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!

Baguette 201

When La Baguette embarked upon the Blogger adventure in late Summer 2009, little did we know that we would one day hit landmark post #50, never mind #100! One year on and look what we've done: we've nailed another victory on the head with #200!

Twiggy (pict source)

In an ideal world we'd be blogging to our hearts' contents day in day out, and celebrating as we speak #500 but that would be in an ideal world. Rest assured my friends, there is no such thing with La Baguette! We'll leave the routine, discipline and high polish to our high-profile blogging colleagues and keep it real instead, just as it is, with a hectic unpredictable un-ideal life, where we oooh just about manage to juggle a blog or two in the mix of it!

And that's just the way we like it by the way. So then garçon, make mine and Carrie's a Cosmo and to the next #100!

August in Bloom

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica.

High jinks in the maquis: Fennel (Anethum foeniculum L.)

Sorry to disappoint but August was nothing but déjà-vu on the botanical front. In Corsica, the peak of floral delight stretches from April to June; come Summer, any high expectations one might have on the subject are bound to end in disappointment.

In our part of the island, the second half of the month was unbearably hot and clammy. Grass was nothing but scorched and parched, and inevitably scrub fires erupted here and there, thankfully quite contained on the whole, despite causing material damage and high levels of stress to local residents. Thankfully no human casualties were reported. Flora and fauna weren't as lucky, especially Hermann turtles and wild boar.

Statement bulb: Allium

Next month, as Summer will be flirting with Autumn, we'll widen our search and come across berries and mushrooms. That'll be enough to spice up our floral quest.

In with Summer: Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Misguided by the Guide

Take the average holidaymaker. Give them a holiday guide. The paperback kind. What do you get? A long wondering thought... A thought that says something down the lines of how was it like before the holidaymaker and the holiday guide became an item?

'The Sleeping Gypsy' by Henri Rousseau (1897), via MoMA

Ninety seven percent of visitors to our garden preservation society come on their guide's recommendation. Whether said guide is called Guide du Routard, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides or else. Wow! That's big business! You just secretly hanker after the thought that they did a Lonely Planet guide to the cool blogs out there and hey presto yours would turn popular in no time, generating cool advertising revenue in the process and liberating you from the constraints of the day job for the lucrative joys of the dilettante!

If you titillate the inquisitive side of life like La Baguette, you'll even start wondering what happened to the spirit of holiday adventure pioneered by our elders who went on vacation before guides had been made compulsory or at least before they became diluted down the mainstream like they now have. I'm not exactly an elder, yet my idea of a holiday has never involved the safety of a guide either, telling you in different levels of subjectivity where to go, where not to go, what to see, what not to see, what to eat and what not to eat. Rather a holiday needs to conjure up an adventure, a personal experience, a trip on the edge of the unexpected in all good measure. I wouldn't be daft enough as to encourage blissful ignorance and choose to get lost in the Borneo jungle or ramble carefree across Nicaragua!

'Mist-covered valley, Corsica', by Stéphane Victor, © Lonely Planet Images 2011

With me by your side, you don't want to look like your average tourist. You make sure you take your tickets, your wallet and passport and a good map. If you wanna feel smart, maybe trek down the local library prior to departure to soak in the flavour of the place to be visited, yet generally have faith in your own streetwise approach and capabilities as an explorer and authenticity-seeker, mastering those positive energy vibes in the process! Because what would go wrong if you did miss out on that holiday guide?

A few years back I travelled to Havana, Cuba, with nothing more than a very succinct pocket guide (thirty pages of it if that, and mostly pictorial!) and just planned my stay once I was there. I didn't miss out on anything a holiday guide might offer. In fact, my days were action-packed and the only time I ever glanced at the pocket guide was on the outbound flight from London, albeit distracted by the airline entertainment on tap, from the irrelevance of Miss Congeniality to the more topical Buena Vista Social Club pet sounds seeping through my headphones.


Buena Vista Social Club, via Amazon

I repeated the pattern with California! This time I only packed two simplified fold-out downtown maps of Santa Barbara and San Francisco and bobbed down the 101 like a local, with that Californian carefreeness. When in Rome, do as the Romans do... If I wanted to see the real Cali, man, I made sure I'd stay clear of the holiday guides. Simple as.

