone and stay within a 2km radius of your home. The bad news is that my arm is in a cast and therefore cannot go for a run!
However, routines can change fast. Yesterday my day began with a virtual Board meeting and ended with a personalised online yoga class. I followed a webinar about college application essay writing with Expat Girl and watched a youtube lesson on how to use zoom. The highlight was undoubtedly the family lunch. The silver lining to the current situation is that the family is reunited and, once your kids have left home for their studies, family meals are all the more appreciated. Buon Appettito!
March 16, 2020
We will miss you... Parisian spring is cancelled!
The weather was too beautiful for the Parisians to resist! Every year like clockwork, as soon as the first spring weekend hits, the residents are out in hordes. This Sunday was a little more contained than usual, but nevertheless by the afternoon hours people were picnicking along the Seine, strolling through the parcs and walking down the avenues past closed shops and bistros snapping pictures of the beauty around them....
...because Paris is beautiful in the springtime.
Yesterday, Parisians did not stay at home despite government recommendations announcing the closure of "places not essential to the life of the country" calling the French to "limit their travel" while the country officially passed the stadium 3 of the coronavirus epidemic.
Stay tuned for more directions from the government for they are not happy with their nations "insouciance".
So sadly, it looks like we will be missing our Parisian spring completely this year!?!
...because Paris is beautiful in the springtime.
Yesterday, Parisians did not stay at home despite government recommendations announcing the closure of "places not essential to the life of the country" calling the French to "limit their travel" while the country officially passed the stadium 3 of the coronavirus epidemic.
Stay tuned for more directions from the government for they are not happy with their nations "insouciance".
So sadly, it looks like we will be missing our Parisian spring completely this year!?!
A splendid Bir Hakeim bridge
First time EVER I have not spotted a newly-wed couple taking pictures on this bridge!
Spring is in the air...
...and the water levels being a bit high
Avoiding the metro
A touch of pink always lifts my spirits
Sadly, no sipping coffee on the terrace while soaking in those sun rays today!
March 15, 2020
Time to stay home...
Well, Spain has declared a nation-wide lock down, Switzerland has finally taken a decision to curb the virus spreading albeit with slight differences according to each canton and France's Prime Minister has decided the French were not taking the government's warning serious enough and has closed virtually all public places except for supermarkets and pharmacies as of today.
It is true, daily routine had not changed in Paris until yesterday. Schools were open, locals were running errands in the streets and the bistrots were full at lunch time and over-flowing at night. Who wants to watch a football match by themselves at home when you can pop downstairs and watch it in your local hangout with all your buddies?
After more than a year putting up with Saturdays' mayhem caused by "gilets jaunes" and nearly two months of general strike leaving the population with no public transport and reduced public services, the French have added a certain resilience to their already quite feisty outlook. So, the build up to this moment has been like training-on-the-job to face the next crisis... this time in form of a virus!
Sunday morning, the first day of self-confinement, however, it is eerily quiet on the streets, but it is still early morning hours, so let's see what the day brings.
I am wondering, how long will it take until the French start singing "La Marseillaise" from their balconies?!?
It is true, daily routine had not changed in Paris until yesterday. Schools were open, locals were running errands in the streets and the bistrots were full at lunch time and over-flowing at night. Who wants to watch a football match by themselves at home when you can pop downstairs and watch it in your local hangout with all your buddies?
After more than a year putting up with Saturdays' mayhem caused by "gilets jaunes" and nearly two months of general strike leaving the population with no public transport and reduced public services, the French have added a certain resilience to their already quite feisty outlook. So, the build up to this moment has been like training-on-the-job to face the next crisis... this time in form of a virus!
Sunday morning, the first day of self-confinement, however, it is eerily quiet on the streets, but it is still early morning hours, so let's see what the day brings.
I am wondering, how long will it take until the French start singing "La Marseillaise" from their balconies?!?
France on partial lock-down
March 13, 2020
Cantiamo insieme...
This past week has been tough on my Italian family and friends as the country has been put under a dramatic total lockdown. Italy's Prime Minister announced Monday that coronavirus lockdown measures were being extended to the entire country, with travel to be restricted to reasons of health and emergencies.
The motto is that people should stay at home. The hashtag #iostoacasa and #chefaiacasa are trending on social media. 60 million Italians responded with resignation and stoicism to an unprecedented nationwide quarantine.
Remember, Italians invented la dolce vita. This means big families, long lunches, hugs, kisses and close contact. Piazzas buzzing with people enjoying a coffee at the bar and market vendors shouting out the best price for their fresh produce. Not to mention the millions of tourists who hit "La bella Italia" every year. Venice's Piazza San Marco - the country's most populated tourist attraction - is eerily empty these days, same goes for Rome's Colosseum.
It is difficult for them to change their ancestral behaviours within a day. The epidemic heavily affects daily life: there is a before and after.
Stories of true solidarity are starting to go viral. A sound flashmob is the latest action... so, if you can play an instrument or you can sing, or if you just love listening to music... get ready. Warm up those instruments of yours and hang a flag out on your balcony to join the movement; for today at 6pm the Nation will be chanting its resilience from their windows!
