Make Your Life Better: Volume 4

It's time again. 

One more round of me pulling on my bossy pants

and telling you how to live your life.

{I do love this special time.}

After being in France for a few weeks,

I've got several opinions

that I absolutely can not let you ignore.

These are more than just suggestions...

these are lifestyle changes.

Let's start with the crepes, shall we?

I know, I know...

nutella & banana is the classic order,

but until you try this crêpe,

 I tell you friend, you have not lived.

They grill the almonds. 

They grill them.

It's just... 

Well, just promise me you'll try one.

Valentine's Day is approaching.

I know some people out there don't like it, 

but we are going to have to agree to disagree on this day.

I have big feelings about this holiday,

and being in Paris, may only deepen them.

This picturesque restaurant hidden in the 14th
 is what Parisian Valentine's dreams are made of.

Le Coup Chou is the dreamiest destination for dinner in Paris.

Each cozy room is oozing with fabulous understand beauty...

and please don't mention the boeuf bourguignon or creme brulee,

I might get emotional.

Dinners start at €26 for two courses/ €32 for three.
Reservations recommended.

Flowers are so expensive on Valentines Day,

but if you're going to spend the money

 (or have someone else spend it on you)...

why not invest in a gorgeous handmade arrangement by Diane James?

No more complaining about just throwing them out in a few days,

these beauties are there to stay!

Finally...

you need to check out Dalani if you live in the UK.

It's our long-answered prayer to Gilt Home.

It's amazing, and I'm dying over today's sale on Liberty Stationery.


***


Ok, bossy pants off.
Pajamas on.


We are headed out of Aix-En-Provence tomorrow
and back to Paris to get settled...


That's when the real fun begins.

crepe image via, le coup chou image via

Make Your Life Better- Volume 3

It's me again,

Bossy Pants McGee.

I've got a few items 

on my mind that I need to discuss with you.

After a few weeks on the road

and combing through London & Paris,

I've got a few gems

that I want to pass out from my mental treasury.

Sometimes one of the happy burdens you bear

when living in an awesome city and having people visit you

is revisiting sites over & over {& over} again.

{a.k.a. I've been to the Tower of London five times in three weeks.}

This week, I was taking a group through the Tower

and our Yeoman {"Beefeater"} invited us to Sunday service in the Tower's Chapel Royal.

Um... yes, please.

So we went this weekend, 

and it was one of the most amazing things I have done in London.

Here's the run-down:

You bypass all the long lines of tourists, walk through the gates {free!}

and get to attend the intimate matins service in one of the Queen's royal chapels.

{There are only six of her chapels, afterall.}

Our Beefeater, Peter, & the Vicar were so pleased to see us

that they took us on a private tour through the chapel

to see the burial spot of Anne Boleyn & the off-limits site of Thomas Moore's memorial.

Amazing. 

I highly, highly recommend 

seeing the Tower of London in this special way.

When girls get flowers from a guy,

it makes them feel like a million bucks.

Unfortunately for most of us,

 that jackpot may only hit every 2 or 3 years.

The other night when I was walking through Liberty,

I discovered the wonderfulness of their florist, Wild at Heart.

I'd always thought it would be way out of my price range,

but they had some make-me-feel-like-a-lady potted orchids for £10.

The boost it gives to my kitchen is fabulous,

and wish you the same amount of brightness added to your day.

Remember my sparkly orange shoes that I wore in Paris?

Well, you liked them...

so I went out and bought four pairs for four readers.

What can I say... I'm a bit of a people pleaser.

They need to be shot & packaged first, but be on the look out!

{FYI- They are £15 + shipping.}

I keep seeing Facebook statuses about Pumpkin Spice Lattes....

but can I persuade you to ditch the suburbs for a taste of the East?

Head to World Market or any nearby specialty grocer

and buy yourself some masala chai.

I feel in love with it when we were in India,

and the spicy brew feels perfect here in the chilly weather.

Follow the directions, heat it on the stove...

and swap your drive-thru caloric splurge

for a healthier cup of Christmas cheer.

Your taste-buds won't regret it,

and your holiday cocktail dress won't either.

Blogging is pretty awesome.

I could get poetic & gushy on the topic, but there's really no need,

I know you all feel the same way.

We all love blogging because we can connect with cool people

and talk about awesome stuff on a revolving basis.

So what could be better than that?

Actually discussing this stuff in real life with those bloggers.

Going on your first "blate" {blogger-date} is mostly an awkward experience.

