Life Between the Pages
My blog posts are free to access, and articles are categorized like a bookstore! From architecture and art, to food and history, travel and video tours, you’ll find a treasure trove to connect you with me, Paris, and my travels in France.
Autumn 2025
My Most Recent Posts
Paris as literary muse for exploring how conscious daily choices compound into artful life
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I believe that dreaming shouldn’t come at a price.
It’s an honor, blessing, and privilege to share my experiences with you. I hope my work inspires you to chase what makes your heart sing, what brings you pure joy, and what fills you with love and gratitude.
One-Pan Roasted Chicken with Blood Orange & Dijon Sauce
This one-pan roasted chicken brings together the brightness of blood orange, the warmth of thyme, and the silkiness of a Dijon-kissed sauce. Crisp-skinned, aromatic, and effortlessly elegant, it’s a modern French classic perfect for intimate dinners and cozy evenings at home.
Salted Butter Apple Cake: A $2 French Baking Secret!
Discover the quiet elegance of salted butter apple cake, a rustic French dessert that turns simple ingredients into something tender, fragrant, and deeply comforting. With its buttery crumb, soft apples, and optional caramelized twist, this recipe offers a taste of effortless French baking at its most charming.
Let’s Make This Cozy $2 Chicken Stew Together!
Discover the quiet elegance of poulet blanquette, a creamy French chicken stew that turns simple ingredients into soulful comfort. With tender vegetables, fragrant herbs, and a velvety finish, this recipe invites slow, nourishing cooking and brings a touch of timeless French coziness to your table.
The French Autumn Companion: Your Guide to Hosting a Cozy, French-Inspired Dinner Party, Part TWO
Bring the warmth of a French autumn table into your home with timeless dishes that elevate any gathering. From silken gratin dauphinois to rustic ratatouille, caramel-rich tarte tatin, and the elegance of crème brûlée, this guide offers a sumptuous roadmap for hosting with grace.
The French Autumn Companion: Your Guide to Hosting a Cozy, French-Inspired Dinner Party, Part ONE
Celebrate the beauty of autumn with a French-inspired dinner party that blends culinary art with timeless charm. From pumpkin soup to Boeuf Bourguignon and Tarte Tatin, discover how to create a cozy, Parisian-style evening filled with seasonal flavors, candlelight, and graceful ambiance.
Autumn in Brittany: Beach Dogs, Endless Gardens, and the Truth About French Countryside Living
Discover the truth about autumn in Brittany, France — from dog-friendly beaches and nonstop garden projects to the real cost of living outside Paris. Shannon Pratuch shares an honest look at rural French life, seasonal beauty, and the realities of balancing two homes in France.
Hello Autumn in Paris: Your 5-Day Magical Journey - Day Five
Day Five of the Free Five-Day Paris Autumn Itinerary leads you through Montmartre its hillside charm, ivy-clad streets, art-filled corners, and feline-inhabited cemetery. From Moulin Rouge to Sacré-Cœur, experience a day where Paris’s creative soul and autumn light meet in timeless beauty.
Hello Autumn in Paris: Your 5-Day Magical Journey - Day Four
Day Four of the Free Five-Day Paris Autumn Itinerary invites you to explore the Latin Quarter, Ile Saint Louis, and the Louvre gardens. Sip chai at Café Kitsune, wander through golden leaves, and lose yourself in bookshops like Shakespeare & Co and Abbey Bookstore a perfect literary Parisian day.
Hello Autumn in Paris: Your 5-Day Magical Journey - Day Three
Venture beyond Paris on Day Three of the Free Five-Day Autumn Itinerary. In just 26 minutes by train, discover Château de Chantilly a fairytale escape of art, equestrian shows, forest walks, and antique treasures. Experience a day rich in French history, elegance, and seasonal beauty.
Hello Autumn in Paris: Your 5-Day Magical Journey - Day Two
Spend a golden autumn day exploring the soul of Paris. Begin with brunch near the Musée d’Orsay, wander through Van Gogh’s luminous works, and stroll Saint-Germain’s poetic streets. End at Jardin du Luxembourg, where the fading light and falling leaves turn Paris into a living watercolor.
Hello Autumn in Paris : Your 5-Day Magical Journey - Day One
Step into autumn’s golden light with a five-day Paris itinerary designed for literary dreamers and lovers of cozy beauty. Wander through the Marais, shop for vintage sweaters, sip coffee beneath falling leaves, and rediscover Parisian charm through every thoughtful stop and story.
Normandy Cider Route: French Heritage, Cuisine, And Travel
Normandy’s Cider Route invites travelers into a world of apple orchards, half-timbered villages, and artisanal cider-making. Stretching across Calvados, this rustic journey blends history, heritage, and cuisine. From cider tastings to traditional dishes, it’s a quintessential taste of France’s countryside charm.
The Paris Underbelly: Secrets of Animals in the City of Light
From elusive foxes in Père Lachaise to Julia the black swan of Parc Montsouris, Paris harbors a secret menagerie. Discover the city’s hidden wildlife, urban pests, and nature’s surprises that live alongside Parisians every day.
Fontainebleau Forest: Where French Royal History Meets Nature
The Fontainebleau Forest blends centuries of royal history with natural beauty. Once the hunting ground of kings and home to the Renaissance Palace of Fontainebleau, today it offers hiking, climbing, and cultural discovery. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it is where France’s past and nature converge timelessly.
French Forests and Folklore: Exploring Nature’s Timeless Stories
France’s forests are more than landscapes—they are living storybooks. From the Arthurian legends of Brocéliande to the royal echoes of Compiègne, each woodland holds history, myth, and natural beauty. Explore these timeless retreats for hiking, folklore, and a glimpse into France’s poetic soul.
Château De Courances: French History, Gardens, And Timeless Elegance
Château de Courances, just south of Paris, unites five centuries of history, Renaissance gardens, and timeless elegance. From tranquil waterways to restored architecture, its parklands and estate offer a serene retreat, blending cultural heritage with nature’s quiet grandeur for today’s travelers.
French Folklore Tales: Enchanted Forests, Legends, And Translation
French folklore weaves forests, wolves, and enchanted beings into timeless tales. From Perrault’s classics like Little Red Riding Hood to Brittany’s “Beast with Seven Heads,” these stories reveal France’s rich narrative tradition where wit, courage, and imagination light the path through the autumn woods.
French Pear Cuisine: Recipes, Varieties, And Culinary Elegance
Pears embody French gastronomic elegance, from Renaissance royal tables to today’s refined cuisine. Discover their storied past, explore varietals like Bartlett and Comice, and enjoy recipes such as pear and blue cheese salad or a golden pear tart an ode to France’s timeless love of this delicate fruit.
Mushrooms in French Cuisine: Recipes, Foraging, And Culinary Traditions
Mushrooms hold a cherished place in French cuisine, from rustic countryside foraging to refined classics like Coq au Vin. Explore their history, learn storage and preparation secrets, and savor the comfort of creamy mushroom risotto—an artful taste of France’s enduring love affair with nature’s bounty.
Chestnuts In France: Recipes, Tips, And Timeless Culinary Traditions
Discover the rich tradition of chestnuts in France, from Roman origins to modern harvests in Ardèche. Learn selection, roasting, and peeling tips, and enjoy a classic Coq au Vin with chestnuts. Celebrate seasonal French cuisine with this timeless culinary treasure.
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