The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

Out and about

I won't be in Paris much over this holiday season, but I did my part and got out to take a least a few holiday photos of my favorite city. Read more →

Helping three become a family

My friends Axel and Michelle (a French-American couple I met here in Paris, who currently live in Dubai) have announced that they are planning to adopt a little boy from Ecuador! As you can imagine, the costs associated with any foreign adoption are considerable: travel costs, legal fees, adoptions fees. To help offset some of those costs, they have set up a Zazzle shop to sell their incredible photos that they've taken in their travels (they are both talented photographers). I thought I'd help them broaden their message and hopefully reach their adoption goals by sharing this with all of you, as well as through my other social media connections. You might find some very unique holiday gifts! Axel and Michelle will make the most wonderful parents and I'm so happy for them, and for this very special little boy who is so fortunate as to have them as his parents. Now - let's help them become a FAMILY! Shop, shop, shop! * * * * * Original Message from Axel, with link to their shop: "My wife and I are adopting a little boy from an orphanage in Quito. The agency, travel, and lawyer costs are exorbitant. To raise... Read more →

Explaining Thanksgiving to the French: Yeah, Good Luck with That

American in France on Thanksgiving, far from home and feeling "deboutish" today? Art Buchwald explains why. Read more →

Paused Café

A "pause café" is a "coffee break", but this café just seems "paused", period. But I love taking photos of the terraces with their neat rows of tables and chairs -- occupied or not. Read more →

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Louvre (or... maybe not)

The Louvre, as a museum, is celebrating its 220th anniversary. But the site dates back 800 years, to the first medieval building created by Philippe Auguste, the foundations of which you can still see today. It's the most visited museum in the world, beating out the #2 (National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.) by 2.1 million visitors annually. Oddly enough, for all those visitors, the Louvre's Twitter account only has 64,557 visitors as of November 2013. The Louvre's Facebook page is doing a bit better, with 1.1 million "likes", putting it at #2 behind MOMA in New York (Museum of Modern Art). Which makes me now want to go and check out the MOMA Facebook page to see what's so interesting, since MOMA isn't even in the top 5 most visited museums. Social networking-wise, they must be doing something right. She was stolen in 1911 and recovered 100 years ago this December. She's much better protected nowadays. There are roughly 35,000 works on exhibit... but the Louvre actually has 460,000 works in total. There are 403 rooms and 14.5km of rooms and corridors. It would take you 64 days to see it all, if you looked at each... Read more →

And so it begins

'Tis the season... and only ONE MONTH until Christmas! Read more →

Going Brocante at Bastille, Part 2

The brocanting fun continues at Bastille... Art Nouveau, anyone? Read more →

Going Brocante at Bastille, Part 1

Best way to brocante in Paris without going broke? Just don't bring any cash, checks or credit cards when you go. It's your only hope. Read more →

Comically un-funny

Writers will do anything to avoid trying to write when they feel blocked. Including making comic strips of themselves having a writer's block. Yeah, we're kind of like idiots that way. Read more →

Paris in the rain

I was on my way to meet Georges for dinner at one of our favorite Japanese restaurants over on Rue Custine, but the bus was delayed so I decided to walk. Fortunately it was between rain showers, this being November and Paris and all. I was running a bit late and walking quickly most of the way (fearing another burst of rain, although for once I did have an umbrella!) but as I got near the restaurant in our old neighborhood, I slowed down to enjoy the quality of the light glimmering off every damp surface. I just love how the rain makes everything glow at night. Didn't mean to, but caught a waiter watching this young woman walk down the street. But of course. The dreaded 7-flight Rue Bequerel staircase leading to Rue Lamarck where we used to live. I sympathize with the woman making her way up there. Wet pavement and evening lights... love it! No one will be sitting at these tables tonight. I don't think this fleuriste was doing much business this evening. Read more →