Daedalian Adventures

The road ahead is rarely straight…

By Lynelle Barrett

Bon Soir! Bon Appétit!

Before the Christmas holidays, I got an email from Carola, my best friend in America. She had a business trip planned to Paris in January. This was fabulous news, especially since it had been two years since we were together. Paris is a mere three hours away via high speed train, so I gleefully rushed to the Thalys website and bought myself tickets to Paris. Since I was ordering them well in advance, I got the bargain fare. I would share Carola’s hotel room, so it would be an inexpensive holiday. I also contacted Nathalie, the sister-in-law of another American friend, Lanna, and suggested that we get together for dinner while I was in Paris.

I met Nathalie by email first. Last summer Lanna and her husband, Philippe, were making a trip to visit family in France. Since they were going to be on the road, Lanna hooked me up with Philippe’s sister, Nathalie, to make plans. Nathalie and I exchanged some fun emails talking about shopping, food and poking fun at Dutch fashion. It was really nice when we all got together in Paris in August.

Then Carola’s business trip was cancelled. Unfortunately, I already had non-refundable tickets to Paris. So I had to either waste the train tickets or pay for a hotel. I decided to take a chance and see if Natalie would let me stay with her, even though I didn’t know her very well. She said I was welcome, so off I went to Paris to stay with someone I barely knew and her boyfriend, Marc, who spoke no English.

I worried whether I would feel comfortable, but I really needn’t have. Each day I met Nathalie at her office around noon and we went to lunch with one of her girlfriends. So after three lunches, I met all three of her best friends. I spent the afternoons in museums or shopping on my own. Then I met Nathalie to take the bus back to her apartment near the university, stopping on the way at the bakery for bread and dessert. When we arrived, Marc served us aperitifs and appetizers like tiny quiches, foie gras or smoked salmon on toast (made with a toaster that branded Mickey Mouse’s face on the bread). Then he disappeared in the kitchen, a delicious-smelling place where we were forbidden to go. On the first night he served us salmon with vegetables and shrimp. On the second night he prepared duck breast with foie gras. On the third night, we had veal with a savory Hollandaise sauce. Marc and I may not speak the same language, but we certainly found a way to communicate. Food. Yum.

On Wednesday night, Natalie and I did not have dinner right away after our aperitifs and appetizers. We bundled ourselves up to go out in the bitter cold and headed to a square in the middle of the city. Every week Nathalie does volunteer work feeding the needy and this week I went with her. Les Restaurants du Coeur (Restaurants of the Heart) has mobile units that set up tables with food in squares around Paris to help people who are homeless or, for whatever reason, would be helped by a free warm meal. First, we set up wooden horses and boards for tables. Then huge bins of food were unloaded. Soup, bread, pasta, cereal, yoghurt, coffee and cake were set up on the tables or benches in the square. Nathalie put me in charge of spooning out penne pasta. She said to greet everyone with “Bon soir”, then after I filled their bowl, to say “Bon appétit!”.

After all the food was served, many of the people stayed around to have coffee and chat. Serving food is only part of what the volunteers do. They also provide conversation. It was very social and friendly. I met a few people who spoke some English and had to struggle with my pitiful French talking to others. I met a young man from Romania who was waiting for his residence visa, so it was illegal for him to work (a situation I am well acquainted with) and a charming older gentleman told me that he was prepared to marry me. Since I was a new face and exotic (an American), the regulars were all very interested in chatting with me. I was surprised at what an enjoyable evening I had. Working with Les Restaurants du Coeur was the highlight of my visit to Paris.

After three days with Nathalie and Marc, I couldn’t believe I had been thinking of cancelling my trip to Paris. Now I have really cool new friends. I have managed to persuade them to visit me in Holland. I suggested that they plan it for later in the spring when the tulips are blooming. Marc is a bit shy and has not met my husband yet. He asked if I could come back and bring Bas so they could meet before the trip to Holland. Sure, why not? So in two weeks I’ll be back in Paris, enjoying Marc’s cooking again. I already told Marc that I will allow him in my kitchen when he visits. Maybe this time I’ll finally be allowed in his.

Lynelle Barrett lives in the Netherlands, but thinks it’s cool to have friends in Paris. Check out photos of her adventures on her website at: http://lynelleinholland.spaces.live.com