Top 10 Favorite French Films!

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I am a big fan of movies, and I think watching foreign films is a fantastic way to pick up a language. I also, just for kicks and giggles, turn on the subtitles of movies in English to learn different languages my favorite movies come in. I definitely recommend it!

Going along with our destination of the week in France, I have to share my favorite French films with you all. French cinema is rather odd, compared to American standards. Nonetheless, French cinema is totally cutting edge and intriguing. What I like best about it is how closely it follows a kind of French aesthetic, the same one the French view toward art.

France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributors. Many important cinematic movements in film, such as the Nouvelle Vague, began in the country. The famous Cannes Film Festival is the most prestigious film festival in the world.

★Fun Fact: Actor Robert De Niro is the President of the Jury for the festival.

When I have friends over for dinner or a movie night, my go-to stash of entertainment is always a French film. No matter what, the film is ALWAYS a popular topic of discussion for the group, and it certainly makes the evening lively and fun.

Check out my list of favorite French films after the break!

New Weekly Feature!

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I would like to add a weekly feature to the list of features in place for this blog, and that would be a weekly Film list. This, like the other posts, will be travel-inspired according to the destination of the week!

♦ Enjoy! ♦

French Music Playlist

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I have a deep love and admiration for French music. Seriously. I could practically have a whole separate iPod for my French music collection. I think one of the best things about French music is how wonderfully diverse it is, yet has a fundamental quality that makes it universally unique.

France has a wide variety of folk music, as well as styles played by immigrants from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. In terms of the "classical music" of the country, France has a number of legendary composers, while modern pop music is big on hip-hop, techno/house, rock, and a little genre called "Zouk". Now like many of you, I had NO IDEA what the heck zouk was as a musical genre when I first heard that term. Zouk is a style of rhythmic music originating from the Caribbean. Zouk means "party" or "festival" in the local Antillean Creole French culture in the Caribbean. Find out about Zouk here!

I, for one, am a fan of how avant-garde French music is due to how wonderfully the influences of the world blend with classic French culture.

Some popular music festivals in France to check out would be the Nice Jazz Festival, on the famed French Riviera. It boasts itself as "the first" jazz festival of international significance. Over the years, it has drawn some of Jazz's biggest acts like Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong. Some choice rock festivals include Rock en Seine, and Les Eurock eennes de Belfort, which is one of France's largest rock festivals.

It's hard for me to widdle down my list of favorite French songs, but I composed a pretty diverse mix of jazz, rap, rock, folk, pop, and plain ol' weird French music I think you might all enjoy!

Here is the list of 10 songs I Love  in French. Click the song titles for the actual links to the music/videos!

From the Editor: "There are only two places in the world where we can live happy: at home, and in Paris"

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Je t'aime, France!

Our second destination of the week was pretty much a no-brainer. All I had to do was look down at my key-chain, and quite literally "Voila!" there was my inspiration: WE WILL GO TO FRANCE!!!

I'll admit, I have a particular bias to France, and everything french, for beaucoup raisons (a lot of reasons)! Besides having French heritage, I speak french, and I even was minoring in the language for a while in college. Even though I dropped my French minor, I never dropped my love of French. Everyone knows that French is the MOST romantic language in the world, and it is incredibly beautiful to hear. French culture has definitely crêpe-d (haha, see what I did there?) it's way into the culture of the world. And countless french items have made their way states-side (and no, I don't mean French Fries).


 As Gertrude Stein said :
"America is my country, and Paris is my hometown".

 I'm kind of obsessed with all the fun facts, art, movies, music, crafts, decor, and recipes I have planned this week for you all! You may not know what l'esprit de l'escalier means in English, but after this week you will definitely know what is to make your daily life just a little more French!

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♥Au Revoir♥

Italian Decor Craft

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You'll need:

• 2 coffee filters
• Packet of instant coffee
• Needle and Thread
• Glue
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Sharpie Marker

Authentic Italian Recipe: Biscotti

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 1:

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup chopped pistachios*
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract**
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

* You may substitute with almonds or hazelnuts

** You may substitute with almond extract

From the Editor: Il Nostro Ultimo Giorno in Italia: Our Final Day in Italy

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This past week, I have had an amazing time sharing some of my favorite things about Italy. From the music to the beautiful vistas, I am absolutely in love with this country.

Before I reveal our next destination of the week, I want to share some more Italian treats to bring into your everyday life. And what better way to do that then by sharing food recipes!!!

One of my FAVORITE Italian desserts is a biscotti. Biscotti, more correctly known as Biscotti di Prato, is a twice baked "cake" from the Italian city of Prato. Because many traditional Italian desserts shy away from using oil and butter, this treat can be stored for long periods of time without going bad. In fact, that was the original thought behind the treat.

Today, I made an authentic biscotti recipe (well, as authentic as possible!) I am what they call "culinarily challenged" and even I found this recipe easy and totally do-able.

