Parties, Parties, Parties

Beautiful airshow for our Italian family lunch

Assortment of Ottolenghi salads

A Table

Good friends

Sunny day for family lunch

French chef for Australian barbecue

Lovely lamb chops

Ready to eat

I brought Proseco which all seemed to enjoy

Beautiful gift of blue flowers

I made some good old American donuts, yummy!!!!!

August is the month for parties here in the Perigord. Just this week I went to an evening lakeside picnic, an Italian family lunch and an Australian barbecue.

I would like to share some photos of the wonderful time I had at these fetes.

A FEW DAYS OF INDULGENCE

Les Source de Caudalie Martillac France
A tribute to the grape
Menu for Le Table du Lavoir
Menu for Le Grand Vigne
Beautiful Peppers stuffed with creamy potato fish filling
Gorgeous cup of coffee
Heirloom tomato salad
Platter of charcuterie
Wildflowers wherever you look
Entrance to the Spa
Rain, rain go away so the guests can come out and play
Lunch overlooking the lake
Swan couple in the lake
One of the beautiful houses with guest rooms
Guest cottage
Cottage where my room was located
Caudalie is located on the grounds of the Chateau Smith- Haut Lafite a grand cru vineyard.

There is no more beautiful spot than Les Sources de Caudalie, the Vinotherapie Spa not far from Bordeaux.

I just spent a few days there being pampered and getting lots of rest. The location is absolutely beautiful and the treatments are sublime. Everything is related to the fabulous Haut- Smith Lafite vineyards as the spa is located on its premises. Many of the treatments relate to the vineyard such as a grape seed gommage, and wine bath. I treated myself to a couple of different massages, baths, and a soothing facial. It was glorious.

There was a beautiful and interesting guest list including Jean Paul Gauthier and his friends. A star studded group.

There are two different dining rooms as well as a lovely area near the pool for lunch. The chef,

Nicholas Maase, does a magnificent job in the gourmet dining room Le Grande Vigne as well as the more casual La Table du Lavoir.

I highly recommend this Spa for an experience you can't help but think is fabulous.

www.caudalie.com

Above are pictures of this amazing place.

Bountiful France

Living in a beautiful, friendly village of southwest France has taught me much about love and generosity. On a regular basis, my lovely neighbors bring me fruits and vegetables grown in their potages and leave them on my doorstep.

Stopping for a glass of rose at the bar across the street, a farmer walked in and handed me a kilo of Shitake mushrooms he grew in a cave. He wanted me to have them and even told me how to prepare them. Simply slice and saute in olive oil with a bit of garlic and top with chopped parsley. They were delicious.

Another day, I received eggplant, zuccini, tomatoes and green beans.

Share the pictures with me.

A Bientot!!!!!

Brocantes

As I have started this new business of an online French Brocante ( flea market) called French Vintage, I thought I would share some of my purchases with you.

Along with my partner, we should have our web site going in about a month. I will let you know when you can see it all.

In the meantime, hope you like these things.

A la prochaine.........

Quatorze Julliet

Bastille Day in France is like the fourth of July in the United States. It is a happy celebration always accompanied with fireworks.

This year we went to Brantome, a village about 20 minutes away and watched the spectacular display. First we had dinner at the pizza restaurant in a cave, always fabulous, and then we stood overlooking the river and waited for the fireworks to begin.

A lovely evening.

A Bientot!!!!!

Dinner party in La Tour Blanche

Last week I had a dinner party for some of my friends to meet my new business partner who came to France to go to the Brocantes and Vide Greniers with me. My home here in France is located in an area rich with frequent flea markets and we are having a wonderful time shopping together.

We intend to focus on things for the home including beautiful old linen sheets, kitchen towels, enamelware, silver, dishes and much more. We have some wonderful garden items as well, all old and all lovely.

The pictures show the dining table with a gorgeous floral arrangement in one of our enamel coffee pots, done by Laura.

I have converted a covered area in my garden into a dining pavillion with chinese lanterns for lighting and a lovely teak bench full of large floral and check pillows.

Wish you could all dine with me.

Bon Appetit!!!!

Room with a view

Home Grown Cherries

Veggies from my neighbors garden

Geraniums on my balcony

Rooftops seen from my bedroom

I live in the most beautiful and friendly village of Southwest France, the Perigord region also known as the Dordogne.

From my bedroom window I see these beautiful rooftops and also the lovely geraniums I placed on my terrace. I added the small candle chandelier and light it at night. It's lovely to look at from the french doors in my bedroom but if we are eating in the outdoor dining room, you can also see it's magical light.

This is harvest time of amazing fresh vegetables here in my neighborhood. Since I don't grow my own, my lovely neighbors make regular deliveries of cherries and veggies. The cherry trees are having a bumper season and the branches are bent from the heavy load. I wish I made cherry confiture but there is no need as my neighbors send that over too. What a lucky girl I am.

A bientot!!!!