Back to our garden preservation society, the holidaymakers I have seen lately come accompanied by the guide, whose contents they all seem so evangelical about. They know how long the visit takes, the opening hours, the highlights, the lowlights, and the rest of it. In fact some of our visitors refuse to hear our garden presentations on the pretence that their guide does it for them. Blimey! There is only a thin demarcation line between the holiday guide and the bible methinks.

'Conoco, Albuquerque' (1969) by Ernst Haas

Some 'pilgrims' go even further, following religiously the guide's recommendations. Here at 9:00am, gone at 10:00am, reaching a new destination for noon, before embarking upon a new discovery mission later in the afternoon. Military precision. I thought holidays were supposed to be fun, unpredictable and relaxed. By the look on the face of some of those 'pilgrims', this sounds more like a military campaign doubled as a tick-box exercise. The hordes of tourists end up congregating down to the same places of pilgrimage. The secret coves of yesteryear have now become interplanetary bases, and the quiet country lanes have morphed into crowd-surfing spots, with our guys holding their guides to their hearts. At least - for once - it's not their Blackberries!

Meanwhile the locals have had to source new out-of-bound places that they keep to themselves for peaceful enjoyment, only until the next publication. As for the guided tourists, are they not simply putting themselves at risk of being misguided by those very guides they so religiously follow? By seeking to be smart, have they not simply just given up on any spirit of adventure, exploration and opinion, even kudos? In other words, how much is too much information, especially when handed to you on a plate? And after all, is ignorance not bliss? Hmm... So then... free yourself from the guide corseting your every move, and start living your holiday instead. Here's a sure first step towards freedom!

I Want to Believe

I work in a customer-facing environment and I get to meet individuals from all walks of life on a daily basis, and especially more so right now, during the tourist season. The other day a lady tourist came down to the boutique. She was charming and she was charmed. In fact, she was entranced by Corsica, the beauty and variety of the scenery, the idyllic landscapes, the choice in places to visit and explore, the wilderness always - it seems - a stone's throw away. "It's lovely!", she kept on saying, carrying on with herself.

Aliens reached cult status thanks to The X-Files (image source)

I'd been pretty silent all the way through, occasionally nodding in approval. And then I don't know what got me but I broke her dream. Maybe I was only trying to be honest but it came out wrong, maybe it just wasn't my day, maybe it even had something to do with the time of the month, but I just spoilt if for her, and in retrospect I wish I hadn't.

In the conversation I casually mentioned the winters known to be deceptively long and drab. I went on a quick rant about the state of the roads, the slow post, the lack of retail choice, the scarcity of employment opportunities... As if this weren't enough, I went on complaining about the sudden power cuts and power surges that knacker many a domestic appliance (in my parents' case, a washing-machine and a flat TV set this year alone!). The outdated electricity network in this part of the island whose domestic output barely scrapes over 203 volts on a good day, and which paralyses an already slow broadband internet connection. I could have illustrated this with how an average blog update would have taken me half an hour back in the UK, while it routinely takes me up to 4 hours here. Four hours! Talk about devotion.

'Corsica Corte', by M.C. Escher (1929), via WikiPaintings

While I was at it, I was going to have a go at the water supply too. Instead I just suddenly fell silent. The look on the lady's face made me stop. She was looking at me like a rabbit caught in the headlights, gawping. "Yes but... Yes but..." She turned hesitantly towards her husband who'd remained silent throughout our consecutive monologues, and then she turned back towards me and ventured in a murmur, clutching at her straw hat: "Yes but... but it's lovely here! It's lovely though, isn't it?" I had to save the day, her day. So I just smiled, cracked a joke and nodded in approval when she forced a smile.

Yes but... dear readers! Faced with this textbook case of grass being greener, of this beautiful tourist candour, of tourist under the spell of the place they came to visit (and we all fall victim to this ourselves as tourists at least once in a lifetime), and in my humble defence, I must add that loveliness is sometimes not enough. I communicated this in my own way to the lady but this taught me one good lesson in return: to shatter a tourist's dream and their idea of perfection will in no way restore any sense of that already elusive loveliness!

July in Bloom

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica.

An ode to immortality: Helichrysum italicum

In this part of the island July was hot, only slightly cooled down by a 5-day windy spell, a couple of overcast days and even the odd heavy shower. The humidity levels interspersed with dry heat wreaked havoc on cultures, in particular tomatoes, and also fostered infestations. Sadly yet predictably the high winds encouraged the odd scrub fire across the island, and closer to home too. Firemen patrols were on red alert and the overall damage has been 'contained', although hazard will remain until the back end of September.

