Merci

Hi friends,

It's Thursday afternoon which means tomorrow is...drum roll please...Friday! So here we go with some gratitude:

1)  my friend Kevin who has started sending gratitude cards and who sent me one all the way from Georgia. I love his idea! Thanks Kevin!
2)  a full weekend of social activities including an opportunity to get dressed up
3)  my friend Quynh who is here for a quick visit!
4)  that even though we've had a few rainy gray days (and a few more are forecast), the temps are much warmer. I even went out for a bit without a coat today. It felt GREAT.
5)  sucre citron crepes for breakfast. A little indulgent, but I didn't have anything else...yummy start to the day.

Et toi? How's your day?
bisous

Things I am grateful for...in spite of their lack of availability

Hi friends!

I was reading a blog post written by an American who lives in Paris but who is currently visiting Chicago, and the picture he posted of cheese fries just about did me in. While the food here is DIVINE, there are a few things that I miss from time to time. So here are a few things whose existence I'm grateful for in spite of the fact that I can only dream about them from here. If you're stateside, enjoy something sinful and tasty for me, will ya? A partial list:


1)  cheese fries...with jalapenos...mmmm.........
2)  Mexican food - also with jalapenos
3)  Krispy Kreme donuts in all their melt-in-your-mouth, HOT NOW goodness
4)  margaritas on the rocks
5)  real sour cream

My mouth is watering.

Here's the blog I was reading if you're interested http://www.davidlebovitz.com/

Hope all is well with you!
bisous

Fast five

Hi friends!

Fast five today:

1)  a delish dinner with a fun friend at my favorite resto last night. Ate too much, drank too much. It was great!
2)  a productive Saturday. Weather was less than fabulous which makes staying in and working easy, so that was actually a plus.
3)  my hot water bottle...sometimes it's just the thing that I need
4)  cheese and wine for dinner followed by tarte tatin for dessert. Indulgent, non?
5)  that I can get The Office online. Saw Michael's proposal to Holly today. So goofy sweet, it brought tears to my eyes. I know; I am pitiful. ;)

And you? I'd love to hear what you've got to be grateful for today!
bisous

Des fleurs

Hello!

Today I'm going to do something a little different: a photo gratitude list. Here goes!

Aren't they gorgeous? Beautiful flower shop in the 16th arrondissement.

And him...the magician. I love this painting by Jerôme Mesnager. Of course, I love all of his work. (Please ignore the black crap on the right...I was unsuccessful in my attempts to crop it out.)

And this gorgeous dress by Christian Dior. Amazing.

Check out this ultra-gifted guy from the Parc de Bagatelle. He was showing off for Mom and me. We were appropriately impressed!

And last but not least, (I couldn't type beside this picture for some reason), Le Baiser by Rodin. The most beautiful non-living thing I've ever seen. It is so beautiful that it brings tears to my eyes every time I look at it.

Hope you enjoyed the change of pace as much as I did! What are you grateful for today?

bisous

I can see clearly now

Salut mes amis!

I feel like the fog has lifted, the rain is gone, blue skies and sunshine have returned. Again today we had sunshine and temps in the 50s. I can't TELL you how glad I am to see it. The other night as I walked down the street with a friend, we talked about how ready we were for spring. My friend commented that this winter had not been as bad as last winter, and I said, "I think we're still IN last winter! We had about 2 weeks of spring/summer, and we were back to winter again, so I don't think there's been a "this" winter." She agreed that the two winters had seemed to merge. But alas, it seems that spring has indeed sprung, and I am simply thrilled.

So here are a few of the things that I'm thankful for today.

1)  another gorgeous day and more to come
2)  a nice glass of wine at the end of the day
3)  a recommendation for good Mexican food in Paris...we shall see...
4)  that there are no Peeps in Paris. If there were, I'd have to buy some and eat them. It's better this way.
5) a good conditioner...my hair feels so soft!

I hope you're all finding lots to be thankful for today. Tell me all about it!
bisous

16 minutes

Salut mes amis!

