Lilie Green

How I Want it to Feel

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:21:00 +0000

I want my day to feel like a birthday party at Disneyland with no lines to wait in.
I want kissing to feel like hot mulled wine on a winter's night.
I want my next success to feel like getting an A+ from my most demanding professor.
I want my body to feel like a prima ballerina at the height of her career.
I want smiling to feel like the first day of spring.
I want my friendships to feel like cashmere sweaters and home-baked muffins and disco balls and whispered midnight confessions.
I want my nervous system to feel like a direct conduit to the universe.
I want my neighborhood to feel like what people dream of when they dream of Paris.
I want my integrity to feel like Yosemite.
I want my money-making to feel like a well-tended organic garden brimming over with succulent, nourishing veggies.
I want my word to feel like a sailor's knot.
I want my laughter to feel like popping a bottle of pink champagne.
I want the end of the day to feel like a cat basking in a patch of sunlight.
I want my philanthropy to feel like planting seeds in rich soil.
I want my challenges to feel like a beautiful, complex 1000-piece puzzle.
I want my love to feel like a murmuration of starlings.
I want my writing to feel like Jane Austen and J.K. Rowling got together for a game of laser tag.
I want my ideas to feel like giant unfurling peonies.

*Writing prompt from Danielle LaPorte's Burning Questions series.

January Photo-a-Day Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:42:00 +0000

We've come to the end of January and it's time to share the second half of the instagram photo challenge. It's official -- I am an instagram addict and I need an intervention.
Speaking of addictions, one of the photo prompts was "guilty pleasure" and I have to confess mine is probably dairy. I don't drink milk, but every other dairy product is my weakness. I am convinced all those "healthy living" advisors who encourage people to give up dairy just don't have access to the good stuff like we do in France. Cheese is an artform here. And if eating heaping spoonfuls of unpasteurized double cream with strawberries is wreaking havoc on my health, I'm too enraptured to notice.
Do you have any addictions or guilty pleasures?

a. Light: repurposed xmas lights
b. Lunch: post-Sunday-market haul of breads, cheeses, eggs, + bacon

c. Where You Sleep: new cloud-like white sheets from BHV
d. Morning: the view from the bedroom

e. Something You Bought: books!
f. Sweet: tarte au pomme + cinnamon ice cream

g. Something You Made: my Paris photograph, looking all fancy in it's new matte + frame
h. Guilty Pleasure: all things dairy, including cheese, fromage blanc, creme fraiche, + petit suisse

Grand Opening: Paris Photography

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:02:00 +0000

As hinted at last week, a little project has been in the works for a while, and as of today it's finally up and running! I've had a lot of encouragement from friends and readers about my photos over the years, and decided that this year I would start offering a small, limited number of prints for sale.
I've kept the same online location and name En Route from my former jewelry line -- it seems even more applicable to my photography, which is often done while I'm literally en route to different locales in the city.
If you'd like to visit the shoppe and have a look around, I'd love to hear any feedback you have -- I think my regular readers here are more familiar with my pictures than anyone else, so your opinions mean a lot to me.

Bon weekend everyone!

xoxo,
Lilie

January Photo-a-Day Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Somehow we are already two weeks into the new year and I'm just now composing my first post of 2012. I've been a busy bee trying to organize myself -- every year I try to use January as a launching pad to embark on new projects with a fresh perspective, so this means making lists and journaling and hashing out my goals for the months ahead.

One of the things I've done for the past three years is choose one word to describe what I want out of the year; something that will inform my choices and keep me focused. Last year's word was LOVE, and if I say so myself, that turned out rather well for me! I'm keeping it close to my heart for now, but I'll be sure to let you know next January how well this year's word worked out.

What I can tell you is I'll be undertaking two large projects, one of which is revising the heck out of my gangly first-draft novel. The second is something I shall be revealing shortly -- hopefully next week? I'm pretty excited about it, and super eager to share it with you.

