Tuscany Italy, registration opens today ( update sold out)

Hi there, wanted to let you know that registration for our workshop Food Culture Exploration through food & lifestyle photography in Tuscany, Italy opens this morning at 9 am eastern time, go here to register, we hope to see you there!

UPDATE: our workshop sold out in minutes we feel both happy and honoured that you will be joining us. For those who would like to be part of a mailing list for upcoming workshops please go here, thank you!

* the above pictures are from two markets in the Dordogne region of France i visited last fall, i can not express to you how i fell in love with this couple. ( more about them and of France to come, after the holidays)

les jardins and bittersweet moments

It is thursday the week has been a mix of doing much and not nearly enough. my list feels as big it did when i stepped off the plane and landed back on the hill. france will come fast, i do not often feel alone except when trying to get things done that i in no way can do on my own and the list is studded with such things. I also have been reflecting on things and the people in my life there is an unbalance that i let happen and i am very dissapointed in myself for letting it happen and if i am going to be very frank for having ones around me that let it happen. I am trying to process these thoughts and let these things go, i am good at it but somehow i am stuck and keep hitting the edge instead of climbing over it, so for right now i will put these thoughts to paper and try to change gears by letting you know about a few things. perhaps these feelings are the kind that can only be cured with violins, deep moving films, passages from inside a book or that email from maman in my inbox.

there is new life here on the farm, it happened a few days ago, the night before a good friend Paul stopped by for the night. k and i walked the fields with him as we reminisced about our past it was nice to share this space with him.  the next morning i came down the stairs and both k and paul had gone but what i found was a little duckling, noisette the mother duck had been sitting all summer and finally there was life- the timing was so poignant to me as k and i closed some chapters from the past there was a new beginning. i was also very happy for the mother, she was so proud and tender a feeling i long for in the deepest part of my heart.

I also wanted to share the photographs above, they were taken last year in dordogne at les jardins
marqueyssac . I remember the afternoon well, the sun was lovely and warm i walked behind aran and stephanie barely hearing what they were saying but the gentle sounds that played made the walk down the paths even more special, in fact if i was going to share the whole story i would tell how we got locked in and how we climbed iron gates and crawled through bushes.

i hope you forgive me for sharing both side's of the coin in this post.

also i have named the little duckling henrietta that is if she is a she, henri either way in memory of my sweet friend stacy's companion.

* ps. the third photograph of just the garden path is one of my favorites ever, i don't edit my photographs ever but wonder if i should remove the the right corner, i just love all the layers of green, texture and warm light.

Save The Date: A Food Styling & Photography Workshop In France

   We had such a wonderful time and it was such a great success, that Aran, Stephanie and myself are so excited to announce that we will be doing another workshop in France! 

                         This is a hands-on workshop where we will learn about Aran Goyoaga of 

                         Cannelle & Vanille philosophy on food styling and composition, how to tell a story

                         through props, the basics of photography, and understanding and manipulating light, 

                         all in the beautiful  surroundings of the Perigord region of France. There will be visits to

                         local farmers’ markets, gardens, and the beautiful walnut groves the region is known for.

                         It will be 3 days of cooking, tasting, styling, photographing, and visual storytelling.

                       The workshop will take place from September 23-27, 2012, and be limited to just 8 people.

                            The workshop includes 4 days of cooking, styling and photographing food in a
                             beautiful manoir nestled up against a stone cliff overlooking a lazy river. The cost
                             is $2,240/person (for a shared room) and $2,740/person (private room) and
                             covers 4 nights accommodations in a luxurious bed and breakfast, 4 gourmet
                             breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner, transportation during workshop hours, 3 days of full
                             instruction, and 1 day of sightseeing in the area.

                             We are happy to announce that registration will be open on Thursday, January
                             26th at 1 p.m. EST (10am PST). This is how registration will take place:

                            1. Right at 1:00 p.m. EST a post will go live indicating an email address where you'll
                            need to send your intent to register. Please make sure you are online at this time if
                            you are interested in attending this workshop as we are operating on a first-come-
                            first-serve basis.

                            2. Once you hear back from us via email, you will be required to sign a liability form
                            and return it to us via fax, email, etc.

                            3. Once payment is made and requested forms are signed, your spot will be secure.
                            At this time you'll receive an email from us confirming the good news. If you are not
                            able to secure your spot at this time, we will be sure to add your contact information
                            to a waiting list.

                            4. A detailed itinerary will be issued to the 8 participants via email within 48 hours
                            of registration.

                            Please know that our last workshop sold out in the first 10 minutes of opening
                            registration, so if you are interested, please make sure to send us an email as quickly
                            as possible. 

                            You are welcome to view images from last year's workshop here, here and here. 

