Access to the house from the bridge |
If I had the means, I would love to get my hands busy with planning and restoring this old abandoned house. I think the dormant architect within me just woke up from a deep slumber when I saw this property nestled next to a tranquil marsh deep in the countryside. It would be a perfect summer retreat for writers and artists who would like to spend some time harnessing their ideas and toying with their inspirations.
Front facade of the house |
It is true that it is more expensive to renovate and restore a house than demolishing it and creating an entirely new structure. It's part of the challenge and charm to preserve what was once there. These rocks & stones had stories to tell. The place has history and a bit of a mystery, wondering what type of memories the former tenants had, living there.
I will definitely change the Main Entrance door and work on enlarging some of the windows facing the northern side.
Rear side of the house |
Imagine a terrace overlooking the water and greens at the back of the house attached to the kitchen. It would be perfect for outdoor dining and reading during the summer. If it were my project, I will keep the masonry exterior. Supports similar to below will have to be provided to strengthen the walls.
On the contrary, I'll be simplifying and modifying the interior into a "Flamant" style. A lighter hued interior walls to bring the light in and various natural materials with some contemporary additions.
The water side of the property |
I'll keep dreaming. I hope whoever buys that property will decide to keep the old charm.
I'm sentimental mostly :)
XOXO,
Arni
Image 5 / 6
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize
they were the big things." - Robert Brault
I'm grateful for this week's roundup of simple pleasures.
# 1 Finally nailed baking that carrot cake for my Mother- in-law's birthday.
There was no Kraft cream cheese available in France. I used Mascarpone,
a thick creamy soft Italian cheese used in Tiramisu instead.
There was no Kraft cream cheese available in France. I used Mascarpone,
a thick creamy soft Italian cheese used in Tiramisu instead.
A walk on the beach completes one's summer. As we were staying in the Western part of France, the closest one is Les Sables d' Olonne meaning "the sands of Olonne" It is a seaside town of the Vendée Globe, a legendary round the world solo yacht race. It is the sailing capital of France by the Atlantic Ocean.
During a leisurely walk, the interesting texture of this wall captures one's attention. The play of various materials with a contrasting wooden shutter result to a recently renovated charming house in the french countryside.
Hope you all had a great weekend! Ours was unforgettable, we thought we would never arrive in France. We had unconfirmed tickets. Chance passengers. The last two days were spent hoping to get on the plane. We didn't anticipate that all flights to Paris are overbooked during Eid. We were determined to keep trying even if it takes us a week to get on a flight. Lack of sleep and hours spent waiting with our luggage at Abu Dhabi airport. After two departure attempts, we finally got lucky on the third try. I was ready to leave on my own in case I do get a boarding pass. My husband and I were teary eyed when the check in ground crew announced our names. We both literally ran to the boarding gate. Eight-hour flight to Paris and a four-hour train ride aboard TGV later, we finally arrived.
This is the ''Aperitif '' to our vacation. A leisurely drink before starters or a meal in order to stimulate the appetite. I'd like to think that the beginning of our holidays may have started in a challenging way much like a strong taste of Pastis. I could either drink and enjoy it even if the taste is not to my liking while looking forward to appetizers. Or I skip it with a bad taste in my palate thinking the rest of the meal will be as bad. I choose the first.
Cheers!
Santé!
Bisous,
Arni
"You know, the smallest thing can change a life. In the blink of an eye, something happens by chance - and when you least expect it - since we're on a course that you could have never planned, into a future you never imagined. Where will it take you? That's the journey of our lives: our search for the light. But sometimes, finding the light means you must past through the deepest darkness. At least, that's how it was for me." - The Lucky One
A film released in April of this year based on the book of Nicholas Sparks. Logan (Zac Efron), a U.S. marine finds a photograph of a young woman with ''keep safe'' written behind it during his third tour of duty in Iraq. Since then keeping the photo in his pocket, he had been saved from near death encounters a couple of times, crediting it with his good luck. When he comes back home, He couldn't get her out of his mind . He sets out to find her. The search leads him to the doorstep of a divorced young woman with a son and an unexpected job in a kennel.
You might have probably read the book or have seen the movie already. I was struck by the passage above during the first scene. I thoroughly liked the whole premise behind change and how events unfold for a specific purpose.
I will be leaving tonight to the land of wine and cheese. I may be on and off in the blogosphere for a while. I will visit your blogs whenever I can and if given the opportunity, will do blog posts from there.
Have a great Thursday!
XOXO,
Arni
How's your week going? This weekend will be a big celebration throughout the Middle East. It's going to be Eid Al-Fitr or plain Eid, marking the end of Ramadan. Fasting during the day will be over during this usual three-day holiday. Festive lights illuminate throughout the city at night, shops busy with ongoing sale, gift giving, and huge feasts as families gather. Most of the expats given the long non-working holiday, usually jet off somewhere for a short break.
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage
to lose sight of the shore.” -Andre Gide
I'm going away by the end of the week to kick off my sabbatical. Since I will be escaping the desert heat for a short period, I would like to feature an interesting gem in the Middle East that I was fortunate to have seen.
Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara lies off the coast of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates at Sir Bani Yas Island. It is a natural island with a wildlife reserve of 34 sq. mi or 87 sq. km.
How to get there?
How to get there?
Happy Wednesday! I thought of posting the nachos recipe in case you're craving for something savory. It is ideal for party appetizers or any occasion. I couldn't find big tortilla chips so I got some thick taco shells from my cupboard and broke them into triangular pieces. For the cheese, I usually take the Kraft brand.