What a day!!! Today was my appointment at the préfecture, and I was hoping, praying, begging for it to be the day that I got my new WORKING residency card. And just sixteen minutes after I arrived there, prayers were answered and wishes were granted. Yes my friends, I got the card!!!

And the renewal appointment in 3 months. Three months? Yes, I'll explain. This card is for people like me who set up their own businesses. That being the case, they want to be sure that your business is going to be successful, so they only issue a temporary card of sorts for three months at a time for the first nine months. After that, if your business is successful, you can renew the card for a year. So today I got the first three-month card. My business has been successful since May, and I'm hoping and planning to only be more successful from here forward, so I'm hoping and expecting (and praying too) that the renewals will all go smoothly, and I'll have the year card in a year or less.

Most important in all this is that I do have the right to stay and the right to continue working for myself and building my business. Buh-bye student status!!! Bon voyage and all that.

I also got a little show of respect at the old préfecture. Parisian friends should now stand up and brush themselves off because I'm sure that little bit of news knocked you on your fannies. Yes, it's true! The woman who helped me told me that I have a very successful business, then she told me that she was making my renewal appointment for 9:00 in the morning because, "you have better things to do than spend your morning at the préfecture." I kid you not. She said that. I agreed, thanked her, and scooted on outta there because what I had to do this morning was spread the good news across the land! I got it! I got it!!!

So yes, today was (and still is) a good day. I am relieved. I am elated. I am going to sleep well tonight. I am also going to need to get on the renewal paperwork toute de suite because that stuff is not easy to round up.

As you might imagine, my list today will be a bit predictable:

1)  the card! the card! the card! Finally!!!
2)  student no more! Something does feel different about that. When you're a student, the expectation is always that you'll leave. Not so when you're a business owner!
3)  the fact that I have so many friends and loved ones with whom to share this awesome news!
4)  on another note, we had gorgeous weather today and have more of the same for the next week!
5)  finally, last but not at all least, my friend Philippe who spent HOURS and HOURS helping me with all of this paperwork. I mean it sincerely when I say I could NOT have done it without him. And yes, I am taking him to dinner to celebrate. Can't wait!!!

And so...an answered prayer. A restless night rewarded. A good friend to whom and for whom I will forever be grateful. And hard work ahead. Ahhh...how sweet it is!

bisous

Could it be...spring???

Fast five today!

1)  an absolutely GORGEOUS day in Paris!!! Spring may be here indeed!
2)  a fun weekend with less negative than I had feared
3)  home sweet home
4)  the delicious apples with cinnamon, butter, sugar, and vanilla that I made for brunch today. Mmmmm!
5)  a beautiful forecast for the week

Hope you're all having a gorgeous day too! Tell me about it!
bisous

And if you're just not feeling it?

Hey friends,

They say (whoever they are) that if you're not feeling particularly grateful, you should make a list of the things your grateful for, and if you do, you'll find the feeling of gratitude that was hidden behind whatever was making you feel not so grateful return. This is where I find myself today. Not that I'm not grateful for all of the wonderful people and other blessings that I have, but you know how some days the bad seems to be on your mind more than the good? At least on the surface? That's the funk I'm in right now.

It wasn't the case until this afternoon when I got a call about some changes to one of the events of the weekend. Since then it's been funk central around here. I'll admit that Fridays aren't my best day right now anyway because of a particularly dreadful class that I teach on Friday afternoons, but I was actually in a pretty good mood until that bit of news arrived. It's just that I thought I had managed this particular situation so that it would be pleasant and not miserable, but I was mistaken. I'm feeling like I can't get a particular monkey off my back AND I JUST WANT THAT DAMNED MONKEY GONE! That's all.

At first I thought, "I just can't do it today...can't do the gratitude post." Then I thought, "now is EXACTLY when I MOST need to do it." Then I procrastinated. Then some more of that. And now I'm here. Still whining; still not getting around to the gratitude part. Ok, here it is...the moving on part of the post.

