celebrating joyful living every day. and dachshunds.
Bonjour! I started Joie de Vivre - a French phrase meaning “joy in living” - in 2019 so I could write about some of my favorite things, from food and travel to ways to incorporate simple pleasures to make everyday living more joyful. Over the years, my priorities and focus have evolved to include caring… Continue reading What Is Joyful Living?
Bonjour! I'm sharing this a week later than intended, but I was making rather merry at home last week while on staycation with L'Husband and Le Chien. Better late than never, right? Le wink. Something about the end of the year makes me nostalgic, from that back-to-school feeling that starts in September (even though I’m… Continue reading 2021 Blog Year in Review
Bonjour! To celebrate many things - namely, being young and being alive - L’Husband and I recently spent the night in Chicago. In addition to the large, real concerns of the pandemic, political turmoil, and social strife (le sigh), it’s been a busy year for ma famille, from selling a home in Vermont to purchasing… Continue reading Christmas in Chicago
Bonjour! As the holidays approach, I get Very Excited about the coming season of gift-giving, decorating, and extra treats (edible and otherwise). And, as per usual, I am limiting les excursions out and about due to the persistence of the pandemic and my own (mild to moderate) reentry anxiety (vaccine booster notwithstanding). So entertaining à… Continue reading Easy Holiday Appetizer: Honey Goat Cheese and Fancy Crackers
Guten Tag! We're continuing the German takeover of Joie de Vivre to celebrate my love of all things deutsch, from Brotzeit to breakfast to Orangina. (And you can even find some German treats at Wal-Mart, le score!) Oktoberfest season is upon us, and what better way to usher in fall than with a German Oktoberfest-themed… Continue reading Oktoberfest Birthday for a Dachshund
Guten Tag! It’s time for another German takeover (the good kind… too soon?) here at Joie de Vivre. Thanks to a long-standing friendship with one of meine Lieblingsfreundin, Christiane, I love German food and culture, including a Brotzeit spread for dinner and making my own Orangina. And since I'm not travelling much (i.e., at all… Continue reading German Breakfast Box
Bonjour! As summer winds down and I settle in to my new home and work routine, I'm trying to take quiet moments for simple pleasures where I can find them. I love being outside in nature, especially by the water (how I miss Lake Champlain in Vermont!), so when my aunt invited L'Husband et moi… Continue reading Pancakes at Clinton Lake, Illinois
Bonjour! I love to travel in Europe and look forward to doing so one day … in the far and distant future (though I did fly recently, le yikes!). Travel opens the mind, changes the routine, and introduces new ideas and ways of doing things. And the food! In the meantime, I enjoy incorporating what… Continue reading International Food Finds at Walmart
Bonjour! A year of quarantine gave me lots of time to think about what I want in my life and how I want to spend my time. I learned, together with L’Husband, that our family’s life truly starts at home. We like to bake and cook, garden and take walks, watch movies and YouTube videos… Continue reading Discoveries While House Hunting
Guten Tag! Welcome to the official Dachshund Takeover of Joie de Vivre! Because my puppy parents abandoned me for Two Weeks to gallivant from Vermont to Illinois, I am taking over today’s post. I won’t be ignored. I am the center of attention. And why, you may ask, did my dog mom abandon me so… Continue reading Dachshund Staycation with Nana and Papa
Bonjour! After more than a year holed up at home, L’Husband and I venturing forth and driving from Vermont to Illinois. A recent post recapped some of the highlights of Day One of the drive from Vermont to Pennsylvania. Today's post continues the fun and covers Day Two of the drive from Pennsylvania to our destination of… Continue reading Road Trip, Day 2: Pennsylvania to Illinois
Bonjour! After more than a year at home, L'Husband and I are on the move. Our first trip since moving to Vermont in Fall 2019 turned out to be a road trip back to central Illinois. Sadly, Le Chien did not join us, and we drove out over two days with an overnight stop in… Continue reading Road Trip, Day 1: Vermont to Pennsylvania
Bonjour! I love to bake from scratch (sometimes), but I also like to take the semi-homemade route (most of the time). Today’s post shares a recipe for almond Danish using pre-made almond paste and puff pastry... because making paste and pastry from scratch is a lot of work (le sigh) and perfectly tasty ingredients already… Continue reading Recipe: Semi-Homemade Almond Danish
Bonjour! It’s starting to feel like spring in Vermont, and I’m eagerly anticipating warmer weather, more sunshine, and a visit to le lac (and my COVID-19 vaccine). Today's post shares some pictures from a campfire picnic on the shores of Lake Champlain in South Hero, Vermont, a fun way to get outside with family and… Continue reading Campfire Beach Picnic on South Hero, Vermont
Bonjour! It's been awhile since I baked, and I'm ready to get back in the kitchen and have some fun. As St. Patrick's Day approaches, I'm feeling inspired to try my hand at Irish soda bread. I tried this traditional in Ireland when I visited in 2017 (and met Winnie!). The bread should pair nicely… Continue reading Recipe: Irish Soda Quick Bread
Bonjour! As January trundles on, and we sit in the United States watching and waiting to see how representative democracy will respond to the president inciting an insurrection, I’m doing one thing I can to stay sane: Decorating. While I have put the Christmas decorations away, the tree remains. With its charming twinkle lights and… Continue reading A Cozy Vermont Winter
