Janice MacLeod's Blog, page 2

The short story is that I have a new letter subscription. It’s called: Letters about life, the seasons, and gardening.

It’s not excessively sweet or sentimental. You know I don’t do saccharine very well. I’ve got too much of an edge for all that. And I’m an enthusiastic gardener but not a good gardener. I’m also not an old lady. But this title Cottage Letters seems to be completely adequate and also vague enough to encapsulate what I plan on getting up to with these letters: Talking about life, the seasons, and thoughts I have in the garden. Plus I like the double TTs in both words:

Veranda Letters? I like saying VER-AN-DAHHHHHH. Maybe. I might change it. So many ideas come from sitting on my veranda. Basically it’s Letters from Janice but that is about the most boring title ever. Cottage Core reminds me of Cottage Gore. I’ve asked around. We’ve net out at Cottage Letters. (Please leave a comment below with other suggestions.)

My aim with these letters is to write the most beautiful encapsulation of the month and add ephemera that makes the package a treat to receive.

If you don’t want the long story but do want the letters, head over to my Etsy shop.

Now for the long story.

As you know, I finished up the Paris Letters subscriptions at the end of 2020. Just in time to release another book, have four (!!!) MORE surgeries, Lyme Disease, plus the fresh delights of brain fog experienced by ladies of my certain age. HONESTLY, I ask you.

I focused on painting because my writerly brain was on hiatus. I painted Paris storefronts, I did a line of notecards for Chronicle Books (out in 2026), I made collages… I puttered aimlessly looking for The Thing. I got art crushes on Urban Anna and Katie Daisy.

As I look back, I see all these as training ground. My inner Mr. Miyagi hard at work getting me in shape for the next big event.

Then we had postal strike. In December! And it lasted four long weeks. It was a bit disastrous for my ol’ Etsy shop. Since I use the regular mail with regular stamps and most orders come in December, I was stuck. To use another service would have wiped away my profits, so I put my shop on vacation mode and accepted the sour reality.

Forced vacation. Gross.

When you’re in the well and all you have to eat is lemons, you take the lemons. You eat the lemons. You accept the lemons.

Photo: Annie Spratt

During this hiatus, I asked myself a very simple question:

What if I made the letter subscription of my dreams?

It would:

Include an exquisitely written letter… as many pages as it takes.

Include fun ephemera… some created by me, some by others… ephemera is Found Things after all.

Have matchy matchy envelopes, seals, and stickers to make it pretty.

Have fancy lettering.

It’s not like a Paris Letter, which are illustrated letters. Paintings, really, with a letter written on the painting. I was really into the illustrations when I was in Paris. Now I’m really into the writing and creating an exquisite letter package, which won’t always be an illustrated letter. It might never be. I’m not sure. I don’t want to limit myself to a small section of a page to fit a letter within. No more boxing myself in!

Here is the anatomy of the January 2025 Cottage Letter…

Voila!

This letter includes a letter (three glorious pages long), a botanical postcard AND a card from Jessica Roux oracle card deck… another art crush. Every person will get a different card from her deck. Sort of a January-resolution-future-seeing surprise for everyone.

I did have some concerns. Reservations, if you will.

I even went to the envelope shop to talk to the wall of envelopes. I’m not even kidding.

“Are we doing this again, guys? Is this happening?” The response:

Nothing but smiles looking back at me. I guess we’re doing this.

I’m back, baby. It’s gonna be epic. This is what I want to spend the rest of my long life thinking about:

Creating amazing fun mail that brings all the writing and artistry together in one very lovely package. Month after month. Year after year.

I asked Christophe about it and he shrugged. Perfect. He did the same when I told him about Paris Letters and look how that turned out. His reaction was never important. My reaction to his reaction was what was important. You shrugging at this?!?!?!?!? Fine, I’ll show you.

That’s all the fire it takes, apparently. And a wall of envelopes who want to follow you home.

There is a 12 month subscription, a 6 month subscription, and you can also buy just one letter if you want to check it out.

Get your letter subscriptions over in my Etsy shop.

Thanks!

Mastering midlife in ten tips.

All year I’ve been watching my classmates from high school reach certain milestone birthdays. I’m a December baby, which means I’ve been tailing my buddies, looking for clues on how it will be when I tip over into midlife.

I have been collecting hot tips, which I shared in this podcast with Kimberly Wilson @ Tranquility Du Jour:

Where to Find the Episode:

Substack: https://kimberlywilson.substack.com/p/podcast7

YouTube: https://youtu.be/ycaOVD2T28w

Libsyn: https://traffic.libsyn.com/hiptranquilchick/tdjs2-07.mp3

We talk about transitioning from our young grasshopper selves to our wicked old owl selves.

A few highlights of the podcast: 1. This eye mask from Amazon.