But for this week I have a little something else I've been playing around with to show you: my first half of the instagram-based Photo-a-Day challenge. Since Santa (a.k.a. Benjamin) brought me an iphone for xmas, I've been snapping photos with it like it's going out of fashion. I think the very first app I downloaded was for instagram, and I've been hooked ever since.

I've been doing the daily prompts out of order and have skipped a few, but here is what I have so far:

a. Breakfast: fluffy yogurt + banana + maple syrup + cayenne

b. Something You Wore: my aqua polka-dot apron + sequined Moroccan slippers
c. Daily Routine: cooking dinner for two

d. Makes You Smile: neon pink

e. Something You're Reading: Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange

f. Close-up: my loyal coffee mug

g. Something You Adore: travel! (and travel photos) This is from our afternoon in Monte Carlo.

h. Favorite: the ocean (technically the Mediterranean is a sea, but close enough)

i. In Your Bag: Japanese coin purse, Ultra-man keychain (keeping my keys together since 1997!), Korres lip butter, fluorescent pink pen, handmade notebook, and iphone

Are any of you on instagram? And what are your goals for this new and shiny year, if any?

More soon!

xoxo

Lilie

Two Thousand and Heaven

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:24:00 +0000

2011: The year began in sunny southern California, and is now ending under the azure skies of Nice, France.
In between there was visiting, and then moving to Paris; trips to Ireland, Thailand, Switzerland, Florida, Germany, and as of this week, I can add Monaco to the list.
I moved in with my sweetheart, wrote my first ever full draft of a novel, and started learning French. A year of beginnings and adventure and love.
Can't wait to see what 2012 will bring...

Hope your New Year's is magical and full of promise!

xoxo,
Lilie

love list friday: 12.23.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:06:00 +0000

1. Clap your hands if you like winter!, 2. painting with light, 3. Neuschwanstein Castle, 4. 131/365

One last love list before off to grandmother's house we go for the holidays.

Making me merry in the last days of December:

Susannah's annual (free!) the-year-ahead workbook. Can't wait to sit down with this over vacation and plot out some dreams and goals for 2012.
wrapping up presents and using Japanese masking tape -- I realize I am about three years behind on this trend, but am now embracing it wholeheartedly!
the fact that it's completely expected and encouraged this time of year to indulge in decadences, like eating molleux au chocolat with heaping dollops of creme fraiche, and drinking coffee with a healthy glug of Baileys in it.
cozy evenings playing boardgames and beating Benjamin at Carcassonne.
a massive bowl of succulent clementines.
my mini suitcase packed with soft new sweaters from Kookai.
experimenting with nail polish combinations -- today: moon gray + pink shimmer; tomorrow: tomato red + bronze glitter.
the giddy anticipation brought on by packages under the tree with my name them! (will never be too old for this)

If you're celebrating this weekend, I hope your day is filled with love, laughter, and shiny new toys (just kidding, kind of)! And if not, a glorious day to you regardless!

City of (Christmas) Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:15:00 +0000

A sparkly little photo post for Inês, who commented that holiday lights are few in her part of Portugal this year due to the economy. (Is this happening elsewhere too? It's hard to get a proper perspective when living in the tourist capital of the world.)
Most of these were shot on the fly from the passenger window of our car -- it takes a stronger woman than I to brave the crowds around the major department stores this time of year. Benjamin can attest that I was verging on a panic attack the one night we squeezed our way into Galerie Lafayette to see the giant Christmas tree; I barely lasted five minutes before the relentless press of bodies had me gasping for air and dragging him towards the exit.

