london/paris

The cure for fury is focusing on the beautiful moments. My best friend from high school, KE, said if I ever made it to the UK, she would take me to Paris for my 50th birthday gift.

What a generous gift! October 2005, I was able to combine a Hair Show (attended by 42,000 stylists!!) with a personal vacation. I had the time of my life.

The Hair show was in London and exceeded my imaginings. My favorite was Mahogany, an amazingly innovative educational group, truly cutting edge fashion!

But, back to real life. I arrived with two of my hairdresser friends to Heathrow at 6:45 a.m. The transport service gave us a tour of all the best of London
and then to our hotel. We arrived past the breakfast time, yet they still served us a traditional English breakfast.

We later braved the Tube to find KE and daughter A, who was to be my god-daughter. We toured many sites, among them Herrod's,
to see their wow cakes!!

KE and I flew to Paris, after a coffee at Heathrow. Paris is dazzling, the epitome of awesome.
Don't tell me the French don't love Americans! Though I don't speak their beautiful language, I was constantly welcomed to Paris.


Our first experience in Paris, after KE so successfully navigated us through train and Metro, was choosing a place to eat. We burst onto the streets of Paris to be greeted by a very drunk Parisian.Why didn't we even read his tshirt?! He made us feel young and beautiful. Needless to say, we went on to another cafe for our first Paris dinner!

After two days, I began saying, bonjour, bonsour, merci to all the merchants. They have gracious manners. We dined in cafes and shopped and shopped.

Notre Dame was very emotional for me. As a new Catholic, putting my knees to the stone floor that nearly one thousand years of saints have prayed on stirred me deeply. When KE and I took the evening boat tour (can't remember how to spell the french term for that lovely excursion!), the background music swelled into Ave Maria as we neared Notre Dame.

I was so thankful to actually be able to attend their Wednesday night Mass.

And, of course, we enjoyed SocreCour. This man was playing Frank Sinatra's "I Did it My Way"on his violin and I am digging for a tip!

I have to say, I really left my heart in Paris. What struck me was how adolescent USA is. Going to France and England, seeing buildings over one thousand years old made me feel like I had returned to the safety of my parent's home. This is where we were formed.

(This photo is for my dear friend S., who has braved loss due to Hurricane Katrina. She is a light for me and certainly for her beloved city of New Orleans. )

The roots of our democracy, our faith, our nation are found in these two countries.


The beauty of the architecture, the Metro, the people, the culture and language is beyond my meager description. I long to return.

Another thing I loved about Paris was I could not eavesdrop! I was in the crowds of French speaking people, mesmerised by their melodic language. It was like their words were a constant song, that I could not intellectually comprehend, yet my spirit leapt in celebration with.

Seems the U.S. influence is everywhere, even in the historic section of Paris. No "french" fries for me!

The crowning moment of my trip is the great honor of becoming the god-mother,
as she calls me, the Fashion Mummy of, A.P. Here we are, walking up to her church for her baptism.

How can I say thank you for such a gift? I am still in awe. I must return.