Et Encore

Life often seems to me like blind groping against a wall you push forward and forward and forward. From time to time, your hand pushes a stone that falls away and then there is an opening - like a secret door you've just discovered. In those moments, life is open. Recognizing the feel of those falling stones and jumping through to the next thing can really make things interesting. For example, last Tuesday night my life looked like this:


And just a few hours (plus a year and a half of planning) later, it looked like this:


Free. Jumping through.

I arrived in Paris early in the morning and though I couldn't see the Eiffel Tower because of the rain, no wet sky could bring me down. Everything looked beautiful in this light.

Even ads.


Even traffic!


I arrived at my new roommate's home and he promptly took me and my low blood sugar to a boulangerie to retrieve some pain au chocolat to have with our coffees. Voilà, my first meal in France (the second time around)!


YES. After a long day of getting settled in and napping, I found myself at the home of my wonderful friend Elsa, who was throwing me a dinner party. A welcoming party! I felt rather special.

Her apartment is absolutely gorgeous.


And she has this bulletin board of loves above her piano (yes, piano). Favorite musicians, postcards from New York, favorite artists, photos of her parents in their youth... I love Elsa's spirit: both delicate and strong, a real Parisienne.


Before long, Nicolas showed up and began the preparation of our Indian feast. Having traveled to India quite a bit, Nicolas knew what he was doing.


And he put us to work!


Charlotte and her boyfriend arrived, and while the men tended to the kitchen, Elsa and Charlotte shared some gossip (or what I believe to be gossip, from this photo).


Among conversation (in French and English) we all pitched in to help with dinner.


(I punched some dough. It was therapeutic.)








Oh, did I mention the wine? Muscat Sec here - lovely.


Elsa's sweet and well-behaved pup Rillette even contributed to our meal...


... in adorableness only, of course.








"Cheers!" "À santé!" "Cin-cin!"




J'aime Elsa.




Finally, after a champagne toast (to the new year, to Paris, to New York, to Elsa and me and these lovely people), it was time for our meal. I'm hungry again just looking at it.






It was the first meal I've sat on the floor and eaten with my hands for. But this is the way, so... when in France, do as the Indians do?


We had a long night of good conversation, laughter, wine, and food.



(I'm learning to put my camera in the center of the room once in awhile, otherwise I'll never have another photo of myself).


A rather grand welcome, I have to say. An elegant chasing those fallen stones.


*jenna*