Botanists and flora lovers at large won't have found as much satisfaction in July as they would have in Spring when the diversity of Corsican wild flowers will have put on a fabulous show of colours and contrasts. Comparatively July looked rather bland on the floral front and one will have to be patient until next Spring in order to re-live the Corsican floral jamboree!

Beauty secret: Helichrysum italicum

Having said that, it would be fair to mention the likes of Helichrysum italicum, otherwise commonly known as immortelle in French. Helichrysum flowers in late June, in the form of stemmed clumps of bright yellow blossoms found on exposed sunny rocksides, mostly by (but not restricted to) the seaside. In July, the yellow blossoms turn gold as they dry up, fragrancing the air with their distinctive aroma. Helychrisum is one of the plants that contribute to the so-distinctive Corsican maquis fragrance, that very fragrance that kinds of hit you as you step off the aeroplane in airfields across the island.

In skincare, helichrysum was to the noughties what green tea and tea tree oil were to the 90s, with its success showing no sign of waning thereafter. Helichrysum extract is used, not only by French skincare specialists L'Occitane, Corsican skincare firms Réalia, Imiza and Les Simples & Divines, and by dermatologists, to correct skin blemishes, but also to soften wrinkles, soothe sunburns and even bruises! Talk about a miracle in a jar!

In the spotlight: Helichrysum italicum

Another plant fondly associated with Corsican riches is Myrtus communis (myrtle). The shrub is a component of the medium-height maquis, usually found in a tight embrace with nearby shrubs like viburnum, heather and strawberry trees. Its white flowering comes out in late June/ early July and resembles that of the hawthorn, with a delicate fragrance to boot. Although not edible as such, myrtle berries are used to make a strong brandy and nowadays are making a foray into Corsican delicatessen, nouvelle cuisine style (myrtle-flavoured salt, chocolate with myrtle berries).

Yet July is much more than those two cultural heavyweights of helichrysum and myrtle. Open those peepers wide, scratch the surface of the Corsican Summer landscape and you'll start finding a flower or two that's also noteworthy. Go for a wander and it won't be long until you spot Verbascum or Saponaria by the roadside, or down the embankment. Crithmum maritimum, another cosmetology darling, is also making a splash, by the seaside.

Pilar of society: Myrtle

Rejoice, we've just proved our point: despite first impressions it's not that lonely on the Corsican flower front this side of Summer! And remember to join us next month to find out whether August was a close contender!

Harking back to Spring: Saponaria

Seaside companion: Crithmum maritimum

Out in the open: Common Chicory

High and yellow: Verbascum nigrum

Hot Summer Cool! (Part 3)

We know what you did last Summer, La Baguette! You discovered Brax via the German mail-order upmarket fashion company Peter Hahn, and haven't looked back since! Now dear readers, you may or may not be already familiar with the brand, yet either way it is highly likely that its tailored yet incredibly comfortable casualwear will become a favourite of yours in no time. Brax does for a flattering fit with a touch of exclusivity. The timeless appeal of the clothing ranges and the quality of fabric and stitch will allow for a look that lasts the distance, both in time and usage.

Part of the Brax Golf 'Essential Powder 2' look

With a brand like Brax that wears its feelgood factor on its sleeve, you can't really go wrong. We are talking also about a brand that you won't be at risk of spotting on every street corner, unlike the Mangoes and the H&Ms of this world... Rest assured, you needn't be a golf club member in order to achieve the preppy look on display here via the 'Brax Golf' collection. And Brax is not solely about conservative pastel colour schemes, it also likes to throw in the odd surprise party, with bursts of bright colour and even a last-minute fashion detail or two!

Part of the Brax Feel Good 'Laura' look

Now then ladies, this Summer you can either miss the boat by sticking to your LBD (little black dress) or high-street retail copycat fashion, or lead the way with Pain de Sucre, Little Marcel and Brax, amongst so many many other cool niche brands out there! Renowned for living the lifestyle with attitude, there is no doubt which road La Baguette will be travelling down! Happy shopping!

Part of the Brax Golf 'Green Sport 3' look

Part of the Brax Golf 'Sweet Pastels' look

Hot Summer Cool! (Part 2)

If you have a soft spot for the French nautical theme but cannot afford Jean-Paul Gaultier's trademark stripey designs, then look no further than Little Marcel as the solution to your fashion dilemma. Its winning clothes range is making waves (pardon the pun!) thanks to a geometrical delight of horizontal lines and stripes presented in bold statement colours set against the candour of its calligraphed logo.

