TO BE(LIEVE) OR NOT TO BE(LIEVE)

One year ago, I've been told to read this book: The Biology of Belief, by Bruce Lipton. I did, and I now count it into my fav' books list. 

Bruce Lipton has a PhD in cell biology, he studied quantum physics and he's one the best in the field. You can learn everything about him HERE.

This book is based on investigations proving that our cells are more influenced by our beliefs than by our genes. 

Thanks to this book, we realize how our environment and our beliefs are extremely powerful, and how they determine our behaviors.

Some parts of the book are a bit "scientific" but believe me, it's worth it to cling to it because what you learn in this book is going to change the vision of your life in a wonderful way !

Bruce Lipton make it very accessible to everyone, explaining the results of his investigations with meaningful detailed diagrams, illustrations and examples.

He explains the power of our beliefs, all the little things we have recorded during years and that are stuck into our minds making us think they are "reality". 

But they are actually just OUR reality so we have to be mindful and open-minded to notice that some of them are confining us in certain categories and roles. They are creating limiting beliefs that prevent us of doing something or being someone we could totally be able to do or to be.

Our brain has a capacity to change everytime we are thinking about something, everytime we are learning something new, everytime we are practising something etc. it's called plasticity. 

Plasticity is the proof that everyone who wants to change, can do it. For good.

No need to blame on our parents, our teachers or any of our relatives for the beliefs they gave us or helped us to build. They gave us one of the thousands visions we can have and in a certain way, we agreeed with it. But if we want to change this vision we have to take it as a starting point to the change. A starting point to reprogram our beliefs and thoughts.

As Bruce constantly posts videos, quotes, news, you can follow him on Facebook and on Twitter.

Have a blast learning more about our cells' functionning !

PARIS MON AMOUR

I am speechless..
I don't know if the date of 11-13-15 means something like "friday 13th is always good/bad luck" and I don't care.
I'm still really shocked but I want to write something... Even if emotions and words to describe them are mixing in my head again and again.
The only thing I know is that we're definitely living in a crazy world, going in the wrong direction.

I was moved to see how many people support France on social networks.
The example of changing Facebook profile pictures sounds like a good one to me. I asked myself that question "am I changing it because it happened in my country and my beloved town Paris ?" - No, I'm doing it because we're all involved. All in the same boat. No matter the country, innocent citizens lose their life everyday. No human being is supposed to be killed. No one, nowhere.

Friday night, my motherland shivered, trembled. The streets and places I used to go to and hang out with friends became horrifying crime scenes.
Friday night, all the reasons why I'm in love with Paris, its freedom, its lifestyle, are the reasons why people died. We cannot accept it.
Yes, our turn is apparently officially up. I want to say "again". Charlie Hebdo's symbol ain't the problem anymore. Being French is the one and we all become potential victims.
Victims of absurd ideologies. So are millions of people in their own country. My French flag on Facebook means "we're living and sharing the horror that people live abroad, and in the name of my homeland I support people living these barbaric acts whenever and wherever they occur".

I wonder how and why we got here... But the thing is: we're living in a world of incomprehension and fear. And it has to stop.
I'm sad and deeply touched and moved. Everyday I wake up hoping for a better world, and even if it really hearts and makes me sad, I will not let this kind of events break my faith.
We are a nation, we are strong, and we will fight for peace on earth. May French people stand up, be proud and never give up. As all the nations fighting for peace on earth.

Today we pray for Paris

Everyday we do for Peace. 

PERFECT DRESSING ROOM

After a few days in Paris, I wanted to talk to you about this exhibition called "Le Dressing de rêve des Parisiens".

It takes place at the Hôtel de Ville in the very heart of Paris so we can hardly miss it, plus it's free entrance ! (It's better not to go there during weekend to see fewer people and get time).

This exhibition was born from the idea of Régis Pennel (founder of the concept store L'Exception) and Philippe Zorzetto (founder of the eponymous shoes brand) presents 50 young fashion brands and designers from Paris. They went all over Paris, from "Le Marais" to "Saint Germain des Prés" passing by South Pigalle to discover and carefully select those designers and their boutiques.

Copyright Eple & Melk

This small-scale representation of the fashion market offers different styles, identities and inspirations through ready-to-wear, jewellery, shoes and accessories.
It's a real decoding of parisian trends and a great opportunity to know a bit more about those people who work really hard to keep Paris in motion and enrich our inspirations and wardrobes.

Among the designers you can find:
- Melindagloss
- Andrea Crews
- Eple & Melk
- No Youth Control
- Misericordia
...

