It was mid-afternoon at our French farmhouse, Mas Pichony, and we were in need of a pick me up, so we opted for lemonade and a crusty baguette in the cool of the dining room. However, the dancing olives on the tablecloth and the lilting sunflowers did as much for our energy level as the food and drink. The aesthetics of a place are paramount, and that's what drives me to keep leaving the country or I could live on bread and water in any old place.
