I had a beautiful quote about Florence by Marcel Proust, but with my recent WordPress issues with images, I’ve lost that photo unfortunately.

Still, Proust’s observation about Florence is so intensely suggestive and in line with my own feelings about this incredible city that I will quote it now: And when I thought of Florence, it was like a miracle city embalmed and like a corolla, because it was called the city of lilies and its cathedral, Saint Mary of the Flowers.”

Great news! It is staying light a full 45 minutes longer today than on 1 January!

Bruce Springsteen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDaPdpwA4Iw&list=RDGDaPdpwA4Iw&start_radio=1

From my favorite brocante in Florence! This locale is my happy place for sure! I always find a treasure there.

A famous print of a famous place! I feel like I should be able to identify the maker of this print, but a Google search turned up no matches. Does any one of my readers have an suggestion? Please let me know.

And, a charming oil painting in a primitive style of my favorite skyline ever!

A little French to start the day? Pourquoi pas?

Le péché mignon is a French phrase meaning “guilty pleasure,” “little weakness,” or “darling sin,” referring to a minor, pleasurable indulgence, often food, that one feels slightly bad about but can’t resist. It’s a lighthearted term for something delightful yet slightly indulgent, like enjoying cake, champagne, or chocolate despite thinking it might be unhealthy or extravagant, and it’s commonly used in English-speaking contexts too.

More expressions with péché

un péché de jeunesse – youthful indiscretion
un péché mortel – mortal sin
le péché d’orgueil – the sin of pride
le péché originel – original sin
un péché véniel – venial sin
un petit péché – peccadillo, trivial mistake
les sept péchés capitaux – the seven deadly sins