Foreign Tongue: Watch for It!

Sunday, March 16. This afternoon, I meet Vanina (friend of Richard's from Paramount) for coffee at the Cafe Beaubourg. We met last fall when Richard and Jay were in Paris. OK, does she have a great deal or what: she spends 6 months each year in Paris and 6 months in Los Angeles! Her mother is Egyptian and her father is French (which explains her exotic beauty). She was born in Cairo, and is a French national. When her parents, both university professors, immigrated to the US, she eventually became a naturalized US citizen but still has her French citizenship. Thus, she can work in any EU country.

Her family owns an apartment in Paris in a great neighborhood in the 11th arrondisement. Moreover, she is a writer/translator and has just had her first novel accepted for publication by Harper Collins. Titled Foreign Tongue, it will appear next winter. She gave me a brief summary of the story and it sounds terrific. Can't wait to read it. So is she living a dream life or what?! :) She's headed back to Los Angeles at the end of the month.

Here is Vanina's summary of the five essentials of life: movies, theatre, art, books and travel. With maybe the addition of music, I couldn't have said it better myself!

L'Alivi. Tonight I go out for dinner for the first time and, of course, go to L'Alivi, my favorite little restaurant. Sunday night is not the busiest time so only Olivier is there but it is great to see him. I make a reservation for next Saturday evening so I can bring Jed. Despite the fact that I have become somewhat fond of the pigeons that flutter around the courtyard of my apartment building and occasionally land on my windowsill, I order pigeon farci for dinner. Go figure. Preceded by mousse de coppa et poireaux. A glass of red wine, lots of water, expresso, and myrthe. Feeling very contented.