And the Big Hug Winner is... Uggie!

Unless you've been cast off an atoll in the middle of the ocean lately, you sure will have heard of The Artist, a black and white silent movie which has set Hollywood ablaze with 5 Oscars! The film is set in the 1920s with the unique selling point of having been filmed in 2011 (which is one of the main attractions of the film).

(Picture source: Huh)

The plot centres around matinée idol George Valentin's struggles to stay ahead of the acting game with the advent of talkies. This French film inspired by the early heyday of Hollywood motion picture celebrates celluloid as a parody that faithfully sticks to the mannerisms, fashion, studio décor and cinematographic challenges of the times.

Two artists (picture source)

Alongside main actors Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo is a canine companion with flair who has more than one trick up his sleeve as an artist of his own: welcome Uggie, a talented 10-year-old Jack Russell Terrier sure to melt your heart!

Uggie 'The Artist' Dog Steals Oscar Spotlight (picture source: Terra, 27/02/12)

We love Uggie to bits here at La Baguette (although he's not the only JRT that we are smitten for!). We wish the four-legged silver screen star every success in the future and a happy retirement as we hear he's off counting the dollar bills on a Honolulu beach over a well-deserved Margarita. Well done Uggie for your composition role!

Meanwhile we'll follow your adventures on Twitter, blow you kisses on Facebook, and enjoy your recent appearance on the Ellen de Generes show. What a star!

February 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 5)

Fave #5: Find yourself and never lose it with Lost in Translation!

Talk-shy in Tokyo (picture source)

Lost in Translation (2003) is one of La Baguette's favourite films of the last decade! It's as far from the typical full-on, effects-packed, all-singing all-dancing American blockbuster as can be. We're talking low brow, low budget American film, personal, timeless and almost European in its approach.

Not only has the Sofia Coppola feature film reached cult status but so has its title. The press, bloggers, Joe Bloggs and others have all adopted it as a catchphrase.

The trappings of daily communication, convention, social codes and relationships are stretched further and put to the test when you're plucked out of your comfortable Western surroundings and thrown into Japanese culture and way of life, carried out by a tide of human density, human emotions, innuendoes, misunderstandings, silences and long glances, surprised looks, blank stares, late-night jet-lagged errings and forced introspections.




Bob Harris (Bill Murray) and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) are both American, yet they come from two different if not opposite walks of life. They face their own doubts and fears and solitude. They also meet up, they get lost together, they rejoin and they part.

This is a beautiful, intimate, chemistry-charged film. Neither smarmy, chick flick nor dramatic. It's a film about relationships, with number one, with the busy partner, with others. It's grand, yet awesomely personal at the same time. A delight on the box! We ♥ it!

February 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 4)

Fave #4: Get one step closer to vegetarianism with Meat Free Monday!

Carnivorous friends, if the road to veggie is paved with good intentions that you feel unattainable, how about start off the week with a neat little compromise like going meat-free for the day? Monday is ideal as a good detox day after the week-end's excesses, and one day can't be that harsh a start surely, even if you are a die-hard meat eater!

And even less so when you know that not only will you be doing your health a favour while giving animal life a break, but also helping the planet at large? And you will be carrying out your one-day diet in stellar surroundings (or did I mean 'Stella', as in Stella McCartney?).

According to Meat Free Monday, 'The estimated 634 gallons of fresh water required to produce one 5.2 ounce (147g) beef burger would be enough for a four-hour shower. For comparision, the same quantity of tofu requires 143 gallons of water to produce.' Check MFM for more fascinating facts, as well as for mouth-watering recipes.

To La Baguette it pays off to be a round-the-year veggie, but it certainly is one step in the right direction for any of our meat-loving friends to give one day a week an animal miss! (to be continued)

Ready to commit further?

• Get ready as March is Veggie Month (with a compelling video to remind us that meat is murder and put us off that chop!) 
• Check out Animal Aid's 'Guide to Going Veggie or Vegan'
• Find out more about the dairy cows plea with La Baguette.

February 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 3)

Fave #3: Shoot to the stars with The AstroTwins!

