By Linda Foxlow I had not known what to expect when we went to the home of the impressionist painter Claude Monet in Giverny, France in March 2023. I had, of course, seen pictures, and Monet’s beautiful paintings. But the gardens themselves defy description. I’m using this glimpse of a small part of the gardens and the window through which the artist viewed his incredible setting to announce a new endeavor. We travel extensively each year, and there are abundant opportunities to see some of the world’s most beautiful places. Naturally, I try to capture some small part of that as we travel. It was suggested that we ought to share some of those images from time to time, and so that is what we are doing. You can find this images and a few we have posted on Fine Art America . We’ll be adding more later. We hope you like them. We’d love to see your comments below.

Louis XIV visited this chateau in 1661, owned by the Finance Minister, and was so enraged that the royal palace was not as...palatial... he imprisoned the owner and moved on in. Lots of royal intrigue!! Jean Charles, one of the three brothers who are the current owners. They grew up in the chateau!! Holiday celebrations were in full swing when our Uniworld group visited Linda and Dave during our winter tour One of the amazingly well preserved frescoes. So old yet still so stunning!! A room in the spacious kitchen Part of the wine cellar Vivid colors!! One of the many restored carriages

For me, one of the joys of traveling is learning about the cuisine and, of course, the wine produced in different parts of the world. I know it is for Linda and Dave, too. A couple of years ago, they were planning an outstanding trip to Chile, Argentina, and Patagonia. One of the great wines being produced in Chile today is from the Carménère grape that was well known in France and thought to have been wiped out by disease in the late 1800s. Turns out it was discovered to be thriving in Chile under an assumed name. In anticipation of Linda and Dave's trip, we had to open a bottle. It is a rich, full-bodied and flavorful wine. I love Cabernet Sauvignon so I was delighted the first time I tasted Carménère. My philosophy is that almost any occasion is an opportunity to open a bottle of wine and enjoy it, which we did as a prelude to Linda and Dave's trip, which I didn't get to go on. (Just sayin'.) ;-D Anyway, I wanted to share this occasion with you since we've ...