Paris Parfait

Bordeaux glass and gifts from the sea

Last week I mentioned my friend Julie's amazing antiques shop, Agape. Every time I go there I find some curiosity or unique bit of history. Yesterday I brought home three large bottles from Bordeaux. They're early 19th-century, made of the wavy glass that's so hard to find (in one piece) these days.

Like the 19th-century apothecary jar on the left, I'm planning to fill the bottles with ribbon, bits of old lace and threads. Maybe at Christmas they'll hold fragile ornaments - lots of decorating possibilities - the trick is not to break them! The small bottle is early 20th-century and I will use a crystal decanter top to cap it. By the way, I have a new rule about buying antiques and collectibles - for every item that comes home with me, another one has to leave. This is necessary, due to limited space in our apartment!

The dark tan piece of coral atop the Napoleon III wooden stand is from 1850. And until Julie told me I could wash coral with Javel (a French liquid bleach), I had no idea how to clean it. So that's a task for later today (if I can avoid getting the stand wet). As you can see, the coral purchased yesterday is naturally a bright white.

The large pink conch shell was a sentimental purchase: my late grandmother had a similar one that I admired as a child. No one seems to know what happened to hers, so I was delighted to find this gift from the sea. I also bought a very unusual item once used by the French military, which I'll photograph and explain once I get it home.

"Blogging Stars"

Deborah of Jane Poe - Nevermore has paid a great compliment to me and two other "Blogging Stars." Check out the wacky photo and her beautiful poem here. I'm honoured to be in such good company!

Paris Parfait is a year old!

One of the Paris Parfait mastheads is based on this photo by Qingbo Sun.

Mais oui, c'est vrai! And 365 days and 575 posts ago, I would not have believed the dramatic impact blogging would have on my life. I could not have imagined the wonderful friendships formed with kindred spirits from this worldwide community of writers and artists.

I could not have predicted the exchange of ideas, information and art that has resulted from blogging. I could not have dreamed I would pick up the poetry pen again. And I certainly didn't think I'd write haiku for the first time since I was 12 or 13 - and discover it comes rather easily!

I wouldn't have expected that I'd wake up every morning and race to the computer to see what you've written while I was sleeping. And that still in my pyjamas I'd sit at my desk for hours, reading and writing, hating to wrench myself away from the blogosphere.

When I started Paris Parfait, I'd never seen any blogs other than political ones, which I began reading in the run-up to the 2004 American presidential election. I created this blog to force myself to write every day, but really had no specific direction in mind. I figured I'd sound off about issues of the day and post some articles and photos about living in Paris and buying antiques. I didn't dream that earlier this month the popular political blog Crooks & Liars would link one of my pieces and I'd be practically jumping up and down with excitement. As my husband wryly commented, "Why are you so thrilled to have your work included on a website called Crooks & Liars?

Within this year of blogging, I've had the pleasure to meet five fascinating women bloggers who came to Paris: Ali of From Austin to Africa, Brasil to the Bay; Laura of Laurelines; Susan of Soozphotoz; Nina of Milla on the Milky Way and Judy of Kats-in-Klompen. And in April, I'm expecting to meet Maryam of My Marrakesh, in September, Rel of Under the Microscope and sometime this year, Colette of A Bird in the Hand, among other bloggers traveling to Paris in 2007. And I'm hoping to meet bloggers in London during my next jaunt.

I've been touched by your many kind and encouraging comments, particularly about my pieces focused on social and political issues. I've been blessed and comforted by your warm words, cards and email while I was facing health problems. And I've been challenged and inspired by your powerful writing and your amazing art - but most of all, by your willingness to share your thoughts, talents and energies and truly engage in the world.

More than anything else, the blogging community reminds us that we face many of the same issues, no matter what part of the globe from which we hail. The collective power of the blogging community is a positive force in a planet fraught with negativity. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for embracing Paris Parfait and including it in your reading. Merci bien!

Israel "likely" violated agreement, US says

Israel "likely" violated the terms of its arms deals with Washington by using US-made cluster bombs in civilian areas of southern Lebanon, a US state department report says. The state department investigated Israel's use of cluster bombs during its conflict last year with Hezbollah.

US-made weapons are sold to the Israeli military with restrictions on use. Cluster bombs can scatter hundreds of small bomblets over a wide area. The International Committee of the Red Cross has called for banning the bombs in populated areas, as they cause indiscriminate civilian deaths. Amnesty International also has criticised Israel for using cluster bombs.

The US government has sent a preliminary report on its investigation to Congress. While declining to discuss the report's conclusion, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said terms agreed with Israel for using US-supplied munitions were "likely" to have been violated. "This is a preliminary finding and because it also involves the agreements about use (of munitions), which are classified, I cannot get into the details," he told reporters.

Congress will consider the report before deciding whether to take action against Israel. Israel has consistently maintained it uses cluster bombs in line with international law. Last November Israel's military said it would investigate how the bombs were used during the conflict. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC that Israel would co-operate fully with the US inquiry. "Israel takes the concerns raised by the US very seriously. In our response, we have been as detailed, as forthcoming and transparent as possible," he said.

Israel received widespread condemnation last year after being accused of littering Lebanon with thousands of unexploded bombs in the final hours of war. Chris Clarke, the United Nations official in charge of bomb disposal in southern Lebanon, said his staff had identified 390 strikes by Israel's cluster munitions. "This is ... the worst post-conflict cluster bomb contamination I have ever seen," he said.