It’s lightweight for hot flashes, it covers the ears to muffle purring bedfellows and it fully blocks out light, which is good for afternoon naps especially when hormonal changes make you an insomniac.

2. Giving self permission.

For me, this means publishing books traditionally through my agent and a publisher AND self-publishing. There are some books I create because they are super fun to create but not necessarily worth my agent’s or publisher’s time as they might not be fiscally worth their while.

Side note: They still pay the bills. Here’s a few collage books I created under the slightly hilarious pen name Betsy Nightingale:

3. Staying in touch… and being okay with not.

Hey, the phone works both ways. We can normalize being okay with having “light touch" friendships with people. We can love each other and also not spend half our relationship talking about how we should get together. Though I mourn the geographic distance between me and friends, I understand that we can’t all be everywhere always, so I juggle missing them with celebrating them when I can.

4. Stillness, quiet, peace, repeat.

I use that mask shown above to centre myself during the day. Block out the day for a few minutes. Start again. Especially nice for ramping up to kitchen messes or loads of laundry.

5. Foster managing moods.

I observe when I run hot and try to catch it. Midlife for the ladies is a circus act of hormones. Oh the senseless RAGE! Then I work on cooling it down. Just better for health.

6. Dr. Teal’s Epsom Salts with Melatonin.

Melatonin is absorbed through the skin. Makes sleep better. Smells nice.

7. Rocking chairs.

Maybe we are all seniors in training. I put rocking chairs on my porch and find the rocking calms me down.

Image: Cory Bjork @corybjork

8. Double down on natural talents.

Some things come easier to you than others. For me, book writing… pretty gifts presented in various forms of paper. Letter writing, story telling, books, paintings. Double down on the things that are easier for you to do than others. I like making planners. They are a great way to share a year’s worth of art. Plus, Paris amiright? Get the 2025 Paris Planner at Amazon.

8. Get real on non-talents.

Much of life is about trying out different things to see if they will be hobbies, side gigs, paths to happiness. Midlife is a time to release the fails and double down on the activities that bring joy. For me, that’s less guitar and more garden.

9. Release heavy relationships.

If you would rather stay in bed for the afternoon than meet them for a quick coffee… well, see “light touch” friendships above.

10. Do weird things.

I signed my kid up for curling because I’m curious and might be interested in doing it myself.

I said yes to a Bingo night to win a turkey or ham because I thought it would be quirky fun good time.

I already mentioned the rocking chairs.

xo,
Janice

Photo Source: Artem Beliaikin

I’ve been pondering on my porch lately. We’ve had a mild autumn and I’ve been out there staring off in the middle distance waiting for that line of literary thought to reappear.

It’s been a minute since I “wrote wrote.”

“Writing writing” is when we make the extra effort.

Journal writing is writing, but “writing writing” is taking that journal entry and polishing it up.

Polishing it up to… gulp… share with readers.

Writing itself is very simple:

You have an idea or are in the mood to write.

You try to write it out.

Only during or after writing it out do you know if you have something worth “writing writing.” a

If it’s worth working on further, polishing it up as a finished piece.

Sharing it in its final form.

We think we will know if we have a good idea before we write it out but generally we don’t know until we are in the middle or end. Only then do we see ideas that work nicely together. Only then do we see the poetry in the words. Only then do we catch glimpses of genius. My invisible writing partner doesn’t show up for me often until I start writing. It’s off in the corner doom scrolling, especially lately. Only when I start writing does it waltz over and lean in to see what I’m writing. Then it whispers gems in my ear.

Or not.

But I’m not going to find out if I don’t write, and you might not either. More tips over at my writing courses.

So we have to write it first to see if it’s worth polishing up and eventually sharing. When I was writing PARIS LETTERS, by the time the book was done I couldn’t NOT share it. It had a momentum, a life of its own. It would have felt harder to hold onto it than release it to the world. It couldn’t NOT be shared.

But there are some books we write and cannot bring ourselves to release to the world. There is a hesitation. That’s cool. That happens. Some books are meant to only have the author as the reader. The end game for books is different for everyone. They don’t all have follow the trajectory of Writer to Publisher to Major Motion Picture to Awards Season. Sometimes they go from outside of our gut to the page and that is enough. That can be PLENTY.

I haven’t been writing lately because I’ve been… drumroll please…

Whipping up notecards for one of my dream publishers.It’s a notecard collection with Chronicle Books.

THE Chronicle Books.

If you have picked up stellar notecard sets in the last decade, chances are many of them were published through Chronicle Books.

And now so will mine.

Let me tell you how it all went down… in a long list of sentence fragments:

Back in June I declared that June is for Janice. I was about to be looking after my kid full time for the summer. A daunting thought. So I sat on my porch for much of the month reading and staring off to the middle distance.

