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! We're officially in the throes of the holiday season, which has me hankering to decorate, bake, make chili, and wrap gifts. The holidays are a festive time but also a portent of the gray, cold winter to come (at least in the Midwest of the United States), which has me planning ahead to make… Continue reading A Cozy Hygge Night
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! 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
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! 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
"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
"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
Joie de Vivre 