Bonjour mes amis,
Hello friends,

After watching friends come and go and realizing Paris is truly a transient city, I've finally had my turn at breaking hearts. I said au revoir to the life I've known for the past five years, packed my bags and am now living in "province." Province is any place in France outside of Paris. More specifically, I’ve moved to the south of France which is quite idyllic by my definition. The climate is warm and the mountains and sea are at arms’ length. This relocation has been much less traumatic than my initial move abroad with all the French I've got in my pocket now.

Life is good but I'm back in the states for a short spell. The ante for my very affordable plane ticket is missing out on my first festivals in the neighborhood. The Nice Carnival, a PG-rated take on Mardi Gras with parades of floats and costumes,
http://www.nicecarnaval.com/carnaval/galerie-photo-corso-carnavalesque.php

and the Menton Citrus Festival where street-sized scenes are constructed from oranges and lemons,
http://www.tourisme-menton.fr/
both take place in the February/March window of cheap airfare.

I've found a little dose of France right here in my hometown though. Have a peek...
Surrealism in Houston's Menil Collection

Those that find museums overwhelming will appreciate the diversity and accessibility of Houston's Menil Collection, an unlikely hodgepodge of Surrealist art and its more primal influences.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art170871.asp

As always
Well wishes,
Melissa Demiguel, French Culture Editor
http://frenchculture.bellaonline.com