La Vie en JOIE

Bonjour and bienvenue to LA VIE EN JOIE, a space to find the JOIE DE VIVRE in every day.

“Joie de vivre is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life, an exultation of spirit, and general happiness. It can be a joy of conversation, joy of eating, joy of anything one might do… And joie de vivre may be seen as a joy of everything, a comprehensive joy, a philosophy of life”

Welcome to a space where Southern grace meets French JOIE DE VIVRE — a blog devoted to creating a slower, softer, more elegant life.

Here we believe in slow, soft, intentional living through wellness routines, gentle self-care, & everyday rituals that spark JOY. We find JOIE DE VIVRE (joy of living) in the everyday. My goal is to help you create a life that feels calm, elegant, & joyful. Together, we’ll slow down, reset, & rediscover the RADIANT version of ourselves that’s been waiting all along.

Why JOIE DE VIVRE?

When my marriage of almost twenty years ended, I realized that I spent too many years worrying about somebody else’s happiness. I spent most of marriage trying to live up to the expectations of friends, my ex-husband, my in-laws, and so many others. After my divorce, I decided I didn’t want to focus on collecting material things, instead I wanted to focus on creating memories. I decided to put myself first and remember to always find some JOY in every day.

Also, I am a HUGE Francophile and have been since grade school. The first history report I ever did was on Marie Antoinette in the 5th grade. Since I was a kid, I have always been obsessed with French food, culture, music, products, history, and more. I have always felt a quiet pull toward France, not just the place, but the feeling of it.

The French way of living mirrors the life I’m trying to build: one rooted in beauty, intention, presence, and pleasure. French culture celebrates the art of slowing down – savoring food, prioritizing quality over quantity, and finding joy in the small, elegant details of everyday life. France speaks to the part of me that craves intention over urgency, presence over performance, and elegance over excess.

The French way of life reminds me who I want to be: someone who moves gently through the world, who values beauty and balance, who chooses connection over chaos, and who finds joy woven into the simplest corners of the day.

About Me:

I’m Christopher, a former hair stylist, esthetician, makeup artist, and event planner. I am a licensed Cosmetologist, who has worked in the Beauty Industry for 20+ years as a hairstylist, makeup artist and esthetician. I have worked with some major beauty brands including Aveda, Paul Mitchell, Goldwell, Redken, MAC, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Elemis, Shiseido, Dior and more. I have also done makeup for special events, fashion shows and print work.

I’m currently on a clean beauty journey to remove toxic products from my life and focus on clean and natural beauty products that nourish my skin and help it to look it’s best.

I am also a comprehensively trained & certified Pilates teacher, gaining certifications through both Power Pilates and Peak Pilates. I have over 600+ hours of training and experience on all of the Pilates apparatus including mat, reformer, tower, chairs, barrels and all auxiliary equipment. 

Additionally, I am a 200 Hour certified yoga teacher and mostly teach Vinyasa and Gentle Yoga, as well as workshops on Spinal Mobility, Back Health, Meditation and the Chakras. I am also a certified Barre, Spin, Aerobics, and TRX teacher as well. In addition, I am a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Coach.

A Few of My Favorite Things:

I am currently trying to live my best Coastal Grandmother (your Coastal Uncle or brother if you will) inspired life. I try to find life’s little pleasures throughout every day and cultivate Joie de Vivre (or the Joy of Living) into everything I do.

Favorite Beverage: Coffee, Matcha Lattes, Diet Coke, a strong Bourbon cocktail, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, Rose wines, or a crisp glass of Sauvy B (Sauvignon Blanc).

Favorite Color: Pink, but now I’m getting into more neutrals. My ideal color palette is inspired by being near the ocean: the pale and rich blues of the water, neutral beiges of the beach sand, and cotton candy pinks of a setting sun.

Favorite cities: Mazatlán, Mexico, Charleston, South Carolina, St. Augustine, Florida and Savannah, Georgia. As a Francophile, I’m obsessed with everything French including Paris and the French Riveira/South of France, but as of current, I have yet to visit. I just know that France is where my heart lies.

Favorite pastime: A beach day – some of my favorite Florida beaches are on the West Coast in the Tampa, St Pete, Clearwater area. I love a day on the beach, setting up a little tent for me and the dogs, having a glass of Sauvy B, and eating from a charcuterie board I prepared. If I’m not at the beach you can catch me at home, curled up with a good book, a glass of rose, and listening to Edith Piaf.

Favorite Author: Oscar Wilde or Anais Nin. I mostly read non-fiction books, but I do love a good beach read.

Favorite Movies: Amelia, Breakfast at Tiffanys and Pretty in Pink

Favorite Workout: I really do love everything as far as movement and I will try anything once. I have done workouts such as Pure Barre, F45, step aerobics, rowing and more that were fun. Obviously, as a yoga and Pilates teacher, those are very important workouts to me. I absolutely LOVE Pilates and recommend everyone try it. And I just picked back up running and am currently training for a Half Marathon. I used to run all the time, over six years ago, and ran many Half Marathons back then. After over six years of no running at all, I’m basically starting from scratch.

My Dream: My dream life would be to live in small cottage by the sea in the South of France. I would have a small Pilates studio where I would hold classes in the morning. My days would be spent baking and writing my next bestselling book. The nights would be spent on the beach, with a bonfire and good friends. Or in my garden surrounded by roses and jasmine, as I sip on a glass of Sauvy B or champagne.

Contact Me:

I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to send me an email or contact me via social media, whether that be for PR reasons or if you would like to ask me a question. I’ll respond as soon as I can.

Email: thechristopherbarry@gmail.com

Instagram: @xoxochristopherian

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YouTube: @xoxochristopherian