I also decided to double up on my posts and do a cute little D.I.Y. project to fit my Italian theme. You can not have a biscotti without dipping it in a nice cappuccino or espresso. So I decided to make my own variation of a tea-bag, and I made home-made Instant Coffee bags to make with my biscotti!

Let me tell you, it was EXTRAORDINARY! I love Italy. I'm totally in love with the language and culture, and it's been great "exploring" the country this week.

Stay tuned for our next Destination of the Week!

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Arrivederci!

Photo Tour of Italy

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It would take the well-informed (and financial able) traveler a good year and change to fully explore a county, and soak up all it has to offer. And let's be realistic, even after that year there will most definitely be things and places that fall through the cracks of sites to seen.

But luckily for all of you (and your pocket books) you can take this quick tour of some of the most renown places to visit in Italy, and a few recommendations of places "off the beaten path" if you ever make the trek to Italy.

Click here for an in depth look at some of my favorite Italian tourist attraction, and hidden treasures!

Godervi il vostro viaggio!

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Italian Music Playlist

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One of my favorite things about Italian culture is Italian music. I grew up listening to beautiful tappings of canzoni Italiane that belonged to my grandfather. He loved Italian music, and would play classic songs with his musical revue.

Music has traditionally been one of the cultural makers of Italian national and ethnic identity. It symbolizes an important position in Italian society and politics. Both instrumental and vocal classical music are an iconic part of the "Italian identity".

Genres like Opera are a vital player in the Italian musical culture, and has positioned itself as a major segment of the country's popular music tastes. The Neapolitan Song, or canzone Napoletana, is a popular domestic style that forms an important component of the Italian music industry, along side "imported" genres like jazz, folk, rock, and disco.

Music, some would say, embodies the Italian spirit: vibrant and upbeat. From their ballads, to their sacred songs, even their experimental jazz/funk music that fills the speakers at many discotecas, Italians have made a literal art form out of the music that defines the people. Some popular music festivals to check out in Italy include the Festival of Spoleto, the Festival Puccini, and the Wagner Festival in Ravello.

Here is the list of the 10 Songs I Love in Italian. Click here for music links to the songs below.

From the Editor: When in Rome.....

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Ciao Tutti! Benvenuti in Italia!!!

It gives me great pleasure to announce our first destination of the week will be to Italy! This past weekend, I spent time in Napa, CA with my family celebrating my grandparents 51st wedding anniversary! Woo! Amidst family and  friends, good music and food, I got to soak up some of the local culture in Napa. That means taking a trip to a local winery (or two).  That was my first time wine tasting, and I had such an incredible time.

But that night, I got to thinking "I want to learn about wine from the source!" That lead me to thinking about that old  I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and the gang take a trip to Italy, and Lucy ends up stomping grapes and making trouble in the vineyard, as only Lucy could do. A little light bulb went off in my head, and alas, this week we will be taking a little viaggio to Italy.

Italy is the mecca for decadent and indulgent food and culture. Not to mention, if you are a history buff (or a self proclaimed "history nerd," like myself) you will foam at mouth over the well preserved ancient art and architecture that decorate the cities. Che bello!

This week, we will dive into classic Italian food, art, history, and cultural customs to make your everyday life just a little more "Italian".   Godiamoci....

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Addio!

Stay Tuned....

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Tomorrow is the day that "Souvenirs for a Daydreaming Traveler" will go full steam ahead and live! I am soo excited to reveal our first weekly destination. A lot of research and love has gone into preparing wonderful and authentic tastes of world for you all coming up these next few weeks!

Stay tuned for tomorrow evening to find out where we're spending the week at! In the mean time, pack light, get ready to kick back, and enjoy the journey ahead!

Bon Voyage Dolls!

What Topics Do I Blog About?

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If you are a new reader, check this out!

These are weekly features you can look forward to!

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1. Destination of the week

2. Destination-Inspired Playlist

3. Destination Photo Album

4. Destination Recipes

5. Destination-Inspired D.I.Y. projects

New Reader? Start Here!

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Hello there! I'm Celia! I am a student, a poet, and full-time travel-enthusiast. I have an immense passion for learning about different countries, visiting new places, and incorporating various foreign customs and culture into my everyday life.

This is a lifestyle blog focused on music, food, photography, decorating, customs, and even making pretty things inspired by different foreign countries. And most importantly, these recommendations and tips will allow you to easily incorporate them into the everyday happenings of your life.

Whether you are looking to learn about a foreign country and its culture, or simply looking for quick and easy recipes to jazz up your Sunday dinner menu, this will be your one stop-shop for finding authentic, diverse, and unique tips for your everyday life.

Thanks for reading my little blog. Welcome! Grab a cup of tea and read for a while.

These are weekly features you can look forward to!

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1. Destination of the week

2. Destination-Inspired Playlist

3. Destination Photo Album

4. Destination Recipes

5. Destination-Inspired D.I.Y. projects