We went out last night with Stephane Toullieux and his beautiful family, Magali, Raphaella and Hugo. Stephane is a Parisian who stayed at our house as a foreign exchange student when I was three. The Toullieux family, including his parents, sister, wife and two children, have been exchanging christmas cards with us since then, and every time we swing through Paris, we have dinner. The Eiffel Tower that Stephane sees is quite a bit larger than the one we see, and his house is covered with cool stuff he has collected from his years of travel to countries that make me jealous; Madagascar, Morocco and Mongolia are three that come to mind. He can make cultural references to the US that astound me. Last night at dinner he made a Reggie Bush/Jeb Bush joke, mentioned a Vanity Fair article quoting Biden's opinion of Mitt Romney, and uses a startling variety of American slang and expressions. When we came by his flat, he was watching a college football game, and had a book on his coffee table about James Dean. We walked past an address that was the new political headquarters for a candidate I don't know, and then we went to a restaurant where a famous French actor I didn't know was eating. Those Americans...embarrassing.
Susan here......at my 60th BD party last month I was telling people that one of the greatest gifts I can name is the miracle of having doubled my group of really wonderful friends within the last 5 years. At a time (not to be maudlin) that you start to lose friends, to have so many new friends in my life is an unexpected pleasure. Still, when I sit across from Stephane and his family, and I remember how long we've known each other, it reminds me that old friends are important too. Very important- and worth the effort it takes to keep in touch. I hope to see them sometime soon in either Felton or Mexico. Mexico- definitely.
So on to day to day details- today the famous soldes started and we were ready. We had our list of shopping/souvenirs items we simply had to have, and so we used our navigo (metro pass) autre fois and headed out. Nothing. So we are back at our flat, having lunch and a rest, then back out to Place D'Italie, a nearby shopping area that might yield a treasure. We are confident! And determined. Wish us luck.
Wishing you luck! (Especially if it means getting a little chose from Paris - although I REALLY want some wine, cheese and crepes!) I do, however, think it's important to add the other influence Stephane had on your little life at the age of 3 - your made-up "Princess" name! You were such a cute little Princess Stephane... Love you, both!
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