The motto is that people should stay at home. The hashtag #iostoacasa and #chefaiacasa are trending on social media. 60 million Italians responded with resignation and stoicism to an unprecedented nationwide quarantine.
Remember, Italians invented la dolce vita. This means big families, long lunches, hugs, kisses and close contact. Piazzas buzzing with people enjoying a coffee at the bar and market vendors shouting out the best price for their fresh produce. Not to mention the millions of tourists who hit "La bella Italia" every year. Venice's Piazza San Marco - the country's most populated tourist attraction - is eerily empty these days, same goes for Rome's Colosseum.
It is difficult for them to change their ancestral behaviours within a day. The epidemic heavily affects daily life: there is a before and after.
Stories of true solidarity are starting to go viral. A sound flashmob is the latest action... so, if you can play an instrument or you can sing, or if you just love listening to music... get ready. Warm up those instruments of yours and hang a flag out on your balcony to join the movement; for today at 6pm the Nation will be chanting its resilience from their windows!
Italy showing its solidarity
(Photocredit: unknown)
March 8, 2020
Happy International Women's Day
When I left Lugano nearly a decade ago, one of my local friends presented me with a Ticinese translation of Audrey Hepburn's quote: "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
Today seems like a perfect occasion to share this unique version of the famous actress' quote. A big cheers to all my girlfriends across the globe but especially my Lugano ladies who are keeping a close eye on their neighbours down the road.... Lombardia!
Hang in there... “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart… I'll always be with you.”
Today seems like a perfect occasion to share this unique version of the famous actress' quote. A big cheers to all my girlfriends across the globe but especially my Lugano ladies who are keeping a close eye on their neighbours down the road.... Lombardia!
Hang in there... “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart… I'll always be with you.”
March 6, 2020
Obsessed with Swiss wooden architecture
Inspiration is abundant according to Pierre Jacquet, author of The Swiss Chalet. “The mountain chalet, and more particularly the Swiss chalet (and even more the Bernese Oberland chalet) was made to represent an idyllic way of life faithfully reflecting that Golden Age for which the Greek, Roman and Middle Age poets and artists have also yearned,” he wrote in his 1963 book.
He noted that in particular, the wooden dwellings built in the 18th century “played an essential role in - what was then - a new way of appreciating the relationship between man and nature”.
Personally I have a bit of an obsession with windows and doors...
Rougemont's most famous little chalet in the town center
C'è posta per te!
An uncanny trompe l'oeil
A peak from my balcony
A wonderful example of the local architecture built in 1703
Skiboots are stored away until my cast comes off
Colours and patterns
Inspiration in black and white
Hues of yellow and brown
It's as authentic as it can be
No-one home at the stables
Need to start shovelling soon
A romantic winter image
March 4, 2020
Stuck in Paris
It is bad enough being stuck with your arm in a cast... everything takes so much longer.... washing, dressing, cooking... but luckily my left wrist is fractured meaning I still feel in control just at a much slower pace than I am comfortable with.
What's really upsetting is when your travel plans start falling apart one by one... no university visit to Utrecht this weekend due to a medical check-up Friday afternoon!
Next weekend we were off to Lugano... doesn't look like that's happening either since we fly through Milan and Italy has just announced its shutting down all schools and universities until mid-March due to the Coronavirus!
My romantic get-away to Ibiza end of the month with Expat hubby has just been stricken from the calendar due to Vueling (not EasyJet this time!?!) flight cancellations. They did propose to switch our tickets to a departure on March 15th returning the 27th, hmmmm... how does a weekend break turn into a two week escapade?
So, until further notice I am stuck in Paris and I cannot even say it's due to my cast!
You are thinking there are worse places to be stuck in... true... but try taking the metro or mingle with the tourists hailing from all over the globe... waiting for another collapse of the system after having succumbed to the "gilets jaunes" for months followed by weeks of transportation strikes and now the threat of French workers walking off their jobs... because under French law, an employer cannot fire an employee or dock their pay as long as the staff member gives notice that they are stepping back from their job because of a serious and imminent danger to their health.
Therefore, I am bracing myself with a new weapon: mindfulness!
What's really upsetting is when your travel plans start falling apart one by one... no university visit to Utrecht this weekend due to a medical check-up Friday afternoon!
Next weekend we were off to Lugano... doesn't look like that's happening either since we fly through Milan and Italy has just announced its shutting down all schools and universities until mid-March due to the Coronavirus!
My romantic get-away to Ibiza end of the month with Expat hubby has just been stricken from the calendar due to Vueling (not EasyJet this time!?!) flight cancellations. They did propose to switch our tickets to a departure on March 15th returning the 27th, hmmmm... how does a weekend break turn into a two week escapade?
So, until further notice I am stuck in Paris and I cannot even say it's due to my cast!
You are thinking there are worse places to be stuck in... true... but try taking the metro or mingle with the tourists hailing from all over the globe... waiting for another collapse of the system after having succumbed to the "gilets jaunes" for months followed by weeks of transportation strikes and now the threat of French workers walking off their jobs... because under French law, an employer cannot fire an employee or dock their pay as long as the staff member gives notice that they are stepping back from their job because of a serious and imminent danger to their health.
Therefore, I am bracing myself with a new weapon: mindfulness!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