The AstroTwins, photography by Tracy Toler

La Baguette's had an on/off interest in astrology since her late teens. At times, and depending on my life path, what should have remained a casual hobby or penchant would verge on the obsession. I clearly remember the pivotal 2001-02 years, when I'd spend hours on Astrocenter trying to find ready-made answers and guidance when held back by personal setbacks.

I'd even bought one of those cheap paperback daily predictions that I'd read and re-read and interpret in a way that would fit my personal circumstances while trying to persuade myself in the process of all the good stuff that was supposedly in store for me... I'd even got myself a self-help book on I Ching, and would push divination further by pulling an Indian tarot card from some obscure website on a daily basis.

(picture source)

In contrast I went through long spells when horoscopes and astrology would totally disinterest me. Sometimes curiosity (and boredom!) would get the better off me, especially on late nights, and I would look out for the stars off the net. Nowadays though my astrological hunger is kept down to a handful of trusted sites from years back, like Jonathan Cainer (although his cryptic tone can unnerve you), Susan Miller's AstrologyZone and Michele Knight. To these I will add one of my major online discoveries this year so far. Enters The AstroTwins.

American professional astrologers and sisters Tali and Ophira Edut speak a language that I understand. Plus they look friendly and reassuringly next-doorsey (see top picture)! They talk like sisters to sisters, in an informal youthful jargon-free kinda way. They have dusted off a science often associated with the Merlins and Nostradamuses of this world, and sexed it up. Thanks to those girls, astrology doesn't look like the science for the desperado, but almost like a way of life, intelligent, meaningful, insightful and honest.

I'm sold! I've signed up to their weekly horoscope and as a bonus I got their free compatibility guide: "How to get along with anyone (yes, even that person)". Accurate and fascinating. Now I understand about that karmic link to the 5th degree of separation between my sign (Gemini) and that of Capricorn. Past life experience? Sign up too and find out... (to be continued)

February 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 2)

Fave #2: Get organised with an Exacompta diary!

The Cassandra pocket diary by Exacompta

Now folks, those who know me at home may be right to question my sense of organisation and tidiness, although this organised chaos of mine does indeed summon some amount of logic and order, believe it or not. However at work I like to keep my desk clutter under control and my computer files as streamlined as can be.

As for my handbag, you won't find any chaos in there! Explanation: many many years ago I read a magazine article about a supermodel who said she'd learnt to keep her handbag clutterfree, as in her early modelling years her agency used to get the girls to empty their handbags once a week, and she'd kept the habit ever since. I don't literally empty my bag every week but the mantra has certainly struck a chord and I keep its contents in check and travel light, although it doesn't only hold essentials but also little wonders, from a sample of Marc Jacobs 'Daisy' to a tin of cachou to my pocket-size Exacompta diary.

I'm quite picky in terms of diaries and despair when my mum or workmates hand over one of those free diaries. Chance is they'l be bulky, or the paper will be scratchy and poor quality or the layout just impractical. I like my diaries small, stylish, uncomplicated, minimalist and professional. Exacompta does the trick. One day when I'm rich and shamous I might even treat myself to Smythson. (to be continued)

More about stylish diaries: here.

February 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 1)

Fave #1: Become the Elephant Man (Woman)!

When it might look like all's well that ends well for the elephant cause, don't let false ideas kid you... Pachyderms are still being poached and tracked down for their ivory today. The cull is gross and is wrong, and unless we voice our discontent and keep boycotting ivory goods, the illegal trade will carry on regardless of the Law and regardless of the ban.

What can you do as an individual? Remain vigilant, spread the word around you, sign elephant welfare petitions, join us in the Elephant March (see below) and support wild animal charities like the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare). In other words, use every opportunity available to make sure you give elephants a voice!

Put together, those seemingly insignificant acts will help strenghten the elephant protection cause and hopefully stamp the massacre. Remember: elephants are finite and extinction is therefore a strong possibility under the current situation they find themselves in. Once they're gone for ever, it will just be too late! And ultimately do you really want 'the lucky few' to be parked in zoos and safari parks, rather than free to roam in the wild like their elders? So spare a couple of minutes now for a worthwhile cause. (to be continued)

Hey Gorgeous!

