On April 15, 2019, an electrical short is believed to have sparked the fire that nearly destroyed the 850-year old Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Within days, France’s president, Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the famous monument within 5 years. One year later, clean-up is still underway and many…
Last week, I began a multi-part post about a new online exposition that covers the history of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The exhibit includes more than one hundred historical documents and works of art, which span the church’s 800+ year history. Paris Musées, a consortium of 14 Paris…
A little over a year ago, people from around the world were frozen to their TVs, smartphones, and computer screens as they watched the beloved Notre Dame Cathedral succumb to flames. The iconic monument and place of worship, has been a fixture of the Parisian landscape for more than 800…
Review of “Your Fatwa Does Not Apply Here, Untold Stories from the Fight Against Muslim Fundamentalism”, by Karima Bennoune. I started reading this book a few years ago and while I find it to be an important and well-researched account of Muslim-led efforts throughout the world to combat Islamic extremism,…
I first heard about wine investing back in the 1990s when some friends invited me and my husband, Andy, to a wine tasting at their home. That night I learned that similar to fine art, there exists a parallel world of fine wine collectors, insurance agencies, investment brokers, and auction…
Whenever I visit France or Quebec, I make it a point to visit as many bookstores as I can squeeze into my packed travel itinerary. Compared to the United States, the brick-and-mortar bookselling business is still thriving in France. The French people are not only buying books, they’re selling their books…
I recently came across an interesting documentary on YouTube, produced by and starring Gad Elmaleh, the famous French comedian. You may have never heard of Elmaleh, but in France, he’s a superstar. Born and raised in Morocco, Elmaleh has played in more than 30 films, many of them American. He’s…
For the last several summers, I have traveled to France, in part because I love the country and culture, but also to boost my French skills. In 2015 and 2016, I took French classes while staying with a famille d’accueil. These were rewarding experiences that definitely improved my French. This…