A congressional investigation found Israel improperly used US-made cluster bombs during its 1982 invasion of Lebanon. President Ronald Reagan's administration imposed a six-year ban on sales of the weapons to Israel. Israel also produces its own cluster munitions. - Information compiled from the BBC, the Independent and other press reports.

Roots run deep

For One Deep Breath's "roots/connection" challenge, three haiku to match photos by Marie-Claire Holmes:

Roots wrap this building
strangling the infrastructure
but can't stifle growth

The trees grow taller
as buildings collapse with age
man's folly displayed

Roots run deeper now
than any stone foundation
nature's strength unmatched

Cambodia chronicles

Skulls from victims of the Khmer Rouge are displayed in a stupa in Cambodia.

Piles of skulls in Cambodia and pictures of some of the estimated two to three million victims of the Khmer Rouge, 1975-79, photos by Marie-Claire Holmes.

Dearly departed

Today we note its simple beauty
but it wasn't always so
once Cambodia was home
to Khmer Rouge killing fields

No democracy in Democratic Kampuchea
just warnings, torture, then execution
for contact with a foreigner
or any trumped-up charge

At least two million died or disappeared
under brutal Communist regime
the victims' photos with solemn expressions
lined up in rows as though posing for a college yearbook

But no bright futures materialised:
just hasty burials in mass graves
piles of skulls and bones in Choeung Ek or Tuol Sleng
chronicle too-brief lives and violent deaths

Ghosts of the departed linger
in this tragic country, still struggling
to move past the darkness
and embrace the light

For happier chronicles, visit Sunday Scribblings.

Life in Cambodia

Orange and saffron monk's robes are draped over statues in a temple in Cambodia. Photos by Marie-Claire Holmes

Row of stone statues in Cambodia.

Local children play in doorways in an ancient temple.


Clothes are hung out to dry in this house built over a river's edge.

A row of straw huts on stilts line a dusty country road.

Fisherman set out for a day's work fishing. Click photos to enlarge.

Fishtraps suspended from poles at twilight.

Small rice paddies are tended by individual owners.

Cambodian children swing on vines.

A vote for My Marrakesh!

Photo from Alberto Pinto's book Orientalism

Exciting news! The entertaining and informative blog My Marrakesh is a finalist in the Seventh Annual Weblog Awards, the 2007 Bloggies! Maryam's blog is one of five finalists in the Best African or Middle Eastern blog category. Winners will be selected by the public. If like me, you're a fan of My Marrakesh, please cast your vote here before Feb. 2.

A monk, a monkey and a mango

...and other scenes from Cambodia

A monkey breaks open a mango, while a monk drinking soda gazes into the distance. Click photos to enlarge. Photos by Marie-Claire Holmes

An elephant causes a traffic jam at a busy intersection.

Standing on a riverbank, monks rinse their clothes.

A family returns home after a shopping expedition.

A young boy floats in a zinc washtub, using a bamboo stick as an oar.

Fragments of prayer

19th-century Spanish hand-tooled leather prayer devotional and 21st-century rosary handmade by nuns, Sevilla, Spain.

For Poetry Thursday, a poem based on the phrase "fragments of prayer." Within the past few days, this phrase keeps surfacing - the title of a song in rolling film credits, a line in a haiku, a mention in a book. And so I began to think about prayer. No matter how differently prayers are conducted, the meaning is the same in every culture and language - a wish, a hope, a desperate plea for something to change. And where could there be prayers more powerful than on a battlefield or in the hearts of loved ones left to worry and wonder?

Fragments of prayer
whispered words carried on the winds
to the far corners of the earth
will they be heard?

Wrong place at the wrong time
and no help is near
fervent prayers offered
bargaining for life

Here, he's praying for a child
fighting for a future
given half a chance, he'll try
to make things right

Soldiers sending up their pleas:
help me, Lord
let me watch my children grow
Please, God, I'll do anything

And here, as hope is lost,
a last fleeting thought
take care of my family
help keep them safe

In a remote desert
a hostage's silent entreaty
while his kidnappers shoot video
and the trail grows cold

All pawns in a deadly game
beneath reversible umbrellas
that masquerade as faith or oil
true believers or madmen

Same difference
in this wild frontier
no matter what faith or creed
all targets here

No time to ask questions
struggle to survive
innocent abroad's hard lessons
learned too fast, too soon

Heartfelt words in any language
offered to the heavens
from your mouth to God's ear
prayers swirl and rush
through the atmosphere
searching for solace
hoping for a miracle

Reviving craft skills

In the past few months, I've bought these books to remind me how to do the things I once enjoyed, but have long forgotten: decoupage, collage and embroidery. Probably it was my nomadic existence that discouraged creating crafts - if you're always moving, you don't tend to focus on art supplies (unless you make your living as an artist). Also, as a working single mom, there wasn't much time to focus on crafts - any energy left after work and taking care of my daughter was poured into writing.

My husband gave me a set of oil paints and brushes that I've never used. My daughter, the versatile artist, gave me charcoal pencils, sketchpads and blank canvases on which to experiment. But something - probably my own insecurities and perfectionist worries about not being "good enough" - good enough for what? - has kept me from attempting to paint. For nearly a year now I've been reading the blogs of many clever, creative, crafty women and you've rekindled the desire to create something with my hands. I live in Paris, where vintage papers and ephemera are plentiful. So once a month I'm going to make some sort of art or craft and post it here.