If the object of your affection hasn't yet plucked up the courage to utter them magic words to you, then I'll double make the point of saying them: I Love You guys and thanks for your support and following! Happy Valentine's, you gorgeous things!

Sources: (1) Zing it with a 'Classic Lemon Zest' bouquet by award-winning Cheshire-based florist The Black Rose! (2) Be a hoot like the 'Adorned Owl' illustration by my friend and French artist Isabelle Duvignon! (3) Bring it to the crunch with a medium tin of love chocolates by British confectioner extraordinaire Biscuiteers! (4) Oomph it with 'Chocolate Wafer' from San Fran-based Miette Bakery!

Want more? More V Day frolics over at our sister site Mirabelle Design Inspiration!

Snowed Under! (Part 2)

Hey, it's been snowing across the net too! So then stay in with us, snuggle up and check out this selection of beautiful inspiring photography... Oh, hang on a minute... Is it me or is there a Valentine's hint down our icy Winter theme?

Sources: (1) via Pinterest. (2) 'The Kylie Fashion Shoot' by Stylist (pictured by William Baker). (3) 'Triple Layer Vanilla Ruffle Cake' by Red Magazine. (3) 'Vanilla Rosewater Cupcakes' by Sprinkle Bakes.

Snowed Under! (Part 1)

The cold wave that has been sweeping through Europe over the last couple of weeks has been well documented across the media. Images like that of the Vatican under snow will be remembered for some time, and so will the chaos that this unforgiving Winter has brought to our lives in different degrees of harshness. Let's bear a thought to those less fortunate, who sleep rough on the streets or manage just about to keep home temperatures bearable despite being affected by the recession.

'Adamo ed Eva Pupazzi di Neve ai Fori Imperiali' by Libero Guerra, via Flickr

When you might think Corsica is safe, think again my friends, for we've been having our share of the bad weather too, and working outdoors for a garden preservation society I have been able to appreciate the cold first hand!

As I am typing up this post from the comfort of my parents' home on my spare day, it is snowing out there. Bearing in mind that I live a mile away from the coast, the weather is bound to be even harsher inlands, especially in the alpine region of central Corsica. Roads are routinely blocked most winters with snow drifts and I don't dare to imagine what they must look like right now.

However intrepid snow veterans like some of my mates will have used this as a challenge to brave over 20 miles of treacherous icy tracks to reach the disused ski resort of Haut Asco to snowboard down the piste freestyle. Others like I would rather play it safe and stay indoors. The only ice I like is the one in my glass, with a shot of Havana Club and a dash of orange, thank you very much!

Now if Winter is your cuppa and it makes you jingle and jiggle all the way, be my guest and feel free to browse our selection of topical Baguette posts to keep you warm and fuzzy on the inside and deliciously frappé on the outside: 'A Week-End Wonderweb', 'What a Load of Waffle', 'Winter Comforts', 'T is for Tea' and 'Hot Shots'. (to be continued)

Lessons in Love

Not sure whether this quiet time of year is the reason why it lends itself beautifully to an introspective mood, but lately friends and I have been discussing matters of the heart, otherwise known as the ta-da troublesome knee-jerking four-letter word starting with an L. No, just leave 'Lust' out for now, the L word in question is... (take a deep breath!) 'L-O-V-E'.

Rosie Parsons wedding photography

For starters, it's oh so funny how I find out that coupled-up friends are more likely to envy the single life rather than their (supposed) love-filled existence... And somehow the debate takes me back to re-runs of SATC. My friends with boyfriends in tow envy the fact that singletons like I are free, free to do what we want, when we want, where we want... And wait a minute, singles like I are invariably drawn to whimper back that they wish they could actually share their freedom with erm someone. Get the picture? No-one seems happy with their condition.

If I am honest, I recall that when I too was in a relationship, I used to envy my single friends who could do as they please and gave the impression of having it all (minus the relationship - which in a bizarre twist of fate did seem like a minor detail to the coupled-up woman). Having said that, there were times when I didn't envy their condition as single girls, when they were exposed to predatory conduct in social situations while I could hide behind my relationship status and enjoy the appearance of comfort and stability, although whether or not I was actually happy in the relationship was a different matter.

