THE HEAT IS ON...

AND SO IS THE VISA RENEWAL PROCESS!

Sep 13, 2024

Thursday morning I did something that I didn’t think I would be doing until at least mid October. I turned ON my heater! It’s winter already here in Paris. That means… sunny (freezing) mornings, light (yet rainy) afternoons, and then — wait, what the hail!!?? — Yes, evidently this winter we will be adding hail in the repertoire of gloomy evening weather.

No joke! Thursday evening the ice pellets made everyone run for cover. WILD. My cute little home… kept me dry and safe.

MY CUP RUNNETH OVER – WITH FRIEND DATES

I saw Laura last night for dinner at Coffee Parisien – her favorite take out, and my favorite bacon cheeseburger (what in the wild %$#??! Who have I become?! I guess it’s true. You can take the girl out of the USA, but you can’t take the USA out of the girl.)

I hosted my first gathering in my precious pied-à-terre on Wednesday night with Leah, Emily, her pup Braxton, and Ariel. Everyone of my sweet new friends came bearing gifts. In tow… my favorite La Chouffe beer, two packets of different butter (this is becoming a running theme in this group and ummm I’m not mad about it), a box of oatmeal (Leah let me stay at her apartment while she was away a few weeks ago, as you all remember. While I was there, I discovered oatmeal in her cabinet. It took me back to childhood when I was told that for my solid first year of eating “solids” I only consumed oatmeal and green beans. (I was a true vegetarian from the start – then, turned carnivore clearly given my cheeseburger dinner choices from above) so she brought me my own box), and flowers – the happiest, most colorful arrangements and a precious pink cactus face-vase. We all visited in my kitchen / living room / dining room / closet area (what?! It’s a two story studio. It’s an all in one) for short mugs of beer and giggles.

Then, we sought out for Pho.

Sara is BACK from her two month summer world tour and boy have I missed her something bad. We met up one evening in Jardin des Tuileries for (her) juice and (my) beer. The second she saw me she said “Something looks different about you. You’re glowing.” So sweet – little did she know I was different. Lots of different. Different apt + different job + different friends. Same for her. Lots of different things coming her way too. Graduating this week, for one. The world is her (and all of our) oyster!

On Wednesday morning I took my butter loving birthday girl, Cara, out for coffees and buttery pastries.

On Tuesday I met with my colleague (eeeep) here in Paris at Nolinski Le Restaurant for coffee and the best conversation. Spoiler… I’m being offered more projects! Couldn’t feel more grateful!!

And on Monday… I got to see my friend and mama right now — Miranda. She has finally arrived for a long-stay in Paris after a summer away. She returned from the Venice Film Festival on Sunday, and by Monday morning she was in my new home ensuring that I was good (as a mama would).

It’s confirmed. She loves my tiny, precious, two story, treehouse, hobbit of a bathroom (which she said was very chic – sweet little lie, because chic isn’t what I would call it), paradise on Île Saint Louis.

After her stamp of approval she perched on my couch and shared all the things… work talk, birthday plans, family time, and the festival wins. I loved this morning so much with her (And bonus! Just before she came, my internet was reconnected. Someone had accidentally cut my wire. I am happy to report. An hour before I heard her knock at my door I had been reconnected to the World Wide Web).

We had planned to picnic on the Seine for lunch. Yet, as I mentioned above. Winter has arrived. Therefore, while we were en route the heavens opened up. Downpour. We did an about face in tandem (under her itty bitty pocket size umbrella) and took a window table at L’Escale for a quiche Lorraine and a trois fromage tartine. Men stood at the counter to eat which I loved. Felt like we were in the 1940s – nothing had changed.

Later, on that cozy-rainy afternoon, I went over to have tea with Justine. She was packing to go MIA (my habitual Miami joke) for a bachelor (gay bestie) weekend. I went over to squeeze her goodbye, pick up her keys (I will be handing them off to her NYC pals who are coming to stay while she’s gone), down the yummiest earthiest Mugicha tea, print a doc for my visa, and make plans to see her the night after she returns for our inaugural Exclusive Île Dinner Club (still workshopping the name).