Grandmother's buttons

In response to my posts about Monsieur Andre Molco's vintage buttons, Frida made a comment about fond childhood memories of playing with her grandmother's buttons, "They are in quite a different league to my grandmother's jars of buttons, but I think the same aesthetic interests lie behind both collections. My Grandma was just a little limited by her location (rural NZ) and budget!"

My late grandmother's buttons also were limited by her location and budget, but they are more precious to me than any expensive designer buttons. I've previously written about my grandmother's extraordinary skills as a seamstress. And I keep her buttons in a red glass apothecary jar, occasionally using some for a sewing project. My daughter, a student at the Savannah College of Art & Design also uses some of her great-grandmother's buttons for sewing projects. Yet another example that in life it's the sentiment that counts, not the expense.

A meeting and a meme

A five-tier decorative lantern in China, photo by Marie-Claire Holmes

On Monday night David and I had dinner at a favourite bistro in Passy with Judy Nijholt and her charming husband Auke, from Holland. They were in Paris to celebrate Judy's birthday. Judy is an accomplished artist and writes the amusing blog Kats in Klompen. We spent a delightful evening together and are looking forward to seeing them again in Paris, Holland - or both!

I've been tagged by Leonie, Nina and Amy for the "six weird things about me" meme that's been circulating. While I like reading the answers to other people's memes, I really don't like doing them myself. But as you asked so nicely, here goes:

1. I don't like the numbers six or four. I've always felt distaste for the number six. A friend once had an office in the building at 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, which I thought was the worst luck, never mind the Biblical connotations. Sure enough, his government was overthrown and he was out of a job! And I have Chinese friends in San Francisco who refuse to have lunch at a restaurant at 444 Market Street, because in China, the number four means death. Ever since they told me the Chinese interpretation of "4," I view it with suspicion. I prefer odd numbers such as 3, 5, 7 and 9.

2. I talk on the phone only to make arrangements to meet. I don't like long phone conversations, other than with my daughter. I'd rather talk face-to-face.

3. I can read Tarot cards. Sometimes the things apparent in the cards disturb me, because they're so accurate. On occasion I have dreams about things to come.

4. I can agonise and worry for two weeks over a magazine piece, then write it in two hours. I am good at writing "mean" letters, to get compensation when something doesn't work as advertised, doesn't fulfill expectations, etc. Nine out of ten times, these letters produce desired results and financial recompense.

5. I stay up very, very late at night, but if I sleep late in the morning, have troubled dreams. Consequently, I am often sleep-deprived.

6. I cannot resist buying books and have been known to buy books (food for the soul) before food. It makes me anxious to be in someone's home if no books are visible. I don't need to read the books, but I need to know they're there!

So many of you already have played this game, I'm reluctant to tag. But if you want to reveal six weird things about yourself, please post your version of this meme.

Odds and ends

My friend Julie owns a wonderful antique shop, Agape Deco. She is a genius at finding quirky and imaginative things to sell in her shop. She also creates fabulous displays and her magasin has been featured in numerous French magazines. Going to her shop is always an adventure, as you never know what unusual items might be offered for sale.

Today I was thrilled by a zinc-topped wooden table with one drawer. Julie will cut the legs down to make it into a coffee table. I also snapped up these little trinkets: small scientific beakers and tiny glass bottles (above); two small glass domes (the one pictured is temporarily filled with glass bottles); wooden architectural fragments and a heavy stone ball.

The challenge now is to incorporate these odds and ends into existing tableaus or displays. Maybe the architectural fragments will join an assortment of crystal and glass decanter tops in an iron urn. Perhaps the stone ball will rest on a garden table on the balcony. Your ideas are welcome!

Persistence is key

1940s French advertising cards featuring illustrations of keys from various museums. From left, a clef en fer (key of iron) encrusted in gold with the names and titles of the Sultans of the Mamelouks, Egyptian, 14th century from the Musee du Louvre. The brown key is 16th-century German from the Musee de Dresde. The gold Clef de St-Hubert (at right) is from the Eglise Ste-Croix a Liege, 16th-century. The green key is "Gallo-Romaine" in bronze, discovered in the region of St-Bertrand-de-Comminges. It is currently on display at the Musee de Comminges. The blue key is 14th-century French, now on display at the Musee de Florence.

For the One Deep Breath prompt "process/craft," a series of haiku that should be read as one poem:

You talk about craft
but no magical mantras
persistence is key

Unlocking visions
beyond what is apparent
pay close attention

Dare to speak the truth:
another prefers silence;
each finds his own way

Words reflect knife's edge
joy, pain, sorrow multiplied
condensed in poems

Above all else, write:
keep striving; chances are good
you'll carve your own path

While the road ahead
remains hard, one understands
maps fashioned with words

Fragments of prayer
snatched from thin air and transformed
poetry for all

Vintage buttons galore

Boxes and boxes of vintage buttons are stacked in the studio of French artist Monsieur Andre Molco. M. Molco formerly produced buttons for major fashion houses of Paris. He sold his stylish buttons from his boutique on rue Vignon, Bouton d'or. As M. Molco was not in the studio when I photographed the boxes, I didn't want to open the boxes and remove the buttons. Those photos are for another day.

M. Molco's haute couture buttons - including some torch-worked glass ones - are discussed in the book Boutons by Loic Allio. Several French magazines and Japanese publications have featured articles about his ceramic, glass, wooden and metal buttons. Now 88, M. Molco has retired from the trade. However he still produces art, which will be featured in a separate post.

Pottery old and new

The old...Nelson McCoy pottery circa 1925. In 1995 in San Francisco I started collecting aqua, green and cream pieces of Nelson McCoy and McCoy pottery, produced from the 1920s-40s. As I'm rarely in the US to search for more, I sometimes buy McCoy pottery on eBay.