Love in untroubled waters: 'From Here to Eternity' (1953), photograph by Rex Features

We want it all but we can't exactly have it all, even in an ideal world. Some things may morph into something else (like the pretence of happiness), while some things have to give (individualism and selfishness), some need to lean towards compromise (freedom, independence) and others may simply snap or at least frazzle when bent too low (personality clashes, different lifestyle aspirations, self-awareness and love of self). This is the price to pay for being either single or in pairs. Either way, life is no bed of roses... Then again who wants roses when beauty is that thorny? I'll opt for the daisies.

Be my 'Sweet Valentine' (illustration by Isabelle Duvignon)

January 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 5)

Fave #5: Singing in tune with Les Cowboys Fringants!

A friend of La Baguette's recently introduced us to a French Canadian band and it was love at first sound! The song of choice is called 'Les Etoiles Filantes' (The Shooting Stars) from La Grand-Messe LP (2004) and is one of those haunting songs that you keep listening to for the words, the kind of song that makes you ponder about the poetry of life and makes you want to put pen to paper and give it a try for yourself. The video is simple yet quite cool. Check those long glances!

(Picture source)

Si je m'arrête un instant
Pour te parler de ma vie
Juste comme ça tranquillement
Dans un bar rue St-Denis

J'te racont'rai les souv'nirs
Bien gravés dans ma mémoire
De cette époque où vieillir
Était encore bien illusoire

Quand j'agaçais les p'tites filles
Pas loin des balançoires
Et que mon sac de billes
Devenait un vrai trésor

Ces hivers enneigés
À construire des igloos
Et rentrer les pieds gelés
Juste à temps pour Passe-Partout

Mais au bout du chemin dis-moi c'qui va rester
De la p'tite école et d'la cour de récré?
Quand les avions en papier ne partent plus au vent
On se dit que l'bon temps passe final'ment...
...Comme une étoile filante

Si je m'arrête un instant
Pour te parler de ma vie
Je constate que bien souvent
On choisit pas mais on subit
Et que les rêves des ti-culs
s'évanouissent ou se refoulent
Dans cette réalité crue
Qui nous embarque dans le moule

Le trentaine, la bedaine
Les morveux, l'hypothèque
Les bonheurs et les peines
Les bons coups et les échecs

Travailler, faire d'son mieux
En arracher, s'en sortir
Et espérer être heureux
Un peu avant de mourir

Mais au bout du chemin dis-moi c'qui va rester
De notre p'tit passage dans ce monde effréné
Après avoir existé pour gagner du temps
On s'dira que l'on était finalement
... Que des étoiles filantes

Si je m'arrête un instant
Pour te parler de ma vie
Juste comme ça tranquillement
Pas loin du Carré St-Louis

C'est qu'avec toi je suis bien
Et que j'ai pu' l'goût de m'en faire
Parce que tsé voir trop loin
C'pas mieux que r'garder en arrière

Malgré les vieilles amertumes
Et les amours qui passent
Les chums qu'on perd dans' brume
Et les idéaux qui se cassent

La vie s'accroche et renaît
Comme les printemps reviennent
Dans une bouffée d'air frais
Qui apaise les coeurs en peine

Ça fait qu' si à soir t'as envie de rester
Avec moi, la nuit est douce, on peut marcher
Et même si on sait ben que tout dure rien qu'un temps
J'aimerais ça que tu sois pour un moment...
... Mon étoile filante

Mais au bout du chemin dis-moi c'qui va rester...
Mais au bout du chemin dis-moi c'qui va rester...
... Des étoiles filantes 


Les Cowboys Fringants - Etoiles Filantes par archambault-musique

If I stop for a while
To tell you 'bout my life
Just like that, no hassle
In a bar rue St-Denis

I'll tell you 'bout
The memories etched in
'Bout that time when getting old
Was only a distant memory

When I used to annoy
The little girls by the swings
And my bag of marbles
Was some true treasure

And those snowy Winters
Spent building igloos
Getting home freezing cold
Just in time for Passe-Partout

