Le Road Trip - Vivian Swift

Isn't this the perfect artist's studio?
This is author Vivian's desk (the cat is 1 of 9). I discover new books and authors when I see what you've bought on Amazon.com. That's how I discovered

Vivian Swift's witty book, Le Road Trip.

In her own words she says:

I'm highly qualified as a travel writer.
This is me, in my passport photo, 1975, before my first trip "abroad". I stayed on the road for 20 years. In between my many years of foreign wanderings I worked as a receptionist, gift shop sales lady, luxury hotel concierge, clothing store manager, book shop clerk, office temp, retail jeweler, horologist, auction house executive, and Faberge expert. I've also worked as an au pair, a chamber maid, a jewelry historian, and in a factory making plastic bottles for bleach.

  Obviously, with all this job experience, I am very well-qualifed to be the boss of everybody. This meshes perfectly with my ability to be very judgemental. But I digress.

She came by on Wednesday to talk about creating her book, travel, watercolor and, and, and

A gorgeous map from Le Road Trip of her honeymoon jaunt through France, plus numerous witty tips and advice on how to thrive as a traveler.

There are hundreds of watercolor illustrations.

She even created her very own hand-written type font (at Fontifier for a mere $30).

Including encyclopedic bits of useful and useless but endlessly fun information. Vivian's voice is very tongue in cheek to say the least.

Three Truths on what to wear in Paris:

One, you are not Parisian and you will never be. Don't let that bother you.
Two: Parisians don't want to know you, no matter how well you dress, so you might as well be yourself.

Three: Deep down, Parisians are crazy jealous that they can't let loose like us crazy Americans.

There are no recipes in this book but there is everything else you might want to know about galavanting through France in a devil-may-care vagabond, spontaneous manner.

Le Road Trip is a book meant to be read front to back, back to front or open anywhere and be immensely amused and delighted.

BON WEEKEND!