The good news is for you:

blogger dates always end up to be way fun 

and it makes blogging even better.

Think about it:

Most bloggers that can put together great posts every day 

are pretty smart, organized, & creative people.

How could they not be cooler in 3D?

Last night I got to meet up with one of my favorite bloggers, Helena,

at one of our favorite spots, Pizza East in London's Shoreditch.

Make Your Life Better, Volume 2

I loved the first version of this post....

It was fun being so bossy.

So I'm doing it again...

and you're gonna like it!

Here are my recommendations 

(some might say, "commands")

to a better life... at least for today.

Kidding aside-

these are things that are making my days a bit brighter

as the weather is getting cooler.

The slow food movement is a rebellion against fast food...

NPR can tell you all about it.

Go Slow France 

(also written for Italy & England)

offers places you can go and stay in France

that offer food that is locally sourced

and prepared well...

{I think of it as an "agroturismo" on steroids.}

I'm dreaming of an entire trip traveling from different places

in France and England 

staying and tasting these places...

maybe you should come with me.

I was sent a bottle of Chanel's Black Pearl Nail Polish

by the lovely Anna Pettus...

and I am totally digging it.

It makes me feel like a rebellious debutante.

It's 14 days into September and you haven't made Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls?

What is wrong with you?

Go. 

Now. 

Don't convert how much butter is in the recipe. 

Just do a trust fall into the yumminess.

If you like Sophie Kinsella,

(the mastermind of the Shopaholic Series)

her old books are slowly getting republished

under her real name, Madeleine Wickham.

Swimming Pool Sunday & The Tennis Party

  came out (again) recently here in the UK

and I've added them to my suitcase.

(I'm headed to Dublin in one hour. Yikes!)

missoni pillow | tyler candle, high maintenance | j crew cardigan | bottega veneta flats

These things?

Well, they are all the things
 I wish I could have

to make my own life better.

If you get any of them,

I'll be insanely proud... and jealous.

There you have them...

simple steps, people.

Now go on.

And if not for me, 

do it for the children.

How To Make Espresso

via

Just in case you were ever too embarrassed to ever ask...

... Or have forgotten how to use it after 

a few years of pulling through the Starbucks drive-thru,

... Or maybe you were just lucky enough to have always had 

someone else make your espresso for you & never had to learn.

Whatever your excuse may be

for never learning to navigate one of these contraptions-

you now have your own guide

to making your own pot of espresso.

Here's a more detailed tutorial:

Fill the bottom up with cold water

Fill the middle section with espresso.

Screw all the pieces together.

Sit the pot on a hot stove for about five minutes.

You should hear some faint bubbling and see steam appear.

Once the bubble subsides, take a peek inside.

Your espresso will be done when the coffee stops pouring out of the center.

Remove the pot from the heat immediately.

Serve and enjoy.

Easy, delicious, cheap,

 and the perfect "shot" of Italy for your day.

Make Your Life Better.

Sometimes, I feel like I'm a little bossy.

Eat this.

Go here.

Try this.

Do that.

I mean, I just get really passionate about certain things

(like milkshakes & sequined dresses)

and can't stand to think that your life might be happening without them.

I know how much your blog posts have changed my life

(yeah, I'm talking about your cinnamon rolls, Pioneer Woman)...

so hopefully- 
the feeling is mutual.

If you're okay with getting pushed around a bit more,

then here are few things,
 that in my humble opinion...

might change your life for the better.

We have already discussed the coolness of maps,

but this map would be, like, the head cheerleader of all the other maps.

If maps are this wanderlust's porn,

then scratching off each country after visiting
 is my own version of strip poker. 

Chunky Monkey? Made by moi? Cheaper? Healthier? Done.

Seriously. It's already in my freezer.

 Now go put some in yours.

Last night I went to see Much Ado About Nothing at The Globe. 

It was a perfect night under the London summer sky, the cast was amazing,

and for £5 tickets to stand... I was feeling happy. 

("Geoffrey" from Fresh Prince of Bel Air was Leonato. Ah!)

Afterwards as I walked across the Millenium Bridge 

with St. Pauls sitting grandly before me

and Shakespeare floating through my head,  

the moment was so beautiful...

I felt overwhelmed with how beautiful life was. 

(And I got really excited about our move to London.)

image

I'm sure many of you know about Warby Parker by now,

but if you don't: think of Tom's Shoes... but for eyewear.

For $95, you get some kicking glasses (with prescriptions!)...

and so will someone in need. 

Pretty cool, eh?