But at the end of the day tell me
What's left of the school yard?
When paper planes won't fly to the wind
You just say that good times shoot by...
... Like a shooting star

If I stop for a while
To tell you 'bout my life
I notice that often
We have no choice
Decisions are made for us

And dreams we had as kids
Fade away or are replaced
By the stark reality
That the norm moulds us in

Knocking on thirty, getting a belly
Kids and mortgages
Joys and tears
The good deals and the bad deals

Making a living, doing one's best
Working hard, succeeding
And hoping to be a lil' happy
Before popping it

But at the end of the day
What's left of our quick foray
Into that crazy world
After making a living to save some time
We'll say that finally...
... We are shooting stars

If I stop for a while
To talk to you 'bout my life
Just like that, no hassle
Nearby Carré St-Louis

It's cos' I feel fine with you
And I'm over getting worried for nothing
Cos' you know, looking too far ahead
Is no better than looking back

Despite the old bitterness
And fleeting love affairs
The chums we lose in the fog
And the ideals that get broken

Life holds on and gets reborn
With Spring back on
In a breath of fresh air
That soothes sore hearts

So if one night you wanna stay
With me, night is mild
We can take a walk
And even if we know that nothing lasts
At least I'd like you to be for a while
... My shooting star

But at the end of the day tell me what will become...
But at the end of the day tell me what will become...
... Of the shooting stars

* translated by La Baguette Magique *

January 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 4)

Fave #4: Getting old gracefully with Converse!

Some gentlemen age gracefully. Take George Clooney. What else?



George Clooney per Nespresso: il backstage del nuovo spot from Caterina di Iorgi on Vimeo.

Some products age gracefully. Take the Chuck Taylor All Star Converse sneakers that were never meant to stay prim and proper. In fact, the more they get battered with age and use, the better they look, and the more mileage they clock, the more rock 'n' roll street cred they get. Just check this well-travelled pair, now totally rain-washed, with two careless owners to boot, not quite destined for the bin just yet despite being holey in different places. Kurt Cobain would have been proud! (to be continued)

January 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 3)

Fave #3: Showing you care with a kokeshi doll!

My friend Isabelle Duvignon is a Parisian artist based in Corsica. In the coming weeks I will have countless opportunities to reveal more to you about her art, either via La Baguette or Mirabelle! Meanwhile  I am really fond of those cute little kokeshi figurines that she skillfully paints on flat pebbles that she picks from the local beach. The Orient plays a part in the worldwide influences that have permeated Isa's illustrations and paintings along the years. Scandinavia and Russia play a part too, with richly-adorned compositions that I will have the privilege to reveal to you soon!

Kokeshis have been hand-made for the last 150 years as wooden dolls by the Kiji-Shi artisans from the northern province of Tohoku. Traditionally kokeshis are given as a friendship or love token. For my part, I am determined to believe that kokeshis bring luck and this little pebble follows me everywhere in my travels! (to be continued)

05-Fev-2012 Update: More kokeshis over at Mirabelle, including an illustration by Isabelle!

January 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 2)

Fave #2: Accessorising your portable office with a Crumpler laptop bag!

The nomadic office lifestyle needn't be confined to the constraints of the box, with bog-standard tools of the trade and their one-size-fits-all laptop cases. La Baguette has long understood that the devil is in the detail and that the detail lays out the difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary, between the norm and the quirk. It's no leap of faith, just a way of thinking. La Baguette wasn't going to skimp on style for its brand-new 17" laptop, and German bag specialist Crumpler had the solution!

From the large collection of original Crumpler bags available, we chose the New Gimp with Moses Effect in red. It was decided that 39 Euros was going to be money well spent, justified by the high quality standards backed up by a 30-year guarantee (!), plus protection padding, and neoprene material with special 'Moses effect' (coating ensuring water resistance and protection against dust and dirt).