Yes, there are lots of things that I'm thankful for even in the middle of funk central. Like:

1)  Friday, 4:00. This is when I finish with the class from hell, and I only have six more of them in front of me.
2)  Kitty welcome home. Sometimes they are the best part of my day.
3)  Ann was born today! Well, several years ago today. And for that I'm very grateful.
4)  Toffee nut latte. I didn't go to a Starbucks until I had lived here for almost a year, and when I did, they didn't have TNL. But since, I've found that certain Starbucks here DO have it, and the one I went to this afternoon when I needed a little something to get me through that class had it! Win!
5)  Saturday. Sleeping in, maybe a little shopping, and dinner with fun friends. Fun!

So do I feel better? Yes, a little. If I think about the things that have me down, I get bummed, but if I think about the people in Japan and the things that are getting THEM down right now, I feel silly. Perspective Gina, all you need is a little perspective.

Thanks for listening friends. Hope you're having a lovely day!
bisous

Hello you!

And the weekend is almost here! Getting right to it, today I'm thankful for many things including:

1)  my wonderful parents...I love them SO much and am so thankful for them every day
2)  that my friends have amazing dogs and children, that they are going for their dreams, that they appreciate the simple things in life, that they love and support others (including me), and that they are good people who always help me remember what's really important in life
3)  that my clients are funny and intelligent and open and so much fun to work with
4)  that I have fun plans for the weekend including celebrating the birthday of my best friend in Paris!
5)  that I have such sweet, soft, funny, furry roommates

And you? Hope things are good in your world!
 bisous

Dior

Salut mes amis!

Oh how I love the house of Dior. I've always had a special place in my heart for Dior, and I've even found myself defending it/them recently with the Galliano flap. (Did that make the news in the US? Of course, it was HUGE here.) In case it wasn't covered where you are, John Galliano, who WAS creative head of Dior, is a horrible person apparently and treated the patrons at a Parisian café to an anti-semitic rant for the books. He denied, denied, denied, and Dior suspended him. Then video footage showed up (ah, the ubiquitous camera phone), and Dior immediately fired him. But someone found some footage of a NIECE of Christian Dior giving the old Nazi salut. Yes, she was a nazi. The niece. So I ask you, what in the heck does THAT have to with anything? She was his NIECE. She wasn't involved in the business. Fortunately, no one here is making a big deal of that, but I thought it was even unfair to bring it up. Has nothing to do with the the fashion house and never did. Ok, stepping down off my soapbox to share some gratitude! But I had to give the background because one of the things I'm grateful for today is:

1)  the little mini-exposition of Dior at Le Bon Marché, the most fabulous of the Paris department stores. I went today and really didn't want to leave. If only they'd give me those lovely dresses...oh so lovely.
2)  the crepe I had right after I left my lovely Dior dresses and returned to reality. Sugar and lemon, it helped ease the transition
3)  flowering trees! flowering flowers! spring! spring! spring!!!
4)  the overall ridiculous beauty of this city. I was sitting on the bus post-crepe, post-Dior just smiling at the beauty passing the windows
5)  the heels I wore today...and the wonderful way it felt to take them OFF. That is, after all, the best part about wearing heels.

I've posted pix from the Dior expo on facebook. They are worth seeing.

And you? How has your day been?
bisous

Potter makes a friend

Salut mes amis! Straight to business, so here's my list for today:

1)  coffee...what would morning be without a good, strong, rich cup of coffee and a little whole milk?
2)  picholine olives...mmmmmm....refreshing
3)  my neighbor who encountered Potter wandering up and down the stairs and just laughed. He gets bored in this little apartment (Potter, not the neighbor), and since the door to the outside is locked, I let him wander up and down the 3 flights. Usually I time it better and wait until everyone is home (there are only 4 apartments in my building including mine), but today I hadn't paid attention, and Potter wanted out. Et voila, the encounter. The good news is that the neighbor now knows Potter belongs here, so if he encounters him again, maybe he won't think he just wandered in...and show him out.
4)  a truly gorgeous day
5)  90210 (the original version) on tv here. It's comforting to know that bad acting is timeless.

How 'bout you?
bisous

Chatty little girls

Hi friends!

