Wow--this is the best Monday I have had in a long time! Maybe not one single particular reason, but I am overwhelmed with feeling GOOD. Good in my skin, my head...and mon coeur! Maybe a large contributing factor is that I am still in the 'glow' of having spent a fabulous day in Paris yesterday with my chere-amie, Kim! My first visit with a friend from 'back home' and I am convinced that she came all this way just to see 'moi' and of course only used the excuse that her sweet-spouse (a famous ---trés-célèbre--video game creator....and all around fantastic person...I might add) had a business engagement in France...I know that really she came just to run and play around Paris with her favorite Pacific Northwest ex-pat.
Here's a little back-story, I met this fabulous gal only one time before (in person) on a plane headed to San Francisco. She was on her way to France (I don't want to 'out' her on the internet, but I think she has a little addiction issue with the place....just saying.) and we, French Guy and I were on our way to SF to the Immigration office to get my Visa sorted out so we could move to France...('sorted out' we thought---that's another story.) Anyway--Kim was cramming on her French conversation homework and we chatted about her travel plans and our future move, and as you do nowadays, exchanged blog addresses and Facebook information--and voila! Amie pour la vie!
When I found out she was coming to Paris (just to see ME)... I decided that my next big adventure and initiation into being 'more French', should be that I meet up with her by taking a two hour train from Deauville to Paris on my own, find my way to her hotel via taxi and spend the day exploring interesting places around Paris (or at least around the 6, 7 and 8th arrondissement). Kim is a photographer and I like to take pictures--so it made sense to make plans to hit at least one market and we started out on the Rue Raspail, which she pointed out is the same marché that Ina Garten shops at when she is in Paris. (Oooh la la!) Wouldn't it have been great to run into her there!?
I took less pictures than I normally would. Mon amie made a great point--it is hard to shoot while keeping a conversation going and the time with my friend significantly over-ruled my need to take pictures in Paris!
We had a delightful lunch at Le Petit Zinc after treking around for about 30 minutes looking for it, asking kind strangers for directions and trying to get the GPS fired up in Kim's phone....my favorite response to my asking a passing lady if she knew where Rue Saint Benoit was...her answer, as she casually pointed over her shoulder...." Oui! Oui! C'est la bas!" ("It's over there!"...more or less.)
I will share more details in another post about our 'Dimanche à Paris'... The train trip back was a bit of a debacle and I learned some important things about traveling by train...note to file!
But for now, I am left with fond memories, a few good pictures and of course the anticipation of mon amies next visit to the city of lights--or better yet--a longer visit to Basse Normandy--to stay at (or very near!) our petit maison in our little beachside town...I hear that her sweet spouse likes bunkers--and we have them right on our beach--about eight of them, spaced every 100 meters.....
She leaves to return to the Pacific Northwest soon. I cannot say how lovely it has been to have her here, in the same time zone here in Cheeseland and sharing a day in Paris....there is nothing better in life than the comfort of a friend from home. I will not say adieu---only "A bientot, mon amie"..... and "Merci pour une belle journée !"
