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Queen Elizabeth II and Her Diamond Jubilee

May 31, 2012 by

 

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This weekend, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee with 60 years as Queen and Head of State of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealths. At 86 years old, the Queen has celebrated numerous accomplishments and reached significant milestones, including becoming the second longest reigning monarch in British history – the first is Queen Victoria with a 63-year reign. Last year, I gave you 8 little-known facts about Queen Elizabeth. Now, in honor of her Diamond Jubilee, let’s take a look at 8 more:

8 More Facts About Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family

  1. During her reign, the Queen has had 3.3 million pieces of correspondence sent to her.
  2. In 2005, the Queen claimed ownership to 88 swans on the Thames in London.
  3. Despite popular belief, there is no “official” way to approach the Queen, but common courtesy is expected. Those who wish to greet the Queen in a more traditional fashion can do so with a neck bow (men) or a slight curtsy (women).
  4. In addressing the Queen by name, it is proper to use “Your Majesty” first, followed by “Ma’am”.
  5. The Queen has more than 10 Royal Residencies, of which I have seen or visited: Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, Windsor Castle, Palace of Hollyroodhouse, Balmoral Castle, St. James Place, and Clarence House.
  6. Many members of the Royal Family, including Her Majesty, can be contacted by mail. See a list of addresses.
  7. Before 1917, members of the Royal family had no surname, only the name of the house or dynasty to which they belonged. However, Queen Elizabeth and her husband the Duke changed this tradition giving their descendants the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, the surname of the Queen’s husband paired with the name of the Queen’s official house.
  8. During the Diamond Jubilee celebration, you may see the letters “ER” on the Royal Crest. These letters stand for Elizabeth Regina or Elizabeth the Queen.
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92 Days of Summer

May 24, 2012 by

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A French girl knows how important it is to have something to look forward to – especially in the summer. So, each year as Memorial Day approaches, I buy a calendar and start filling in all of the plans I have for the next 92 days (Memorial Day to Labor Day). And, in true French girl style, my summer calendar is practically full already! And what does this Bistro Chic girl have planned for summer 2012?

Take a look at what I’ll be doing….

Shopping at French Farmer’s Markets for fresh flowers, cheese, and preserves

  1. Listening to James Taylor (yes, that James Taylor!) live at Ravinia
  2. Attending a matinee of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starring Dame Judi Dench
  3. Strolling around the Harbor and Fell’s Point in Baltimore, MD
  4. Deputing my new chapeau at the horse races
  5. Taking a road trip to Niagra Falls and Cape Code (clambake anyone?)

And those are just a few of the things I have planned.

How will you fill your summer calendar?

Ciao!

 

 

Filed Under: Joie de Vivre Tagged With: , , ,

Even Small Changes Can Improve Your Life

May 17, 2012 by

Like many of us, I have so many things I want to do – travel more, exercise more, eat better, read more….the list goes on and on. However, all of the things we want to do combined with all of the things we need to do can make us so overwhelmed that we become paralyzed and, as a result, fail to accomplish anything.

But who says we have to do everything? What if we just commit ourselves to doing one thing? One thing a month, one thing a week, or one thing a day – something that may make us feel better, look better, even live better.

A few months ago, I would regularly treat myself to Starbucks 4-5 times a week, spending at least $4 on each coffee drink. Not only was I consuming hundreds of empty calories, but I was spending way too much on coffee – and not out of pleasure, but out of mere habit.

After coming to this realization, I made a a conscious decision to limit my Starbucks spending (and rely on my lovely Nespresso!) to once a week. In return, I have been treating myself to beautiful flowers a la Trader Joe’s each week, spending no more than $10 on two bouquets.

Now, instead of consuming empty calories with no added pleasure, my house is full of wonderfully scented roses and brightly colored sunflowers that I enjoy while sipping my morning Nespresso.

What one thing will you change to make your life better?

Filed Under: Joie de Vivre Tagged With: ,

Decorating with French Toile

May 10, 2012 by

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I’ve written about French decorating and French country style in the past. However, one element I’ve neglected to mention was how much I adore toile – a trés classic French country design.

About French Toile

Most often scene on cloth or fabric, toile actually means cloth in French. Toile is short for Toile de Jouy, which comes from Jouy-en-Josas, the location in north central France where the toile pattern was first made in the 18th and 19th centuries. The toile pattern is characterized by a repeating pattern – most often country scenes, but can also be street scenes, churches, people, and more. Toile is traditionally made in a single color – most often green or red –  on a cream or white background; however, I’ve seen modern toile in a variety of colors including brown, burgundy, black, and blue.

Decorating with Toile

Although toile can bring an elegant and sophisticated look to any room, the repetitive pattern can be quite overwhelming en masse. In other words, with toile, less is more. I recommend using toile in accent pieces, including:

  • Throw pillows
  • Shams, sheets, or quilts
  • Pottery or decorative serving ware
  • Select draperies and valencies
  • One wall in a small or large room

By limiting the use of toile, it truly becomes the most eye-catching design or piece in the room. Discover more ways to decorate with toile by clicking here.

Ciao!

PS. Thank you to my cousin David for inspiring this post!

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Flavors of Disney World

May 3, 2012 by

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Bonjour! I recently returned from a trip to the happiest place on Earth…Disney World! You may wonder why I seem to make Disney an annual trip. Well, I like Disney for many reasons…including that it is quite a nostalgic place for me. I worked at Disney World over 10 years ago, in the Magic Kingdom, and it was at Disney where I met my husband. Sappy, I know.

Having traveled to Disney nearly every year since I worked there, I can honestly say that Disney World food is not high on my list, especially when this Bistro Chic girl lives near many, many fantastic Chicagoland restaurants. However on this trip, I was able to sample the culinary delights of Disney’s event/catering for a meeting I was attending. Not only was the food superb but the delivery of the food and drinks was exceptional….ie. a dreamy French macaron carefully embedded in a dainty teacup of green tea rice pudding. Oui Oui, Disney!

And, for the first time, I was fortunate enough to eat at the California Grill in the Contemporary, which delivered awesome views and amazing food, a la a cheese plate that was definitely worth a photo and writing home about.

Although most Disney cuisine is still less than stellar, compared to Chicago restaurants, it is still possible to find a few hidden and tasty gems in the World.

And on my next trip, I plan to find a few more :-)

Ciao!

Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: , , , ,
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