A Rose story

I have a deep passion for roses. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always loved roses. 

Shortly after being married, Luke and I purchased a farm in Marshfield, Massachusetts. The few acres surrounding the antique (1668) house, were a mangle of weeds, dead trees, uncared paddocks...a dream as I knew I would create my own little piece of paradise. It all started with a rose, the purest form and exquisite scent of the Isphahan rose.

 Roses are said to be the most ancient flowers in existence. They were used for their medicinal value, their beauty and fragrance. Confucius (500BC) kept records of the roses in the imperial Garden of the chinese Emperor, Cleopatra was said to have her bed covered in rose petals, medieval monasteries were full of roses, especially red climbing roses as they represented the blood of Christ. Napoleon was so fond of roses that he allowed english rose seeds to be sent to his beloved Josephine, while at war with England.

As for me, I could not imagine my life without roses. By my bed, always a rose is present to bring calmness. Before sleeping, I apply a drop of rose oil behind my ears. I bathe in damask rose scented water which I bring back from Morocco.

In my garden, I have been collecting over the years, the most exquisite scented roses. Ancient roses have unfortunately a very short display, their blooms and fragrance are intoxicating. I treasure the month of June when all my antique roses display their soft colors and release their extraordinary fragrance.

In my garden one would find Damask roses ( Isphahan, Madame Hardy,Red Damask)...Alba roses  (Alba maxima being my favorite, Amelia, Blanche de Belgique, Celeste, Crimson Blush, Parmentier, tender Blush)...Gallica roses (Adele Prevost, Aurelia, Poupre Violette, Camaieaux)...Moss rose ( Alfred de damas, Gloire d'Orient)...Centifolia roses  (Cabbage rose,  Fanfan Latour,Rubra)...Portland roses (Comte de Chambord, Jacques Cartier, Duchesse of Portland.

A Bientot,

A week end in France...Saint Jean de Luz

Through my blog, I try to show you lesser known parts of France and hopefully inspire you to visit and immerse yourself in the local culture, architecture and history.

I just returned from a long week end visiting my parents in France. I had booked ahead of time two nights in a wonderful hotel: Le Grand Hotel in Saint Jean de Luz where we celebrated my parents' birthdays.

Saint Jean de Luz is located near Biarritz in the Basque country where Spain meets France.
Here Louis XIV, known as the Sun King married Marie Theresa, the Infanta of Spain on June 13, 1660.

A fishing port, Saint Jean de Luz is famous for its architecture, sandy bay, its cuisine and the quality of light as well as its micro climate. On a less cultural note, the shopping is fabulous! The many boutiques cater to an all year around and summer clientele... fabulous fashion and home accessories.

 I love all the flowers adorning balconies

 Typical Basque architecture

Central Place in Saint Jean de Luz

House dating back to Louis XIV

Le Grand Hotel, entirely re-designed is truly a gem with outstanding service, beautiful decors, amazing cuisine, perfectly located on the water to watch the sunsets. Of course, I had to try out the spa, an experience not to be missed.

Running on the endless trails along the cliffs amidst nature was a real treat. The occasional german concrete "pillboxes" are reminder of the terrible years the residents endured during World War II. The town was an important waypoint in the escape routes French resistors used to help escaping Jews pass through the Pyrenees into Spain.

The Basque country side, in all its lushness and raw beauty is a delight to travel through. A must stop (if you are lucky enough to find it) is the famous Auberge Daguin. Travel and Leisure has other resources here.

Beautiful historical town of Saint Jean Pied de Porc

Fabulous traditional Basque food

Marvelous gem: Five star, Le Grand Hotel www.luzgrandhotel.fr

Hotel Restaurant: Exquisite fare

Not to be missed: the Spa with its Thalasso Therapy

Beautifully appointed bedrooms

My parents ready for an evening stroll

The Basque country is famous for its traditional weaving and pottery. I went crazy for all the linens, for bathrooms, table etc..

A bientot Saint Jean de Luz

Hope you enjoyed the tour!

The meaning of Travel

Mandalay at Dawn

I was once asked why do I love to travel. My answer was quite direct: I travel because I have to.

I travel, not so  much to be inspired, but to explore cultures and feel nature's overpowering scale. I feel at home in foreign environments, absorbing what does not exist in my daily life. The landscapes help me to dream and often my travels are driven from the pages I read.

My favorite subject while in school in France was geography, I would stare at my globe and dreamed of foreign lands while my friends would play with their Barbie dolls...and I read, I devoured Jules Verne stories, read the great russian classics, dreaming of white russian landscapes, discovered Italy through Stendhal, my mind travelled through Burma with Georges Orwell and... I discovered Marc Twain.

 From that day on, I knew I would end up in America.

