Welcome to Bien Living
Friday, January 22, 2010 at 10:42AM Let me start by saying how excited I am to be blogging again! My first plunge into the blogging world focused on wedding planning & started at the end of 2008 - you can find me as Mrs. Quiche on Weddingbee. That was an ridiculously incredible experience & I hope that Bien Living proves to be the same.
Now, allow me to introduce myself:
As an interior design maven and someone with a love for all things design, Bien Living will be a blog primarily focused on design. Whether it's a rockin' interior (I love inspiration!), new product or general design babble, I love to talk design & can't wait to share my finds with all of you! I know so many people who are in the process of purchasing/moving into/decorating new homes and I hope I can help you out :) I'll also post on other topics such as travel, books, musings in general.
I believe quality interior design is something that is attainable for everyone, regardless of their budget. Design can be intimidating, so I like to present it in a non-fussy way. A few years ago, I started a design company - Mention Bien Design. I haven't focused on maintaining it in a LONG time due to my "real" job, going back to school & life in general, but it is my goal to get it back up and running. What is holding me back? Me. & I need to get over that.
I can't tell you how many times, after spelling out my email address for someone, I've heard the question "What is mention bien?". Well, my friends, let me let you in on a delectable little secret ;) Mention Bien's are quite possibly the most perfect cookie every created. Yes, that's right - I've branded myself with a cookie. I'm sure most of you have heard of LU Petit Ecoliers, non? Mention Bien's are the Casino (regular old grocery store chain in France) Dominicks/Kroger/Jewel/Albertsons/ InsertGroceryStoreBrandNameHere version of the snotty Petit Ecolier (little school kid). And they ROCK my socks. I discovered them while studying in Lyon, France 10 years ago (holy moly, 10 YEARS?! What?!). In the study abroad information packet, it was noted that there was "a Casino across the street" from the dorm when listing area amenities. Sweet! the group of 20-year olds shouted! We can gamble everyday! Lo & behold, we arrive in Lyon and discover that Casino is in fact a grocery store. Which ended up being much better than a casino-casino.
source (I can't believe I googled & found it!)
My mom & I are obsessed. Each time we've been to France since then, we stock up. I'm talking dozens of boxes of cookies. Milk Chocolate. Dark Chocolate (my personal fav). White Chocolate. Chocolate with Hazelnut. Enough boxes that I'm sure we're flagged somewhere in the TSA as certifiable crazy women. My greatest fear is that they'll be discovered and taken from me...I'm always slightly confused about the food portion of the customs form.
So, there you have it- Mention Bien Design. Bien Living. Living Well. Isn't that something we all want to do?
~kristin
Interior Design 
Reader Comments (10)
Hi Kristin! :) I loved reading your blogging for Weddingbee and I'm so excited to have found this blog too! I got married a year and a half ago and, post-wedding, channeled alllllllllll that extra crafting energy into, well, 'nesting,' as they say (even though I don't love that term). But I loved setting up our little apartment and reading design blogs and translating those ideas into our own home. A few weeks ago, though, we had to move unexpectedly and I feel so uninspired in our new (windowless) place. I'm excited to read your blog and can't wait to find inspiration here!
Also, those cookies sound AMAZING.
I am excited to see more from Bien Living! Congrats on the new blog!
I love LU biscuits/crackers! I grew up on Petit Beurre. As a child of French-colony southeast asian heritage, I thought it was just an Asian thing. I'm glad it is not.
I look SO forward to reading about all things design from a talented and tasteful designer!!!!
Also LOVE those chocolate goodies - SO GOOD!
Anyways, glad to see you've started blogging here :) Another Bee Friend for my reader!
Yay! Another design blog to stalk!!!
Yay! Glad you are back to blogging! xoxoxo
I hadn't thought about those cookies for awhile. The store brands around here are just not the same. It's time we go back! :)
love,
Mom
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I'm sitting in France eating the dark chocolate mention bien! I maybe go through a box or two of these a week, and I prefer them over Petit Ecolier now. I'm an American student here, and just felt like seeing what would come up if I googled them, and your blog popped up!
Diane - that is awesome! I have named so many things after those tasty little cookies. I am fresh out of my stock that I've had in the freezer. I would gladly paypal money to you to ship a few boxes to me :) Thanks for stopping by!