PEOPLE IN MY SMALL WORLD

Last night I was cackling on the phone with my Erika from America (bestie from Montauk who made an EN ROUTE cameo back in January when we hopped to London for a rendezvous). She told me about how she randomly met this woman Carolyn at a party in Manhattan (a party that E had not planned to originally attend). Erika told me that it turned out… Carolyn lives in Montauk - same as E. AND lives in London - same as E (past tense)! The world continues to get smaller. Made me so happy! I then had to share something similar that had happened to me just hours before…

Enter Howard.

Earlier I had taken myself out for a stroll to get some sunshine on my face and also a treat for myself at Tour D’Argent. (Their butter may not be winner level (more definition below) but their chausson aux pommes is what my dreams are made of! In fact, when I order it, I always say “de quoi sont faits mes rêves” to my favorite waitress. The verdict is out. Her laugh response is either a sign that she loves that I say this OR (probably more accurately) she thinks I’m a total lunatic.) As I walked in I spotted a man in a corduroy hat. Stitched across the top? MONTAUK. I got so excited! He’s my people! I caught his eye… “Parlez-vous anglais monsieur?” He, in English, said “That’s all I speak!”

We laughed as I told him how I had lived in Montauk for several summers and that one of my besties calls it home now permanently. I asked what brought him here.. and just like that. He was my Caroyln. My world became smaller ... “My wife and I split our time between here in Paris – we own a house (pointing to ÎSL), and in Montauk.” SAME AS MOI (past tense)!

So it’s official… the chausson aux pommes isn’t the only thing my dreams are made of… my new Montauk friend, Howard’s life is. It would be MY DREAM to do demi Paris and demi at The End of the World, as us MTK locals call it.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO NOW

Wednesday I pressed submit at 2:40pm and instantly felt one thousand pounds lighter. (If only that was the case… I mean these chausson aux pommes could be becoming a problem if you catch my thank god it isn’t bathing suit weather drift). I have officially applied for an extension on my visa and ever since I made the submission… the song Should I Stay or Should I Go Now has been on rinse and repeat in my head.

I have decided to give this country another year. Now, it’s up to them (the French Government) to decide on giving it to me. The waiting game commences.

From the time I submitted my application, I accepted to be on French soil locked-down until granted a new visa status. I can’t leave the country until I hear back. My hope is that I have word by November so that I can hop the pond for one of my favorite holidays – Thanksgiving. Stay tuned. If this isn’t the case… the invitation will be open for my USA family + friends to come to ME for the feast.

BIRTHDAYS “TAKE THE CAKE” – BUT THIS ONE TOOK THE BUTTER

Saturday, I showed up to the Butter Tasting Birthday Party with what I had thought would be the winning butter. I bought it from Tour D’Argent – one of the (according to Michelin) “best restaurants” in Paris. So, naturally, I thought I had bought 1st place. Mais non! My butter didn’t get ONE vote (not even my vote).

We all piled around Cara and Kiel’s long dining room table with 14 butters to taste.

Who’s ready for a delicious way of going out of this world with… clogged arteries!?

Bring on the tasting spoons, ample baguettes, radishes, and note cards to track our personal rankings! My card read something like this “#13 salty and smooth,” “#7 pretty sure this is mine - not looking good for me. Terrible,” “#3 tastes like yogurt – can we get some granola?,” and “#2 I need H2O asap – salty as hell.” Are you ready for this? The one I disliked the most, #2, didn’t get my vote, but took the win!

We were all given three gold stickers to place beside the ones we liked the best. Mine was the first one called out – as again, I was in LAST place. Not one single gold sticker. Cara took the cake… or the butter in this case! The birthday girl’s Fontaine des Veuves avec grains de sel won. (And if you’re curious… here were the rankings that followed hers: Mauricio’s homemade roasted garlic & herb butter, Plaquette Truffes Noir, Fontaine des veuves demi-sel (this had one of my votes!), and Le Beurre Bordier à la vanille de Madagascar (my comment for this one read: Do not like this at all – taste like smoke. Non merci!)