Somewhere in that middle distance, a thought came to me: Why not get a publisher to publish my notecards? Then I can get them in a fancy box.

I’m really treat-oriented. The idea of having a professionally published box for my notecards was a fun thought.

I whipped up a proposal for my agent. Side note: Agents won’t take anything you fling their way. I had to convince her to convince them. She said yes and sent it off to a few publishers who mirrored my vision.

“Mirrored my vision.” Honestly. I’m getting very writerly writerly now.

Chronicle Books lapped it up… sort of. They liked the one specific notecard design and asked me to make a collection based on it. I’d tell you exactly what it is but it really is too early to spill those beans. We can’t have any competitors getting a whiff of the grand schemes.

“Whiff of the grand schemes.” Do schemes smell?

Not sure, but if they did, this scheme would smell like freshly baked bread in a cottage surrounded my lavender fields.

So I’ve been “painting painting.” Once that project was handed in, I felt spaciousness. Also, a potential postal strike is on the horizon so I put my Etsy shop on vacation mode. I don’t want letters destined for Schenectady to get stuck in a hopper in Mississauga.

Off I went back to the porch to stare into the middle distance. Turns out November is for Janice, too. Whether I like it or not.

And that’s when that literary line of thought came back. Finally! So I’ve been writing again. We’ll see what comes of it. I’m not sure what it will be. I have to write it down to find out.

Janice

PS: The notecards will be out in 2026… yes, SIX… so in the meantime, get yourself a copy of the 2025 Paris Planner for a taste of Paris all year long. Full of art and photos of lovely Paris. I tossed in every gem I had. Loads more art than previous years.

Image: Priscilla Du Preez @priscilladupreez

“You don’t need a man, Liz. You need a champion.”

That famous line from the film Eat, Pray, Love was on my mind this past weekend when we prepped for the local county fair. This year, we were going to enter our flowers, art, and gourds.

This year, we were going to be champions.

The prep work started in earnest. I gathered vases and snipped flowers for the flower arrangement categories. Our kid set up her craft table and got busy making posters: One of the family. Another of a beloved hobby. A pet. You name it, she drew it.

“Whip up a poster of a bird. There is a category.”

She would whip it up and I would slap the entry tag on it. Meanwhile, I was grooming the geraniums, marigolds and dahlias. I even grabbed the African Violet off the mantle and slapped an entry tag on it.

At the end of our weekend, we had two hampers full of flowers, art, and painted gourds.

We waltzed into the fairgrounds next to a guy carrying a big zucchini over his shoulder. A lady was dragging a wagon of multicoloured corncobs. I smile-snuffed at an old lady who walked in with her African Violet. She smile-snuffed back. Then we laughed.

It’s a bizarre mix of competition and cute.

The giant pumpkins were already in place. The unusual carrot category had a robust (and gnarly) showing. The flower arrangements were… um… sadly stunning. But too late now. Soldier on.

I thought a heavenly George Michael might help me out in the “Sunshine in a Mug Flower Arrangement” category. 

In the junior art categories, the senior volunteers took the greatest care with the posters, beaded bracelets, and decorated boxes. They oohed and ahhed over the entries, making my seven year old beam with pride. How nice is that?

Talk about KINDNESS.

We had to wait until the next day to see if we had won anything. The first ribbon we found was an Honourable Mention for a decorated gourd. It was her first ribbon ever and she was so excited. She didn’t know what Honourable Mention meant. All she knew is she had a ribbon next to her name. WINNER.

Then we scavenger hunted for all our stuff. Three first places, a couple seconds, a few thirds, a fourth, a sixth and a seventh. And a whopping $29 in PRIZE MONEY. Even for the marigolds! (And my African Violet got 3rd after that smile-snuffer senior who won 2nd.

Robbed!

The beauty of a local fair is that friends from all over stop by the booths and see your name. A friend of mine who lives three hours away noticed the injustice of the African Violet competition and send me a funny message about it on Facebook.

Good wholesome fun.

These county fair ribbons were quite possibly the most satisfying of all prizes ever.

And I’m counting the New York Times best seller badge for Paris Letters because you never think you’ll win that one. But with my dahlias… I thought maybe. And I did. First prize. Holy Toledo!

It doesn’t look like much now, but the category was “Three of a Kind in a Bud Vase” so gimme a break. AND get this: This variety of dahlia is called Fancy Pants, which is exactly how I felt when I saw that ribbon. It’s part of the Happy Singles Dahlias from Floret Flowers. My friend Áine bought the seeds for me ages ago because the name reminded her of how we felt when we traveled together back when we were happy singles. But now we are happily marrieds, as you can plainly see:

Just look at that raw talent. 7th place!