It's Monday night here, and Tombstone is on tv. I love this movie. The only thing amiss is that instead of hearing Val Kilmer say "I'm your huckleberry," I will be hearing some French translation which I haven't yet heard so don't know yet what they decided to have him say. All too often they completely change what's being said which is bizarre and sometimes disappointing. Anyway, enough about that; here are a few of the things I'm thankful for today:

1)  The little girl I passed on the sidewalk who was just chat, chat, chatting away telling her dad all about her day at pre-school while he mumbled "mm-hm" from time to time. She reminded me of.........me.
2)  Tombstone...seriously great movie
3)  A surprise message from my sweet friend who thought of me today while she was at the Armadillo Grill enjoying some fabulous Tex-Mex. Mmmm...Tex-Mex...
4)  warm weather and sunshine! I know I sound like a broken record, but it has been SO cold and grey here...I can't help but be jubilant about spring peeping its tiny little head out!
5)  dental floss. Random, but seriously, I don't know what I'd do without it.

Ok, back to watching Tombstone...what are you up to?
bisous

March Madness

Hi friends!

It's that time of year, and I am SO pulling for Carolina today, but so far what I hear isn't great. GET TO WORK HEELS because the only thing worse than a Carolina loss would be a Duke win. (Sincere apologies to any Duke fans out there. I know there's at least one of you. ;)

Alright, onto more neutral topics. Today has been one of those days that you look forward to because you don't have anywhere to be, but by the time evening rolls around and you've been on the sofa most of the day (grading papers, doing other work related stuff on the computer, etc.), you kind of wish you'd gotten up and at least gone for a long walk. At least that's the way I feel. Nonetheless, there's lots to be grateful for.

1)  papers are graded. Good news as this week is mid-term week which means by Friday I'll have over 100 midterms to grade. Just not going to think about it.
2)  a yummy little thrown-together sundried tomato and pasta dinner...surprisingly edible
3)  my shadow...big yellow cat. He has hung out with me all day. So sweet.
4)  the M&Ms are finished. Gone. That is to say, eaten. I will not be buying more.
5)  a few fun things to look forward to in the week ahead including plans with friends, sunshine, and warmer weather!

What about you? Who are you pulling for (if you care) and what are you thankful for today?
bisous

Chat bizarre

Salut mes amis!

Potter is a bizarre cat. I love, love, love him. But...he IS bizarre. Sweet, affectionate, loving, snuggle-bug who will turn to bite me with absolutely no provocation that is understandable to humans. Same with Gracie--he loves on her then turns to attack her leaving both of us scrambling and surprised. But, like me, Gracie has learned to ignore his violent, toothy outbursts and loves him for the cat that he is. Is this a random comment? Uh, yes. Guilty as charged. Onto the reason I'm here. Today I'm grateful for lots including?

1)  my sweet, sweet, sweet Gracie and my crazy, sweet when he isn't being mean Potter
2) a cheeseburger and fries. At an English pub...refreshingly delish
3)  the music they played:  AC/DC, The Police, too many others to name, but I hadn't heard any of them in ages!
4)  a nice walk to the metro--not too cold, not crowded, in a beautiful area
5)  Sunday. In front of me. The day where good French people visit their families, and expats hang out at home enjoying some nice, much-needed down-time.

Et...vous? What's going right in your lives?
bisous

Stating the obvious

Welcome to Friday friends!

Whew...I don't know about you, but I'm glad to see it. Not that it was a bad week, but I'm looking forward to sleeping in and having two whole days to spend as I see fit. So, without further ado...the list of just a few things I'm grateful for:

1)  aforementioned Friday followed by Saturday and Sunday
2)  a fun Thursday night out at one of my favorite places
3)  a good report for my Gracie at this week's vet appointment
4)  increasingly warmer weather...spring IS coming, I just know it!
5)  French pharmacies

Et toi?

bisous

Being a girl

Salut mes amis!

Another cold day in Paris; not as much sunshine this week as last week, but it's still an improvement over the past few months of grey, grey, grey.

