Huge internet celebrations for Julia Child’s 100th birthday, tomorrow Wednesday August 15

Anyone who’s seen a Julia Child cooking show loves the woman. She was so interesting and weird, over-the-top and funny, and brought so much French cooking to America. Her work inspired a generation of chefs, including bringing cadre of talented French chefs to our shores. Today, you can find fine French food everywhere and cooking …

Inspired to find your niche – chocolatier, hotelier – Rick Steves in Bruges, Belgium

  Chocolate Lady It’s so clear: A fundamental part of the joy of travel is to simply be in the presence of people who’ve found their niche. We only live once on this beautiful planet, and we have the personal challenge of doing with our lives what God intended — of finding our niche. I …

Marguax – surf film of professional French surfer, Margaux Arramon-Tucoo, making her own board

  Shaper Studios presents a another treat by Michael Weybret. Filmed and edited: Michael Weybret Music: “Je Suis un Go-Go Girl” by The Lumiñanas  

Short films/commercials from Wes Anderson – starring Brad Pitt, Jason Schwartzman

Anderson starred in and directed an American Express “My Life, My Card” commercial, which chronicled the “filming” of an action movie starring Jason Schwartzman. Anderson acts as if he is being interviewed by someone from American Express for the ad, while walking around completing tasks on set, a scene paying homage to the movie “Day …

Why is Cinco De Mayo not celebrated in Mexico, only the U.S.?

UCLA professor David Hayes-Bautista stumbled upon the answer to a question that for years had puzzled scholars and amateur historians alike: Why is Cinco de Mayo so widely celebrated in California and the United States, when it is scarcely observed in Mexico? As Hayes-Bautista explains in “El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition,” his new …

Tribute to a Legend: Jacques Pépin

We honor the culinary success of one of America’s most celebrated chefs, Jacques Pépin. “Easily the most influential French chef to the wave of young American chefs.” “His earliest work was all about taking the classic dishes and demystifying them, almost decoding them, and making them accessible.” See his public access show – Essential Pépin (Episode …

UNESCO World Heritage Map

This large format full-color map features the World Heritage sites and brief explanations of the World Heritage Convention and the World Heritage conservation programmes, as well as superb photos of World Heritages sites with explanatory captions. Download the PDF version – English, French, Spanish, & Korean. Order a wall map for $15 – 31×20 inches   …

The new W hotel in Paris – brings in the invisible crime-scene art of Zevs

If you’re a fan of W hotels then the new W Paris Opéra is going to delight you. Among the many artists brought in to remodel the 1870s Haussmann era building was French artist Zevs, known for his style of “exploring not what is seen, but what is left to the imagination.” For the Suite 112 installation, Zevs worked …

Chocolate stamps from 1800s France

Beautiful images of chocolate from French ministry of culture (culture.fr). These are a just a few of thousands to browse through. Most of them are chocolate stamps that came with the packaging (like baseball cards), and are from a few makers, like Menier and Poulain.

On the grounds of the Villa Medici in Rome with gods, gardens, and great art (photos)

I don’t know what to say about this…I was visiting the website of the French Academy in Rome and then accidentally closed the window. When I re-opened it a new beautiful picture was staring at me. I kept refreshing the page and found 8 more beautiful pictures. The building is called the Villa Medici located …