Left Bank

Place Vendôme

Galerie Lafayette

Karl Lagerfeld's display for Printemps

Hope you're all having a merry & bright season wherever you are. I love a bit of sparkle and glitter as much as (actually more than) the next girl, but without question the best part of the holiday is simply getting to spend it with my favorite person. Cliché but true.

xoxo,
Lilie

love list friday: 12.16.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:15:00 +0000

1. Untitled, 2. i love christmas!, 3. Little Suede Boots, 4. Holiday Sparkle, Paris Style

Gosh, it's been a while since the last Love List -- things have been particularly up&down the past few days, and we are in serious need for some sparkle-appreciation around here.
So without further ado, bringing cheer this week:

the world's best care package in the history of the postal service
related: star-shaped mocha brownies
the company holiday party, which was held at a swanky nightclub next to the Arc de Triumph and included champagne, a fruit-tarts-and-macarons-and-chocolate-fountain dessert buffet, and someone dressed up as a storm trooper (geek chic)
related: an excuse to wear my new be-sequined skirt
finally assembling our Christmas cards -- it was a 5-step process getting them ready, but they turned out pretty cute so it was worth the hassle and the dusting of glitter that's now coating everything in the apartment
plans to visit some Christmas markets this weekend for some mulled wine, gingerbread cookies, and more ornaments for the tree
I see snowflakes on the weather forecast for next week!!!

Merry weekend to all of you; stay cozy!

Paris in Autumn Gold

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Bonjour tout le monde!

I hope you all enjoyed Benjamin's posts in my NaNo-induced absence. November was intense, and the only reason I was able to write those 50,000 words was because I had the priceless support of my long-suffering boyfriend (dinner dishes whisked away, endless cups of coffee & tea, a patient ear for my various plot problems, a kind-but-stern reality check when I was falling too far behind) and my friend and fellow NaNo-rockstar Corey, who checked in with me via twitter every day and encouraged me with cheery notes, bribes, and prizes.

So my advice to anyone who wants to take on something challenging: have a backup team. I've done NaNo twice before on my own, and never made it past 15,000 words. I'm not kidding when I say I finished thanks to these two. And now I have a great heap of messy, tangled, coma-inducingly boring, sparkly, flat, intriguing, written words that I can now turn into something that might become a real story (after a lot, lot, LOT more work).

I am taking a short break from the writing so I can read it again with fresh eyes in a few weeks, and in the meantime I am happy to be back to our regularly-scheduled program of Paris-appreciation. We're now in the colder and wetter tail-end of autumn, with holiday lights and decorations beginning to pop up around town.

Benjamin brought home our tree last weekend and I've been slowly adding new baubles to it every day. It's our first Christmas together and neither of us had our own ornaments, so it's fun to start fresh and build up a new collection together. My tendency runs towards an understated snowy white & silver palette, while Ben wants to add cheery reds and gold. I tried to make a case for some pink accents, but the look of horror on his face convinced me it wasn't worth the effort.

In any case, it's wonderful to be free again to leave the house and explore and take photos and enjoy the advent of winter in the city. Will try to share more with you in the twinkling, frosty days to come...

Freeeeedoooom!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Yoshi) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:00:00 +0000

It is now midnight in Paris, the bell at the top of the Eiffel tower* has just rang for the last day of NaNoWriMo. Lilie has finally completed the 30 day long trial; what did I learn from this experience: writing is hard, really, really hard on the writer's companion.
First, everyday I have to pick up the writer from the bed and get her on her way to her MacBook.
Second, now I have to do all the chores and spoonfeed the writer cakes and mandarines.
Third, I have suddenly become celibate as writing is all-consuming and anything else is too distracting.

But all in all, all of this is pretty insignificant, my Lilie has finally proven that I was right all along (a feeling that I cherish the most) and successfully completed a first draft novel of 50,000 words in just 30 days! Even if I dread the thousand phases of editing and the gazillion plot adjustments ahead, I am proud of her and look forward to the final bound book.

You have to believe it to make it real.

Believe me!

-- Benjamin

PS: I am giving Lilie back her access to the blog, maybe I will see you again sometime.

*editor's note: Ben is messing with you; there is no bell.

Not a Marathon, but a Sprint!

noreply@blogger.com (Yoshi) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:55:00 +0000

I am very sorry for my lack of posting but sadly I had to absent myself because of a death in the family.

