The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

If you were bold

If you were bold (or bolder), what would you do in the New Year? What would your 2011 be like? How would it be different? What would you accomplish? Who would you like to be(come)? How would you raise the bar for yourself? Who would you include in your life... or possibly exclude, because it's the healthier thing to do? What decisions would you take action on, that you've been procrastinating on in 2010, 2009, 2008...? What new places would you see? What new friends would you make, and which old friends would you reconnect with? What will make you happy? Content? Feel well satisfied with yourself? Who would you be kinder to? Take more interest in? Help? Support? Love? How would you treat yourself better? What's the next big thing in your life? Where do you want to go from here? What choices will you make this year, that will have you feel really great about yourself one year from today? And what specific action steps do you need to take to get there? ... Just a few things to think about as we party our way into another year. And for what it's worth, I'm asking myself many... Read more →

Taking a few bites out of the Grande Pomme

Since Christmas, the NJ/NYC area has been dealing with a whole lot of snow. (Figures. When we were here for Christmas two years ago, all we did was shovel out my mother's driveway.) But we didn't let that stop us from going into New York several times on this trip. I'll post more photos from around town after we get back to Paris, but had to share this one; at the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center, I found THIS children's book in the gift shop. OK, so the Lisa in the book is a DOG. That's not really the point. Did you notice that we both had on a red scarf? And were on a boat tour of Manhattan? Read more →

MOMA

So far this week, we've hit shopping malls several times (still haven't made the usual pilgrimage to Target, but since I got a gift card for Christmas, we'll be there for sure this week), eaten way too much (and haven't even had our Christmas Day dinner yet) and also made the first of two or three trips into the city (that's New York). We took Georges' kids in and spent the day walking around mid-town, seeing Rockefeller Center and the tree, checking out the spectacular view from Top of the Rock observation deck, and seeing all the neon lights in Times Square. Georges and his daughter decided to skip a museum, but his son really wanted to go to MOMA so I decided to tag along with him. Here's a selection of some of my favorite paintings: We liked this last one, because it's a common expression in French... only it's probably spelled "Ouf!" It's also how my last name is pronounced by the French. :) Read more →

And on earth, Peace... Good will toward men

Rockefeller Center, New York City Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night. Read more →

Nativity

The nativity scene at Sacre Coeur. Wherever you are, and whatever your beliefs (or non-beliefs), I wish you love, peace and joy at this very special time of year. Thanks for being a part of my life! Read more →

Why husbands/fathers are so important

Among other things... ...they will wait patiently in the seating area outside the Apple store (free WiFi, you know) for hours while you and your step-daughter buy out the local mall, will watch your coat so you don't have to wear it while you're shopping, and then will INSIST upon carrying ALL the shopping bags to the car afterward. Georges is definitely on Santa's "nice" list, this year and EVERY year. Read more →

Vacation going great... except for the food poisoning

Well, here we are, Day 4 of the Great New Jersey Christmas Holiday Adventure. No snow, but very cold and windy, as befits the first day of winter, I suppose. (No, we did not get up to see the lunar eclipse, although jet lag forced me awake just after it was all over.) My family is doing well and I was so happy to see all of them, including my new future niece-in-law. My nephew chose a beautiful ring for his beautiful girl. His sister is doing great at college and loves it, but she's happy to be reunited with HER sweetie and her friends. Georges' daughter has been really enjoying herself being back here, and that makes me feel great that she's having a good time already... especially since this part of New Jersey isn't what you'd call exciting. We've mainly been shopping and eating out in restaurants. Our Christmas shopping is finished, I think, and I've done some personal shopping for myself, and Georges got some clothes as well (kind of pre-spending the Christmas gift money I know my mother will be giving us). My sister and her husband have to work part of the week so we've... Read more →

Under the dome

Inside the enormous white dome of Sacre Coeur. Being in New Jersey sort of feels like being in a big surburban bubble; nothing here but malls, malls and more malls. Today, we'll be picking up our rental car and probably hitting a few of those malls, Christmas chaos be damned. We're saving our first trip to New York for Thursday, because Georges' son arrives on Wednesday and it wouldn't be fair to go into the city without him! But we've got Christmas shopping to finish and friends to visit, and tacky Christmas lights to look at in the evenings as we drive around. Read more →

Antidote to all this cold weather

The weather, both in Paris and in New Jersey (and in much of France and the US) has been so cold and lousy of late, that I thought I'd dig out a photo taken this past May on a blistering HOT day (TOO hot, truth be known, for that time of year) when the Champs Elysées was turned into one big garden walk. It was overcrowded and not anywhere near as spectacular as it had been built up to be... but still, seeing the Arc de Triomphe "planted" in the midst of palm trees and other greenery? Kind of makes me feel warmer, just looking at it. Read more →

Slaying dragons

The wonderful fountain at Saint Michel in the 5th arrondissement. We pass it every day on the #85 bus as Georges goes to work and I go to school. While I'm not loving the French class, we both love doing a morning commute together, and I've decided that when the class is finished, I will continue to get up and commute with Georges at least three days a week... to get in some serious cafe-writing. I've got a book to finish, and I'm way behind! Read more →