castlebuilder
January 8, 2024
Musing & Prevailing
Chocolate. Finishing a meal with a piece of chocolate makes all the difference, don’t you think? And chocolate cures many …
January 4, 2023
Smiles Redux
The upside of travel is prodigious, and the surprises can put a smile on one’s face for days and weeks.
January 6, 2022
Ac cent tchu ate
A few days before Christmas I was sitting in a funky hair salon I fancy on the Via dei Coronari …
Listen: Mireille on Practically Healthy by Dr. Melina
Mireille shares her uniquely French approach to life and how the myriad decisions we make each day about food, friendship, …
January 13, 2021
Bonjour, Bonne Année!
We like to “count our blessing instead of sheep” this time of year, and we all are blessed in some …
January 9, 2020
S’Wonderful
Musing at this time of year, I am most reminded of how change is inevitable and life is such an …
July 17, 2019
Dining at the World’s Best Restaurant: Don’t?
Edward and I traveled to Modena, Italy, to experience dining at Osteria Francescana, the world’s so-called best restaurant.
April 16, 2019
On Notre-Dame
Remarkably, just last week I was inside the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Our visit will now serve as a momento mori.
January 11, 2019
Mireille’s Meals of the Year
Luckily in the past year I have lived in or traveled to places I love. And I had to eat! …
January 4, 2019
Vagabond Wishes 2019
We’ve been playing at being vagabonds, turning some of our minor setbacks into opportunities.
Fresh and Simple: Recipes for the Summer
Making the most of the freshest produce.
What it Means to Move Like a French Woman
Even in Exercise, Start with Pleasure
Everyday Eating, French Women Style
Healthy eating habits for all seasons
Mireille’s Secret Recipe: Magical Leek Soup
A tried-and-tested method to regain your equilibrium.
Fall Back into the Swing of Things
The importance of embracing autumn.
En Hiver: Winter Pleasures
Embracing the Dormant Season
Il Faut des Rites: The French Art and Ritual of the Meal
Creating Rituals Creates a Vital Life
Find Your Autumn Movement
Beauty and Fitness Ideas for Fall
En été: Movement in the Summer
Summer is the month of equilibrium and recalibrating—the longest days are the most enlivening.
The Natural Beauty of Strawberries
Deliciously Sweet, Healthy and Easy to Prepare
Two French Health Secrets? Water and Walking.
Mireille's Tips for Drinking, Eating and Exercising Like a French Woman
Mutabilité: Spring’s Fleeting Beauty
Sensory pleasures are all around us.
Au Printemps: Spring Pleasures
Rediscover the Season Known as "The First Time"
For the Love of Eating
French passions that go hand in hand.
November 11, 2014
Best NY Meal YTD: Le Cirque
Those who know me by now know that I only write about places I like.
Happy In Love, Une Amoureuse Rigolotte
Nourishment Comes in Many, Many Forms
Cooking With the Healthy Colors of Autumn
A beautiful palette to please your palate.
Valentine’s Day à la Française
Easy and Romantic French Menu Ideas
Mindful Eating with All Five Senses
How French women keep menus interesting.
Adding Romance to Your Meals
Add a sense of ritual to preparing your meals and setting your table.
Putting Leeks in Your Life
A couple ways of preparing the most versatile and delicious vegetable.
Toujours Chocolat: A French Pleasure
There are so many different varieties and quality levels to chose from: where is a woman to start?
Champagne 101: From Buying the Bottle to Serving Your Guests
There's an art to serving champagne—and you can master it.
Wine Tasting for Beginners
Tips on developing your palate and buying the right bottle.
Serving Champagne the French Way
Learn the art of serving champagne.
The Magic of Yogurt
Incorporating the French staple in your diet.
Fresh Takes on Timeless Clothing
It doesn't take much!
Understanding Champagne Vintages
Mireille explains how to tell the difference between champagnes.
Champagne Secrets: The Pour
How to pour champagne like a pro.
Chilling Your Champagne
The art of the chill.
What Makes a Good Champagne Flute?
Mireille tells all.
A French Woman’s Greatest Accessory: Le Foulard
How French Women Tie the Perfect Scarf
The Secrets of the French Women Lifestyle
A few handy tricks from the French Women Don't Get Fat lifestyle to keep
Pssst… Check Your Posture!
French women don't slouch.
French Women Get Their Sleep
The amount we sleep is directly related to our health and weight.
Breathing is an Art
A Bout de Souffle? Some tips if you're feeling breathless.
À Pied: Walk This Way
How to Move Like a French Woman
Putting Movement in the Margins
Small Daily Changes Add Up
Water, All Day and Every Day
French Women Hydrate to Stay Healthy
March 27, 2009
Paris Pleasures: Mireille’s Favorites
25 Ways to Explore The City of Lights Like a Local
Jewelry: Less is More
French Women Keep it Simple and Special
5 Top Beauty Secrets of French Women
Mireille divulges her some sworn-by routines.
Readers Try The Magical Leek Soup… To Great Results!
Firsthand accounts from those who dared.
Détox du Jour: Grapes
A Fruitful French Cleanse, Good for Any Season
Choosing A Fragrance
Scent-ual style tips for picking the right perfume.
The Provence Paradox in Action
Eating à la Mireille, Avec Mireille
Love for the Lemon
Head-To-Toe Beauty and Health Secrets of a Citrus Powerhouse
Mother’s Day in Paris, Or Italy
Whisk Your Mom Abroad, Via Her Taste Buds
Portions: A French Woman’s Primer
A handy guide for the best serving sizes.
Pairing Wine with Cheeses and Desserts
It's the end of the meal, but not the end of the story.
Pairing Wine with Appetizers and Main Courses
A primer on how to pair the best wines with your meal.
The Marriage of Food and Wine: Exponential Pleasure
A matchmaking adventure for your palate.
Faire Son Marché: Shopping for Food Online
Best Sources for French Women Staples
Serving Wine: The Basics
Pouring wine like a French woman is an art—but it's not too late to learn.
A Little French Lesson
Words and Phrases to Live and Learn
Recalibrating Your Portions: The 50 Percent Solution
Portion Control Made Twice as Easy
Mireille’s Weight Story, Part 2
La Fille Prodigue: Return of the Prodigal Daughter
Mireille’s Weight Story, Part 1
Vive L’Amérique: The Beginning . . . I Am Overweight
Ask the French Woman
An Interview with Mireille Guiliano
Meet the French Woman
Who Is Mireille?
Why French Women Drink Wine
It's been a French tradition for centuries.
States of Desire: Practicing l’art de vivre
How French Women Practice the Art of Living
Pleasures from the Sea
Coquillage (Shellfish): Oysters and More
Booting Out the Riff-Raff
French Women Tips for Dealing with the Offenders in Your Diet
16 Eating Habits the French Cultivate
One step forward, two steps back. Here are some quick tips to eating healthier if you're feeling low.
A French Woman Makeover: I Help Connie Discover Her Inner Cook
From frozen dinners to French cooking, I helped Connie recast her lifestyle.
The French Women Makeover for Coffee Addicts
Small Diet and Lifestyle Changes Add Up
Finding a Healthy Balance: The Beer Question
I help my friend Camille find a lifestyle she could enjoy.
Why Seasonal Eating Matters
Eating with the seasons is crucial to feeling "bien dans sa peau"