Bonjour! Happy New Year from Joie de Vivre! I can’t believe 2020 is over and we have a fresh start, a blank slate in front of us. I haven’t felt the turnover of the year this keenly since the 1999-2000 calendar flip, another unique moment in my lifetime. Only now, the stakes feel much higher:… Continue reading 2020 to 2021: Looking Back, Looking Ahead
Bonjour! This week, Mon Chéri and I are on vacation. Though we are not leaving Vermont and barely leaving the house, our staycation has been très quiet and relaxing. We're baking, taking Le Chien for extra walks, and waiting for Borgen to finally come on Netflix. On Vacation While Staying Home “There is nothing like… Continue reading Vermont Staycation Hike
Bonjour! On a recent Saturday, L'Husband and I pulled together an easy, simple petit déjeuner français. One of the most overwhelming things about the pandemic and quarantine for me is not knowing when and if life as we know if will ever go back to normal. Being stuck at home, feeling like I cannot go… Continue reading Breakfast in Paris
Bonjour! A weekend morning is the perfect time to relax over a lingering breakfast (and bake!). As part of my commitment to joyful living and simple pleasures, I am trying to incorporate moments of quietude and pleasure instead of just rushing to do work and chores when I wake up. Being ever eager to accomplish… Continue reading The Pleasure Principle (and Paris)
Bonjour! This post celebrates Joie de Vivre’s first anniversary. I started this blog one year ago this week, just shy of my 35th birthday. To celebrate, Joie de Vivre has a fresh look. I updated some style, design, and layout elements and created dedicated pages for food, travel, joyful living, and work. I'm also experimenting… Continue reading Happy First Anniversary, Joie de Vivre!
Welcome to another installment of How I Work! How I Work #9 introduces Christiane Scheller, 36, the Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Scherzinger Pumpen in Furtwangen, Germany. Chris writes, “I was responsible for all marketing activities including the organisation of trade shows and events, print media, online marketing, and corporate communication strategies.” She… Continue reading How I Work #9: Christiane in Germany
Welcome to another installment of How I Work! How I Work #8 introduces Ryan Green, 36, a Field Curriculum Consultant for Medtronic based in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a member of product launch core teams and leads global training and education. For fun, Ryan loves to run and read, and also tipple the odd gin… Continue reading How I Work #8: Ryan in Alabama
Bonjour! One thing I do to increase joy in my daily life is try to elevate everyday items and activities. I use fun napkins at mealtimes; I bring daffodils (a happy surprise at the new house) from the garden into the home; I light a candle on my desk and use a pretty teacup when… Continue reading Recipe: How to Make Orangina at Home
Welcome to another installment of How I Work! How I Work #7 introduces Ayanna Coleman, 32, who currently lives in Tokyo and runs her own business efficiency and marketing consultancy, Quill Shift. Ayanna writes, “I’m a business efficiency and marketing consultant. I work with new entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits who know their passion and… Continue reading How I Work #7: Ayanna in Tokyo
"Those French! They hate us, they smoke, they have a whole relationship with dairy products I don't understand." - Meg Ryan, French Kiss Bonjour! Though I am staying at home now per order of the Vermont governor in response to the pandemic, I am finding ways to stay positive and connected, help local businesses, have… Continue reading A French Dinner Party at Home
"He who would travel happily must travel light." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Bonjour! I love to travel and enjoy planning trips, organizing what I will need to take, and sharing what I've learned about the process (through beaucoup de trial and error) over the years. As 2019 draws to a close, I'm beginning to think… Continue reading Ultimate Travel Packing List
"Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets." - Oscar Wilde Bonjour! After a brief break from blogging while Ma Famille and I relocated from Illinois to Vermont, I am ready to get back to writing! I'm thinking about 2020 travel plans - which hopefully includes trips to London and Tokyo - and want to share… Continue reading Two International Travel Tips
"The journey is the thing." - Homer, The Odyssey Bonjour! Ma Famille and I recently traveled to Galena, a small town in northwest Illinois on the Mississippi River. L'Husband and I rented a historic miner’s cottage via Airbnb and took Le Chien with us. Today’s post shares our highs and lows of staying in an… Continue reading Airbnb Stay with a Dachshund
"All in all, Vermont is a jewel state, small but precious." - Pearl S. Buck Bonjour! My long weekend in Vermont to visit Mes Parents was just as relaxing and beautiful as I'd hoped. There is indeed something précieux about that small state tucked between the Adirondack Mountains, Lake Champlain, and the White River. I… Continue reading Long Weekend in Vermont
"When you figure out your suitcase, you figure out your life." - Diane von Furstenberg Bonjour! This weekend, I am visiting Mes Parents in Vermont. They recently retired from central Illinois to Middlebury and I haven’t seen their new cottage yet. The bad news is that L'Husband and Le Chien can’t join me on this… Continue reading How to Pack for a Long Weekend
Bonjour! Welcome to Joie de Vivre! I am excited to write my first post and share a little bit about myself with you. My name is Katie Chamberlain and I love to write, travel, cook, and organize. I am also an ardent linguist and Francophile. Despite my nerd-like tendencies (I have a law degree and… Continue reading Welcome to Joie de Vivre!
Joie de Vivre 