The French 75 Journal

Today was my last full day in Paris and I’ll be on a flight shortly en route to DC. It’s a bit of whiplash. The week has been magical and mainly because of the time I got to spend with so many people: a former Tranquil Space teacher who lives in Virginia, a former Tranquil […]

A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life. —Thomas Jefferson The journey continues . . . here’s a peek at the many cafes, gardens, sketches, the Opera house with a Chagall ceiling, the Musée de la Vie Romantique, and Ms. Paris herself sparkling at night. Thanks for […]

Per last week’s post, I did it! Everything fit into these two bags: a carry-on and personal item. Inside there’s a curling iron, ballet slippers, house slippers, tennis shoes, clothing for a week, toiletries, two TDJ care packages that I’ve already hand-delivered, a laptop, and art supplies. Before I head out to a meetup in […]

In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, I invited my partner Tim back on the show to discuss life lately: recovery, caretaking, turning 50, and more! http://traffic.libsyn.com/hiptranquilchick/tdj588.mp3 Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #588: Life Lately with Tim Subscribe in your favorite podcast app such as Spotify, Apple Podcast, or Amazon. New to Tranquility du […]

Louis in a lavender field in the South of France, 2012 Grab a cup of tea and settle in for some tips on traveling with your furry friends! We’ve taken our pugs to Paris (blog post below on Belle’s journey from an Oklahoma puppy mill to Paris) and across the US on weeks-long road trips. […]

In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, I share a peek into my recent hip replacement surgery, answer some of your questions, and offer tips on dealing with injury and limitations. Download this worksheet to take notes and reflect on four journal prompts. http://traffic.libsyn.com/hiptranquilchick/tdj586.mp3 Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #586: Road to Recovery Subscribe […]

In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, I share my nearly yearlong journey to the ballet stage, the challenges, the joys, the time and energy commitment, and more. Download this worksheet to take notes and reflect on four journal prompts. http://traffic.libsyn.com/hiptranquilchick/tdj584.mp3 Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #584: Journey to Stage Subscribe in your favorite […]

A spot opened in a women’s Paris writing retreat in June and I was first on the waitlist, so I took it as a sign to go for it (despite having already booked an April adventure) and joined. I planned to devote time to editing the second draft of my memoir in my favorite city […]

In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, I share a peek into my latest jaunt to the City of Light for a writing retreat. Hear how I ended up here again, what’s been on the agenda, and a number of the sensory delights (plus links)! Download this worksheet to take notes and reflect on […]

Late April I landed in Paris on a sunny Thursday morning for a brief five-day/four-night visit. Cue Ella Fitzgerald singing “April in Paris.” Below are photos from the adventure, along with the basic itinerary. Thursday arrival, tea and treats at Merci cafe, check into my funky AirBnb with a tub in the bedroom, sip pink […]

Early December I hopped on an early train to NYC. The Omicron variant had become a headline and I’d been watching it closely, hoping my Canadian friend, Jenn, would still be able to cross the border. All looked good for our annual reunion (that had been thwarted in 2020, of course) complete with masks and […]