The new...Roseberry-Winn aqua leaf candlesticks circa 2005. I first saw these candlesticks pictured in the American edition of House & Garden magazine. When I looked at Roseberry-Winn's website, I was struck by how similar the glazes were to those employed by Nelson McCoy. So I emailed Michael Roseberry and bought the candlesticks pictured, as well as a set in turquoise. Besides producing beautiful teapots, cups, mugs, vases, etc. Roseberry-Winn also makes tiles to order.

Roseberry-Winn is based in Tiverton, Rhode Island. Michael Roseberry is from Texas, has a master's in French and has lived in France. At the age of six, Bruce Winn became fascinated with pottery. He currently teaches at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Spanish sampler

Spanish sampler at a French flea market. This colourful sampler found at a Paris brocante was handmade by Emilia Rodriguez of Madrid in 1875. I was attracted by its Spanish heritage, as well as its simple stitches, various scripts and decorative border. But the price was too high, it would need reframing and besides that, I have no place to put it!

New Orleans still needs help

A New York Times editorial Friday urges additional aid for New Orleans. Excerpts appear below, with the last paragraph the most compelling. The sad truth is that if our resources - both monetary and military - weren't diverted into the black hole that is Iraq, New Orleans might be well on its way to recovery.

"In the long and sordid story of Hurricane Katrina, a new low may be approaching. In Louisiana alone, tens of thousands of displaced families who rely on the government to provide trailers or rent will lose their temporary housing next month — unless the Bush administration extends the standard 18-month time limit for their federal aid.

"A year and a half is a long time for anything that is supposed to be transitional, as the families still trapped in cramped, flimsy trailers can testify. But the temporary help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot end until the victims have somewhere else to go. And the federal and local governments have moved far too slowly in providing the necessary reconstruction money and building guidance.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita destroyed more than 200,000 homes in Louisiana and only a small fraction have been replaced. (Neither the state nor the New Orleans city government knows how many have been completed.) A sky-high murder rate has dominated the news. The success of the Saints professional football team is not enough of a distraction.

"The response to the drowning of New Orleans has been a failure on every level. President Bush’s eloquent promise in Jackson Square to rebuild “higher and better” soothed the nation. But since then there has been no concrete action plan for reconstruction — only a patchwork of programs marked by dithering, bickering and bureaucratic finger-pointing throughout. The federal response was, after great delay, largely to cut a check and let overmatched local officials try to sort it out..."

"...That New Orleans remains a shattered city is a sad monument to impotence for the most powerful country in the world. Our grand plans were never laid, our brightest minds were never assembled, our nation’s muscle and ingenuity were never brought to bear in any concerted way to overcome the crisis of the Gulf."

Truth and justice needed here

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
- Dr. Martin Luther King

Ten-year old dies after Israeli action

A ten-year-old Palestinian girl has died in hospital in Jerusalem, three days after being injured during an incident involving Israeli border police. The child, Abir Aramin, was the daughter of Palestinian peace activist Bassam Aramin. They lived in the West Bank village of Anata, where Israel is building a section of its West Bank barrier.

Palestinians say Abir was with two other girls in the village when an Israeli border police vehicle drove past. Stones were thrown in the direction of the police, who responded with tear-gas and stun-grenades, hitting the girl in the head. According to press reports, border police have launched an investigation.

Iraqi children dying from lack of simple equipment

Colin Brown reports in The Independent that children are dying in Iraqi hospitals for the lack of simple equipment that in some cases costs as little as 95p. The is revealed today in a letter signed by nearly 100 eminent doctors.

In a direct appeal to British Prime Minister Tony Blair,more than 100 doctors describe desperate shortages causing "hundreds" of children to die in hospitals. The signatories include Iraqi doctors, British doctors who have worked in Iraqi hospitals and leading UK consultants and GPs. They are backed by a group of international lawyers, who say the conditions in hospitals amount to a breach of the Geneva conventions that require Britain and the US as occupying forces to protect human life.

"Sick or injured children who could otherwise be treated by simple means are left to die in hundreds because they do not have access to basic medicines or other resources," the doctors say. "Children who have lost hands, feet and limbs are left without prostheses. Children with grave psychological distress are left untreated," they said.

The doctors said babies are being ventilated with a plastic tube in their noses and dying for lack of an oxygen mask. Other babies are dying from the lack of vitamin K or sterile needles, all costing about 95p (about $1.85). Hospitals have little hope of stopping fatal infections spreading from baby to baby because of the lack of surgical gloves, which cost about 3.5p (seven cents) a pair.

Turkish-Armenian editor shot dead

A prominent Turkish-Armenian editor, convicted in 2005 of insulting Turkish identity, has been shot dead in broad daylight outside his newspaper's office in Istanbul. The BBC reported that crowds of Hrant Dink's colleagues and supporters gathered at the scene, chanting their outrage at his murder.

Dink was given a six-month suspended sentence in October 2005 after writing about the Armenian "genocide" of 1915. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the killing and said two suspects had been arrested. Mr Erdogan told a news conference that the murder was a "bullet fired against free speech and democracy." He ordered what he called the "dark hands behind the killing" to be brought to justice.

Dink, editor-in-chief of the bilingual Turkish and Armenian weekly Agos newspaper, was one of Turkey's most prominent Armenian voices. He was the frequent target of anger from Turkish nationalists who viewed him as a traitor.