We are now 22 days in NaNoWriMo; while I was gone, Lilie kept going hard but without her cuddly support, it seems that she gradually lost her mojo. But I am back now and I fully intend to have my 50,000 word novel at the end of the month. So we are changing from marathon to sprint, with half the amount of words left with only a third of the time.

So how do you motivate a writer? what do you do when even french pastry is not enough? well, I have a few options:

make time, a lot of time, remove all other chores
not so subtle pressure and a reminder of the work to be done
massages and other niceties that only a boyfriend can provide

Still I realize now that deep inside, there is nothing I can do, it is frustating but I am not the one writing. The words can only come from Lilie and it must come at the pace of her inspiration. Nevertheless, we are not giving up and we are still on for the finish line.

Hopeful Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Yoshi) — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 01:04:00 +0000

Lilie has started NaNoWriMo for good and is already in advance of a few hundred words on her 1,600 word/day schedule. I have now witnessed the pain and suffering of the writer. Giving birth to a child is surely hard and painful but at least it only lasts a few days before a few hours of suffering. Giving birth to a novel seems to be quite terrible with a mental stress that can last weeks if not years, when each and every word is painstakingly extracted from the unwilling muse and beaten down on a white page.

But so far, so good, my Lilie is writing following her outline and inspiration seems to be somewhat flowing. I have discover some key motivational items to "help" her write her daily quota of 1,667 words:

The Daily Quota is the Golden Rule! it must be met, no excuse, no choice, no sleep...
Cheer for each small Victory! every word count, so congratulate yourself every time you write a few hundred words.
A Little Something goes a Long Way! treat yourself at the end of each day that you have met your quota (which is everyday of course): a piece of cake, your favorite TV show, whatever rock your boat. Better even, if you have a better half have him/her treat you.
Death to the Unbelievers! whatever happen you have to believe it is possible, your text might not be Shakespeare but you will have a month to refine it, so keep going because there is no editing wihtout a first draft.
Breaks are Good, Resting is Not! you can take break every few paragraph for sure, stretch your legs, but do not relax too much: no sleeping on the job, and no Twittering either!
Keep Watch, Stay Focused! do not let your guard down and do not hesitate to scold yourself if you go astray, and if you don't have the self-discipline find somebody to do it for you.

Voila! my day job is managerial as I am sure is pretty apparent, but it is working for us so far, I hope it willl be helpful to you too.

-- Benjamin

Temporarily Indisposed

noreply@blogger.com (Yoshi) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:58:00 +0000

For reasons that you can easily guess from the NaNoWriMo logo on the right, Lilie will not be blogging this month. She is in full writing/panic mode, which feels like a part-time job for me, Benjamin, her French boyfriend.

So, as the supporting companion that I am, I will write post on her blog in order to inform you, her fond reader, about ebb and flow of her writing inspiration. As she is pointing out right now, my english is a bit off but I have no claim of being a writer so I do not care that much (and I secretly hope that it will come off as charming).

I have all my gear ready:

The fridge is stocked with french soft cheese and fluffy yogurt.
The coffee jar has been filled to last until next year's the end of the world.
The emergency swiss chocolate and fresh pastry are close at hand.

Like an adventurer going into a mysterious jungle of a lost continent, I am to step in the wild world of Lilie's month of writing. I have no doubt I will not get out of it unscarred but I am persuaded the treasure will be worth the risk.

You will hear from me in a few days ... I hope ...

-- Benjamin

love list friday: 10.28.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:01:00 +0000

1. LOVE, 2. Untitled, 3. Untitled, 4. telling you a lie

Glittering nuggets of goodness from this week:

discovering that the Louvre has a WHOLE SHOP just for semi-precious stones. Massive chunks of jagged amethyst, golden pyrite, crystal icicles, and every stone in every color you could dream of.
hitting up the craft store for some glittery supplies -- Benjamin & I have some ambitious plans for our xmas cards this year(!)
an email from a faraway friend that picked me up just when i needed it -- kind people are the best, no?
making genuine headway in my story plotting -- no actual writing is allowed before NaNo commences on the 1st, but outlining is definitely okay, so I've been sitting with my characters and trying to find out who they are and where they're going.
weekend plans involving driving out to the countryside and riding horses!!!

