Some days are French-er than others...

Living in Dallas, one might not think of the similarities our great city has to Paris.  I say pish-posh.  You can work to have a French experience here if you try.

My favorite city in the world is Paris, France.  I love the food, the history, the culture, the architecture, and the people.  Yes, the people, too!

Yesterday, I felt very French.  It started out that I wore heels.  Those of you who know me, know that I wear my clogs way too much.  They're comfy, reliable, and easy to slip on.  But, they are not the most feminine shoe.  Being a French woman is all about being feminine.

Secondly, I spent time at our Global Headquarters.  The Parigi global headquarters are located in The Argyle apartments across the street from Parigi.  It is also known as the pied a terre.  French for, "foot on the ground", a pied a terre is a small living unit usually located in a large city some distance away from an individual's primary residence.  In our case, it is part office, part test kitchen, part Secret Sunday Supper venue, and part guest house.

Roger and I spend our Christmas in Paris each year.  We rent an apartment, and really try to pretend we are French, if just for the week.  We have decorated the pied a terre in the style of the apartments in which we stay.  Think chandeliers, gilded mirrors, gently used furniture, an old gated elevator, and a city vibe, given the location.  More to come on this little gem in future blogs.

The third thing that happened to make my day feel French was these three ladies that came in for a bite yesterday afternoon.  They were dressed in their Muslim headscarves, and spoke very little English.  Not sure where they were from, but communicating with them in English was not an easy task.  Finally I asked, "parlez vous Francaise?"  Upon which one of the ladies replied, "oui."  From there, we were able to get the order placed, and served them pommes frites, soupe au legume et poulet, and soupe au tomate et creme.  Now, I don't speak French well, but man, I gotta tell you, it was cool to be able to find a way to communicate, and doing it in French was really exciting for me.

Lastly, my French day concluded with a trip to Eatzi's for bread.  In Paris, people walk everywhere, and you see them carrying their baguettes with them, usually with the tip of it broken off because it takes serious self control to not take a nibble when  you get it from the boulangerie.  Anyway, walking to and from Eatzi's with my baguette in hand, the busy street cars whizzing by, and walking back into that precious little cafe called Parigi, I was transported.  With a skip in my step, a smile on my face, I thought, this ain't so bad.  I may not live in Paris, but Paris can live in me, and I can let my imagination take me there without too much work.

So next time you are longing to be in Paris, but the time or ticket prices won't allow it, come see us at Parigi.  We will help take you there.

à bientôt...janice