Beef Nachos Recipe
Serves 8
Ingredients:
Tortilla Chips - extra thick
Refried Black Beans 2 cups
Shredded Mexican Style Four Cheese (Monterey Jack, Asadero, Cheddar & Queso Quesadilla)
Sour Cream
Cilantro, chopped
Jalapeno
Lean Ground beef 0.3 kg
3 Shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt & Pepper
Chilli Powder
Paprika
Cumin
Lemon /Lime Juice
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1. In a pan, heat up extra virgin oil just enough to grease the pan and saute' garlic until golden brown. In high heat, add ground beef and add a dash of salt and pepper. Let it simmer allowing it to absorb the garlic flavor until it turns brownish. Add a generous dash of paprika and chilli powder. Add drops of lemon/lime juice. Mix until the spices are evenly spread throughout the meat.
2. Segregate the beef at one side of the pan and add in the sliced shallots. Lower heat to medium. They cook quickly so once it gets a bit transparent & soft, mix it with the beef. Add cumin in the amount to your liking. (I only add a small bit because my hubs is not fond of cumin).
3. Set aside the ground beef. Preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Spread black refried beans on top of the tortilla gently so that the tortilla doesn't break. Add ground beef on top and 1/4 tsp of sour cream just to make it a little creamy and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Add jalapeno pepper on top of the cheese.
5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
6. Sprinkle cilantro on top. Serve with salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
For the vegetarians, omit the beef prep 1 & 2 and it's all good to go.
Et voila!
Writing this makes me hungry. :)
Bon Appetit!
XOXO,
Arni
A Mexican themed brunch that extends till dinner. It's a monthly tradition my girlfriends and I have started this year. Each of us will bring a dish we have prepared. The venue changes each month. We somehow recreate a vacation where we bring a country to our homes instead.
The host of the party, Gail decorated her dining and living area with colorful tissue paper streamers and lanterns made of serviettes. A separate refreshment table was set up with our favorite lime margarita and an ice filled bucket of drinks.
Salt edged glasses dyed in food coloring that made our lips blue added to more fun. Latin music was constantly playing in the background greeting the guests at the door. A Mexican party is never complete without the mango salsa salad.
Beef for tacos and mango salsa salad |
The mouth watering fajitas, chili con carne and enchiladas drew the guests towards the table.
In light of today's Friendship Day, I'm happy to feature our wonderful Saturday brunch together. We all met during our employment in an events and exhibition company. We were former colleagues from various departments, but most of us have only grown closer after we left the firm. We have all pursued different paths afterwards. The day breezed by with mojitos and lively conversations among hyper women enjoying a fun day away from the mundane.
These beautiful women could be serious, wacky and crazy sometimes, with or without the microphone. We are always ready to strike a pose.
Crazy and Sultry Pose |
Hope you all had a great weekend!
I surely had a wonderful one!
XOXO,
Arni
Image 2/ 3/ 6/ 9/ 10-13/15 Photo Credit: Monica
I am thrilled to feature another talented and creative lady, Sanaa Merchant of Sanaa's Art Gallery. She's based in Dubai. A graduate of an International Business degree who's now a full time Artist. Life eventually led her to discover an innate passion and enthusiasm in the Arts.
What inspired you to pursue a life as an Artist?
Love with the different and various forms of art, where there is no barrier to stop me. As an artist, I can talk and walk art. It doesn't have to be confined to just canvas. Although, canvas always helps one to not only put their thoughts down on it, but it also helps to overcome any dilemma one is in. Art gives me an ease of mind and helps me focused.
What motivated you to take this leap?
Hard work!!!! The path isn't easy, neither it is impossible. I worked hard since the very start and still continue in doing so. There is constant improvement as I believe learning has no end.
How did you start in this path?
It started in school when I took art as a choice, just so that I do not have to pursue history and geography as my future study subjects. I did not want to be bounded by books so I chose art as one of my subjects, by which later it developed in a passion it is today. Today, I am glad at the choice I made years back.
What is your painting style?
My painting style is more of where details are. I love details, but at the same time, I love to work with bright vibrant colors, especially turquoise blue, being one of my favorites. You will see a lot of blues and other bright vibrant colors are usually always there.
In school, I never did realize I would exhibit in prestigious places or that I would own a website with my works on it. Neither did I know I would be featured in newspapers, university journals or even blogs. I feel totally so overwhelmed and happy what I pursued then to what I am today. And yes, I still have a long way to go.
What was your favorite work out of all your masterpieces? What ties to you to this particular piece?
My favorite piece of work is this traditional pot. It is an enlarged painting of one of the images that I did in school. The left one is when I was 15, and the right one is accomplished around 7 years after. One can already see the difference. I love this piece, as this is my identity where many people after having a close look at this piece of art inquire about me and my works, and as well as give me commissions to do for their homes, offices, hotels, etc. What I totally love about this work are the details attached with it, and the flow of color. As you well know, watercolor is one of the most difficult medium to work with.
Your advice for aspiring artists?
Break free from the norms and do not be hesitant to work out experiments. I often see some of my private students who wish to learn like me and do works like me, yet, they are scared to break fee and try something themselves. One needs to be totally relaxed and scare free in order to achieve a timeless classic.
Ramadan Night Market @ DWTC (Dubai World Trade Centre) from August 10 - 19
The next one is at The Address Hotel Lounge, Dubai from September - October (Exact dates to be announced)
Contact Information:
Email: artistsanaa@hotmail.com, info@sanzarts.com
Website: http://www.sanzarts.com/
Telephone: +971 50 9862106
Visit her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/sanzarts
Follow her on Twitter: @artistsanaa
Bonjour & Welcome
Designers' Journal, Material Library and Works in Progress.
About Author
Arni Nauleau. Interior Architect. Artist. Coffee Addict.
You can also find me on the Hive Blog https://hive.blog/@discoveringarni
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