A Chic Paris Lockdown – Part 2: Day 3 – Music

 November 5, 2020

Day 3 in Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days At Home is called “Scent the air with music.” Fiona writes that she enjoys playing beautiful music at home. She finds it calming and relaxing.

I must admit that this idea was a bit of a stretch for me. I like silence in the house.  I don’t have a TV in my house in the US and I put the TV that came with this Paris apartment behind the couch under a blanket. On the other hand, I do like soft music in the car when I’m driving. I also enjoy listening to certain podcasts (but only if the speaker has a soft, friendly voice!) sometimes when I go for a walk. Note: I don’t listen to podcasts as I walk here in Paris. Paris is a big city and deserves one’s attention both for its beauty and for one’s own safety. It’s much safer to keep the habit of staying “tuned in” to one’s surroundings as much as possible.

Well, I have had positive experiences trying Fiona’s recommendations in the past. I decided to put a little background music on (very softly) and see how it felt.  I googled Hilary Stagg on YouTube and had his music playing yesterday afternoon. I definitely liked the quiet, spa-type music. Now I have  Jim Brickman playing which is a soft piano-instrumental mix. 

It’s a beautiful and cold day here in the City of Light! All around the neighborhood (“quartier”), people have put cyclamen plants in their window boxes for the winter. I have always enjoyed how cyclamen’s bright, cheery colors decorate the grey Paris stone buildings.  Last week, I bought some of my own and planted them in my kitchen window box.  I have my kitchen windows cracked to let some of the “breakfast” cooking smells out. My new cyclamen in the window box can hear the music playing – maybe they will respond to it? I am new at looking after cyclamen – does anyone have any advice on how to take care of them?

I just returned from my legally allowed one-hour “exercise” walk at the lovely, petit Passy Cemetary. (I have George Winston of Wyndham Hill playing quietly.)  Last Sunday was Nov 1, “All Saint’s Day” (“Toussaints”). Here in France, All Saint’s Day is a day families get together and go visit family plots at the cemetery, bring or plant flowers and do a little upkeep. As you might imagine, the cemetery was beautiful and vibrant with fall flowers. 

I think I like Fiona’s recommendation to have music playing! It feels elegant to have my favorites playing  (and some new music courtesy of Fiona’s list.)  I’m glad I gave Day 3’s recommendation a try.  I may have a new habit to enjoy for this second lockdown.