When I began this site three years ago, I hadn’t established an identifiable voice nor did I have a clear idea where writing it would lead me. I began by venting my frustrations as an expat then moved onto dispensing tips for adapting to life here and surmounting the inevitable maze of red tape, sharing restaurant reviews, documenting my travel and revealing some of the incongruous emotions tied to living abroad (particularly in a city that is at once forward thinking and yet perpetually anchored in the past). My site has evolved tremendously as have the topics I’ve chosen to cover. I think some of the best sites reflect precise stages of an author’s life and moods, naturally changing form as they themselves grow. But if the process stops being fun or no longer represents the author’s true interests, then it’s time to switch gears.
That’s precisely what
Stephanie Elle dealt with recently as she made the decision to retire her two year old blog La Belle in France, which she began in 2010 in anticipation to her move to Provence. Though still representative of a period in her life, she preferred to devote her energy to a much broader topic, inspired by her current graduate studies in art. With
Artfully Adored, her new site, Stephanie seeks to share not only how art can fit into all lifestyles but also how travel and the everyday can be perceived as art.
“Art and Artful Living”, her new slogan, fits seamlessly with both the French lifestyle and her current state of mind as a soon-to-be art professional.
Her blog name and focus may have taken a new direction but her status as a Francophile remains unchanged. Meet Stephanie!
Describe what you love about France in three words.
Art of Living
Something new about art you’ve learned by living in France?
France brings the history of art to life. Reflecting to my art history studies in the US, works of art and artifacts seemed distant; slides and powerpoints led to a notable detachment with the objects that make up the foundations of Western culture. Upon my arrival in France everything became multiple dimensional engaging all my senses making my relationship with art much more personal. I love that one day you can be standing in the very room where Leonardo de Vinci spent his last days and the next dining at a restaurant where Picasso paid for his meals with simple sketches, the original framed over your table. What better place for art aficionados to explore?
A few things you miss about village life in the South?
It always used to make me laugh when the people of Provence and the French Riviera would describe life in Paris as stressful. The Paris I know has a gentle ebb and flow that is a far cry from my idea of the hectic city life. Now that I’ve moved back to the capital, I am surprised to see just how much of Provençal life I have embraced; I miss sauntering through my favorite market in Arles or sitting in the yellow sun sipping rosé. All of the French excel in the joie de vivre, but in Provence they have it down to an art.
Place in Paris all visitors must visit?
I have a must do: when first arriving in Paris, I recommend buying two or three macarons from any one of the popular patisseries and savoring them while leaning back in the green chairs of Luxembourg Gardens or Tuileries. C’est la belle vie!
Most frustrating or amusing interaction with the French?
Sitting at a café with some French friends, we began to chatter about our favorite things to cook, which is typically the topic of choice in France while eating. As the conversation went around the table, one mentioned that she usually just cooks pasta for dinner and eats it with Ketchup. I had a “hold the phone” moment while she tried to convince me it was just another tomato sauce; she seemed dejected to learn that an American might have a more refined palate. After all, don’t American’s put Ketchup on everything? This goes hand in hand with having to explain quite often that I never eat at MacDonald’s and hamburgers aren’t a staple in my diet.
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Follow Stephanie’s art and lifestyle updates from France and beyond on Artfully Adored, on Twitter, join her on Facebook, and pin with her on Pinterest. She is also a good source of information for those of you interested in traveling to the south of France and/or pursuing further studies in art in Paris!
{All photos courtesy of Stephanie Elle}