Crumpler sums it up admirably: 'I don't even need to say anything about The Gimp neoprene laptop wrap. People just look at it and already they've purchased one in their heads. You could have the crappiest laptop wrap in the world and you'd still buy it just because it looks so great.' Point taken! (to be continued)

January 2012 - Five Random Faves (Part 1)

** NEWS FLASH ** Dear friends, we believe in all the goodness the Transit of Venus is poised to bring us in 2012! And to celebrate what's been written in the stars, we have loads of exciting brand-new lifestyle features in store, so stay tuned!

Introducing our new monthly feature purely dedicated to the favourites that make us tick in the lifestyle and artistic departments at large! So sit back and be prepared to be tickled by magique!

Nordstrom

Fave #1: Smelling fresh with 'Daisy' by Marc Jacobs!

If you could bottle up youth, this would be it, a fragrance that describes itself as a 'sparkling floral bouquet with a fresh spirited edge'. La Baguette has been a devout since coming across a free sample. We have treated ourselves to a bottle of the 50ml eau de toilette spray a few weeks back and ever since each day has been an olfactory journey into a world of freshness and light-hearted feminity!

Based on first impressions, just check the ornamental statement of a bottle this is, with its trademark pop art daisies. Not a perfume that will shy away from the vanity table or bathroom shelf! This bottle is made to be noticed.

The fragrance is equally remarkable with an explosion of surprising scents all combining together into an hymn to the modern young woman. Top notes of wild strawberry, violet leaves and ruby red grapefruit recreate 'luscious natural freshness'. Meanwhile heart notes of violet, jasmine and gardenia produce 'luminous modern vintage'. And finally base notes of vanilla infusion, musks and white woods embrace 'smooth softness and warm sensuality'. This is an encore as far as we are concerned and this fragrance is never out of place, be it in the office, in a soirée or on holiday. A must that doesn't take itself too seriously, yet will never let you down! (to be continued)

Ill-Fated Journeys (Part 3)

When you get caught in crossed-wire situations and control - otherwise described as the grasp one has over their life and destiny to an extent - escapes you like a spagghetti down the plughole, things start playing on your mind. Things you wouldn't normally give a second thought to, as the mind has the power to cloud your judgement and make you start believing in the unbelievable. In my case, not only did I rightfully feel totally powerless, I also started to believe my mate and his posse had conspired to ditch me for whatever reason so they could enjoy the party - and not my company (of course!). Miaoww, get those claws out pussycat!

Edward Hopper, 'Nighthawks' (1942), via The Artchive

So then, in the face of adversity what was I supposed to do? Brave the deserted streets in search of the bars, ask around, wait around, stomp around, ring back my mate and leave pointless voicemails? Or lock myself in the car and keep schtum until I get a sign about the party coming magically from somewhere anywhere? Have a sob, wish the night away and take forty winks while I was at it? What would you have done?

There were no two ways about it as far as I was concerned and I had to make a decision pronto as I had no intention to spend a solitary night in Corte. I wasn't going to track the bars and traipse down them lonely streets in search of a birthday party whose very existence I was seriously questioning by then... I wasn't going to play a game of bravery, stretch my patience any further or wait for a miracle. I regained control, took destiny into my own hands, only after I had weighed the pros and the cons and sighed some more and shaken my head some more. In the rear view mirror I checked some sinister shadow gliding past me and that sealed the deal for me.

Ikko Narahara, 'Engraved Arrow, Arizona' (1972), via Galerie Priska Pasquer

I fastened back my seatbelt, turned on the car key, manoeuvred off my parking space and drove off into the cold Corte night. A few hundred yards down the road I spotted a petrol station with a caff, all lit up, with a bit of life coming from within, and half a dozen 4x4s parked outside. I stepped in, asked for a coffee and one of those packaged madeleine cakes, while I was being inquisitively eyed up and down by half a dozen country folks in hunting gear drinking beer and playing cards.

Something made me think about Edward Hopper's atmospheric 'Nighthawk' painting and I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I necked down the gritty inky coffee, stepped back outside, braved the night and embarked upon my two-hour journey home across the mountains, down the sprawling plains and up the more familiar coastline. In the middle of the night my phone bipped and this somehow woke me up but I felt neither the need nor the temptation to check the message.

By then it didn't matter to me anymore what the reason might have been - if a reason there indeed was. Some journeys are simply meant to be a driven introspection that puts you in touch with your higher self.