Bon weekend à tous! xoxo

friday love list: 10.21.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:02:00 +0000

1. source unknown 2. tokyo-ga 3. celestial cat 4. source unknown

After a somewhat rough week in which I went to bed each night in tears (a combination of personal trials and an especially heart-rending week for news), am definitely in need of things to appreciate. I've mustered up a small list, but if you have any goodness to share -- little things that brought happiness or hopefulness to your week, please, please tell me.

This week I've been thanking my stars for:

the not one but two gorgeous English bookshops I recently discovered on rue de Rivoli. I was beside myself with joy to find a copy of Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke and Bone at Galignani, and then delighted when I could request Stephanie Perkins' Lola and the Boy Next Door at WHSmith and have it arrive in record time.
Benjamin's sudden whim to start making my coffee for me in the morning, despite my notoriously exacting standards as to what makes a perfect cup. What is it about food that others prepare for you? It just tastes better somehow.
Larry Brooks' writing tips for NanNoWriMo. Prodded by Ben, I've foolishly signed up for November's National Novel Writing Month (see link in sidebar) and if trying to write a 50,000 word novel in one month is like trying to climb Mt. Everest, Larry is like the sherpa who can show you a navigable route up the mountain. (Whether you make it to the top though, is purely up to your own stamina/commitment/stubbornness.)
the fact that the weekend is here, and i get to spend it with my favorite person in my favorite city. Will we go for a drive and see a castle? attend a chocolate exposition? wander a museum? stay home with movies and hot cocoa? so many options, all appealing.

Hope your week was more joyful than not; here's to next week and expectations it'll be a bit better than this one!

plat du jour: 10.19.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:05:00 +0000

une baguette avec beurre, tomate, manche et un coeur fromage

love list friday: 10.14.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 08:19:00 +0000

1. Untitled, 2. today I love..., 3. Naturally, 4. winter wonderland

Filling me up with happiness this week:

the arrival of autumn in Paris -- crisp blue skies, honey-gold light, rust-colored leaves underfoot, an excuse to borrow the boyfriend's thick scarf to ward off the brisk wind, ducking into a cafe for a warming cup of chocolat chaud...so much to love about this season.
leek and ginger fried rice -- have made it at least three times in the last couple weeks and it's quickly becoming my go-to dish when i want something yummy, filling, easy, and have barely anything left in the fridge.
petits pots de creme au caramel -- spoonfuls of the most intense deliciousness. i get mine from the store, but you could try making it at home with this recipe.
an unexpected but very welcome urge to return to drawing. i honestly haven't hand-drawn anything in nearly a decade, but this past weekend when i was feeling stressed and under pressure, i asked myself what would make me happy, and the answer was to sit down and draw. i ended up spending the entire day lost in sketching and inking in intricate, delicate patterns, and haven't stopped since (with breaks only to go to school and shower and such).
anticipation for the Photo Meditations e-course. lately my poor Canon has been gathering dust on the shelf, and i think Susannah's class will be the perfect motivator to get clicking again.

What's been making you smile this week?

love list friday: 10.07.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 07:27:00 +0000

1. Giant Dwarf // Tiny Starlette Sparkler, 2. twirling chucks, 3. making daisies, 4. trio of pinecones

This week, I'm all a-flutter for:

The Great British Bake Off -- my new favorite program. Yes, it's another competitive cooking show, but you guys it's all tiered cakes and pastel macarons and cookies and juicy tarts! And SUCH a refreshing lack of staged drama between contestants or any catty comments from the judges. Love it.
speaking of baking, how yummy do Sara's apple cider cookies look? I just might attempt these this weekend.
Aesop shampoo -- my hair feels like it is being washed with fresh morning dew from a field of wildflowers surrounded by snowy mountains and home to frolicking unicorns, i.e., really, really clean.
subway walls lined with ads for Un Monstre à Paris -- looks utterly dreamy and stars (the voice of) Gad Elmaleh, who I adore.
making a new friend! who has the same name as me! (my Japanese name, which is not super common; actually she's the first person I've ever met who has it.)
the fact that Ben will be coming home soon! Am hoping there's a matryoshka in his luggage for me, since he's been gallivanting off in Russia all week (not really, actually he's been working quite hard).

