Day 9: I is for Ingenious

The letter “I” was another tough one for me in the More to Love, A to Z series.

Every time I brainstormed cool things that start with “I”, I kept thinking back to my English courses and remembering the Italian Futurists, the Intentional Fallacy, and even Ichibod Crane – none of which were really what I had in mind.

So finally, I came up with two i’ that have a little more visual wow.  Yay.

I is for Ice

Ice feels particularly appropriate since it is hailing outside right now.  Anyone else in Southern California is probably having the same reaction that I am.  This weather is so atypical that you end up dropping whatever you are doing and staring out the window with a confused expression.

Anyway, the ice I was thinking of was actually from the Ice Hotel in Quebec (or l’Hôtel de Glace, if you prefer).  Anytime I worry that my life might be just a little too boring, this is one of those adventures I call to mind.

The Ice Hotel is fascinating from an architectural/engineering point of view.  (Check out that slide in the photo above.  If you brave the slippery ice stairs, you can really slide down it.)  However, what was more impressive to me is the artistry.  The way the light reflects off of the ice and snow is so enchanting and seems to change moment to moment.

Everywhere you turn, there are incredible carvings and structures.  Each of the rooms is decorated with a theme.  (All of these photos are from my trip several years ago, but you can take a virtual tour of the 2010 Ice Hotel on their website.)

I remember taking this photograph above so clearly.  By this time I was freezing and a big part of me wanted to keep my hands shoved inside my mittens – but it was just so beautiful.  How could I pass up a photo opportunity like that?  There are some moments in life you wish you could just hit pause to savor it a little longer, and this was one of those for me.  I’m coming back to Quebec City for the letter Q (spoiler alert!), because I have more to say about this special city.

I’m not sure if it’s just these photos, but it’s cold in here!  My next source of inspiration starting with the letter “I” is:

I is for Idées (Marie Claire Idées, that is)

I first learned about the French magazine Marie Claire Idées (along with many others) from this post at Posie Gets Cozy.  Before that moment, it had never occurred to me to look for foreign magazines (aside from my Japanese craft books), and it opened up an entirely new world of inspiration — eventually leading me to other favorites like Bolig Liv.

What’s wonderful about MCI is that I can actually find it on newsstands, so it’s accessible.  It’s  a wonderful mix of decorating projects and crafts plus some other eye candy.  My high school French is just barely enough to get me through the instructions (oh google translate, what did we do before you?), but it’s the photos that keep me coming back.

This is a magazine that I highly recommend.  (P.S. – Did you know that you can sometimes find back issues at Ebay France from buyers who will ship worldwide?  Don’t ask me how I know.)

Time to warm up with a cup of tea.  Have a great weekend!