 His  powerful sentence..."travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow mindedness" marked me for ever, and by these standards I brought up my children. Growing up in France, in catholic school, one does not develop very broad horizon and my friends' way of thinking, expectations of life, almost archaic cast system in Bourgeois society were stifling. My parents always encouraged me to be myself and were the support that enabled me to break away from the standard mold. When I wanted to fly, my father brought me to our small local airport, I was only 15 and he said...go for it, and I learned how to fly, alone in my plane I felt an amazing sense of being alive, free to take my life in any direction I wanted. And I did.

Through travel, I feel that I succeeded in at least one thing with my children, they are not afraid of life, of taking risks, they are amazingly generous young men, their friends come from all walks of life and they hold no judgements. As a working mother, I often talk to them and ask if they missed out on their childhood by having both parents away during the day. Their answers are always positive, and in listening to them, our travels have been an amazing part of who they are, a part they hold on to and relish.

Re-reading George Orwell while cruising the mighty Irrawaddy river, Luke and the boys for an early sunrise. We were profoundly touched by this country, land of gentle people caught in a brutal regime

In Borneo, my children learned how to cope with nature, understand the fragility of natural rainforest in the hands of men and greed, and came to love Orangutans. Climbing the ironwood trunk ladder to spend the night with a Dayak family. An impromptu visit after reading Paul Theroux. 

I love being surrounded by younger people, my advise to them...go out in the world, explore, start with your own neighborhood and open your eyes, you will be amazed how much you have missed.

It's wedding bells time!!!

It seems that it was yesterday that I said yes to this charming fun loving handsome young man that completely swept me off my feet...We were married on May 16th at his beautiful family  house in Brooline, Massachusetts..... a month later on June 16th, we said yes in God's  12th century church in my village of Clermont Dessous, France. I had met Luke by pure chance just a few months prior.

It has been an amazing journey ever since, with bumps and laugh's, tears and joy, adventures, simple pleasures of watching my children grow, constantly being put to the test, but never, dull, boring. I have never taken any day for granted and always thankful for this extraordinary gift of life.


This is the month of wedding bells and the time for the future brides and grooms to receive tokens of love from family and friends...Newlywish, crated and designed by the beautiful, smart, talented Amanda Allen is the perfect registry for traditional and creative, one of a kind gifts.
As Martha Stewart says... "I am always on the look out for new on line registry sites, and I'm thrilled about this one..."


We were very pleased to be asked by Amanda to be part of Newly Wish...I always have a soft spot for future brides...my first assistant planned her wedding seating next to my desk, I hosted our head designer Greg's wedding in our house,which took place on a perfect snowy evening. My dearest friend in the world Suzanne was married on the grounds of my house...a stunningly beautiful enchanting wedding. She looked like a dream and silly me, exhausted from the stress of preparation, would cry everytime I would look at her.


Presently, Estera our project manager is engaged to marry her long time fiance Will in a beautiful country farm....I'll try my very best with decoration and flower arrangements...


So it is really fit and appropriate that this hopeless romantic blogger should be part of a bridal registry
And this is no ordinary bridal registry, it so interesting and fun that you do not even need to be a bride. Anytime a gift is needed, just leave the site open on your husband's / boyfriend's / girlfriend's computer....   hint...

Enjoy...

ICFF... The International Contemporary Furniture Fair

Light by Aqua Creations

I have never missed the ICFF  in New York, a must for architects, designers or anyone for that matter who is passionate for contemporary design. I even showed my Interieurs Collection a few years in a row at the ICFF. This show is not about selling volume, mass market, knock offs, playing it safe. This show is about creative design, going out on a limb and showing the best you've got! I admire the young brave artists who dare to be different.
 On sunday, I discovered a fantastic lighting designer from Brooklyn and will set up a meeting to discuss working with her, I placed a fairly large order on ecologically safe non vent outdoor and indoor fireplaces and worked the Limited Edition booth, meeting potentially new clients. I carry Limited Edition rugs in my showroom, by far my favorite rugs on the markets with endless possibilities to design your own rug as well. Limited Editions won the Best Award for carpet and flooring at this year's exhibitions...Congratulations are in order!

I (or should I say Ania, Interieurs party planner extraordinaire...on her way to entertain more clients in Las Vegas)  gave a party for the winners of last year Best Design on our terrace, where they invited potential clients to view their favorite pieces in context.

I will illustrate a few of my favorite personal discoveries.

Limited Edition rugs, made in Belgium, available at my INTERIEURS Showroom 

Color and style collage of some of my favorite LE rugs

Fantastic cardboard cut outs from Japan

A pink fuss-ball with choice of girls or boys players...

