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Patricia Sands

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E-French Cafe

Treat yourself and others to this …

March 3, 2018 by Patricia Sands 2 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Good news! Bonnes nouvelles!

Ida Young-Bondi, the creator of E-French Café and French instructor extraordinaire, has a brilliant new program. Take a look at this:

Click here to link to the rest of the information.

I have just treated two good friends to this who cannot get out much, and they are delighted with the gift. Ida’s photos steal you away to France and you have the image to savour forever. It’s the perfect gift for the Francophile who has everything!

If you follow Ida on Instagram or Periscope or on Facebook, you already know she is an excellent photographer and she knows France doublement à l’envers/inside out and backwards … all the narrow allées, ancient doors and windows, perfect Côte d’Azur vistas and small details that make us swoon.

You know how I feel about sharing photos from France. Imagine receiving one every day from Ida with un petit goût/a little taste of information about it.

For a limited time there is a reduced price for the first few people to sign up. Don’t wait.

Come back in a month or so and tell me how much you are loving this. I already am!

And please share this with your friends. Merci!

eFrenchCafe Website – http://www.eFrenchCafe.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/eFrenchCafe/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/efrenchcafe/

Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/efrenchcafe

Periscope – http://www.periscope.tv/efrenchcafe

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Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France..., Uncategorized Tagged With: 365 Postcards from France, E-French Cafe, France, gift, Ida Young-Bondi, Patricia Sands, photography

Let the fêtes begin!

December 6, 2014 by Patricia Sands 10 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

Every year the holiday season seems to roll around a little faster! Do you find that as well?

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Winter is coming, as we saw from those unbelievable photos of lake-effect snow in north-western New York a few weeks ago. That was jaw-dropping! If you happened to miss it, click here for more images.

In France things are calmer, although there’s been way more rain than is necessary lately. The majestic Alps that form a backdrop behind Nice are snow-capped, although the ski resorts are still waiting patiently for a bountiful delivery, or at least colder temperatures, from Mother Nature. If you want to keep in touch with the ski conditions on the slopes around Nice, click right here.

Calendales (from the provencal word for Christmas), began on December 4 in France, on Saint Barbara’s Day or la fête de la Sainte-Barbe. This marks the beginning of a lengthy period of celebration that blends Christian and pagan traditions. blesantebarbe-244x300

In most homes and shop windows, on the counter at la Poste, on the bar in all the cafés and even in the windows of the patisseries, saucers of sprouting lentils and wheat seeds will be on display.

Excerpt from Promises To Keep: “Joy had explained on the phone. “It’s a tradition that goes back to Roman times. The sprouts are carefully nurtured, and if they grow straight and green, there will be a bountiful harvest in the coming year. If they go yellow or droop over, then that’s bad news. Some of the wheat is used to decorate tables and crèches on Christmas Eve, but most bunches are wrapped with a red ribbon and cared for right through to la Chandeleur, la Fête de la Lumière, on February 2.”

My friend and favourite French language instructor, Ida Chiara Young, has instructions on her Facebook page if you want to grow your own little crop.

Christmas markets in France are well under way, many with ferris wheels and skating rinks as well as the ubiquitous, decorative carousels. Enticing aromas of mulled wine and roasting chestnuts fill the air.

This photo is from Place Massena in Nice and was sent to me by my friend, Teresa, who is enjoying the holidays there with her husband. Her Facebook page, French Provençal With A Twist, is a “must” to follow for all Francophiles. The photography and links are magnifique! I pop in every day.

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When do you begin your holiday celebrating? Is there a special Christmas market in your town? If you have a Christmas tree, is it already up and decorated? I’ll be going back to Toronto next week and am looking forward to visiting the Christmas market in the Distillery District, shown below.  It’s always a treat! Bon weekend tout le monde!

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Filed Under: Blog, France, General Travel, If it is France..., Writing Tagged With: Calendales, Christmas Markets, Distillery District, E-French Cafe, France, French Provençal With A Twist, Ida Chiara Young, la fête de la Sainte-Barbe, Nice, Saint Barbara, Toronto

Bonjour, Nice! So good to see you again!

June 6, 2014 by Patricia Sands 17 Comments

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

And I am thrilled to say that it IS Friday and this IS coming to you directly from beautiful Nice. We arrived here on Sunday after our fabulous two weeks in the Swiss Alps and, as much as we would have been happy to stay in that peaceful setting longer, we are thrilled to be back here in Nice La Belle. It feels like home.

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It’s been a busy week and we have just returned from a little soirée for people to chat with me about writing and publishing, organized by Ida Young-Bondi of E-French Café.  It was so nice to meet everyone, have a great chat and enjoy that spectacular setting on the Med. In particular, it was great fun to meet blogger extraordinaire, Margo Lestz, in person, after getting to know each other online as we both contribute to The Good Life France website. I love that part of belonging to the writing community where we connect and meet with others from all over the planet, online and in person.

I’ve switched my “office” high up in the Alps for one overlooking the Med, and I’m finding it equally inspiring!IMG_2331

Tomorrow my DH and I are going to hop on the train for 20 minutes and go to Antibes (be still my heart) where I will stop by to visit with my friend, Heidi Lee, at her Antibes Book Shop.

There’s never a moment in this part of the world where we have to stop and figure out what to do … the list goes on and on.

A truly delightful surprise this year is spending time in the new park, La Coulée Verte or Promenade du Paillon, which runs from the Promenade des Anglais in the centre of town through Place Massena to  Vieux Nice near Place Garibaldi. The last two years we have been here, an enormous area was under construction and we missed the grand opening by a week last fall. It was worth waiting for!

There’s much to compliment about the people-friendly design of the space and the water feature is outstanding. Each stage of the pattern lasts for too long a time for me to make a video, but I think you will get the picture from these shots. Watching people of all ages delight in this area was so much fun. I can see we’ll be visiting there often when we go for daily walks.

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Doesn’t that look like good fun? Whatever your plans are for the weekend, I wish you a fine one!

Bon weekend, tout le monde!

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Filed Under: Blog, France, If it is France... Tagged With: Antibes, E-French Cafe, France, Heidi's English Book Shop, Ida Young-Bondi, La Coulee Verte, Margo Lestz, Nice, Patricia Sands, photography, postaday, Promenade du Paillon, The Good Life France

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