Escaping the Empty Nest

Guest Posts

Talking To Me

Finding a Pet Sitter in Paris

The Art of the "Bonjour"

Series

Vegetable Gallery

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Toilet Gallery

In Case You Missed It:

I tried a new vegetable. White asparagus is ragingly popular in France during the late spring and early summer months. The first time I saw it in my local market, I wondered what misfortune had occurred that produced fat white asparagus. I hoped the farmers could sell enough to recoup their losses. Turns out, it was no accident--the French love this...(read more)

Let's Talk About Tartare

France loves tartare. And so do I. It’s raw meat squished together with spices, maybe some cooperative herbs or veggies. They shape it into a little patty and serve it as the main course with vegetables or fries. Here are the main types of tartare I’ve found in Paris. First, the above-pictured tuna tartare. This one is just delicious. The tuna is cut up smaller...(read more)

Hotel Sacher Toilet, Salzburg

Since moving to Paris last year, I have neglected my Toilet Gallery blog category. I’ve seen a lot of adequate but unentertaining toilets in Paris. That’s not Paris’ fault, it’s just that when we were traveling around the world the toilets were a constant source of joy or perplexity. Like the one in China where the attendant asked everyone if they were going...(read more)

Expat Life: Burglary

You’d think getting burglarized in Paris would be glamorous, right? Or maybe it would be funny, like the policeman would be Inspector Clouseau? Nope. Getting burglarized in Paris is pretty much like getting burglarized anywhere else--a pain in the derrière. This was not my first rodeo. I first got burgled in 1989, the day I moved into my...(read more)

What Could Make You Throw a Brick?

If you can’t think of anything, may I gently suggest that you have always felt heard. What would it take? What could make you throw a brick or rush a fence? What could make you do something illegal? If you were hungry? If your children or parents were hungry? If you couldn’t pay your bills no matter how much you worked? If your family...(read more)

Yvonne Explains France

Am I qualified to explain recent current events in France to you, my loyal readers? Absolutely not. But I am your boots-on-the-ground friend in Paris, so I’ll tell you what I’ve seen. In case you haven’t heard, the French like to strike and protest. (Paris likes doing those things more than the rest of France, so France rolls its eyes at Paris sometimes.) Strikes...(read more)

Biking in Amboise or It Was the Best of Sons, It Was the Worst of Sons

A friend had told me how she enjoyed hiking and biking in Amboise, a little town in the Loire valley, so Kid 3 and I decided to go. I booked the hotel my friend recommended and bought train tickets for the next day. End of travel planning...(read more)

There Are No Panty Lines in Paris and I Know Why

I moved to Paris last year. It is beautiful. The architecture is beautiful. The people are beautiful. Most of them have enviable figures and wardrobes. They stalk the pavement in front of those lovely buildings like it was a catwalk. I knew that the exterior must have been supported...(read more)

Attention: Book Nerds

If you need me, I’ll be in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
As you may know, I’ve gone back to school. Specifically, the University of Kent Paris School of Arts and Culture, where I’m working on a masters degree in creative writing. Libraries have always been my thing, and now I’ve got them in abundance. At the University of Kent, we...(read more)

Life Part 2: Back to School

I always wondered if I’d missed my calling. From childhood, I excelled at writing, literature, poetry, reading, languages, public speaking, books. I also played piano, but not too seriously. Then, the week we had to declare a major the summer before starting college, I was flying high after doing a solo senior piano recital and I signed up to be a music major...(read more)

Traveling with Menopause

I went to Spain to visit my friend who is guest-teaching at a university there. Only speaking the Spanish I have learned from menus, songs, and signs posted around Texas and California is a little challenging. I can say Donde esta los ban֘os (Where is the bathroom) and Besame (Kiss me) and No hablo espan֘ol (I don’t speak Spanish). Then I...(read more)

How to Use the Paris Metro

Using the Paris Metro is easy, fast, and cheap, but it’s also in Paris and that means things don’t always work like you think they should. Let me help you out. Tickets: You can find all the basic, helpful info that you need on the RATP website. There are options for every length of stay...(read more)

I'm Yvonne, and this is my blog.
The kids are leaving, I’m changing careers, and I’ve got miles to go before I sleep. If you are as perplexed and excited as I am about the second half of your life, come eat, travel, and figure it out with me.