19-May-2016 Update: Let your exploration of Edward Hopper's creations be the start to a fabulous journey into the world of Fine Art, thanks to Artsy, the leading online resource in art collection and education. Artsy showcases a comprehensive compilation of Edward Hopper's art, including his biography, selection of his works, exclusive articles and up-to-date exhibition listings, in a visually-enticing form. Enjoy the journey!

Ill-Fated Journeys (Part 2)

I set off on the second leg of my journey at night fall, slightly apprehensive. Yep, some of us call it a gut feeling. It seemed that everything was too good to be true. I tried brushing off any fear or self-doubt, and just place my trust in the birthday friend who should have been wise enough to ensure his guests had the basic information they needed in order to attend his party, as in where and when. Hmm... And the basic information in my possession was as vague as the promise of a lottery win.

'Winter Morning in Corte, Corsica', by Patrick Morand

I got to Corte at 7:00pm. I had two options: either head for the old fortified town and its array of steep narrow streets or take a more conservative approach via the university quarters. I was only trying to be practical: parking areas would be more readily available in the new town than the old, also I assumed that the pulse of the town would resonate off the student area like it does - let's say - in Manchester, UK (my former stomping ground). How wrong could I be! It looked eerily quiet and by then I was becoming too worried about that party to even search further for that elusive student life and student bars I had heard about.

Last time I had been in Corte was probably two decades ago, in the Summer, on a quick two-hour tourist tour of the citadel with my parents and brother. Now it was a different kettle of fish: on my own on a Saturday night, all dressed up and with that increasing feeling that I had been taken for a ride. Or at least that's the way it felt to me. I tried ringing my birthday mate and all I got was his voicemail. I tried ringing his best mate and then again I was faced with a frustrating recorded message. I hanged up.

'See No Evil', Photographic Journal by Ben Merrington, via Tumblr

Sat alone in one's car facing some battered iron fence with a row of austere-looking student halls stretching at the back was probably the last sight one would contemplate on a Saturday night. I rang my parents to say everything was ok, I was about to join the party. I had to save face. I rang back the birthday boy, not once but three or four times, left voicemails, then launched into a frenzy of texts.  By then one hour had painfully elapsed. I was feeling the cold from the dropping temperatures. I was feeling hungry too. All of a sudden the whole party scenario seemed foolish.

Then I got annoyed. I felt like I had been stood up. I felt like I should have asked more questions rather than blindfully place trust into someone who had the reputation for being a happy-go-lucky scatter-brain. The situation was totally uncool. The party was over. (to be continued)

Ill-Fated Journeys (Part 1)

Sometimes you wonder why you bother... You'd looked forward to it, you'd got it all planned out (or so you thought at the time!), set off on your journey, and then... And then there's that last-minute glitch, that skid into the twilight zone, a forced foray into a parallel universe. A case of 'that thing' that had eluded you all the way, that you'd overlooked somehow and that was gonna bring unplanned consequences to your physical and metaphorical journey, taking you from the high-speed motorway to the rocky tracks... An ill-fated journey, that's it! Which is actually what happened to me last night, and don't you giggle, because this could even happen to you!

Playing happy families with Richard Perez, aka Skinny Ships

So here we are... One of my mates was celebrating his 28th. Mind you, let me rephrase it. One of my mates had been coaxed into celebrating his 28th. By nature our guy doesn't like celebrating his own birthday(s), although he's partial to gatecrashing other people's parties. Human nature, eh! But that's not our point. On Friday last thing, our mate had loosely told me - almost under duress - that his 'unwanted' birthday party would take place in Corte, Central Corsica.

It was understood we would all meet up down the bars there on Saturday night and party on from there. This was as much information I was gonna get but, used to my friend's mindset, I was satisfied enough. I told him casually that I would ring him closer to the time to check the finer details. And there we parted off.