Speaking of super duper prizes, Amazon made my 2025 Paris Planner a Top New Release:

If you were one of the people who made it a top prize, thank you. If not, feel free to pick up one or two for yourself and for any stocking stuffers. And birthday gifts. And New Year’s gifts. And, and, and, and… You get the idea.

I’ve just spent the last week pouring over Maggie Smith clips in Downton Abbey. Last week I listened to a slew of Kris Kristofferson.

I’m starting to wonder if I’m a Tributist: Someone who pours over the works of famous artists with binge-like obsession.

It’s like a masterclass.

Though I wouldn’t say I learned much. I certainly haven’t accomplished much. But I blame that on autumn. Long walks, scarves and sweaters… acting like I’m a hunting excursion through the muirs of Scotland with the Crawleys.

If I’m anything, I’m an Autumnist: Someone who delights in all things Fall.

Bought myself a cinnamon candle

Incorporated the chai tea

Back to the scarves

Pumpkins and gourds on the porch

Removed summer sand from everything

Mood lighting

Found walking in corduroy

And that was just yesterday. And I pour over my Paris photos for autumn. I think one of the best reasons to travel is to take a gazillion photos so you can sort through them, arrange them, rearrange them, and pour over them later. It’s like binge watching a TV show, but it’s autumn and Paris…

These stairs in Jardin du Luxembourg are an invisible necessity most of the year, but strewn with leaves... you feel like you're walking up to an autumn-themed heaven. In fact, I hope heaven is autumn for eternity.

How many hues can one get in one autumn scene? I like this one because of the purples in the background and how they mingle nicely with the yellows in the foreground. 

Of course this fountain photo is an example of being in the right place at the right time. The next day I returned and the wind had whooshed the leaves away. 

The iconic Jardin du Luxembourg chair. Pretty but uncomfortable AF. However, it's not about sitting for hours. It's about resting, then moving on. 

The garden staff leaves the leaves (ha ha) to give us another sigh worthy scene.

Definitely Main Character Energy here. 

The chair configuration gives clues on the previous occupants of these seats. Four friends having a good laugh before moving on to the next scene.

Another path that is invisible the rest of the year. The yellow sets off the ominous black trees.

I was so in love with autumn on this particular photo excursion. It all WORKED. I came back the next day and took a series of photos but nothing worked. That’s Paris. Some days it shines for you, other days it turns its back.

Hey the new 2025 Paris Planner is full of these photos. I reconfigured to add more art to the planners this time:

This is the hardcover version. Someone asked me to make a hardcover so there it is. Not available in Australia, which is so annoying. But Australians can still get the paperback. (PS Australia… the link takes you to the USA page, but you have to scurry over to the Australian Amazon site.)

This is my fave of all the autumn in Paris photos. 

Dreamy flowers matching leaves.

Sorry-not-sorry that this one will make you drool. 

Happy Autumn!

Janice

Prepare yourself for a flurry of photos of the fancy new 2025 Paris Planner… now available on Amazon.

You might as well ALSO prepare yourself for 2025 by getting this planner. Mostly because it has SO MUCH ART. This time I read the reviews, which you should never do because Elizabeth Gilbert says it’s like eating a sandwich that MIGHT have glass in it. But I did and you liked the planners from the previous years but were kind of bummed that there wasn’t more PARIS STUFF.

Feast your eyes:

If you think you will get a new full page piece of Paris every stinkin’ week of the year, YOU ARE CORRECT.

Over 52 images of Paris, my sweet!

This time I pulled out all the good photos, paintings, and collages. Oh what a treat it was to scroll through my images and remember when I would walk around Paris so much that I was sure my feet wouldn’t recover. But a night of sleep and MIRACLES OF MIRACLES, my feet were ready for another urban hike around Paris.

Click clack feet, click clack camera, click clack repeat.

But enough about that. Back to the planner.

I went ahead and gave a page for each week, all neat and tidy-like. Every Sunday you can turn the page and behold another dreamy bit of Paris.

But it’s not all fun and games. We need to get productive. Oh yes, PRODUCTIVITY is one of the buzz words for 2025. That means full page calendars, goal lists, a habit tracker, and even a mantra of the month.

Since my kid went back to school, my Mantra of the Month was: DO IT AND GET IT DONE. Turns out my dopamine hit of choice involves finishing projects. Happy dance!

I added some coloring page at the end of the book because it turns out we are still not done with coloring pages.

Each coloring page has lined notebook paper on the back so you can tear it out and make your own Paris letter. Look at you with the fanciness!

The REAL reason I added a slew of art this year is because it’s so much fun to casually flip through a book. Color me nostalgic for print magazines. It does kind of feel like that as you flip through to look at the art. Plus, if you are one of the RARE people who don’t always fill out the whole planner, you can always tear out the pages and make something crafty… like a collage or letter or paper airplane. Wait… what?

