MEETING A BLOGGER FOR THE FIRST TIME!

This evening we are going to meet the inimitable "Paris Parfait."

About a year ago when I was beginning my foray into the blog world, I came across the Paris Parfait Blog, and since I was interested in making contact with people who were living in France I posted a comment on her blog. I was also in sync with her views on current American politics. My comment was left on her blog just after she and her husband David had left for a vacation to his native England. That was that, and I never expected to get a reply. But reply she did and with an e-mail no less. That was the beginning of our blog friendship. Over the next few months we exchanged snail mail addresses so as to enable us to send each other Christmas cards. Then there was her postcard exchange. Through her blog I was introduced to other bloggers with whom shared interests blossomed into blogland friendships. (One of whom, Tongue in Cheek, you'll get to meet next week!) The thing that I am most indebted to Tara for is her unswerving encouragement of my fledgling attempts to write poetry. She never once was critical of my work, and God knows she had ample reason to offer corrective comments. But no, always her comments spurred me on to try my hand again and again. She introduced me to the now defunct Poetry Thursday, and the Haiku blog "One Deep Breath."

When she found out that D. and I were coming to France in the Fall for vacation she generously offered to put us up in her spare room for the time we would be in Paris. She was sure we'd have difficulty finding a room at a reasonable price due to the world cup of rugby being held in France at the same time as our vacation. Although we did find accomadations in a very nice hotel, we did accept her invitation (she insisted actually) to stay with she and David for the last two days of our trip when we would be returning from the south for our return flight to the States. Not only that but she wanted to take D. to a HUGE brocante (antique fair) in Paris starting the day before we left for home. D. is an antique aficionado like Tara and was pleased, no end,to have this opportunity.

I'm saving the post on the Brocante 'til the end of the trip. Then you'll get to see photos of a gigantic antique fair in the rain and get to meet another delightful blogger from England and get a glimpse of Tara's well appointed apartment.


When we arrived in Paris on the 15th I called Tara and we firmed up plans to meet for dinner. She suggested we meet at Shakespeare & Co., an English language bookshop next door to a quaint and well reviewed restaurant, Le Petit Châtelet, where Tara would make reservations for the four of us.

D. and I arrived a few minutes early at The book shop. The warmth of the evening sun provide us with the impetus to get some nice photos of Notre Dame.

Tara and David arrived and we immediately recognized each other. She and David make a lovely couple. After making introductions we went in to the hidden away , almost, restaurant where we were seated and fussed over in the usual French manor. David is a very accomplished wine "sommelier" to whom I readily accepted his recommendations for our repast; starting with a champagne, a white and the red for dinner.

Here, I'm going to renege on my acknowledgment of Tara's statement, "these photos won't show up on the blog." I think you, my readers, will agree that Tara is more than attractive enough to show up in print anywhere. So I present to you my beautiful wife on the left and our new friend Tara on the right:

Diane and Tara

Not to be left out, here are the two duffers that these two lovely ladies allowed to accompany them to diner.

David and rel

The diner was as superb as advertised and the conversation flowed as easily as the wine. A delicious time was had and we parted with the anticipation of reuniting at Tara and David's abode one week hence.