Copyright No Youth Control

Copyright Valentine Gauthier

Workshops are organized every saturday for those who'd like to create their own accessories.

8th of september - 31st of october 2015

Monday to Saturday

10am - 7pm

Subway station: Hotel de Ville

Free entrance

SUMMER READING

Stay Close, Harlan Coben

This book has spent one year on my shelf before I read it.

I kind of forgot I bought it. Then I moved from Paris to Spain and it travelled with me.

When summer comes I'm always looking for great novels that get me away.

I'm always looking for novels that absorb me, that make me say "yes, wait a minute, I really gotta finish reading this paragraph", because the plot is just amazing. Maybe that's because I really like literature (in all its shapes) but I love the feeling this kind of books provides.

I discovered Harlan Coben with one of his first novels Miracle Cure (1992) that captivated me. 

I didn't really know I liked thrillers until I read his books.

Then I read Play Dead (1991) which is deliciously frightening and decided to buy Stay Close (2012) to be sure to read a fascinating story [one more time].

I started reading, and couldn't stop.

I read it in two days. Harlan Coben's writing is still effective, accurate, and incredibly captivating.

He's got the talent to slowly put the reader under pressure and he subtly leads you on a way making you think you can find who's the bad guy or murderer [everytime I start reading his books I'm thinking: "this time, I'll catch the murderer before the outcome"] but don't get wrong, it's always a fail, he's too good ! 

- Sunglasses RALPH by Ralph Lauren - 

I let you read the synopsis, I have to go to the bookstore to find a new one ! 

"Megan is a suburban soccer mom who once upon a time walked on the wild side. Now she’s got two kids, a perfect husband, a house with a picket fence, and a growing sense of dissatisfaction. Ray used to be a talented documentary photographer, but at the age of forty he finds himself in a dead-end job posing as a paparazzo pandering to celebrity-obsessed rich kids. Broome is a detective who can’t let go of a cold case – the disappearance of a local husband and father seventeen years ago.

As the terrible consequences of long-ago events collide in the present, three people living lives they never wanted, hiding secrets that not even those closest to them would ever suspect, will come to realise that the past never truly fades away. And as each confronts the dark side of the American dream – the boredom of suburban life, the thrill of temptation, the desperation that can lurk behind even the prettiest facades – they will discover the hard truth that the line between one kind of life and another can be as whisper thin as a heartbeat".

PS: Master of suspens, Harlan Coben is New York Times best selling author. 

Discover his universe: here, and enjoy !

SOL DO BRASIL

"Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in" sang Aquarius in 1969

It was only because Miu Queiroz wasn't born yet.

From now on Jupiter can align with Mars, and we can definitely let the sunshine in, thanks to the artist Miu Queiroz, who I luckily met during my studies.

When I didn't know she was singing – she's not part of those who brag about it – Miu Queiroz was the little franco-brazilian sunshine : always a bright smile on her lips, perfectionist hardworker, with a contagious positive energy. A "modestimidity" that made her keep the secret of her mellifluous voice for a long time.

She first told me she enjoyed writing her own texts to perform them – she's been doing so since she is 9. And then one day, she agreed to give me her pieces, and I ended up listening to her music. From this day on, Miu was not the girl I was sharing my marketing projects, cookies and coffees anymore: she was a subtle cocktail of Melody Gardot's energy, Diana Krall's jazzy tones, Katie Melua's pop-folk notes and Norah Jones' gentleness. With a unique voice and an additional secret ingredient "Do Brasil"...

She is mixing styles and gets her inspiration in different universes and enhances her texts and her music through what she experiences in her daily life.

I will not tell you the whole "biography of the artist" part, first of all because it would be cliché of chronicles specialized in music and second of all because, like the greatest artists, talent runs in her family and she has been immersed in a musical environment since her childhood [and this kind of thing gets on your nerves – especially when you know a million songs by heart but suck at singing !!!]

To keep it short, Miu Queiroz is talented and she is falling within the scope of an original musical type combining soul and pop-folk to bossa-nova tunes of her country of origin. Her melodies send us an invitation to total leisure, transport us under the sun even if we are in the darkest depths of a subway station. Thanks to her acoustic versions, Miu and her guitar would be able to save every single person on the verge of a nervous breakdown or burn-out, giving them an intense and deep breath of fresh air and sweetness.

By the way, her soon-to-be album will be entitled "Deep breath".
To follow her closely and to go along with your summer afterworks and relaxing times with taste and serenity, here are her Soundcloud and her Facebook pages.