The photo above looks a bit hard-cover-ish. Sorry about that. It’s not hardcover because hardcover is only available in a small number of places (and my Australian brethren get VERY put out when they are left out). Nor is it spiral bound, as I am bound by the limitations of Amazon’s printers who haven’t clued in that the world might enjoy a spiral bound experience. But it is nice and slim so it slips into your bag nicely. AND it’s 7x10 inches, which is the perfect size. Not too big. Not too small.

Speaking of slipping into your bag nicely…

Look at you au courant with your weaved basket, slipping a copy of the 2025 Paris Planner into your bag as you head out to the market to buy autumnal things… or Christmas gifts … or selfie pressies… or gifts for the French teacher or student… or Francophile friend… or or or…

Also, if you buy it today along with everyone else who reads this message, you’ll boost the Amazon algorithm, which will share it with other people who might like a little piece of Paris in their 2025, which would pretty much make my day, my year, and all of my 2025. So if you buy it now, THANK YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU.

Gigantic MERCI,
Janice

Holy smokes. Can you believe it?!?! Here is the article… then my usual evaluation of the day below.

Mighty impressive stuff. It’s glossy, it’s glam, it’s glorious. Read the article.

Also, I am always amazed at how these shiny things juxtapose to what non-glam things are happening in life. Today for instance, I found out about this People magazine business at the mall after a frightfully pink, glossy, and expensive visit to Claire’s.

If you don’t know Claire’s, it’s about the best store in the world for little girls.

It’s pretty much horrible for everyone else.

It’s a dazzling display of sequins and sparkles, unicorns and rainbows, bows and scrunchies. The displays are even short in stature so the target market can see everything and only the cashier can see you rolling your eyes. Then there are the offers: Buy three get three free. So if you find three things to buy, you have to go around the store again to pick out three more things for free.

It was hard enough the first time.

However, this one trip to Claire’s is the highlight for my kid during an otherwise grim day of following mommy and the teen niece around who are looking at clothes in boring stores the rest of the time.

We were hungry, dehydrated, and one of us was feeling deflated by the price of glittery plastics… but behold, an email about PEOPLE freaking magazine.

I turned to my niece to tell her.

“Cool.” Not an exclamation point in sight. Teens. Hard to impress these days. Then again, she showed me the ripped jeans she bought and I had pretty much the same reaction as her. Cool.

I tortured myself in various change rooms around the mall with the People magazine logo in a thought bubble hovering over my head. I was at the mall wanting to buy a good funeral dress. Had occasion to need one recently (occasion?!?!) and thought I should really have a decent black dress for these things. I wore my darkest sundress but really, I should have these things. Back in the advertising agency I dressed for a funeral everyday.

Take from that what you will.

After a few failed frocks, we headed home in a torrential downpour. As I drove white knuckled at the wheel I’m thinking… People magazine… I’m also thinking I’ll have to pull over before I land us all in the ditch.

Life. A mixed bag at all times.

We made it home and my pretty in pink girl gave daddy a tour of all the things we bought that day while I hid the tags and receipts. Not because we spent so much, but because of the quality-price ratio of the items we purchased. Also because we spent so much.

The husband lives in a world of coffee shop takeout. He has no sense of the inflationary effects of the Covid age. So the pack of swirly straws we bought with the plastic decor that you snap on and snap off to mix and match different styles… yeah I don’t want him to see see how much that costs now that freight is frightful.

But PEOPLE magazine. At the same time as I’m pulling price tags off things I don’t want him to see and I know she won’t be remotely interested in a year from now, I’m in PEOPLE magazine.

She swirled around in her sweater with the the pink bows on it and showed how the pink hairband bow matched perfectly. I thought, Please let this not happen to my sweet little girl:

During all this time I didn’t even think to tell the husband about the article because I was so busy hiding price tags. An hour later he Liked the article on Facebook so I guess he knows.

All those times standing in line at the grocery store with my eyes lingering over the People magazine. Who would have thought I would ever be in it, and especially on a random regular day like today.

Read that article and click all the links that take you to all the places. And especially buy the books.

Cool? Cool.

Summer reads featuring Paris? Yes, please. Here are six books to keep you in the Paris mood long after the Olympic medals are won. Each author gives a little “postcard of Paris” to express what they love about the city.

THE LITTLE PARIS BOOKSHOPBY NINA GEORGE

Monsieur Perdu can prescribe the perfect book for a broken heart. But can he fix his own?

Filled with warmth and adventure, The Little Paris Bookshop is a love letter to books, meant for anyone who believes in the power of stories to shape people’s lives.