Dink, 53, was found guilty of insulting Turkish identity after writing an article which addressed the mass killings of Ottoman Armenians nine decades ago. Dink claimed his aim was to improve the difficult relationship between Turks and Armenians. In one of his last newspaper columns, he admitted having received death threats. His computer hard drive was full of them, he wrote, amounting to what he called "psychological torture."

A new beginning

I've previously written about this painting "Evening shadows," by the Taos Pueblo artist Gary Lujan, known as Land Eagle. The painting was used as the back cover illustration for the European edition of The Earth Shall Weep by James Wilson, a history of Native Americans. I am fortunate to own the original painting.

Now Gary Lujan has started a blog, sharing his unique art, as well as photographs and stories about his life in Taos, New Mexico. His recent posts have great photos of the Taos Pueblo, as well as the current heavy snowfall. Won't you stop by Taos Pueblo Fine Art and say hello?

Black Mesa Sky diptych, acrylic on canvas by Land Eagle. For further information, contact the artist.

Cath Kidston

I am a big fan of Cath Kidston, author of Vintage Style and Cath Kidston In Print and British designer of lovely retro-inspired items for the home. Witness this basket full of Cath Kidston napkins, which mix and match with three of her tablecloths I own, as well as her bone porcelain Sprig dishes, which I collect.

The sturdy carrier bags (pictured) accompany me on nearly every shopping expedition (the boulangerie, the fromagerie, the boucherie), sometimes along with a little cart on wheels. Until now, all my Cath Kidston purchases have been made during various treks to her shop in Chelsea.

When I noticed Cath Kidston was having a sale, I went a bit mad. The spoils of that online shopping experience include a first aid kit -for my husband who can never find the "plasters" (Bandaids) even when they're right in front of him - and two cake tins, just too bright and cheery to resist!

Also for my husband - the excellent but very messy chef - new oven mitts. And totally unnecessary but cute forks, knives and spoons in my favourite seafoam green, ironically manufacured in France. Oh and MORE mattress ticking napkins, in case we don't have enough already. Yes, I admit it, we have ample dishes, napkins, etc. to host a party for 200, but fortunately, not the space to accommodate all those people.

This charming box file will brighten my desk during grey wintery days.

Alice in Wonderland

Walking down the street yesterday, I spotted this patent-leather chair in the entryway of a furniture store. Doesn't it look like the sort of chair those wacky characters from Alice in Wonderland would sit in while playing a game of cards? For interactive madcap adventures with Alice and her friends go here.

Art and serendipity

French 18th-century gilt lantern with mercury glass, photo courtesy of Stephane Borraz.

On Tuesday, I met a fascinating French artist! I was at Olivier Gagneau's studio Val d' Or to select frames for five 19th-century Japanese woodblock prints found at Liberty of London, as well as three Moroccan-inspired mixed-media collages by Kristen Robinson.

I noticed an unusual framed piece of art leaning against the wall, with the New York skyline etched in tiny vertical slivers of paper. Depending upon the direction the eye moves, the skyline reflects different building angles and shadows. I'd previously seen this type of intricate work in French flea markets, but never a modern example. So imagine my delight when ten minutes later an older gentleman walked in and Olivier introduced him to me as the artist who'd created the piece!

Happily, the artist spoke excellent English. He invited me to his studio nearby to see more examples of his work. As he seemed so charming and interesting. I went. Not only was his house - one of the rare maisons that remains a private residence, rather than being divided into apartments - lovely, it was chock-a-block with his art. He showed me many fine examples of his work, some part of previous exhibitions at galleries in Paris and Vienna.

Then he took me to the studio behind his house, where more of his work was stored. For me, the real treat that made me gasp aloud in amazement was not his work, but buttons! Dozens and dozens of boxes of antique buttons! Turns out that the artist was once the chief supplier of buttons and sewing notions to the main couture houses of Paris. He showed me articles written about his influence on the world of high fashion in Madame Figaro and Marie-Claire, among other French publications.

Born in Marseilles, Monsieur Andre Molco is 88 years young, with an intriguing past. And his secret for his good health and longevity? Playing golf, keeping busy and remaining interested in the world around him. On Thursday, I'm invited back to his studio - how lucky am I! This time I'm taking my camera.

Local advantage

One advantage of living in Paris is becoming familiar with good places to shop. A favourite antique dealer, Stefane Borraz obligingly emails photos of his recent acquisitons. Looking at the photos makes me want to grab my purse and head for his salon - but my lack of space and funds stops me short. An Italian lighted mirror probably from the '60s reflects Swedish wooden kitchen chairs and a stack of art books.

Isn't this gold gilt clock fabulous? A bit ornate for my taste, but I can see it gracing a wall in a big house.

This (probably) 19th-century sofa has been recovered in a dusty pink/mauve-toned linen. I'd prefer it recovered in another fabric, although of course it won't fit in our apartment!

J'adore the black and cream transferware bowls on the painted dropleaf table.

These fur and antler stools would be perfect around a roaring fire at a ski lodge. The cutouts/candlesticks are based on 18th-century designs and are probably copies (can't tell by the photo). Check out the funky '60s floor lamp in the background! Stephane's shop also offers a big collection of 19th-and-early 20th-century world globes. Most of his items are either 18th or 19th-century French or Scandinavian. Quite often he has beautiful Gustavian pieces for sale. So the next time you're in Paris, stop by and check out his latest shipment from Sweden, along with the local treasures!

