Au Revoir Suzanne

Last Friday, was Stephanie's last day of her Parisien vacation and Suzanne's last day of habitant a Paris! The day started out slow as Stephanie and I were sleeping off Thursday night...

After the dinner party Thursday, I took the visitors to my favorite drinking hole for some wine and Kir. Hayden is a great singer, so we convinced Chris the pianoman to let him sing Elton John's Our Song. Everyone enjoyed it - even the French. In fact, Hayden was recruited to sing at an open mike night in the Moulin Rouge area. As his translator, I had to inform the recruitors that, unfortunately, he would not be in town to blow them away with his vocal pipes at open mike night.

After the ''show'' at the Piano Bar, I took everyone to get some late-night crepes. By the time, Stephanie and I got home, it was after 4a.m. and we ended up sleeping until almost noon. We dragged our feet for awhile in the morning, but hunger took over, and we headed to the one place I've been wanting to try since I got to Paris. It's not crepes, duck, or even jambon and fromage, but a little place called ''Breakfast in America.'' The guidebook said it's the best place for homesick Americans - and although I'm not that homesick, my stomach sure is. And after a week and a half, Stephanie was definitely homesick. So we searched out BIA and waited in the 45 min late (despite the fact it was the random eating hour of 3:30 pm). I'm not proud of what happened next, but I had no idea the amazingly delicious American delicacies that BIA sold - bagels and cream cheese, amazing pancakes with real maple syrup, cheese fries. It's been so long -- I ate it all. Then I felt sick and we had to go home and take a nap.

But we awoke early evening just in time to get ready and head to Ile St-Louis for Suzanne's goodbye picnic on the Seine. Suzanne was running late, so Stephanie and I sat at a cafe and ordered wine, green tea, and water. We were feeling a little...dehydrated. After our intake of liquids, we met Suzanne, Stephanie from Paris, and our French girls, Mathilde and Anne Sophie, to drink some wine down by the river. Then we all went to a pub near chez moi - one of the few places in Paris with more than two beers on the menu. Mathilde and Anne Sophie invited an American friend of theirs, William, for me to meet. Great timing since Suzanne just left, Paris Stephanie is leaving soon, and Brittany is at the Cannes Film Festival (jealous) for two weeks.

I introduced everyone to Delirium Tremors and we stayed until the pub closed. It was a festive night, only dampered by the fact that I was saying goodbye to Suzanne...and I could feel the end coming closer and closer. I thought having everyone leave (or be away) during my last few weeks would make me it easier for me to return home. But I'm not sure if that's going to be the case.

So in salute to Suzanne, a self-proclaimed Paris-lover and fashion-aholic, I plan to spend my last few weeks really enjoying every last bit of the city...especially its fashion. Watch out credit card companies...it's shopping time!