Bonni Brodnick Blog

  One of the most memorable parts of our trip to France this summer was the day Andrew and I visited Chantal at the senior residence in Aix-en-Provence where she lived. She was 94 years old and as lovely as ever. As Chantal and I spoke in French, I looked into her eyes and saw the sparkle of her younger days, when we lived at Domaine de Valcros, the Provençal manor where she hosted students on the third floor. Chantal always wore a skirt and blouse, and toujours, toujours Chamade, the wonderful Guerlain perfume. As it turns out, we were among the last to see her. Chantal died two weeks later. These photos were taken when I revisited in the 1980s. Chantal's son Thibault stated it perfectly: "Maman était vraiment l'amour, la joie, bonne humeur, l'attention et l'écoute des autres." (Translation: "Mom was really love, joy, good humor, caring, and attentive to others.") Rest in eternal peace, dear Chantal de Kernanois. 

While attending The Leo Marchutz School of Painting and Drawing (see "The Leo Marchuz School: A Visit to My Alma Mater" , July 22, 2026), I was fortunate to live in this historical and elegant 18th-century Aix-en-Provence manor called Domaine de Valcros. Set in a pastoral landscape, one could hear nightingales trill at night and the hollow bells from a gaggle of goats passing during the day. Since it was the "south of France," I thought it would be balmy all year. WRONG. I froze my ass off that winter. The floors were tiled, and the bedrooms had a measly heater in the corner.  We lived in the servants' quarters, accessed via a circular stairway at the back of the manor, or bastide , which is French for a country house in Provence. There were three young French men who attended the University of Aix, and three American girls: my sister Pamela Kogen (now an acclaimed San Francisco artist), Lynn (from Seattle), and me.   The proprietaire (our landlord) was Chantal ...

Cat Cohen stars in her Off-Broadway debut of "Broad Strokes," a one-woman show about a near-fatal stroke she had at 30 years old. It's sharp-witty, with a blend of cabaret and original songs. But it breezes over her stroke. I wanted more about how it upended her life, and now she's back on stage. My stroke left me completely zonked out. I had to relearn how to walk and talk. I know there are all kinds of strokes, but I left the theatre feeling a bit meh .  HOWEVER, I applaud what Cat Cohen has done. Certainly, kept us amused for the entire performance. She took an untouched topic for a show and raised awareness of strokes. And that, my friends, is a good thing.

(*Note: Originally published as a  HuffPost  Contributor) If   your child is living in the dorms, there is reasonable assurance that fire codes and drills are in place. A parent can be assured that sorority and fraternity houses have safety measures in place, too. But off-campus housing? Hear me out.  Our daughter, who was in her junior year, elected t o move a mile or so outside of town, away from the main campus. "But, Mom, it's going to be so cool. I'll be living with my friends in a house !" she announced after she had signed the lease with seven other girls. During sophomore year, she and her "sisters" (sorority speak) were in a stately BRICK house built on campus in the 1920s.  They were now living in a WOOD house built in the 1940s. As the premises are not under the direct auspices of campus housing, my husband and I were adamant about a few safety issues. We urged our daughter to check whether there are any fire extinguishers in the house, specifica...

Listening to jazz music in the park by the river on a summer evening made me think how grateful I am to sit in the park by the river on a summer evening listening to jazz music. #liveisgood    #gratitude    #thankful    #strokesurvivorsneverquit  

And in today's news . . . KATIE COURIC MEDIA is re-running the story about my book, My Stroke in the Fast Lane: A Journey to Recovery . Sincere thanks to Nancy Steiner, Life and Career Coach, for the excellent questions! Read  it here:  "She Couldn't Walk or Talk After a Massive Stroke -- But She Had One Goal" .