Hope you all enjoy your weekend! The weather here has turned chilly and leaves are falling, so I'll be indulging in my favorite autumn activities: baking, books, and hot baths...

giveaway winner! + friday love list: 09.30.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:15:00 +0000

1. Biscotti, 2. Owl, 3. eiffel 1, 4. -

Making me twirl in giddy circles this week:

receiving REAL mail -- the kind that's handwritten on paper with ink and is delivered to your physical mailbox
French class -- now in our 3rd week together, am getting to know my multi-cultural classmates better. It's seriously neat -- other than at an airport, how often do you get to hang out w/people from China, Kazakhstan, Columbia, Italy, Vietnam, Germany, Georgia (the country, not the state), and Venezuela? it's like the UN, except instead of discussing the debt crisis, we talk about Louis XIV's bowel movements (yes, really).
the return of summer at the end of September -- actually summer barely ever came to Paris this year, so it's more like: better late than never. golden light + balmy breezes = happy lilie.
celebrating Benjamin's birthday tomorrow! also, how cool is this ring i got him? and fyi Kinekt has the best customer service EVER. so nice.
putting together a big bouquet of autumnal flowers in vivid oranges + yellows. flowers make everything better.
lastly, everyone's comments on the giveaway post -- you guys are really, really, REALLY awesome. really. thank you.

And now, without further ado, the winner of the 10th Anniversary giveaway is...

the lovely Wende of Mireo Designs! Congratulations!

Thank you to all who entered, and bon weekend tout le monde!

plat du jour: 29.09.11

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:13:00 +0000

The giveaway winner will be announced tomorrow! If you haven't already entered, you still have a few hours left to do so -- the comments will close Friday morning, 9AM GMT. Bonne chance!

A Paris Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:35:00 +0000

I was ooh-ing and ah-ing over Georgianna's dreamy Paris photos this morning (they make me swoon with longing for the city -- and I live here), and it made me realize I have become a wee bit lax with my own photography since I've moved here.

When I came last winter for a one-week stay, I was like: MUST TAKE ALL THE PHOTOS, but now that I have unlimited access to the city, it's become more like: eh, LENSES TOO HEAVY, LEAVE AT HOME. Benjamin jokes that I should get a tattooed reminder on my arm to always bring my camera with me.
And he's right, because I have yet to venture out and not encounter something that takes my breath away.

Paris is a photographer's paradise. In a way it is almost overwhelming -- the multi-colored wicker cafe chairs, the elegant Haussman-building skyline, the art nouveau Metro entrances, the narrow cobblestone alleyways, the sparkling window displays -- how could I ever capture it all?

I can't, of course. And others have already done so, better than I could.
But...

...if nothing else, my perspective is unique. A different angle, a different light, a different aperture -- and even the most frequently photographed object can be interpreted anew, no?

Get Thee to a Bookstore: Autumn Releases 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:31:00 +0000

There's something about books and autumn -- they go well together, like pumpkin pie and whipped cream, or new leather boots and sidewalks strewn with fallen leaves... So it's no wonder really, that September is practically bursting with sumptuous new books coming out.

Here are my top four most-excited-about new/coming-soon releases:

THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern: I picked this one up at Shakespeare and Co. a week ago, and just started reading it during my commute to language school this week. It's already made me miss my metro stop once. It is... spellbinding. Dazzling. Achingly beautiful. I catch myself closing my eyes after each chapter so I can sit and savor the delectable descriptions I've just read. Can't bear to put it down, but want to prolong the reading experience as much as possible.

