On Tuesday we had dinner at the legendary restaurant, Jules Verne, located inside the Eiffel Tower. The view, made even more beautiful by a sudden rainstorm and double rainbow, is better than the food–which though palatable, certainly did not equal the amount paid for quality, though the bread, wine, and company were fabulous. And the little shovel spoons are now our family crest:

You really can’t beat it for the view and the romance. And remember, if at no other time in your life, in Paris, at least, you gotta rock the red lipstick:

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Begins with a sunset on the Pont Marie next to our pied-à-terre in the Île Saint-Louis, one of two natural islands in Paris.

The next evening we invited some folks over for a small fête to kick of the week of events planned for the Henry Miller Memorial Library’s Aller Retour Paris literary festival. Naturally this involved much wine, bread and cheese. The calm before the storm:

Pont Marie Gang at Sunset (not featured, our photographer and pal: Debi Lorenc)

I wanted to only eat bread, cheese and butter the whole time in Paris, but after two days, I had to add some roughage. That’s all I’m saying. I made everyone go out to the bridge at sunset where we drank German sekt (sorry France) and ate petite madeleine from Combray and talked about Proust, yes, I am serious. Reading the new translation of Swann’s Way right now. Read More >

Part of the brilliance of Kim Addonizio’s poetry resides in its tuna can lid cut to the wrist of reality: there is truth here which does not kill, but makes one bleed a bit, only you don’t know you’re bleeding until you see the drops staining your white blouse.

When asked to submit the 10 most influential books on my writing, Addonizio’s poetry sat at the top.  She is not only an American treasure in the realm of poetry, she’s also a generous advocate to young poets. Her popular online poetry workshop is generative and intimate. She opens her home to legendary poetry salons in the tradition of the greatest writers throughout history, she is, in a word: wunderschön. Read More >