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so in love . . .

Posted on: 6.23.2014








When I run after what I think I want
 my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety;
 if I sit in my own place of patience, 
what I need flows to me and without any pain.
 From this I understand
 that what I want also wants me, 
is looking for me and is attracting me.
 There is a great secret
 here for anyone that can grasp it.
 RUMI -

I was wearing  
Lipstick: YSL 
Shoes: Dolce Vita  
JewelryBeautiful things here  
Monserat De Lucca Bag: Belen Knotted Tote Ivory

Random got beautiful found photos: via. tumblr

 Peace, Love & Good Chocolate
PARIS  



walking my dolphin . . .

Posted on: 6.20.2014







By all means, go out into the world and explore; kiss strangers, kiss friends, fall in and out of love until your hands and heart are libraries of all the people they have touched. before long we all learn, right down to our bones, that some people are hostels, and others are homes.”
—Beau Taplinor 

Wearing head to toe → LuLu*s 

Pardon my French!

Posted on: 6.19.2014

       
Oh my, it’s a new world . . .  I think six degrees of separation has been reduced to just one or two. That's right, thanks to technology (aka, the internet) we are now enjoying life, in a magnificent time, when meeting a new friend on the other side of the world, or learning a language can happen as effortlessly as picking up your phone.  Case in point  allow me to introduce you to my hip new friend, the handsome and charming Parisian, Julien Azarian.  And, do check out his insta, @FrenchWords.  Most of you know,  j’adore everything French  from food, fashion, art, language, and of course, z très beau men ;), so, it’s no surprise, I've fallen in love with this gram.  How cool is it that you can learn a French word every single day?  That adds up to a whopping 365 words a year This interview was supposed to happen a few months ago, but my procrastination, along with my own, busy instagram addiction, forced it onto the back-burner.  Fast forward a few weeks and BOOM!  This once, baby project exploded.  I think it is quickly becoming one of the most popular instagram accounts going.  Curious about what this master mind, Julien, is all about?  
Check out his interview, below, with moi:

CreatorJulien Azarian 

Website: www.frenchwords.fr 

Instagrams: 
— My personal account @JulienAzarian and French Words, of course @FrenchWords.

Where is home? 
— Home, right now, is Paris, the French capital, but a piece of my heart still resides in Southern France, in the city of Marseille, my hometown where I was born and raised.

What is French Words?
 — French Words is a project that I started in late August of last year. It all began with an Instagram account, and the idea behind it couldn't be more simple. Each day, a new French word or expression is posted, along with its English translation. It's a cool and fun way to start learning new words of this beautiful language. One day a week, we also have an illustrated word. It's getting more and more popular, and it makes me happy because with this project, I'm promoting my birth language. It's very gratifying.

Who illustrates the darling images? 
— All of our drawings are made by the amazing, girl behind the Instagram account, @beaubonjoli, and blog, the lovely, "Beau Bon Joli". Her name is Merrit.  She’s a 19 year old girl from The Netherlands. Merrit was one of my followers on French Words and I stumbled upon her profile. She had beautiful pictures of Paris and a cool drawing style that I instantly liked. I knew that she would be the perfect fit for French Words and I couldn't be more satisfied with our collaboration. 

What makes French the most beautiful language?
 — One of the reasons why I wanted to create French Words is that I'm proud to be French and to speak this language. I truly think that it's the most beautiful one. When I think of the language, I think of the history of France and of its rich, culture. I think of everything that France has brought into this world. For some people, it's mainly the language of love and romanticism, but for me, it's way more than just that. It's also the language of diplomacy with the UN, the language of sport with the Olympics, and many other things.  Oh, and it sounds pretty great, of course.

What three words describe your current life?
 Love, freedom, work.

Your most recent adventure . . . go!  
— A road trip in the USA with two friends at first, then all by myself. I've seen many beautiful things and met amazing people.

You recently spent a month in America.  
How do you feel life in USA differs from life Paris? 
— BIGGER. That's the word that sums it up.

Where is the farthest you’ve traveled to get something -- or someone? 
— I visited the USA for vacation, and I found love. During my stay there, I realized that I have been underestimating my feelings for my girlfriend, who lives in France.  At the end of my trip, I just came back home and I told her what I had to tell her.

What is your favorite restaurant in Paris? 
— I'll tell you once I've tested them all.

What inspires you? 
— Respect, gratefulness, travels, ideas, my country.

Do you have philosophy that you live by? 
— My favorite quote is from a French poet, Jacques Prévert, and it says "Il faudrait essayer d'être heureux, ne serait-ce que pour donner l'exemple." It means "We should try to be happy, just to set an example." Happiness can inspire people. Let's start inspiring.

Day or night?
 — Both. I can't turn my back neither on the sun nor the sleep.

What is your next big project?
 — I really want to make a business out of my current project, because it would be really stimulating and motivating to work on something that I have founded. My dream job would be to become some kind of ambassador of the French culture across the globe.

How do you measure success? 
— I'll tell you once I am successful. 

What is the best advice you have taken to heart? 
— Everything that I am today, I owe it to my parents and the education they gave me. I try to be respectful in everything that I do.


          French Words  
Paris photos: via. Beau Bon Joli 
                                            
 Peace, Love & Good Chocolate
PARIS  

she's a WILDFOX . . .

Posted on: 6.18.2014






 For dreamers, for lovers, for skinny dippers, 
for barefoot explorers, for late night chocolate eaters,
 for those who believe in love and themselves. 
- WILDFOX - 


Wildfox's Mr. Nice Guy Purple Tie-Dye Bikini has quickly become my favorite swim suit this summer. If you're looking for cute -- I'd suggest ordering this fresh look from LuLu*s.  Now, I’m just finishing up some delicious, dark chocolate and will soon be crawling into my cozy bed. Wishing you all moments of magic and pleasant surprises.  See you in my next post, or of course, I'm always on instagram! :) 


Don't forget, follow me on instagram@CharcoalAlley
Random got beautiful found photos: via. tumblr

 Peace, Love & Good Chocolate
PARIS  

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