AUREA Turns 1 Year Old!

Though I started using this url in 2006, when attending a theater festival, it wasn't until January 11, 2008, that I created AUREA. For the past year, I have been thrilled by the comments and emails I have been receiving from Internet surfers and have become friends with extraordinary fellow bloggers.
To celebrate AUREA's birthday, I thought I'd re-publish some of my very first posts. In the days to come, I will also re-publish those of my posts that attracted most comments...

January 13, 2008: First Flower PostWhen asked how she would apportion the household money, Nancy Mitford replied that she would spend it all on flowers, saving a mere pound for "everything else". Without taking it to such extremes, I have decided that from now on, I would always have flowers around my Paris apartment. These are white hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis); their scent is exquisite.

Jan. 14, 08: First Fashion PostI love my 'petit bonnet' (little wool hat)... It's actually cashmere, and I purchased it at the super cool Ateliers de la Maille, rue des Francs-Bourgeois in the Marais, where they sell nothing but very cool, sleek knits. And now they're having a big sale, too.

Jan. 15, 08: First Yummy Post

They're beautiful and so tasty... Today I'm making the Japanese dessert Anko (very easy).
Anko lovers can also head for Yamazaki (chaussée de la Muette, in the 16th arrondissement), a Japanese & French pastry shop in Paris.

Jan. 16, 08: First Bookworm PostAs my living room turns more into a book-clogged library every day, I wonder whether I should leave the volumes' dust covers on. There's something about the naked spines of hardcovers that I find elegant and timeless. Where do you stand on this issue?
Read the rest of the post here...

Jan 17, 08: Introducing Benjy
A savvy Parisian with a taste for cheese and cashmere, an accomplished soccer player and a philosopher too (7 pounds of wisdom in the shape of a dachshund), Benjy will occasionally share his musings with us.
You can leave questions for him c/o his amanuensis (Mary-Laure) and, his schedule permitting, he will answer via this blog. His many areas of expertise include etiquette (how's a dog to behave on the train, the subway, the restaurant...), fashion (what to wear in Paris in the winter), relationships (just go ahead and sniff everyone is his motto) and especially pretty girls (he can't get enough of Mary-Laure's lovely girlfriends!), as well as animals' rights (fur-wearers beware).

A billion Thanx to all of you, and especially to Joanna, Marie, Jo and Pia, who were the first one to leave me comments and support my blogging efforts.
And happy birthdays to my friends Ana (yesterday) and Mariame (today)!