photos...

I was sixteen when I fell in love with Paris
...with the purchase of a souvenir silk scarf
...with the smell, taste of freshly baked baguettes, croissants and coffee
...with learning, spending days in a place other than home
...with communicating in a different language
...with the taste of homemade fruit preserves, courtesy of our host family
...with the romance of being in a new city.
Since the time of my first plane ride from Taiwan to America, 
This journey to France was my first flight as a teenager 
[solo, without my parents]
and as a member of our high school orchestra, the thrill of traveling overseas
for the unforgettably marvelous experience of performing in a cathedral.
this! was the beginning of falling for more...
No longer in love with the violin, I gave that up before going off to college;
and I was simply happy to hang a single poster of The Eiffel Tower in my dorm room.
...live music, sites & museums,  art in its various forms,
As I look back on this deep-seated memory,
I have no doubt that what took root in my youthful mind, heart and soul was
the desire to study art, to be with it, to live a creative life,
and [back then, unknowingly] to make art as my career
with gratitude, I cherish each day that I get to do what I do
and at 57 years old, I am still in love ...and, then some.
[dedicated to my Loves: Ken, our children, family & friends, creatives and #artLOVERs everywhere]
MERCI BEAUCOUP, my heart is full

July 23, 2010: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France [photo captured by Grace]

July 26, 2025: Paris, France [photo captured by Grace]

I was previously and am presently enamored by photographs captured by others
so I am sharing here, a selection from our recent trip to France [July 25 - August 2, 2025]​
captured on my iPhone and Canon camera; and as otherwise noted, ​
photography by my sweet family or by one of our tour guides
[destinations: Paris, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence & regional tours, Marseille, and La Seyne-sur-Mer]