The writing's on the wall... Illustration by Richard Perez via Urban Graphic

Yesterday (Saturday), I had a lie-in, then got ready for my 2-hour journey across the mountains. I packed a bag, although I had strictly no idea about where I would spend the night... Yet I didn't quite fancy the idea of an all-nighter. I spent some time in the bathroom fixing my hair, slapping creams on, trying on brand new clothes I'd bought months ago but never got round to wear. I felt great! Maybe I should have double-checked the meaning of the lunar calendar I'd casually flicked through at work: something about a knot in Mercury... Mercury, my ruling planet as a Gemini. With a looming full moon to boot... Astrologers would have called this an ill-fated journey in the making!

I threw caution to the wind, drove down to Bastia, stopped over for a couple of hours, treated myself to the salon, bought card and fancy gel pens, breezed down to the Café Napoléon for a good old-fashioned cuppa, while I overstretched my calligraphic skills to pen one of my poems in Nat-fashion-styley to the birthday boy! (to be continued)

Happy New Year's Resolutions!

The first week of January is always a mixed bag of feelings. No matter how involved or indifferent one has felt towards the holiday season, there always seems to be that lingering post-festive introspection that sticks to your shoe like a discarded piece of chewing-gum.

No need to get flustered, it's only the New Year! (picture source)

In the cold and somewhat harsh glare of New Year's Day, the fairy lights round the Christmas tree look like they've lost their twinkle and at the same time you take notice that said tree is shedding and that gets to you. There is that slight awe enveloping the whole ambience of the day over the prospects of that New Year, hopes and fears, even disillusions and regrets about what should be but probably never will...

Then the New Year's resolutions get in the way of any possible reprieve from it all. No matter how light-hearted you may approach this, it seems we can't get away from making some mental note, some vague promise about how to conduct that New Year.

Via Tumblr

Some of us get into impossible pacts with ourselves that are sure ways to fuel pressure and depression once the first pangs of determination start wobbling off. And to this I only have one simple piece of advice to give you: be kind to yourself. Life is harsh enough out there, so who wants to throw a spanner in the works of the natural course of things, when full-blown recession and the extreme fragility of world peace are breathing down our necks like a chill down the battlefield?

As always my resolutions are fuzzy, but this year they flirt with the fun side. They're all about the lighter things in life, like travel, shopping, entertaining and socialising. My resolutions also include less materialistic endeavours: to explore my artistic capabilities further and to stretch my mind down the road less travelled, out of my comfort zone, like I did in the second half of 2011.

Life is a personal journey, a personal discovery of self, if anything. And that is a worthy year-round resolution in itself, that beats them Nicorettes and Weight Watchers resolutions, don't you think?

Bohemian Like You

When you had every reason to give up on me after I went awol off the blog scene for 3 months, I resurface sheepishly, especially after churning out that last celebratory post, where I went blowing my own trumpet about clocking 200 posts to the counter... Thanks guys for hanging in there and giving La Baguette another go! I am most grateful.


Wild island in Tahiti, by Roving I, via Flickr

So you rightfully want to know what I have been up to for that last trimester, don't you? Feels like Autumn just passed us by and wahey the shortest Winter's day is also already behind us so we can look forward to another Summer of Love...

Meanwhile I have been living la vida loca, well as loca as you can get in this remote corner of Europe... I have made friends (Isa, Coco, Lili, Ben, this is for you!), attended a festival, danced the night away on a sandy beach, got sloshed on caramel vodka, slept in my car, stayed at a ski resort, went to parties, slept on couches and in my make-up, played cute and witty, fell out with people, cried and made up... I was sworn to secrecy, whispered promises, and faced with declarations, you name it. I have said things I never thought I would say, but in the name of inspiration the words just came out. I have also been writing poetry, in French for a change.


Manawai - Endless Summer from Andro Kajzer, via Vimeo
I had a little time left to work, to think deeply about the meaning of life and to book a trip as a volunteer to the Matang Wildlife Center in Sarawak, Borneo, although whether or not I will actually make the journey is another matter.

As you can see, I have been busy revisiting my life, questioning some of the values that used to be dear to my heart, and generally embraced free-spiritedness. It's been fun, hectic, exhilarating and sometimes downright upsetting. But there is no stopping me and I can honestly say that I have come a long way since first setting foot on the island of Corsica 24 months ago. Roll on 2012!