THE NAME OF THE STAR by Maureen Johnson: American girl at a London boarding school, a rash of Jack the Ripper-mimicking murders, ghost police(??) -- even if this wasn't by one of my all-time favorite authors, my interest would be piqued.

DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor: I've read everything she's written so far, and can attest that Laini is a master weaver of words, a teller of magical tales, a seasoned guide to realms of the imagination hitherto never ventured before. Delicious morsels of temptation from her newest book: a main character with naturally blue hair, necklaces strung with teeth, studying art in Prague, chimera, burned black handprints on doors, star-crossed lovers... oh, the anticipation!

LOLA AND THE BOY NEXT DOOR by Stephanie Perkins: Regulars here will remember how I rhapsodized over Steph's debut, ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, so it should be no surprise that I'm bouncing-on-the-edge-of-my-seat giddy that her next novel is (finally) coming out at the end of this month. I absolutely cannot wait to meet Lola, fledgling costume designer and owner of multiple wigs, and Cricket(!), inventor, engineer, and one half of a set of twins. Steph has a way of creating characters who are refreshingly new yet utterly relate-able to; they'll charm your socks off and make you care about what happens to them. And after the magical way she brought Paris to life in the first book, I can only imagine the San Francisco of LOLA is going to be an awesome place to visit. Honestly, just treat yourself to this book -- I promise you will be SO HAPPY that you did.

Happy reading everyone!

p.s. if you haven't already, come share your favorite book with us in the comments for the 10th anniversary giveaway post, and you could win some Parisian goodies!

10th Anniversary-Stravaganza + First-Ever Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:05:00 +0000

So the 10-year anniversary of ye olde blog came and went unheralded last March (I was too busy moving to Paris to notice), but in the spirit of better late than never, I thought I'd host a wee celebration now. As much as I'd like to have you all over for tea and eclairs, plane tickets are expensive this time of year (when are they not?), so instead we're having:

The Prize: a bead necklace from my color story collection + a Parisian postcard + delectable French bonbons + any other sparkly notions i can fit in the envelope.

To Enter: leave a comment telling me what your favorite book is, and if you're so inclined, what you love about it.

Details: open internationally. A random drawing will be held and the winner announced and notified at the end of September.

This isn't really a promotional sort of giveaway, so if you'd like to tweet/facebook/blog/skywrite about it, that's lovely and appreciated but not required. Mostly I'm hoping that you'll stop by and say hello -- I'd love to hear from old friends and get to know new ones even better.

Now, to properly commemorate Lilie Green's 10th anniversary, it is only fitting I do a top 10 list. So, after pouring through the archives, I present to you:

10. the sad tale of how i tried to file my taxes in japan
9. the hardest $100 i ever earned
8. a day in the life of an English teacher
7. waxing poetic about the soundtrack of life
6. my 7th anniversary post (still applicable)
5. super-saturated photo-logue of tokyo
4. epic NYC post is epic
3. tooth-achingly frou frou, PINK, and alarmingly preoccupied with cake
2. firsts
1. and from all the way back in 2001, my stint as a kindergarten teacher in the japanese countryside

*a special mention for the sense and swoon-ability post, which is by far the most popular, and continues to receive a bajillion hits every month (that Jane Austen, hogging all my traffic)

Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you'll continue to support my photo/travel/design/personal/can't-make-up-its-mind blog for several more years to come :)

august 31

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:29:00 +0000

Then and now.
Left: Huntington Beach Pier, California, August 2010
Right: Latin Quartier, Paris, August 2011

Makes you wonder, where will I be a year from now?

And thus ends another August Break. Thanks to those who've dropped by and left lovely comments this summer. Familiar faces and new friends -- hope to see more of you this fall!

bisous,
lilie

august 26

noreply@blogger.com (Lilie) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 09:36:00 +0000

outside the Jardin des Plantes

lunch and sweet mint tea with a dear friend at the Mosquee de Paris

stopping for refreshment at Merci's Used Book Cafe

ending the day with a salted butter carmel ice cream & chantille crepe (as one should)