Tuesday night I was going to a Mardi Gras party, and as I was going straight from work, I was early. So, instead of going straight to the party, I decided to stop by my friend Shauna's atelier as I knew she was also going and thought she was probably still at work. What a great decision that turned out to be! We talked, laughed, primped, drank wine, laughed some more and eventually headed to the party which was not half as much fun as the pre-party. Shauna makes beautiful custom jewelry and clothes. She is so talented, it's amazing. If you're in Paris, you should definitely stop by: 24, rue Véron in the 18th arrondissement. Here's a little taste of her shop. Isn't it almost sinfully gorgeous?

Today I'm very thankful that I'm a girl. I love being a girl because...

1)  sometimes when you're a girl, getting ready for an event is more fun than the actual event
2)  lipstick, mascara, all the things that let me be me, only prettier
3)  perfume...I love perfume and love wearing it
4)  dresses and skirts...I love feminine clothes. They make me feel so...girly.
5)  And last, but not least:  Men...I love all of the ways they're different from us girls.

I had a boss once who hated the term "girl." We're women. Yes, yes, we are women. But inside some of us (maybe all of us--I can't say), there's a girl who sometimes just wants to be a girl.

Hope you have a delicious day!
bisous

The Cure

Hey friends!

I'm typing this with The Cure's Lovesong playing on youtube in the background. Delicious song.

Let's get right to it...I'm thankful for lots of things today including:

1)  great 80s music...and great 70s music...two of my favorite music eras
2)  a GORGEOUS day today...sunny and cold, but not as cold as yesterday when my friend Randy's ears fell off, it was so cold
3)  sweet kitty love
4)  poetry
5)  baked sweet potatoes...what could be easier for dinner?

Et toi?

bisous

Audrey

Bonjour mes amis!

Right now I'm watching a movie that I love (Charade) which takes place in a city that I love (Paris) that stars my all time favorite actress (Audrey Hepburn) and a very dashing actor that I also love (Cary Grant) that's in a language that I love and that Audrey spoke - French. What a treat!

Ok, time to make a list of just a few things I'm grateful for:

1)  Audrey Hepburn. Such beauty and elegance...am I the only one who wants to be her?
2)  Old movies
3)  That something I dreaded doing is over and done. Whew.
4)  Sunshine, blue skies, beautiful flowers
5)  Another great book:  Le Plus Bel Endroit du Monde est Ici

Nice weekend...looking forward to a great week!

bisous

Weather, butter, good legs

Salut mes amis!

Gorgeous but cold day in Paris. How about where you are? Wait, do I want to know?

Ok, getting right down to business today, here we go:

1)  The man on the metro who told me I had a beautiful smile. A girl can't hear THAT enough!
2)  My doctor telling me that the numbers the lab puts on the cholesterol report as ideal are too low, and that my cholesterol is actually normal. Bring on the butter!!!
3)  sunshine this week in spite of it being ridiculously cold...more sunshine, less cold please
4)  the fact that my legs bend the right way. I saw a woman in the metro today whose legs (at the knee) bent the other way, so she walked on all fours. It was so incredibly sad and reminded me to be thankful.
5)  contact lenses

And you? Please share even if it means telling me what glorious weather you're having. I'll be jealous but still happy for you!

bisous

Elegance

Salut mes amis!

Oh how I love a good book. I just finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry, and I absolutely loved it. In a word, it's beautiful. The last several chapters are themselves quite elegant and so full of beauty that I am going to have to read them again.

Speaking of books, I've resolved to read a book a month, so if you have any recommendations to make, I'd love to hear them!

On to the list. Today I'm grateful for many things including:

1)  good books, particularly those that are filled with beauty and intelligence
2)  pink tulips. I know, two days in a row the same thing, but I bought some for myself today (the first time since I've lived here!), and they are doing so much to brighten my little apartment, I just have to express my gratitude again
3)  fun clients who made me laugh today
4)  Mad Men...I've never even seen an entire episode, but the clips on youtube are brilliant
5)  good health...mine, my parents', my brother's and nephews', my cats, my friends...

And you! If you're reading this, I'm grateful! I love reading your comments too and would love it if you'd make this space your own! (I ask you, exactly HOW would I express myself without exclamation marks???)

bisous