le slip français

Gentlemen, please take note: this one is for you (and/or the people in your life who like to buy you underwear). 100% made in France, top quality, from pure and locally-produced cotton, briefs. In traditional red, white and blue colours, with good packaging and styles. Le Slip Français has been going for 60 years, manufacturing men's undies from their factory in Saint-Antoine, Dordogne. A percentage of each sale from their website, supports the charity 'Rêve d'Enfance', that has, since 2001, been aiming to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.

p.s. Ladies, your range is launching soon...

miam miam

One for the food loving Francophiles (though you do need to be able to read in French, too). A very good food blog here, hosted on the website of newspaper, Libération. Looks good and loads and loads to read. The posts are all sent in by readers of the paper, with links to their blogs, which makes for a really interesting and varied mélange. I particularly like the posts filed under the subheading 'plaisir d'enfance'. There is a shop up there too, along with a facility to book a table at restaurants across France.

ten days in Paris

Are you heading to Paris soon? Maybe you are off on business, with a little time to spare? Or are you away on a long weekend? Or perhaps you live there (you lucky thing). Any which way, I would urge you to save 10 Days in Paris to your favourites, for quick and easy reference. A great and current city guide, in English, reporting on the best in all things on trend in the French capital.

The joy of Duralex

Image via historycompany.com

Here to illustrate Proust's madeleine theory, is a piece about Duralex. One sighting of a stack of Gigogne glasses and I am whisked back to my primary school canteen, circa 1983. If you are reading this and from the UK or France, I am certain you are being whisked back to school right now, too. This also works for their plates. When we were growing up, we always ate from brown Duralex glass plates. I have no idea where they are now, but thankfully they are still alive and well and still being used every mealtime at my inlaws' house. My parents uncovered some mini versions for us on a trip to Budapest a few years back. They get used all the time and I am now intending to source the original larger size so we can recreate those mealtimes in the late 70s/80s. Stackable, stylish, inexpensive and often readily available, they are also very hardwearing. If you treat yourself to one little bit of classic design this year, let it be Duralex.

Image via jazzywholesale.co.uk

blue monday

According to some, today is the most depressing day of the year. The 3rd Monday of a new year has in recent times become known as Blue Monday. Today, for several reasons, happens to have been pretty good for me. Yesterday was good, too. We went on a trip to the seaside on the first proper wintry winter day of the 2011/2012 season. Bonne Année, Bonne Santé à tous!