What better time to walk the streets of any great city than when it’s snowing or raining? It's that precipitation—be it rain, sleet, hail, snow or fog—has a way of blurring the sharp edges of a metropolis, slowing the pace of its inhabitants walking with downcast eyes, and lowering the decibel count. When the everyday hustle-bustle fades, the city takes a deep breath.
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My thanks to those who have inquired as to why there have been so few posts of late. In years gone by, I've taken a break between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as it’s not as much fun bopping around the city in ninety-degree weather, but I always pause to say goodbye, something I’ve not done until now for a number of reasons.
What's the story?
Mainly, it's that I’ve been hard at work on another book, which I hope to finish this summer, a preoccupation that has left me with little time for seeking out French style here in the city. And, more importantly, my favorite wining and dining companion has been under the weather of late. That said, the ‘Comeback Kid,' currently in rehab and not enjoying the cuisine at all, should be fit as a fiddle by the Fourth of July. All of which calls for a celebration, one that this year includes the publication of Missing Mother by Harper Collins Canada. Hooray! Hooray for the Comeback Kid! Hooray for Harper Collins! Hooray for Canada celebrating 150 years of harmony on July 1st! Hooray for Missing Mother! And, lastly, hooray for you and me!
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I wake up in the morning and take my coffee to the window where I look at the flower beds and the buildings lining Park Avenue, at the joggers and the dog walkers, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the distance, and I tell myself: You’re going to miss this when you’re gone.
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The first time I laid eyes on Madame Cézanne --specifically, Madame Cézannein a Green Hat--I hardly knew what to make of her. Seated in an elegant chair, with a stylish green hat atop her head, she sat with lightly folded hands and tightly pursed lips. The more I studied her, the more I felt I was keeping her from far more urgent matters. Hurriedly, I moved on. When I heard the Metropolitan Museum of Art was mounting an exhibit devoted solely to her, it seemed a bit odd.
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The canopy at Vosges Haut-Chocolat is one of the most beautiful on Madison Avenue. Each time I walk by, the elegant floral design and the striking purple and white color combination grab my attention. And then, all the lovely associations come to mind...
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