When I was 15, I went through my hardcore Doors' days. Didn't you? Although not their most commercial album, An American Prayer became my definition of poetry. I eagerly awaited my turn to read the dog-eared copy of No One Here Gets Out Alive, a Morrison biography, which was circulating through my town and I … Continue reading Edith Piaf lives (in cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise
Category: France
Love in Ernest
As an undergraduate, I fell in love with Ernest Hemingway. My major in English trumped my minor in Women's Studies when it came to his mysogynistic ways. After reading a number of biographical works about him I forgave him. He was damaged goods. His writing impressed me and I have repeatedly heard his voice in … Continue reading Love in Ernest
Avoir de la chance
Friday evening I was tempted to leap in the air and shout with excitement "I'm in Paris!" (Kind of Mary Tyler Moore-ish, if you're struggling for the visual.) It was just so remarkable to me that a day that began at 5:00 a.m. Thursday in upstate New York could conclude more than 30 hours later … Continue reading Avoir de la chance
April in Paris
Doesn't April in Paris sound magical? I'm imagining a gentle rain, lots of shades of lavender and soft yellow and frequent bon jours. Happy sigh. As my trip gets closer, I'm spending a little time thinking about what to pack (going with a navy/grey palette) and wondering how much of my high school French will … Continue reading April in Paris
Je m’appelle Silvia. Je déteste à voler
Yesterday’s tragic plane crash in the French Alps has really rocked me. I’ve never been an enthusiastic flyer and horrific incidents like this amp up my anxiety about getting on a plane in the next couple of weeks. In the big picture, I don’t think it really makes a difference why the plane went down, … Continue reading Je m’appelle Silvia. Je déteste à voler