Oh, Say Can You Sing?

Like many Americans, my heart swells and my eyes tear when I hear a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. On low days, Ive been known to visit YouTube.com to listen to past Super Bowl performances for a quick dose of inspiration. I was in awe of performances by Whitney Houston



and Jordan Sparks



until a friend, who knows someone who worked in television at the Super Bowl, confirmed that these performances are lip-synched versions of pre-recorded renditions.

So this July 4th, I'm listening to a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner that I know is real. It is sung by an adorable group of young Southern crooners, The Cactus Cuties. It's definitely worth a listen:



Today, we'll celebrate the holiday South 'n France-style - first, by making crepes at a Grapes & Crepes Party with a bride who gets married tomorrow; then, by walking down to the Riverfront to enjoy our spectacular local fireworks with citizens from our community.  After all, "independence" is the same word in both French and English. So from both of us: Happy Independence Day!

My Fair Ladies, All

Do You Hear What I Hear?

If this gorgeous man, hailed a musical genius, the same celebrity violinist whose talent commands $1,000 a minute, was playing for you on a $3.5 million-dollar violin - while you were on your way to work - would you stop and listen? 

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder

We're back from vacation, and I've got so many fun things to share with you in the coming weeks. But first, we're busy unpacking, doing laundry, answering emails, and settling back into our work routine. When we go on vacation, I carry a practical leather backpack - it serves as my travel purse. I wrote about it last year. It felt great to come home and shed the old black bag in favor of my best-loved purse:
When my husband, father, brother, and sister-in-law saw it for the first time, they all told me it was U-G-L-Y! They couldn't understand why I would want to carry such a thing. But, I was in love with my oil cloth bag by Nanette Lepore, one of my all-time favorite designers. (The interior is lime green silk with her gorgeous label stitched onto the pocket). I love Nanette's glamorous-pin-up-girl-meets-bohemian-gypsy-style, and I long for the days when I have several Nanette Lepore pieces in my wardrobe. Her playful, feminine clothes with fun details are my definition of great style. But until my clothing budget increases (and my dress size decreases), I content myself with wearing her delicious perfume and her ultra-cool accessories like my rare ebay.com find.

"Don’t worry", I replied to my fashion-conservative family members: "Those who are in the know will KNOW that this bag is an ultra-cool designer original." And sure, enough, they do.

When I carried the purse while delivering bon bons to the costume department at the film studios, the costume designers went crazy over my bag. One woman even took a picture! Wanna, owner of Gigi’s Shoe Boutique ( 1051 Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington ) admires it every time she sees me. I even got a compliment once from a fashion-forward cashier at the Market Street Wal-Mart. I didn't need anyone's validation to wear the bag proudly, but I do have a good time sharing these compliments with my incredulous family. Pascal has been with me a few times when my purse has become the object of someone's admiration, and he just shakes his head in disbelief! I suppose beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. I've carried this bag so much and enjoyed its beauty for so long, that even I must admit it's beginning to look more shabby than chic. But rest assured that this beholder will keep searching for her next Lepore-inspired beauty!

Carpe Diem

I'm very future-focused. Usually, I'm so busy planning for whatever is going to happen next, I don't take the time to appreciate what's actually happening now. Living in the moment is something I try to do better, but I'm often unsuccessful. Pascal is more skilled at staying centered in the "now", which is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. It's also why I love to travel. I get so wrapped up in discovering a different place and absorbing the new sensory experiences, I don't even have to think about staying in the present. I'm there, fully focused on the moment. That's when I really "get" it, the cliché about the present being a gift. 

Yesterday, we closed South 'n France (June 19-June 29) for our first vacation together since starting the business three years ago. We are traveling to upstate New York for my little brother's wedding and then on to Quebec City, Quebec. For the next ten days, I'll be sure to unwrap each day as a precious, golden gift. Until I return, I leave you with this poem I found tucked in the pages of one of our recipe books last week. I copied it from a "Poetry In Motion" sign on a New York City subway train about five years ago. It now resides on my desk as a reminder of the lesson I've forgotten so many times since then:

Exhaust the little moment.
Soon it dies.

And be it gash or gold
It will not come

Again in this identical
disguise.

-Gwendolyn Brooks

Holly Would Countdown