IN HER OWN WORDS…

If you want to blend in and feel a bit Parisian: grab a French Picnic with fromage, wine or Crémant, some fresh Baguette, and enjoy the smooth summer evenings under the rose-colored sky at the green shores of the Seine, with a view on the illuminated Eiffel Tower.

Day by day, you will find “your Paris”, which you will carry in your heart forever, and it will be a sparkling memory of sounds and smiles, a collection of precious moments, when you feel free and light – because Paris will give you all the love back you show her (yes, it’s a Madame). Have a rendezvous with your dreams!

BUY ON AMAZON PARIS LETTERSBY JANICE MACLEOD

A travel memoir about art, writing, and finding love in Paris.

Beautifully illustrated with the author’s own sketches, this novel is for those who dream of a life richer and more fulfilling than the one they are living today.

IN HER OWN WORDS…

Paris is a city built on treasure chests. Its grand boulevards are lined with stores that are like boxes of treasures turned on their side. The way trinkets and treats spill out in the window displays, the way they decorate a dessert, and the way they speak lovingly about the products they sell—all under the soft glow of ornate lamp posts—it’s all so charming. And addictive. The moment you leave, you start planning the next trip.

The first time you explore Paris, you’re floored that a place like this exists. The architecture, from the majestic Haussmann buildings to the intimate cafés tucked into stone courtyards, to the bridges stitching along the Seine, is breathtaking. When you return, you’re astounded that the bones of the city are exactly the same, yet some of the shops have changed despite looking like they’ve always been there. The more you return, the more you see subtle changes. You also begin to revisit the ghosts of who you were on all your other trips to Paris. How young we were. We go through life changing in the same way as Paris. Still us. Still Paris. Same bones but different.

BUY ON AMAZON THE PARIS ROOMMATES: THEABY AVA MILES

Love is on the menu in this humorous and heartfelt novel about the bonds of found family and unexpected romance, set in the City of Lights, where anything is possible.

IN HER OWN WORDS…

Oh, Paris, how I love thee. I discovered Paris was ‘home’ while studying abroad. The city’s beauty was almost overwhelming, a tantalizing feast for the senses—everything from its art and architecture to its mouth-watering cuisine. Discovering its secrets became my passion: the way the wind whispers possibilities through the trees as you sit along the Seine; how your heart shares your dreams with you as you enjoy a café; and how its music inspired confidence to follow in the footsteps of its great authors and artists. I brought by first manuscript to Brasserie Lipp for luck, and when it was published, the staff allowed me to dine at Hemingway’s table to honor my journey as a writer. I bought my first watercolors and oil paints at Charvin. Her call to my soul was so strong I have now moved to France. This city taught me how to be my best self—to wear that red dress and to take compliments from adoring men who sometimes kissed my hand; to open my heart more and let life dazzle me. In all the world, there is no city like it, and should you visit, she has the power to change you and your life for the better.

BUY ON AMAZON A LOVE LETTER TO PARISBY REBECCA RAISIN

Old-fashioned romantic Lilou hadn’t imagined her top secret Paris Cupid project could ever have attracted so many people looking for true love. But then a message arrives—someone is in love with her and knows her secret identity…

IN HER OWN WORDS…

My love affair with Paris began in my teens and has only grown stronger as I have grown in years. Funnily enough, it was reading memoirs set in the City of Light that ignited this romance. I fell hard for the rich descriptions of a place that seemed so charming and exotic compared to the little suburbia I came from. When I finally got my wish to travel to Paris that love exploded. I swooned being in the presence of all those glorious French accents, the culture, the history, the je ne sais quoi that makes it so special. Boulevards felt familiar to me, as if I had walked down them before, in a past life maybe? It certainly felt like I’d returned home, somehow. And since that first trip, I’ve returned time and again, always staying in a different arrondissement to eke out a new vista, a new experience, a wishing place, even! My family always ask: Why Paris? There are other cities in the world, you know! And sure, we might stop in other cities as long as they lead to Paris because it stole my teenage heart and never gave it back.

BUY ON AMAZON THE VELVET HOURSBY ALYSON RICHMAN

Inspired by the true account of an abandoned Parisian apartment, Alyson Richman brings to life Solange, the young woman forced to leave her fabled grandmother’s legacy behind to save all that she loved.

IN HER OWN WORDS…

Paris remains one of my favorite cities in the world.  I love how the light hits the buildings, how one discovers something beautiful at every turn. I have taken both my children on separate trips and delighted in watching their expressions transform as they stepped for the first time inside the Museé D’orsay or stood in front of Monet’s “Water Lilies” at the Musée de l’orangerie.  One of my favorite things to do in Paris is to sit in Place des Voges and watch the Parisiannes who come and sit on the lawn, reading a book or catching up with a friend.  I imagine Victor Hugo strolling past the fountain and dipping through the door of his apartment. Paris is where I come to reboot, to be inspired and to dream.

