Nicole Jordan was born in Bordeaux in south west France.  As a young girl, she lived in Pontonx-sur-Adour in the department des Landes neighboring the Basque region and very close to Spain. From her early childhood years, Nicole recalls vividly going to bullfights ("a cruel sport"), courses landaises, fandangos, and the delicious cuisine of the regions.  When she was ten, Nicole and her mother moved to Versailles outside of Paris.  Their apartment was only a block away from the magnificent château de Versailles, which became a magic playground for Nicole. 
 
After her marriage, Nicole moved to Virginia and obtained a Bachelor of Sciences in Biology. She did research for a year, but being entrepreneurial and passionate about cooking, she decided to start a catering service, then later a rental business.

Nicole is active in community service working with young children and youth. This year she started a Farmers' Market.  Gardening is yet another one of her interests.  She is the president of the International Lilac Society and has served on the board of the American Hemerocallis Society. She is also skilled at fencing, and a member of the United States Fencing Association.
 
Alix and Nicole met at the Napoleonic Historical Society's annual conference in Chicago last year, and found many interests in common, particularly their shared passion for Napoleonic history and fond remembrances of south west France.  Nicole's two other favorite historical figures are Louis XIV and Thomas Jefferson. 
 
Nicole lives in a hundred-year old house with seven dogs and four cats, all of them rescued, and a thousand-pound pig, named Ursula.  Her favorite painters are Manet and Salvador Dali... Favorite wines are Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and Bordeaux of course!