                         * the food photographs are by Aran Goyoaga

Paris chez mon oncle!

how i love paris, how many times has that been said. i could not wait for a few days in paris. i was going to meet my uncle for the very first time (i am not sure why i had never before). he lives right there in the heart of paris so perfect a location that i dare not say:) as i arrived at the foot of l'apartement and rang the door,  i had butterflies in my belly for i must confess of being a little nervous. My uncle and i hit it off instantly- i mean instantly we chatted till early morning the first night and every night after that.  we walked  all over the city.  i had told him no more fancy restaurants and how i craved street food and the clichés of paris and how it was must that i sit sipping coffee at  a cafe at least three times a day he completely agreed for he had a love for coffee too.

walking in paris there is truly no better, i felt like fresh new oxygen was being pumped in my veins. my uncle is not only incredibly stylish ( much expected from a perfume maker) but engaging, funny and completely open, i laughed so hard, we laughed as if we were childhood friends. as we walked threw out paris my uncle shared stories of his youth, every glimpse was a window to my mother and grandmother the biggest gift is to hear stories such as these, my heart filled instantly with pride and awe.

we also went and spent time in montmarte and the funny thing is, i had told my uncle about my time in Dordogne a place he had never visited  but when we arrived in montmarte there was a food festival that brought the whole region of dordogne vendors to paris, i even recognized a few:). we would end our nights at home, more cafe being made, my uncle is the best at it, not to mention a wonderful cook. morning i would sneak out of the l'apartment while my uncle still slept( we would talk till at least 4 am every morning)walk around in search of the perfect coffee but then i would  get overwhelmed by the choices that i would come back to the apartment where my uncle would make the perfect cup for me while we chatted on his beautiful terrace filled with gorgeous geraniums and olive trees.

the next day was filled with more walking, he would help me shop for gifts to take back home, we would test macarons from every place that made them then compare. our favourite was cafe pouchkine were he spoiled us and sent home the largest most beautiful box of macarons for his sister( my mum) he spoiled her and me. He also picked up some chevre and blue for me to take home and i had it every morning for weeks back here on the hill not to mention wonderful face cremes, perfumes and such. To say that this was anything but the best of times would be a lie, it was wonderful and getting to meet and spend time with my uncle walking, sipping and chatting was the highlight of my trip to france so much so that when i came back to vermont i actually found myself missing my uncle like i would a dear friend.

merci mon oncle.

* don't forget to sign up for the chance to win Corine Gantz Novel Hidden in Paris

or if you can wait that long why not buy it instantly here!

the three fs ( france part four)the markets and workshop

the markets in dordogne are over flowing with cheeses, sausages and vegetables. the area is known for foie gras( don't tell my ducks), truffles and walnuts. we went to the market on several occasion to prepare for the workshop and another time with the attendees. delicious strawberries and grapes, jams and breads how i could have feasted on these things alone. Aran workshop took place at the gorgeous manoir of malartrie (honestly dreamy) the inn keeper Ouaffa was incredible, a life saver when it came to gathering things for our workshop, she is one of the loveliest, gracious and kindest person i ever met . aran's workshop consisted of her cooking or preparing a simple and delicious meal, styling and shooting, stephanie and i would prep and gather things for aran  and the students. it was great to see everyone style things in their own way, i especially enjoyed visiting with the students and looking over their shots- they are as i mentioned before very talented.

i have always shopped at markets and daily, in fact i am not good at grocery shopping in the conventional fashion, which to my husbands dismay he can not understand but hence after almost twenty years of togetherness and fourteen years of  marriage which happens to be our anniversary today, he has gotten used to it and i might go as far as saying he appreciates it. i always shopped for what i craved to cook for that day, my meals have always consisted with something truly from market to table with very little preparation.

* thank you for your well wishes for sophie, she is doing better a vet check up yesterday afternoon said her progress is good, now just a lot of care and attention for the next few weeks.

* to my husband you are my home, in your arms i feel loved, always. when i can not be there or you here i feel your presence in my heart. happy anniversary-vous est nul autre.

the three fs ( france part three)

france, food and Friends

the most amazing thing happened in Dordogne. i met incredible women, who in a very short time felt like  friends. Six women who never met came to the workshop and it was magical, in a world were we are bombarded with a million reasons not like other woman, were having a group like this can go very wrong. non of that happened, instead there was a laughter, deep conversations, learning, team work, tears and big hardy belly laughs. i honestly think that these women are amazing not to mention incredibly talented. i loved getting to know them. whether it was jennifer contagious laugh and her ability to make me relax in front of the camera( her laugh could cure world peace), or sanda's quiet ways, sweet wardrobe and insightful story that has me booking a trip to lisbon!), or perhpas kimberly and her killer style, talent and the fact that she has farm animals too, or perhaps it is romina's smile and the fact that she has a fun way about her not to mention an amazing bakery that i must visit, or perhaps it is olivia, beautiful, kind, creative and right now having the trip of a lifetime and then there is lorna who with her british accent, the loveliest complexion ever, clothes i would have easily stolen( if there was hope of me fitting in to them:) and how she is always  pushing herself to do better. i feel very lucky to have met these beautiful, wonderful, fun women and even luckier to be able to remain friends. please visit their blogs you will be blown away!

i want to say congrats to jennifer who just found out she is having twin boys!

* pictures at the castle in Beynac and a lovely picnic by the river thanks to stephanie!

* more to come, the markets of dordogne