Serenity and a photo contest

Moments of serenity in China, photos by Marie-Claire Holmes. The Year of Living Gorgeously is hosting a monthly photo competition. This month's theme? January! Go here to submit a photo.

Reflecting pools

When I saw the One Deep Breath prompt "reflections," my first thought was of the haiku I wrote at age 12, which won an award:

The mirror reflects
a nameless shapeless image
who is this lost child?

All these years later, more reflections come to mind:

Blue-green eyes mirror
the joy and pain she's witnessed
rich and complex life

Eyes reflecting pools
glimpses of life's ebb and flow
swimming against tides

Self-portrait 2006

Al Jazeera's English news

Remember early in the Iraq War when the Bush administration tried to paint al Jazeera and al Arabiyah as "consorting with the enemy?" Like most of its arguments, the Bush administration wasn't very convincing. While I can't vouch for al Jazeera's Arabic service, I have watched its English service since its debut November 15 and found it very balanced in its coverage. It offers refreshing views of the Middle East and Asia, including stories rarely reported by Western news organisations.

Based in Doha, Qatar, the news channel broadcasts from studios in Qatar, Dubai, London, Washington and Asia. Some of the best BBC correspondents have moved to al Jazeera, including Rageh Omaar and Stephen Cole. Long-time CNN correspondent Lucia Newman and others have also joined al Jazeera in their slick professional sets and studios around the world. In addition, Sir David Frost, Riz Khan and Irish journalist John McCarthy have their own shows. McCarthy, who was formerly held hostage in Lebanon, is currently hosting a six-part series on the world's religions called "God's Business."

Al Jazeera's English news also features special segments including Witness, with first-hand reporting of current issues. In one recent segment, an Iraqi Kurd living in the West returns to his home town of Kirkuk, to vote in the first Iraqi election. He must come to grips with the devastation of his hometown, after war and after his fellow Kurds were forcibly moved to a nearby town when the late Saddam Hussein sent 425,000 Arabs to settle in Kirkuk. The documentary shows the hope of some Kurds for a better Iraq and the fury of others at Western intervention in Iraq and deteriorating security.

Another powerful Witness segment focused on Canadians adopting children from a Russian orphanage, featuring extensive interviews with the adoptive parents, the children and people at the orphanage. It followed the children during their adjustment to living with their adoptive parents, learning to speak English and adapting to a new school system.

Despite its popularity - ten years on, more than 40 million Arabs watch its Arabic service - al Jazeera continues to be dogged by controversy. The BBC reported today that a journalist working for al Jazeera's Arabic news has been arrested in Egypt for allegedly fabricating videos of police torturing suspects. Huweida Taha Metwalli was stopped on her way to Qatar, with 50 videotapes in her luggage seized, according to the Egyptian interior ministry. The reporter has been charged with "tarnishing Egypt's reputation and harming Egyptian national interests," the BBC said. Hussein Abdel-Ghani, al Jazeera's representative in Egypt, said reconstructing scenes with actors was "a well-known method in the production of documentaries and al Jazeera is not the only network to talk about torture."

Weekends only

A bouquet of Benoit's red and purple tulips from the local market came home with me.

For the Sunday Scribblings prompt "I have an idea:"

A charming American woman who's leaving Paris after many years has the perfect solution when it comes to entertaining out-of-town friends: she ensconces them in a hotel nearby, hosts lovely dinners, breakfasts or lunches at her home (assisted by her housekeeper) and occasionally escorts her friends to certain events or on shopping expeditions. At the end of the day, she has her peace and privacy and so do her guests.

Imagine how lovely that would be! Friends stay at hotels; one night they're invited to dinner at our house and other evenings we meet them for drinks or dinners in nice restaurants. During the day we take them shopping, to the flea markets or to museum exhibitions and leave them time to pursue their own interests. Everyone goes home happy, having spent an enjoyable time together. Best of all we're not stressed trying to insure our friends are well-fed, entertained and comfortable.

Now don't get me wrong: I like to entertain. Southern hospitality is a point of honour for me and I try to make guests feel welcome, whether they're here for an evening or staying for a week. Living in Paris, practically everyone we've ever met has been to visit us - when I say visit, I mean stay at our apartment. While they claim they're coming to see us, I'm sure Paris is the main attraction. I doubt they'd be leaping on a plane if we lived in the Middle East or even the Midwest. But we're always happy to see our friends. And flying to Paris from the US is expensive enough without them shelling out another 1,000 euros plus for hotel accommodations.

When friends visit us, they are treated royally. For most of them, it's the only time they'll ever visit Paris. So we try to make their visit as pleasant and worry-free as possible. Here's what they might expect:

Hothouse orchids

These delicate beauties are nestled in sheer wrapping at Benoit's flower stand in the local market.

Democrats, Republicans think it's a bad idea

Poster from Micah Wright's Propaganda Remix Project

In the news, refreshing candor from Republican Senator Chuck Hagel about George W Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq: "I think this speech given last night by this president represents the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam if it's carried out," he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Another Republican senator, George Voinovich, told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice he had lost faith in the president's Iraq policy. "I've gone along with the president on this and I've bought into his dream and at this stage of the game I just don't think it's going to happen," he said.

Meanwhile Democratic senators expect Republicans to join next week in pushing a non-binding resolution through Congress that is critical of Bush's new Iraq policy. If the vote proves successful, Democrats may use their control of Congress to deny funding for Iraq. During the Vietnam War, congressmen used control over spending as leverage to force withdrawal of troops.

Early in February Bush is expected to ask Congress for more "emergency" money to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While prepared to pay for soldiers already in the field, the Democrats could question allocating funds for additional troops.