BUY ON AMAZON THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES BY M.J. ROSE

Traveling to Paris to investigate her brother’s disappearance, Jac L’Etoile discovers a mysterious scent developed in Cleopatra’s time. Could the rumors swirling be true? Can this ancient perfume hold the power to unlock the ability to remember past lives and conclusively prove reincarnation?

IN HER OWN WORDS…

No matter how many times I visit Paris, there’s always a new discovery to make. You turn a corner and see a Belle Epoch storefront still intact. You stroll down a street on the Left Bank and stumble upon a tiny florist no bigger than a closet. You make a detour when you spot a tiny park and spot a lovely fountain at its center. I have a few traditions for my first morning in Paris. I take a walk across the Seine, stand in the middle of a bridge and watch the water pass by. Out loud I always say , Bonjour, Paris. (This always makes me weepy.) Then I make my way to Cafe Flore for a buttery croissant and cafe creme. And then I visit L’Orangerie and say Bonjour to Monsieur Monet. And no matter how long I am there I try to go out of my way to visit a street or neighborhood I’ve never been to before.

BUY ON AMAZON

Galleries Lafayette rooftop views. Instant cool factor.
Photo credit: Julie Howe

How to see the best of Paris in a week. 

A week, of course, is not long enough, but that’s your fault for not planning to live here. What were you thinking?!

Walk around the Marais. That’s the 4th arrondissement. Charmant! Duck into Melodies Graphiques at 10 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe for pretty pens and paper.

Hang out on the islands in the middle of the city. The one island has Notre Dame cathedral and the other claims to have invented ice cream at a café there called Bertillon. These are between the right bank of the Seine (top of river on maps) and the left bank of the Seine (bottom of river on maps.)

Go to Shakespeare and Company and buy my books. *shameless plug* Get them stamped with the official bookstore stamp and put them in the official bookstore tote. 

Disclosure: I wasn’t really reading, just looking bookish for your sake.

4. Walk around the corner to visit Messy Nessy’s Cabinet… this is a blogger who opened a fine little shop full of quirky souvenirs for the traveler-in-the-know. Find it at 19 Rue de Bièvre. She sells bottles of Seine water. Turns green in the sun. True fact!

5. Walk over to the Pantheon. No need to go in. You don’t have that kind of time, but the church beside it has the steps from Midnight in Paris. 

On the steps made famous in Midnight in Paris. 
Photo credit: Kristin Lau

5. From there you can zigzag around the back to Rue Mouffetard. The café at the intersection of rue Mouffetard and Rue de l’Arbalète is where I spied Christophe who was working in the shop across the street. We lived at the bottom of rue Mouffetard by the fountain. Some loaf called Hemingway lived at the top of rue Mouffetard at 74 rue du Cardinal Lemoine.

Janice and Christophe unboxing Paris Letters before unboxing was cool. 
Photo credit: Kristin Lau

6. TournBride restaurant a few paces up the street at 104 rue Mouffetard is my hang out and a nice place for lunch. Great for people watching.

7. Get yourself an Angelina hot chocolate on rue de Rivoli no matter how hot is might be outside. Get it to go from the counter at the front of the restaurant as you will have an absolute bird at the prices inside the restaurant. Plus you can walk it half a block to WHSmith to peruse books whilst sipping hot chocolate. Very Main Character energy. WHSmith is at 248 Rue de Rivoli while Angelina is at 226 Rue de Rivoli. See? Side by each.

8. When you order a beer in a café, a demi is a small beer. Otherwise they will bring you a giant beer. Then you will have to spend your precious time 20 minutes after you leave in search of a restroom. 

9. Eiffel Tower. If you must go up to fulfill some dream, go for it, but Paris looks best when you can see the tower, which you can’t while you’re on it. 

10. Best view of Paris is from the roof of Galleries Lafayette. And it’s free. Take the escalator all the way up, then the stairs. You’ll think you’re entering some restricted area. You’re not. Keep going up the stairs to the roof. Voila! You are welcome. 

The author with offspring who is unamused with the rooftop of the Galleries Lafayette. 
Photo credit: Krzysztof Lik

11. Take the Métro… Paris’ subway system. Don’t be a hero. You’ll be walking plenty. 

12. Keep your wallet safe. Zip up and hide the goods. Thieves are ferocious. If someone asks you to sign a petition, it’s a pickpocket scam. Be wary of anyone that strikes up a conversation at a major tourist site. They are usually thieves. 

13. If your life won’t feel complete without going to behold the Mona Lisa, then go to the Louvre but also check out the Egypt wing and the Napoleon apartments. 

