Château du Champ de Bataille, Here, Bridgerton Season of Love and more on Weekend Meanderings.
Weekend Meanderings
Good Saturday morning to you friends. It’s time for Weekend Meanderings with Juliet and Kim. Join us as we share all of the things that piqued our interests and caught our eye this week.
Happy February, the month of love and acceptance.
How was your week friends? It seems as if every week there is something devastating to reflect upon. This week 67 people lost in a plane crash, entire families, young skaters, new dad’s, moms, brothers, aunts, uncles, sisters and friends loved by so many. It is heartbreaking on so many levels.
Sadly, we cannot just turn off the tv and it will all go away. My thoughts and prayers are with all of the families.
Which leads me to another topic. Politics. It is almost a dirty word but something I want to address. I’ve been writing this blog for roughly 15 years, I share books, fashion, recipes, the ups and downs of life and all sorts of other things.
For those that email me and ask me to “take a stand” about current events and the political atmosphere I want to be clear, I have never shared or taken a political stance and I will not be.
I come from a large family, I have 3 siblings, my mother is 1 of 10 children and her mother was 1 of 14. Our family is made up of every political party there is and I do not want to alienate, argue, or defend them or myself for my beliefs or theirs.
Not to mention that in this day and age the fallout from a “wrong opinion” is the loss of family, friends, jobs, etc.
I greatly respect people like Kim who share their thoughts, views and take a stand on things that are important to them and I consider her to be incredibly brave. But I do not want to and frankly do not want to be attacked or trolled if I am honest. I hope that you can respect that.
Ok, on to Weekend Meanderings.
Wanderlust~Château du Champ de Bataille
This week I discovered Château du Champ de Bataille, a billion dollar chateau owned by French architect and interior designer Jacques Garcia. The grounds consist of the château, gardens, the grotto, the Indian palace, the Greek theater, and the greenhouse.
Château du Champ de Bataille, the Battlefield Castle, was built by Alexandre de Créqui, in 1651. This amazing house and gardens is located on 300 acres in Normandy. They were designed by Louis Le Vau, architect of the Palace of Versailles and landscaper Andre Le Notre, the creator of the Gardens of Versailles.
The house was stripped of everything during the French Revolution, was a hospital in the war and in 1992 was purchased by Jacques Garcia. For the last 30 years he has painstakingly restored the house and gardens. His dream is to open the house to the public, but for now he is renting it out!
To see more of the Chateau take a minute and explore the website.
Watch~Here
Have you watched Here? It was a box office “bomb” that is now on Netflix. I watched it last night and am curious if anyone else has watched it and what they thought.
Bridgerton Season of Love~Virtual Fan Event
Are you a Bridgerton fan? On Feb. 14, Bridgerton will hold its 2025 virtual fan celebration, giving viewers around the world an exclusive sneak peek at Season 4. Queen Charlotte herself, Golda Rosheuvel, will host a panel, with Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha, along with Jess Brownell, offering the audience a tantalizing glimpse at Bridgerton’s next great love story.
For more information or to RSVP.
Valentine’s Day DIY
If you are looking for an easy Valentine’s Day DIY try my Dollar Tree Cone Favors! These sweet treats are fun to make with your kids or grandkids and make great gifts too!
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
The FDA Updated Lay’s Potato Chip Recall to Its Most Serious Level
The secret sauce of Chinese social media apps
The Economics of Unused Gift Cards
Inside the emerging world of anesthesia “dream therapy”
Turn-of-the-Century Tactile Graphics Illustrate Nature for People Who Are Blind
7 Things Minimalists Never Keep Around Longer Than a Month, According to Organizers
Netflix Won the Streaming Wars, and We’re All About to Pay for It
The strange reasons why people are more likely to die in the winter
In Case You Missed It
You can find the outfit details and the book on the blog.
It’s never too early to think about the ones that you love for Valentine’s Day! I made this scrumptious Coeur à la Crème with Raspberry Sauce. The good news is that it’s no bake and you do not even need to make it in a mold.
Last but not least, Friday Favorites! Books, recipes like this roasted cauliflower salad, a cozy, casual outfit, interesting articles and more.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
I hope that you enjoyed weekend meanderings. If you did please share the post on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest.
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend friends.
Don’t forget to pop over and visit my friends Kim and Juliet you can find the links below.
If you missed any of the previous Weekend Meandering posts you can find them all here.
This post contains affiliate links, if you make a purchase I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
On My Radar~Bridgerton
I appreciate that you’re not using your blog for political commentary.
Thank you Nancy. I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.
Thank you for NOT bringing up anything political in your blog. There is enough politics all over the media. Your blog is a lovely intelligent respite from all of that. I have unsubscribed from a couple of other blogs I had previously enjoyed because of them getting political. While it’s their right to do that, it is an immediate “hit unsubscribe” for me.
Diane, I respect everyone’s right to speak their mind about issues they are passionate about. There is so much conflict and darkness in the world I do not want to bring it to my blog.
Have a nice weekend.
Another reason why I enjoy your blog…no politics. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend.
Diane, thank you. Enjoy the weekend.
There is nowhere near enough love and acceptance in this world we now live in. There’s far too much hate.