Alternatively the Democrats could sponsor legislation to re-authorise the war. In 2002, Congress went on record to invade Iraq due to the Bush administration's claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Since no such weapons were found, Democrats might argue a new authorisation for war is required.

Senators expressed their anger Thursday over Bush's speech, as well as charges that he had once again taken his decision alone, undermining the administration's claims to have consulted widely before crafting a new policy.

A Washington Post report noted similarities between the new Iraq strategy and a policy memo produced last November by Stephen Hadley, the national security adviser - a month before the Iraq Study Group produced its report. "The president's speech last night ignored the recommendations of both parties, military leaders and foreign policy experts and the will of the American people," Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold told the foreign relations committee. He urged Congress to cut off funds for the increased troops. "With the president determined to escalate a failed strategy in Iraq, Congress must use its power of the purse to safely bring our brave troops out of Iraq," he noted.

What's he afraid of?

Meanwhile, after the president's speech Wednesday night, the White House broke with tradition, refusing to let photojournalists shoot still pictures of the president at the podium. As a result, newspapers and wire services ran low-quality "frame grabs" from the video of the speech. An official handout photo from the White House, which most news outlets rejected, was the only other option.

Both the Associated Press and Reuters refused to accept the handout photo. They sent their members notices explaining that frame grabs from the White House video pool would be their only photo coverage of the speech.

China's woes

Is it any wonder?

By 2020, China will have 30 million more men of marriageable age than women, making it difficult for them to find wives. A report by the State Population and Family Planning Commission warned the gender imbalance could lead to social instability.

The report said traditional preference for boys, in a country with a one-child policy, is the root of the problem. Abortions on female foetuses are believed to be widespread as couples, particularly in rural areas, hope for a son who will look after them in their old age.

Seems in its race to flood the global marketplace with cheap goods, the Chinese government forgot to consider the social welfare of its citizens.

A near miss

Decorative tiles on a building in Sevilla, Spain

Early this afternoon I was out running errands. Walking across a pedestrian crosswalk, I had to jump on the curb to avoid getting mowed down by a car. It was a woman, talking on her cell phone and running a red light. She was literally two inches from hitting me - thank goodness for peripheal vision and a quick reaction on my part.

The woman suddenly realised how close she'd come to causing me serious injury and waved and mouthed "desolee" (sorry) at me, without even interrupting her phone conversation!

This little scare shook me up more than I'd like to admit, even though I continued with my errands. It's the second time recently I've narrowly escaped being run over - in the last incident, a motorcyclist speeding around a corner skidded to a halt to avoid hitting me in the crosswalk.

When I got home this afternoon I fixed a bowl of soup and snuggled on the sofa under my grandmother's afghan reading the January issues of Elle Decor and Country Living. Pure escapism. Yes, I had a million other things I should have been doing - but I didn't. Because the mad news coming out of Washington, the five-year anniversary of prisoners being detained at Guantanamo Bay and the near-accident have drained my energy. Today it's all about cocooning.

A weekend project

If you like the retro or "shabby chic" look, it's easy to make a chalk/bulletin board for your kitchen! It's a simple weekend project using recycled bits of wood, a piece of steel cable, metal hooks, chalkboard paint and whatever colours you want to paint your bulletin board. The sweet message written in chalk was waiting upon my return from Spain.

The Madness of King George

Have you ever seen the film The Madness of King George? The focus is on a megalomaniac ruler who willfully ignores the considered advice of seasoned experts, allies in the region and world opinion. And he fires all the military leaders who disagree with him.

Sounds like a king or even a dictator, doesn't it - certainly not an elected president! Witness George W. Bush clutching at straws in a desperate bid to salvage the folly he's created in Iraq and comparisons might be drawn.

The American president seems to be playing out some deluded fantasy in which he's the lone cowboy at the OK Corral - except this is real life, and his reckless decisions are toying with hundreds and thousands of lives, never mind billions of tax dollars. In Texas there's an expression "if enough people tell you you're drunk, you'd better sit down." But this president refuses to listen to anyone whose view differs from his own tunnel-vision.

In the UK, The Guardian's leading article is "Defiance and delusion:"

George Bush's announcement last night that he is going to pour more troops into Iraq was the last throw of the dice in a misconceived enterprise that has dragged his country, this country and the Middle East into a nightmare. The package includes 17,500 more combat troops for Baghdad and 4,000 more marines for Anbar province, the cockpit of the Sunni insurgency. Over $1bn will be spent in economic aid. In return the Iraqis are to promise to crackdown on insurgents, regardless of sect or religion.

In opting for a troop surge, Mr Bush has ignored the message of the mid-term elections, the Iraq Study Group, Congress, his own top generals and most world opinion. US generals have difficulty enough maintaining current levels of combat-ready troops and are not convinced that more troops will make any difference. Rather than listen to them, Mr Bush has turned to the right, to those who argue that honour and the America's national interests require fighting on. One senses that "honour" is the more important of the two.

Back on Earth - where on Tuesday 1,000 American and Iraqi troops were battling Sunni insurgents with helicopters and warplanes for the control of a three-mile stretch of road running through the centre of Baghdad - any plan for Iraq is predicated on the ability of Nouri al-Maliki's government to disarm the Shia militias. Only then can the police force and army be rebuilt, Sunnis included in a settlement and control re-established over wide areas of the country. The task of regaining Iraq is no longer just about containing an insurgency; it is about staunching the flames of a civil war.

