I admit, any occasion is good to drink champagne because it’s my favourite drink!

And I have something to celebrate with my rising celebrity, read my last article Life Changer.
Keep tuned because lots of news in the next weeks!

All this excitement makes me dizzy and not only because of bubbles ... 

(All photos are mine as usual)​

​​I put down my luggage in Reims, France, a year and a half ago. During this period, I’ve had time to enjoy this beautiful region, and especially to visit vineyards and champagne cellars! Heaven on earth exists and I found it.

Big champagne houses are mainly in Reims and Epernay. However, there are countless producers.

​The region has just over 300 champagne houses, with nearly 16,000 people, producing around 300 million bottles a year.

The big particularity of champagne cellars is its chalk pits, long tunnels dug underground, stretching over 200 km.

To visit them, you must first go down between 20 and 40 metres deep. Depending on the house, this is done by majestic stairs or a tiny spiral staircase.
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The temperature drops to 10 degrees Celsius. 

During the two world wars, these undergrounds enabled the survival of millions of people, sheltering a whole city with its school, its hospital, its bakery ...

Thus, bottles age here in this maze of chalk and history, in darkness, freshness and humidity. 

The highlight of the visit is obviously the tasting and the shop. I made some provisions because it's not every day that I'm in magazines ...

Women have had a key role in the fame and champagne that we know today.

Rosé champagne, for example, was invented by Mrs Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin in 1818, 200 years ago… 

In 1861, another widow, Mrs Jeanne Pommery created champagne brut (unsweetened) to satisfy English tastes.

Nowadays, the United Kingdom is the largest importer of champagne in the world ahead of the United States and Japan.
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Innovative, braving male diktats and continuing to produce during the war, women of character for an exceptional drink. 

The harvest took place recently, which allowed me to better understand this expertise and the hard work that requires.

In addition, I was extremely privileged, and I was able to visit a few presses in action. 

For two weeks, the entire region and its inhabitants, all generations combined, live only for these grape harvests. Not to mention the endless ballet of trucks, tractors and buses ... 

Although marrying myself in Santorini, Greece, it was impossible for me to skip champagne.

So after visiting several producers, my choice finally turned to a delicate but powerful champagne. Pinot noir (40%), Pinot meunier (20%) and Chardonnay (40%).

​In addition, a bottle with feminine curves with the name of a famous king, the First King of France, Clovis (Champagne Batillot & Fils). It could only be my champagne for a Queen wedding, my solo wedding in Santorini. 

Finally, no need for excuse to drink a glass of champagne, enjoy life, cheers! 

I had to write an article about what's going on in my life right now. My solo wedding in Santorini is going viral in the international press: the United Kingdom, Belgium, Greece, Thailand, Vietnam ... They even talked about my story on television in several countries.
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I obviously celebrated with bubbles, and what beautiful bubbles!

It's exciting and disturbing at the same time.

I’m very much in demand for interviews, for the moment I don’t measure the impact on my blog and my life in general.

I’ve never searched fame, even if I like to stand out; I often prefer loneliness and lock myself in my cocoon, but when I made the choice to create a blog, I knew that I would have to manage the public exposure. With this media whirlwind I learn to control my emotions. A new experience ...

A great opportunity for my blog, I’m incredibly grateful to the people who encouraged and supported me. Not to mention all the messages of hope and love that I receive. Being able to share my experience to inspire other people, that’s the reason of my blog.

Of course, a big thank you to Alyce Collins and Media Drum World, this journey, it's thanks to you!

I’ve created a Media page where you can already find some of the published articles Media
​and more articles to come!!

For all those people who changed my life at a particular time, and for all those to whom I will change their life:
"Be you! The world will adjust. " Unknown author.


Love & Joy,
​L.

​My song of the moment that puts me in a good mood, enjoy!

New article from the Superwomen series, previously I mentioned those women who do male jobs "Superwomen" or those who fight for their personal beliefs "Superwomen 2".

Today I'm not really speaking of a woman, but I'd like to talk about a person who fully assumes his femininity, and who contributes every day to changing mentalities: RuPaul Charles.

Famous American artist born in San Diego on November 17, 1960, he continues to surprise us with his many talents: drag queen, singer, dancer, actor, producer, director ...

In 2017, he was among the most influential people in the world in the Time 100.
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He doesn’t care if he’s called he or she, and he works both in his feminine and masculine form. Moreover, he considers being a drag queen as a political act to change mentalities.

​I’m heterosexual and I’m an ally of the LGBTQ+ community (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual etc.).

Last week, I had the chance to attend the wonderful wedding of gay friends in Paris. Ceremony where I was able to exhibit my magnificent Arturo Rios blue fascinator, chosen by my followers (article Hat Designer).

Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2013 in France, it is also legal in 24 other countries of the world, and since December 2017 in Australia. The first country to authorise this is the Netherlands in 2001. This legalisation is in progress in Austria and is planned in Switzerland, Mexico and 8 other countries.

Regarding same-sex parenting, 27 states around the world allow full adoption for couples.

However, for MAP (Medically Assisted Procreation) and surrogacy, far fewer countries are concerned. In France, surrogacy is prohibited, and MAP is only allowed to heterosexual couples (in other words, lesbians and single women are excluded). Positive changes are expected soon though...

Spain is the European country that practices IVF the most, not surprisingly, with a more flexible legislative framework, and also, it’s the leading European country for egg freezing (read article ). However, surrogacy is prohibited.

Greece doesn’t only allow surrogacy but gives full rights to attended parents from conception. The surrogate mother has no rights over the child. Unfortunately, this only applies for the moment to heterosexual couples and single women.

After 40 years of IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) and more than 8 million babies (yes million!), Laws are slow to become more homogenous around the world and exclude too many people from parenthood.

I’m the happy godmother of 2 adorable twins, girl and boy born from IVF. I know how difficult the process  was for their 2 dads.

Why do prejudices and ignorance push us to put people in boxes. I’m not an object and the world is very far from looking like a box!

I’ve always been androgynous, my short haircut proves it, my style too. As a teenager, I stole the clothes of my father that I mixed with mine. That doesn’t stop me from being feminine, quite the opposite, my solo wedding in Santorini shows it. I assume all aspects of my personality. My friends say that I have more balls than some men, so let’s speak out loud and reveal my convictions.

Sex by gender or sexuality shouldn’t be grounds for discrimination, harassment and persecution. The difference should be synonymous with tolerance, sharing and enrichment.
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I’m for gender suppression, man, woman, transsexual ... How important? We should all have the same rights as human being.

Equality for all, whether for work, salary, marriage, parenthood ...

June is the symbol of the Pride month for the LGBT community and Gay Prides take place around the world.
Me it's every day that I find them fantastic. I would like to pay tribute to all those who have the courage of their identity and their femininity, to the superwoman who is in you!!

Love,
​L.

Today, I attend the wedding of friends in Paris, so obviously my article of the day could only relate to my marriage, I am obviously inexhaustible on the subject!

I love flowers, it's beautiful, delicate, fragile and colourful like me! Another of my priorities for my wedding after dress and shoes.

I chose fuchsia pink in little touches in my outfit, to modernise my classic dress: nail polish, lipstick, shoes and even a few false eyelashes!

But also because it's a colour that I love and that suits me perfectly.
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By extension, and for the sake of harmony, the flowers had to match. 

​​In addition, I wanted local flowers that symbolise my wedding in Santorini, and nothing more obvious than the bougainvillea that are found absolutely everywhere on the island. 

With Bougainvillea, we added roses, my favourite flowers but also some olive leaves. According to the language of flowers,  rose symbolises true and tender love.

Thus, the perfect combination for my bouquet, my crown, centerpieces and even the cake! 

Everything was so beautiful, I couldn’t wish better.

Many thanks to Betty Flowers Santorini and my wonderful wedding planner Maria Alexopoulou from Divine Weddings Santorini.
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And like James Arthur in the song to follow, I define and I design my recovery!
Flowers for a new start ...

​After talking about amazing headpieces, how not to speak of an exceptional place where fashion was fundamental, the Palace of Versailles in France.

(All these photos are mine)

​Residence of Kings of France Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, from 1682 to 1789.
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Initially, a small castle built by Louis XIII in 1624 but that Louis XIV and Louis XV radically transformed to make it one of the most beautiful castles in the world.

The castle
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A succession of richly decorated rooms, with incredible furniture and French sophistication.

​I understand better why this castle inspired so many people and why they tried to copy it without ever equalling it.

Gardens and fountains

Absolutely dazzling! I have traveled a lot and visited many palaces, but nothing is close to these gardens.
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We are constantly amazed, and we discover lots of hidden paths in the groves.

​Even better, the sound and light show "The Night Fountains Show" which gives these gardens an even more romantic and magical charm.

Grand Trianon
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Built in 1687 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart at the request of Louis XIV. It consists of a courtyard, a small palace, gardens and ponds. The exterior of the building is in pink marble, which gives it a romantic elegance.

​Petit Trianon

Built by Louis XV for his mistress Madame de Pompadour, she will unfortunately die before the end of the construction. It was Madame Du Barry, the next favourite who inaugurated it in 1769.

Queen’s Hamlet

Rustic and charming, far from the luxury and sophistication of other parts of Versailles, Queen’s hamlet transports us to another world.
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Built for Marie-Antoinette in 1782, she loved to take refuge there to forget her status as Queen.

I obviously haven’t visited all, but I can’t wait to go back to discover more!
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Visit it if you've never done it and while waiting for it, a short video: