A WEEK IN PROVENCE

A vineyard in the Gigondas region [All Photos via the Author]

I just returned from eight heavenly days in the beautiful Provence region of France. It was such a relaxing and inspiring trip, and I’m anxious to share it with you. The beautiful curvy streets are lined with wildflowers, ancient buildings bleached by the summer sun and crisp rosé is served at every meal. The markets were to die for and the little booths seemed to go on forever. I loved spending my days browsing everything from spices to chandeliers. Women sit and stitch homegrown lavender sachets alongside starched white linen and lace curtains for sale. Tanned men sell every olive you ever imagined, with pickled garlic and lemons and local sun dried tomatoes. And the cheese! Oh my god, the cheese! Let me just say my jeans are a little tighter after this trip, and I'm perfectly happy with that. It really was everything I hoped it would be, and I am definitely going to incorporate some French country design details into my own home to remind me of this wonderful place. In the upcoming weeks, I will give you tips on how you too can infuse a little joie de vivre in your own home. I will also give you directions for a fun DIY place card project I did while I was there, and of course, I’ll post a simple recipe for lavender crème brûlée. Stay tuned!

Also, I’d love to hear if any of our readers have ever been to the south of France. If so, what was your experience there?