'Eden' dress by Little Marcel

The brand is young (6 years' old), quintessentially French, instantly recognisable, and already high on the French beachwear establishment league. Little Marcel describes itself as 'intemporel & ludique' (timeless & playful), and its fresh approach to all things stripey across its womenswear, menswear, kidswear and accessories collections makes it one step ahead of fashion, year on year.

'Rotring' dress by Little Marcel

Ladies, do yourself a favour and don't let the likes of Trinny and Susannah spoil your fashion fun with their fashion rules (horizontal lines are said to make you look fuller in figure), and instead revel in your curves and feminity. Little Marcel's clothing shapes are body-flattering. Its close-to-the-body lycra Summer dresses will reveal the vampish Pamela in you, while the demure flapper styles will exude the Louise Brooks in others, while 1950s pin-up nostalgics will funk up their wardrobe in a twirl!

With every woman bound to find her way with Little Marcel, this is a definite ode to fun, not a diktat to Fashion Week. So there ladies, you are onto a winner with this one! (to be continued)

Accessorise your wardrobe with those 'Pretty' purses

Hot Summer Cool! (Part 1)

Summer's on and it's clammy out there! I don't dare to think what it must feel like to be stuck in the city while pining away for that beach... flaunted to you by means of a desktop wallpaper... Although I have to endure Mediterranean heat, I am privileged enough to enjoy a coastal drive on my way to work, and not have to endure traffic jams, tepid malodourous whiffs from the subway and the alienation of fluorescent office lighting when I reach my destination.

'Niagara' voile tunic by Pain de Sucre

Right this moment there are a few very cool, very neat, brands out there that deserve our undivided attention. They celebrate Summer at its coolest, and although not exactly appropriate for the office, they can at least transfigure us into bathing beauties and playa pin-ups on our way to the airport, without wasting an iota of that precious vacational mood!

La Baguette set out on a mission, and what a mission! To bring you the best in town for that effortless beachwear look. We'll start off with Pain de Sucre, the French glossies darling, where swimwear and bodywear go beyond the call of duty to deliver style that lasts the distance. Just see for yourself. (to be continued)

'Tautira' bikini (with reversible triangle bra top)

June in Bloom

Welcome to La Baguette's latest feature: 'A Month in Bloom', which debuted in our February edition. At the end of each month, this blog will showcase a gallery of floral blossoms of the wild order encountered during that month on random walks around my current base in Northern Corsica.

Fluttering heights: Scabiosa

There's no two ways about it: the heat is on! Predictably Summer has landed before its due date and temperatures have been high, verging on the unbearable (last week of June), consistent with high humidity levels along the shoreline, otherwise typical of August.

The dry climate has had a direct effect on the landscape, with exposed expanses of grassland turning dry and yellow and crackling underfoot like straw. A small number of bush fires were even reported further South down the island.

A buzz in the kitchen: Oregano

Vegetation growth has slowed down, except for climbers (wild Clematis and Ivy) and Bramble that are thriving regardless of temperature highs and water scarcity.

Already blooms and blossoms are less dramatic than back in April or May. Having said that, amongst those more modest and contained flowers, let us mention Scabiosa, Vicia, Bindweed, Thistle, Echium vulgare and Oregano. The second half of June saw the much-anticipated Myrtle stand out in the dense maquis as it came out in splashes of white. Its virginal sprays used to be worn by Corsican brides on their big day. Nowadays myrtle is more likely to find its way down the Corsican spirits route as 'alcool de myrte'.

What a feeling: Ecballium elaterium

In the yellow flower department, we'll note Fennel (Anethum foeniculum L., also referred to as 'Finochjiu' in Corsican), and also the singular Ecballium elaterium. The latter is remarkable as far as its propagating ways are concerned: rampant stems produce a simple flower followed by a (non-edible) gherkin packed-full with seeds that shoots up in the air once ripe... Just make sure you don't stand in the way!

All in all, it looks like the maquis flower show has now reached its pinnacle for the year, but before the botanist's wows and ahhs subside in the background, there will still be one or two surprises in store, sure to delight us in their own special way, amongst which the Helichrysum italicum, so join us next month to find out more!

So fresh: Common Mallow (Malva neglecta)

A familiar sight: Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

Making a colour splash: Achillea

On the rampage: Rubia peregrina