Positive Things for the New Week

Hello Lovelies,

 via

In order to welcome this new week, here are 7 essential reads on optimism via the Brain Pickings blog.

Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly

Back to Paris

Hello Lovelies,

 Paris view at dusk - source unknown.

And so... I've moved back. To Paris, I mean.

I've left Paris, France exactly 20 years ago. Yes, I've decided for some time ago that I wanted to leave the small town in the South of France I was living in, simply because I've outgrown it and it no longer fitted the size of my (big) dreams.

 a jar full of dreams - image source unknownFirst, I thought of Avignon, a bigger city in the same Southern French area. But then I stumbled upon an unexpected job opportunity that was too good to decline. The only condition was to move back to Paris - and so I did.

The lesson learned in this is the one stated on this poster:

a better dream poster - source unknown

And here I am, strolling down the Parisian streets again, between now and then - which is the FMS photo-a-day challenge theme for October the 21st, btw -  sometimes feeling down memory lane but very often enjoying the beauty of the moment.

We're having a really warm Fall 'round here, and the weather was glorious yesterday on the Opera house (image coming soon).

I'm still settling down, but this is what home looks like now (image coming soon). Life's good when this is what you see from your window:

Image, my own. 

The picture above was taken a few years back, I'll upload a more recent version of it real soon. So, this is what my new room in Paris looks like, for the time being:

Image, my own.

...not bad, hey?!

Now, just my heroine Josephine Baker, I can sing out loud: "Me revoilà, Paris !" (Here I Am Back, Paris!).

Enjoy & wish me luck with making my dreams come true!

Alix of TeaButterfly

Tea (and butterflies) With... Siobhan Wilson

Hello Lovelies,

It's Tuesday - time for this week's butterfly!
I spotted this Tuesday butterfly on the most beautiful & talented girl, and it's pinned high in her hair as you can see...

Her name is Siodbhan Wilson, she's more than pretty and I love her music!  One of my favorites from this artist is her "Song for Anthony" and it achingly says about childhood:

Of course, I'd love to have tea with her some time... Now that I'm back in Paris, France (yes, I've moved back!), this is all the more possible! ;-)


Siodbhan Wilson's details:
Facebook page 
YouTube channel
More  images of that pretty face



Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly

Finally, Fall

Hello Lovelies!

Just a quick note today to let you know that however vast the darkness, I'm alive & well. I am so glad Fall is finally just around the corner!

photo, my own (c) Lipson

I have plenty of useful resources to help us all have a pleasurable transition from late Summer into Fall and will publish that list  this week.

Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly.

My List of Fave Books to Re-Read

Hello Lovelies,

image source

After reading Jane's recent blogpost, I started asking myself (all over again): 

Maybe as bloggers, we could find a place to post a list of our one-per-year necessary re-reads?
  
Mine include, in no particular order:


"Lullaby" JMG Le Clézio.
"Voyage autour de ma chambre" Xavier de Maistre.
"Fictions" Jorge Borges.
One tome by Julien Green, and a short story by Roald Dahl.

Illustration from the Briar Press free images bank. Governed by a Creative Commons license. 

But also:
 
"Divisadero" Michael Ondaatje
"The Rings of Saturn" WG Sebald
"Le Rivage des Syrtes" Julien Gracq (translated unto "The Opposing Shore" for English-speaking readers)
A hard-boiled detective story by Dashiel Hammett and/or Jim Thompson

What are your fave books to re-read on a regular basis?

In closing: that's a recent image of me with of pile of my fave books in the background, the painting is also by me ("Untitled", oil on canvas, circa 1997).

Today's post is inspired by Jane's blogpost - please read it here. Enjoy!

Alix of TeaButterfly.