It’s amazing what a little exercise can do for your mood. Yesterday, I was in such a deep funk, I couldn’t even get too excited about some new beauty products that came in the mail. (Not that I would ever be ungrateful. Really! Bring on the swag!) Monday blues, I suppose. Whatever the case may be, a good run in the breaking light this morning shook me out of whatever doldrums I was in and launched me into Happy Happy Joy Joy territory. And now everything’s just rosy, I love my life, I love the food I’m eating, I love the little spider crawling up the wall in front of my desk, I love my laptop, I love my friends. Oh, and I love endorphins.
Today I thought I’d swing the spotlight onto some of my all-time favorite blogs, especially those whom I met the first time I ventured oh-so-timidly into the blogosphere:
The ever-lovely, ever-articulate and super-friendly La Belette Rouge is moving her entire life (including her dear husband, affectionately known as He-Weasel, and her adorable cat, M. Inkey) to Austin as we speak. A passionate Francophile, LBR is about to discover that Austin is as near to heaven as you can get in Texas. If not, well, she’s going to spend at least a month in Paris this summer, so who cares?
Betty C. has a few different blogs going on all at once, but Cuisine Quotidienne and La France Profonde are what will probably interest most Francophiles. She lives in Aveyron and takes beautiful photos of the delectable foods she cooks and the gorgeous region in which she lives. Plus, to her credit, she’s one of those rare American expats in France who doesn’t paint her life with that Don’t-Hate-Me-Because-I-Live-Such-A-Charmed-Life enthusiasm and romance all too common among Peter Mayle wannabes. For that alone, her blogs are definitely worth reading regularly.
My spiritual twin (seriously, we have so much in common it’s downright scary) Colleen runs her own cool blog called Function of Time. Honestly, I still don’t really get the name of her blog, but I think it’s just because she’s so super-smart and snarky that I just won’t get it. Anyway, she’s moving to France later this year and — get ready for this — has already bought the house in which she and her fiance will live. And they’ll be married there in the next year. And she’s got the cutest dogs. And she finagled a telecommuting option with her current employer. Yeah, she’s the new envy of the Francophile blogosphere. And we couldn’t be happier for her.
Cassoulet Cafe is actually now in France (or on her way) for a brief but much needed vacation. Like me, she’s only recently begun her blog but has already filled our dreamy heads with lots of images and photos from when she lived in France, not too long ago. Her writing is sweet, charming and occasionally edgy — exactly why I love her blog.
Boston-based Chris runs The French Journal — the place to go for the latest news on French culture, politics, art, society, fashion, beauty, film, books, travel…the list goes on. Sure, you can always check out a whole slew of blogs and mags devoted to France, but you won’t get Chris’ pithy commentary or depth and breadth of coverage. Plus, his unique American slant makes his writing invaluable to US-based Francophiles yearning for more news from our spiritual home.
Newcomer Joanne is a regular reader of My Inner French Girl, but only recently has she started her own blog, aptly named The Late Blogger. Hooray! She claims that she doesn’t think she has anything of import to say, but even just a cursory glance at her blog will put paid to that. Funny, self-deprecating, smart, and honest — seriously, the girl can write. Oh, and she’s a Pinay (slang for Filipina), married to a Frenchman, lives in San Francisco, has a son, and up until last fall co-owned (with said husband) a groovy cafe in Sonoma. What can she not write about?
Lastly, my political Francophile blogger. (Is there any other kind?) Randal’s journal touches on everything from Bush’s latest and greatest gaffes to the Simpsons to heavy metal music to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Oh, and his own gorgeous, image-filled poetry. The guy’s a genius, but don’t tell him so.
Okay, now this link has nothing to do with France, but I thought I’d throw it in anyway:
Remember those Presidential Fitness Challenges from when we were kids, otherwise known as the Annual Humiliation Ritual for Geeks? Yeah, good times. Anyway, I’m about 40 pounds thinner than when I was in the 5th grade and in way better shape, so rather than facing this site with some dread, I’m actually delighted to be redeeming my ten-year-old self. Huzzah! Register and get bonus points as you accomplish your fitness goals; once you’ve met certain points levels, you’re eligible for badges and medals! Yay! Take that, Jennifer Johnson!
Not that I’m bitter…
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{ 9 comments }
Great post! It’s always nice to see why people like certain blogs, in addition to the usual blogroll.
At the risk of being a self-promoting ass, I talked about that fitness challenge thing in this post – I think I would also do better now than I did then. ;D I signed up for that last year but wasn’t very good about keeping track of what I was doing.
Too bad this doesn’t have an audio component because RIGHT NOW I AM DOING MY BEST AH-NOLD IMPRESSION BECAUSE HE USED TO DO SPOTS FOR BEEING IN DA BEST OF DA SHAPE. I would’ve done far better in a fitness challenge of any sort way back when. I couldn’t believe how sore I was after shoveling all that snow.
Merci pour vos gentils mots, but let’s save ‘genius’ for the Einsteins and Baudelaires.
Who needs O-Glow? I’m already blushing here. Thanks for your generous comments. Now, I’m even more motivated.
Oh lord, I wish I could say I was in the best shape of my life. I think I’m in the worst shape of my life. However soon I won’t be saying that will I?!
Just so you know, Function of Time is a mathematics/physics term. A varying position in relation to time..which in my case…is moi!
Aw, shucks — what a nice way to wakd up on a Wednesday morning, coffee in hand, before facing six hours of English class!
I frequent most of the blogs on your list, but not all. I’ll definitely check them out, since we seem to run in the same blogging circles (I had figured out as much from the comments on our posts!)
I am a French woman (so please excuse my English writing) and I am the author of blogbeaute12 and I enjoy what Marjory writes even if I donnot understand every word.
So Marjory keep your body in us but your saoul can come to visit me
Good appetite à toutes les gourmandes qui lisent ce blog
Dear AS, bonjour! Self-promote as much as your derriere wants, mon amie. I’m all for helping out my fellow bloggers.
After checking out the Presidential Fitness Challenge Web site in greater detail, I realized that one must actually purchase the awards/badges one earns. Oh well. It would still be fun to see how I measure up compared to others. Back in the 5th grade, I was dead last in my class. Sweet revenge, albeit 25 years later.
Dear Randal, I would so love to have heard that accent! Okay, I’ll refrain from calling you genius. To your face. But honestly, dude, you’re one of the smartest and most thoughtful bloggers I’ve encountered. And believe me, I’ve wasted enough time in the blogosphere to know quality when I see it.
Joanne, no problem. I really did enjoy your blog. You have a wicked sense of humor!
Colleen, don’t worry. I’m an endurance runner, not a sprinter. No, sirree. I’ll be the marathoner occasionally stopping by the side of the road in Paris, shaking hands with the populace and taking photos.
Merci for the meaning behind your blog name! I figured it was a mathematical term, but wasn’t sure how it applied to your blog. Very clever, mon amie.
Dear Betty, yeah, I know, I notice a lot of the same names on the blogs I frequent! I really need to “get out more,” but on the other hand, I’m loyal to the original group I discovered!
Dear Anonymous, bonjour and merci for visiting and your very sweet compliment! I’m studying French now so that I can actually communicate better in the culture that I love so much, so hopefully in the future my blog will be more, ah, French-friendly.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Salut,
Marjorie
Dear Marjorie:
Once again, I am beholden to you! Thanks so much for the kind mention.
Best,
Chris Late
PS. I like your blog, too!
Dear Chris, but of course! You know how I devour your blog posts. Et merci for your kind words!
Salut,
Marjorie
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