Side bar, so as not to scare people when I walked in – my strategy was to call out the elephant in the room… or really the elephant IN my EYE. I announced to everyone “Forgive my appearance. Last night I was punched.” Their faces were priceless. I was joking. But good gawd it didn’t look like it. My sty was out of control! Massive!

But you know who didn’t care at all about my weird eye? Stevie! That boodle lept from her mama’s arms into mine the second I walked in the door. Ah! Why do all baby’s do this to me? They make my ovaries hurt – I want one of my own. She stayed glued to hip all the livelong day until I had to deliver her back to the floor with her toys so that I could meet an excited Justine, and crew, at Stade de France. I had the Paralympics Athletic Gold Finals to attend (... like a pirate. With my one working eye)!

Smiling was contagious at these events – calling out Faisal Sorour!! He was the Kuwait athlete, who won the gold medal for the men's Shot Put. He could NOT stop permagrining from the time they announced his name. So I couldn’t either. When he got his GOLD all of my (new) friends said “AC! Your guy! He won!” I was rooting for his smile the whole time. (Sidebar: Aled Davies, who won Silver in this category, could NOT have looked more angry. Wild! He WON Silver. Mel Robbins is right – Bronze winners are happier than Silver winners. Wild phenomenon. But after seeing Davies’s face at the ceremony – I’m a believer.)

NEW DAY — NEW EYE

Sunday, I woke up with an almost healed eye. Hallelujah. At the butter party, my friend Kyle, who dances at Moulin Rouge by the way – STAR!, and I got to talking about sty remedies. He said “what you need to do is put a piping hot tea bag on your eye and then not open it for a full night.” I did that exact thing – only, with a cloth (not a tea bag) and with the aid of a tied bandana around my head/eye (not trusting myself not to peer open my lid). It worked!

I was so thrilled. So, I decided to bike BACK up to the flea market to finally buy my material that I had fallen in love with weeks ago. (Hélèn, my chic vintage crush, had forgotten to bring it to the market twice before. So, third times a charm, eh?!) While en route though. My sweet James Chocolatine velo – that has needed a tuneup for MONTHS now – gave out. Her right hand brake … ummm, did indeed … break.

I was flying when I went to press her break and it snapped. I was wearing my precious loafers that I have finally reunited with… so I had no shoe grip to help stop her. Luckily, my years of riding on unpredictable vintage bikes, in unpredictable busy cities, gave me the tools I needed to manage the slow-down unscathed. I can assure you though, after that, I pedaled S L O W L Y for the rest of the day and memorized how to say … I’m sorry, my breaks are broken… “Je suis désolé, mes freins ne fonctionnent pas” to all of my fellow speed racers blaring their bells at me to move my slow #$% along. Once they heard my apology they all would give me a wave of encouragement.

Yes. I took her on Monday to the BEST bike shop I could find in walking distance. And happy to report that she is good as new… and should be! Her full body tune-up cost double what I paid for her. Mais, c'est la vie! She’s fixed now with straight handlebars, working breaks (albeit very loud now – but all the better for people hearing me slow down), and tires that sing we’re brand new!

To celebrate, I took my new fabric and myself out for a beer on the river. Pinch me!

MORE TO COME…

This coming week I will get to see so many more friends – Parisians and friends in town visiting. My cup runneth over with more invitations!

My sweet Goldie Hawn will be getting her stitches out later today. I have received a photo everyday of my strong precious puppy girl – and aside from the cone, not much has changed. She continues to sleep all day long and lick all the plates when it’s dinner time. PRECIOUS girl who I miss so much.

Until next week… I’m off to surprise Miranda and Nico’s Margaux with on the lip bisous. I can’t wait!

Speaking of mouth kisses… My favorite boodle on the planet to kiss on the mouth is turning 10 today. Love of my life - Belle Miller Howard.

xxo