Brenda
AMEN Brenda. I so miss the old days when we could have a peaceful discussion even if we disagreed on s topic. Have a wonderful weekend.
Happy weekend Elizabeth! Lovely outfits!
Thank you Francesca! Have a wonderful Weeknd.
Thank you for not bringing political conflict into your blog. The content you have is why I read your blog. I loved the Christmas salad you featured in the Friday Favorites No. 616. I’ve been roasting mushrooms ever since to add to my salads.
Lynda, I am happy that you enjoy the blog. Even more so that you tried and love a recipe that I featured! It is fun to discover new blogs and recipes. Have a wonderful weekend.
I love your blog. Thank you for not getting into politics here, We get that everywhere else. Its nice to share beautiful topics
Thank you Abby. Have a nice weekend.
As many there have said, thank you for NOT making your blog anything to do with politics! I enjoy this blog for that reason! Thank you for the great content all year!!
Christine, as I have said I appreciate my friends that share their views. But I have too many family members that read the blog and we all do not agree on things. It is not worth it to me to alienate family and friends on my blog. I am happy to have political discussions off line.
Have a great day.
Elizabeth,
I respect you for doing you- and you should not feel the need to do politics. It absolutely is not for everyone and yes there are people who don’t appreciate it, and there are people who really thank me for it.
Everyone has to do what they feel comfortable with and since these are our blogs, and our platforms, we should never be told what we should say, nor feel bad about it when we do or don’t. It’s our work, sweat and tears. People are going to jive with us or not, and the joy is we fortunately don’t need to please all the people. I would never think badly of those who don’t do it.
My choice to do it may come from my upbringing. My mother was very invested in a more equitable world and spoke up about a lot. I also have a family that is sadly not on my same political side, and we don’t speak of politics, so I hear you.
I did not know about this Chateau! Can’t wait to watch this and the Tom Hanks and Robin Wright show looks intriguing. I love him.
Your pink outfit is super cute.
I hope you have a good weekend. Take care and sending hugs. x
THANK YOU Kim,
I love your blog and respect all of the choices that you make. I personally do not have a problem reading blogs with political opinions, causes or subjects that are close to peoples hearts. I am open to any and all discussions. I respect your decisions and strength because you have received some vitriol and hate.
At this point in my life I like to keep a lot of my private life and the life of my family off the blog.
We all put a lot of work into our blogs and they reflect that.
As for the chateau, it is AMAZING! I hope that you watch the video, I think you will love learning this history of this magnificent place.
Have a wonderful weekend.
xo
Thank You for not being political. There is enough of that elsewhere, your blog is a beautiful place. I for one enjoy it a ton!
Although I also admire Kim for speaking out, I appreciate the non-political aspect and love your links to read watch, and listen! there is always one or 2 I click on!
Have a restful evening (it’s evening here in NorCal)
Be Well
Donna
Donna,
Thank you! I think Weekend Meanderings is a nice balance of interesting topics and life from Kim, Juliet and I. I love learning about life in California. Although I use to travel there a lot I spend more time now on the East Coast so it is fun to see some of my favorite places when Kim and Juliet share them.
I hope that you have a wonderful evening and weekend.
Thank you for reading the blog.
Hi Elizabeth,
I understand completely how you feel about voicing your views and how you feel politically. I get it, and also know first hand hoe it can cause ill feelings especially when one person sees things so differently than you. I’ve experienced this first hand in my family. It causes discomfort and bad vibes.
Yes, this week was horrid, the lives lost is heart breaking. So many lives left behind for everyone that loved and knew them. It’s hard for me to handle.
TLC Hope you feel better and your husband.
Thanks for Château du Champ de Bataille! Heading over there now and thanks for this fun post.
Mary Ann, the Chateau is amazing. Have a wonderful weekend.
I so agree with your readers who feel your blog is a welcome respite from politics. Thank you.
Deb, that is so kind of you to say. Thank you.
I always enjoy your Weekend Meanderings, Elizabeth! I totally understand your position on discussing politics – I avoid it too. Thank you for the heads up on the Bridgerton event; I have signed up. I also enjoyed the article in House Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.
April, I hope that you enjoy the Bridgerton event! It looks like fun!
Have a wonderful week!
Happy weekend, Elizabeth! Château du Champ de Bataille is stunning. What an undertaking. I hope it opens to the public one day. Thanks for the heads up about Here. I hadn’t heard of it, and at first glance thought it might be older becuase Tom Hanks looks so young. I’m always looking for something interesting to add to my watch list. I hear, and respect you, on steering clear of political commentary. I’m not sure why anyone ever feels entitled to tell someone else what they should – or should not – tackle in their own space. Quite honestly, I’m seeking distraction from the distressing news cycle and appreciate your blog and others who allow for a momentary escape to kinder and gentler topics. Sounds like Bridgerton fans have more to look forward to … it may be time for me to hop on this train. xo
Hi Elizabeth, I really appreciate that you are keeping your blog free of politics. I love your blog. It is a respite from all the darkness in this world. Thank you for keeping it that way.
Kathy
Thank you Kathy, that is kind of you to say. Have a wonderful week.