I was sitting in the airport in Houston, waiting for my flight, when the news came. A friend sent a message: Notre Dame was on fire. I forwarded the WhatsApp note with a “??!!” attached to my wife, who was at home, working in our apartment in the 4th arrondissement, less than 100 yards from … More Notre Dame: A Monumental Loss, An Inspiring Response
At a cafe in the gold-plated first arrondissement, the expatriate writer perched at the corner of the cafe counter. At a right angle from him sat the Parisian. The Parisian and the expatriate had always nodded, but, not unusual for cafe life, had never introduced themselves. The Parisian always looked like he’d slept in his … More Go Day
I was recently asked to comment privately about the pros and cons of living in Europe. My wife and I have lived in Paris for the past five years, and the Inquiring Mind wanted to know about the relative merits of the experience. After sharing the information privately, I thought it might be a good … More Why Live in Paris?
One of the benefits of spending time in a country not your own is the realization that not everyone thinks they way you do. Of course, you immediately say to yourself, not everyone speaks the way I do. They speak, in this case, French. But to get day-in, day-out exposure to a completely different way … More French Thinking
The nonverbal communications embedded in French culture are a never-ending source of fascination for me here in Paris. Because I’m not fluent enough in French to catch certain subtle, revealing turns of phrase, I miss that part of the ‘delivery’ that might carry double entendres or hidden gems of humor in conversation. I do, however, … More Message in a Buckle
After having recently applied with the Les Powers That Be once again to live legally in France for another year, I thought I’d provide an update on the Parisian Life. ‘Reseau’ was a word–and an important concept–that was introduced to me in the first week of living in France. It translates to ‘network’, the group … More Notes on the Parisian Life…Thus Far
Same location in Paris, near the Ralph Lauren boutique and the legendary Lipp’s Brasserie in the 4th arrondissement. Instead of the vintage green Triumph, which I photographed and posted in September, I find this… Immaculately preserved. Illegally parked, as the writing on the pavement will attest: “livraison”, means ‘delivery’ in French. BGT