14. DO NOT GO TO VERSAILLES EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU TO GO. You don’t have time and how many fancy chairs and beds does one need to see in this life? And like I said, you didn’t give yourself enough time in Paris. Just let it go. Or don’t listen to me, then go, then tell me later I was right. Because I’m right. Versailles is a week TWO activity and you only booked one week. Tsk tsk. French school teacher finger wag at you!

15. Muses D’Orsay is worth it as is the Petit Palais. Both beautiful and not exhausting.

16. Jardin du Luxembourg is best in October but also excellent for shade in the summer. If you don’t go there and rest in one of the many green chairs, you will hurt my feelings. 

17. But of all this, wandering is where you’ll find the most treasures. The best arrondissements are 4, 5, 6 for strolling. They all hug the river. Bon voyage!

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Aw she got in the mood eventually. Seven years later.
Photo credit: Krzysztof Lik

There is an incongruence here. Prepare yourself. 

On the one hand, yes I would LOVE for you to grab the 2024 Paris Planner for you and all the people on your list while you’re over at Amazon taking care of Black Friday business. Please yes! Give them the gift of Paris art all year long.

The 2024 Paris Planner is especially nice for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Just sayin’. Makes you look extra thoughtful and au courant.

(Also the photos of the interior pages are over at Amazon. Interior pages are very important and were fuelled by author enthusiasm.)

Now for the incongruent portion of today’s blog post… 

On the other hand, I just filled up my shopping cart over on Amazon and thought… PLASTIC CRAP. Do children like anything that isn’t large, plastic and garish?

This is the only problem with having a six year old. The toys!

She chose that outfit herself to meet Santa. That has Mr. Dressup Influence all over it. Speaking of…

I cried at the documentary. I cried OUT LOUD. There was snot. It’s not even sad, just super nostalgic and lovely. Christophe was baffled. But I was all “He’s why we have a TICKLE TRUNK!!!!!”

If you don’t know Mr. Dressup and his children’s TV show that went on forever… but also never long enough… boy oh boy have you missed out. Solid fail on  a successful childhood for you. Sorry.

He was the original crafty character. The original drawer of all the things. The man who had an outfit for every occasion. This guy had it all. The looks. The charm. There was even charisma oozing out of the eyes of the owl on his wall.

That owl opened it’s eyes and spoke, but only once in a blue moon. Still, you were always ready just. in. case.

Mr. Dressup was the best part of childhood. I don’t even remember any of the crap we got for Christmas… (sorry mommmm).

Wait. One year (my mother will not like this either)… one year, my dad who was notoriously not interested in Christmas shopping, bought me a ream of printer paper.

I know this choice might make him sound like a lame hang.

However, it was seriously the best gift. All I ever did was draw. A fresh stack of 500 printer sheets ALL FOR ME. So fresh and new and full of possibility. This was in the olden days, before there were 50 shade of white. Brilliant, indeed.

It was a marvellous artsy Christmas vacation.

My mom bought me a camera and I almost died from bliss. 

It was a foretelling of the future. How could they have known I would turn out to be a drawer and painter and picture taker and writer!?

So I’m trying to foretell the future around here. Trying to get my kid something that is very HER.

We ran into some POSCA paint markers while I was scouting for pressies.

Oh my stars. So opaque! So gloriously opaque! They came home with us because we both wanted to tear them open and start drawing.

At the end of a day filled with 1) Santa 2) Seeing her friends 3) Shopping, I asked her what the best part of the day was and she said without a pause:

“The paints.”

Yeah. The paints.

I suggest you get yourself some art supplies and pick up the 2024 Paris Planner as a kind of artsy kit for an artsy friend.

And because someone always asks at this time of the year, get these paints:

This is the set of Winsor & Newton paints I use to paint all my letters, art, everything.

I’ve added a few hues along the way, and replaced a few, but honestly this kit… purchased over a decade ago is still going strong. I could probably paint another three books. *shameless plug*

Listen. The paint kit is pricey. However, there is nothing worse than a waxy paint that doesn’t actually paint colour. We’ve all been to the Dollar Store, eyeing up some watercolour kit, thinking that will solve it. It doesn’t. It only makes things worse. However, hot tip, all my Paris Letters were painted on cheap watercolour paper from places like the Dollar Store and they turned out okay. Best to splurge on the paint and cheap out on the paper. 

At the beginning of painting, you need a lot of paper for practicing. Don’t want to get too precious about the paper. But the paints? Ahh yeah. The good stuff lasts so long and it is so satisfying that it even makes that cheap paper look good.

What would young Janice want for Christmas this year?

(You know this girl has Paris dreaming on her mind… or the 2024 Olympics… or maybe it’s just me acting as a billboard around town.)

Get yourself a copy… and heck, buy one for your favourite Francophiles. They are available over at Amazon. 

Janice

PS I’m required to mention that there are affiliate links. Buzz kill but know you know. Thanks for clicking.

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