Always thinking of my very young clients, Contra design house from Lithuania

Loved the artistic wallpaper and organic pillows by Eskayel of Brooklyn

Will be setting up a meeting with Evelyn, designer of these water inspired chandeliers

We work with this amazing group Amuneal, love the miniature models of their projects,stairways, pipe playground, table etc...

Great Bike hanger by Jason of 44 steel whose products are displayed at Interieurs

Who needs to build a house when you can purchase a free standing cabana by Puck and Blossom

As shown 12'x16' ZIP cabana

I am building a shed and would like to attach a kitchen coop. I fell head over heels for this Brooklyn made chicken co-op, created by raad studio

And of course, what would be a Contemporary show without Philippe Stark surrealistic creations.

Now back to work, four  client's installations by Memorial week-end...

A stroll through Paris...a personal journey

image: flicker

I was very honored when Christina of Greige Design suggested that I could be a guest blogger while she enjoys time away. Blogging has become a very personal journey as I am able to share ideas, design inspirations, travel stories via words and images, an electronic common place book of sorts. My blog Francine Gardner Art De Vivre is a synopsis of who I am, someone who just loves family, life, nature, far away cultures and brings all these experiences into my design work.
I left the South West of France at the age of 18 to study in United States (Boston), a country that has fascinated me to the point that I am now a US citizen. But I will always love PARIS. I believe if there is a "place one must see before you die",  please make it Paris.

Paris through the eye of Henri Cartier Bresson

You may, if you wish, follow me on my stroll through my favorite part of this extraordinary city.
Arrive early morning at the small Lenox Hotel on Rue de l'Universite in Saint Germain where I always stay, shower, clean clothes and off I start my free day before meetings, shows etc.. breakfast at Cafe Flore where wealthy locals and tourists meet to chat , see and be seen. Then a long magnificent walk along the Seine to my favorite museum, Musee du Quai Branly.

image:images.businessweek.com

 Cross the Seine and heads to the Musee de l'Orangerie  where all walls of two large rooms are covered with massive canvases of Monet Water Lillies. A profound beautiful experience not to be missed.

 Monet:WaterLillies

Keep walking through gardens and enjoy a well deserved lunch on the terrace of Cafe Marly, overlooking the Louvre.
Then on to some shopping, all Streets of Saint Germain are filled with art galleries and boutiques but I always end up at the Bon Marche, their food emporium is a treat to all senses, their hip women's fashion department irresistible, let's not  mention the shoes....there, you see french women at work...shopping.
Back to the Flore for a chevre chaud, dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, alone or with friends, then, my nightly walk, through Place de Furstenberg, magical at night, getting lost in the small streets of the quartier latin and crossing the bridge to Isle Saint Louis. Along the way, I spend hours browsing the shelves of the bookstores which stay open until midnight. The french love to read... I usually end up buying boxes of books that I ship back to New York.
My free day is over, off to sleep.

My dear friends Monique Duveau, food critic and style editor at Cote Sud, and artist Jose Esteves have  introduced me to their favorite restaurants, numerous memorable diners that still tease my taste buds.

Lily-Wang, designed by Jacques Garcia. Simply superb Asian fusion dishes.

40 Avenue Duquesne, Paris 7th # 01 53 86 09 09

Casa Olympe: Olympe is one of the most celebrated chefs in France, fresh breads, inseason truffles, cheeses from Corsica, crayfish...her dishes are an inspiration and a delight to the senses.

48 Rue Saint Georges, Paris 9eme. 01 42 85 26 01

image:hipparis.com

Le Severo Bistrot; the land of Holy meat, best quality, cooked to perfection and at prices easily digested..

Charming bistro, only eight tables, best meats and french fries in Paris.

8 Rue des Plantes Paris 14eme. 08 99 78 72 43

image;http://hungryinbangkok.blogspot.com

Bistrot Paul Bert: Exquisite comfort food, very parisian food and atmosphere, killer deserts, Paris-Brest is a must.

18 Rue Paul Bert,Paris 11eme 01 43 72 24 01

image:travel.nytimes.com

My favorite stores

Merci! Not to be missed, hip boutique, eclectic mix of fashion and design, great place to shop,be inspired, have an espresso or lunch

111 Blvd Beaumarchais Paris 3eme (near le Marais)

Caravane; the owner Francoise Dorget and I share the same passion for travel, home and design

6 Rue Pave, Paris 4eme, 19 nRue Saint Nicolas, Paris 12eme, 22 Rue Saint Nicolas

image: Caravane

Gallerie Yves Gastou: decorative arts of the 20th century

12 Rue Bonaparte, Paris 6eme.

Table by Robert Couturier

Miller et Bertaux: Home, fashion and scents

17 Rue Ferdinand Duval

Hope you enjoyed!

Paris, a bientot...