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Forging ahead

Fall in NYC is beautiful, but spring is another story. I remember NYC springs, or what passes for spring. There, it goes from 20 degrees to 80 in a week, then 20-80-30-75, then stays at 80 until July. Not very enjoyable. Yes, you are happy when you don't need a coat, but having to turn on the air conditioning is a drag.

Spring is Paris's season. It is gradually warmer starting in January. March can be dreary, but very differently than in NYC. In NYC, we have dreary days of cold and rain; Paris? moments of cold and rain. Yesterday, it rained for 8 minutes, then brilliant sunshine, then deluge, then sun... all day long. I am just not used to it.

Also people here are much more affected by the weather and I feel it as well. I blame it on lack of theater. In NYC, the horrible months are also the most culture-rich. Yes, we have 30 inches of snow, but "Hamilton" has tickets available! Something to look forward to. In Paris, food really does take the place of theater, but that has its downfall. Our favorite restos (short for restaurant, and an abbreviation I wish English would adopt) have new dishes for each season and it is an experience. Helmut and I went to the Palais Tokyo (modern art museum) for lunch and had a wonderful Parmentier (Shepherd's  pie with duck instead of lamb and no peas), a wonderful bottle of wine and a delicious dessert. It made my day. It was more important than the exhibit. This is all great, but the excitement of a meal is not as immediate or as uplifting as going to live theater. I miss it, but we have to adapt to our surroundings (and what wonderful surroundings they are!)

As spring appears here, people begin to come out of hibernation and head for the terraces. In Paris, a "terrace" is any outside space with tables, so almost every resto has the sidewalk tables and thus, a terrace. We met our friend Laure at "La Belle Équip," a newly renovated cafe.


You will all know this place, but probably not by its name. It was the cafe where, in November, the terrorists came and shot everyone on the terrace and killed most people inside. It has only been open for a few weeks. It is almost a badge of courage to go there and many Parisians make a concerted effort to go there.

It was our first time there since the shooting. I must say, I was illogically ill-at-ease. I felt the magnitude of being there and the energy of that horrible day. After a major disaster, I feel it is usually the best time to do the affected activity. For instance, I always feel safer flying after a plane crash; I figure, everyone is on hyper-alert and the likelihood of something happening again is slight. It least in theory.

Since Laure lives across the street from La Belle Équipe, it was a logical choice. We sat on the fairly-full terrace and enjoyed the sunshine... and then the rain... watched a cyclist fall at the intersection,... then enjoyed the sun again. The unease I felt abated somewhat. It was not warm, but the beginnings are there. I cannot say how happy it made me feel to be there with fellow Parisians taking a stand against the terrorism. And how good it felt to leave.

I wish you all a happy spring!


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