A wing and a prayer

View more WWI propaganda posters here:

This week Poetry Thursday focuses on cliches. One of my favourite cliches is "a wing and a prayer," which means hopeful, but unlikely to succeed. The expression originated in WWI, when airplanes were still largely untested.

"A wing and a prayer" was first uttered when an American flyer came in with a badly-damaged wing. His fellow pilots and mechanics were amazed he didn't crash. He replied that he was praying all the way. Another pilot quipped "a wing and a prayer brought you back."

A wing and a prayer in Iraq

A wing and a prayer
is how he's governing
never quite grasping the reality
ignoring experts' advice

A wing and a prayer
is how Congress is trying
to make him see reason
and change course

A wing and a prayer
is how soldiers are managing
without proper equipment
targeted from all directions

A wing and a prayer
is how they're coping
the families left behind
waiting for safe homecoming

A wing and a prayer
is how Iraqis get through the day
without being caught in the crossfire
or blown up by a bomb

A wing and a prayer
is how we're hoping
the Iraqi government
accepts responsibility and takes action

A wing and a prayer
is how Jordan's helping
the massive influx of refugees
fleeing Iraq's sectarian violence

A wing and a prayer
is how they're trying
to stem the tide of rage
threatening the region

A wing and a prayer
is how we'll struggle
to recover from these dark days
find peace and stability

Overstretched military? Never mind!

In today's Guardian, Jonathan Freedland writes about Bush starting a new cold war. An excerpt:

Say what you like about George Bush, but no one can accuse him of following the crowd. When everyone from the American electorate to the US military brass, along with a rare consensus of world opinion, cries out with one voice to say "enough" of the war in Iraq, Bush heads in the opposite direction - and decides to escalate. When his army chiefs complain of desperate overstretch in the war on terror, he takes that as his cue to open up another front. And that's just this week.

On Sunday night the US military launched an air strike - not on Iraq or Afghanistan, but on southern Somalia. Some reports last night claimed that the bombing has continued ever since. If you didn't know that Somalia was on the enemies' list - if you're finding it hard, what with Syria and Iran and North Korea, to keep track of Washington's foes, don't blame yourself. These days the axis of evil is expanding faster than the European Union, with a couple of new members added every January.

Attention tea drinkers

English Breakfast tea and a 19th-century Limoges porcelain cup and saucer

Adding milk to tea cancels out the beverage's ability to protect against heart disease, according to German scientists. In a small study, researchers found drinking black tea significantly improved the ability of arteries to relax and expand to keep blood pressure healthy.

In an article published in the European Heart Journal, scientists said proteins in milk known as caseins block this effect. Molecules or catechins in the tea help dilate blood vessels by producing nitric oxide. The caseins in milk prevent this effect by reducing the concentration of catechins in tea.

Dr. Verena Stangl, senior researcher and professor of cardiology at Charite Hospital, Berlin, said the results provide "a possible explanation for the lack of beneficial effects of tea on the risk of heart disease in the UK, a country where milk is usually added."

June Davison, a cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) told the BBC it is difficult to say from this small study the impact adding a drop of milk to your tea can make. "The tea break is a great British tradition which provides time to relax with a cuppa in hand," she said. "Leaving milk out of your tea is far less likely to help protect your heart health than other measures, such as taking regular exercise, avoiding smoking and eating a healthy balanced diet." Davison said the study highlights the importance of thinking about interaction between different foods.

Trompe l'oeil

Building under renovation, rue de Rivoli, Concorde, Paris

For One Deep Breath, haiku about "subtle change:"

Trompe l'oeil: fool the eye
facade masks look created
as old and new merge

Lift the veil, reveal
an old building with good bones
getting a facelift

New techniques restore
building to former glory
beauty soon unveiled

Taking down the ferris wheel

When I emerged from the metro at Concorde at 2 p.m. - yes, another grey rainy winter's day in Paris - I glanced to my right and noticed only half of the ferris wheel was still standing!

In this photo, the landmark Eiffel Tower (background) is visible. The crane in the center is removing large sections of the wheel.

Again the Eiffel Tower is seen in the background, as the ferris wheel installed for the holiday season is dismantled.

Kitchen collectibles

Our tiny kitchen is bursting at the seams with collectibles, as I have a penchant for kitchenalia. A Directoire bookcase has been drafted to house various collectibles, as well as cookbooks. Among my favourite items are tole trays (the one pictured is American from the 1940s); French wicker-clad glass bottles; enamelware (the French coffeepot and trivet shown are from the 1920s) and English antique jelly moulds in porcelain, ceramic or stoneware (like the one pictured at right, featuring a pineapple mould design). What's your favourite collectible item?

Pure indulgence

Did I mention that one of my favourite indulgences is home decor/decorating books? The ones pictured fill just a couple of shelves of one cheery yellow bookcase in the hallway. I have probably 200 home decor and style books - never mind maybe 5,000 regular books - and am running out of space!

I also collect magazines: every month I scour the Paris and London bookshops looking for American magazines Elle Decor, House & Garden, Country Living, Country Home, the British BBC Homes and Antiques and the bi-monthly French magazine Campagne Decoration. When available I scoop up Western Interiors and Design and House Beautiful. Oh and of course the quarterly issues of Vogue Living and InStyle Home and O at Home. Sometimes I get Martha Stewart Living (if it's a decorating issue) and Veranda. And that doesn't include Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and the news and political publications, as well as occasional fashion magazines I read. Okay, perhaps it's more than an indulgence - maybe an obsession? What's your obsession?