The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

Afternoon de Light

Sitting at our dining table and happened to glance up, and saw the amazing 4pm sunlight on the building across the way. Read more →

Symbols and Cymbals

I spent yesterday afternoon with friends Sam and Christine, walking around the Eiffel 'hood. Sam is a high school classmate and fellow percussionist in the school band - in these pics, Sam was the one with the three drums on the left in the wide shot, and I was the xylophonist (Sam's in that photo too, in the left corner), and you can even listen to us here, circa 1979 (ignore the screaming of my mother and the other band parents). We hadn't seen each other in well over 30 years. THIRTY DAMN YEARS; sure doesn't feel like it was that long ago, though. Through the magic of Facebook, we have been back in touch for a little while now, and when I found out he and his lovely lady Christine were coming to Paris I was thrilled to reconnect... and to take them to see this amazing tower, up close and personal. As we walked around and eventually installed ourselves in a café terrace, we had a blast reminiscing with stories about some of the stupid stuff we all did, way back in the day, and wondering how our wonderful band teacher, a former Marine, ever put up with... Read more →

It's enough to make you wish you had a car

How the "locals" feel about riding the métro in Paris. And it ain't pretty. Read more →

I need a front yard for this

OK, I know it is too early for Christmas talk yet (despite the fact that retailers the world over have been pushing Christmas decorations at us for weeks, already). But this? Is just freaking funny. Spotted it at a brocante on Rue des Martyrs. It takes "garden gnome" to a whole new level. Santa had one too many egg nogs Read more →

Perception

One of the often-discussed topics in our household and among my friends here in Paris are the differences between certain every-day things in America and here in France. There are things that we Americans take for granted that other people just find strange. But they're not necessarily what you might expect. I'm sure the reverse is true as well: travelers to France will also find some of the differences a bit odd or funny or even annoying. So reading this article on "30 Non-Americans on the American Norms They Find Weird" was something I could (a) relate to, (b) agree with much of, and (c) laugh my ass off about. And I decided to weigh in on this list myself. Bread being too sweet in America. Georges has often told me he thinks many American products are over-sugared, but his biggest complaint about American bread is "THAT'S not really BREAD". In America, bread comes in a plastic bag and it's square and mushy; in France they call this "pain de mie" with the "mie" being the soft stuff inside the crust. But real "pain"/bread in France? Comes from a bakery oven, is fresh and crusty, with no preservatives and yes,... Read more →

Brooklyn

A bit of Brooklyn in Paris? Who knew? Read more →