Gourmet Magazine Moment
BillandNancy.com, also known as Bill and Nancy Koenig have been living on the canals of France for eight years. That’s even longer than some Jakey’s have been on the DP rolls. They found this life long ago and have adopted the expat lifestyle as their own. The firehouse and the City must seem a lifetime ago.
Their barge is now tied up at the Arsenal port at the Bastille in Paris, which is like living next to Union Square. They have the mother of all boat locations. They had invited us to have Sunday lunch, there was a guest chef preparing the food.
Sunday was a perfect sunny day in Paris, the cafes were crowded, a mass bicycle event was in place, and crowds were everywhere enjoying the sun. We saw a topless bather across the boat basin and I thought this barge business isn’t so bad.
Bill and Nancy welcomed us to their floating home. Houseguest and celebrity chef were Peter and Jane. They were British by birth but South African by choice. Peter had owned restaurants in Cape Town for over 20 years. They were in the process of having a new barge built for them to live on. Why was this 70 year old international man making me feel like a slug?
We dined under a canvas awning on the back deck facing the water, the Bastille Monument and the Opera House. It was a great lunch of salmon on a bed of pureed watercress and white asparagus. A parade of boats came by as we relaxed at the table.
The constant base beat of a Techno music festival floated down from the Bastille; it was like a soundtrack you couldn’t turn off. Hours went by as did tour boats toting waving visitors, a sail boat, and even a long barge with two young ladies dancing provocatively to entertain the crowds on the banks. Tres Bon !
It was what the Baroness called a Gourmet Magazine Moment, a postcard snapshot for others to look and maybe envy. The food was superb, the friends were delightful, the weather was stunning, and the urban theater both relaxed and invigorating. The hours went by, the wine flowed, and the dead soldiers piled up like glass memorials to good times. Thank you Bill and Nancy. It is SO nice having friends who live in Paris.
The end of the day found me hunched over my laptop in our hotel room. It is 10pm and I am listening to the 49er – Rams game from a continent away. This is a pathetic sight of an unrequited lover and fan. Oh, and the 9ers won.
Their barge is now tied up at the Arsenal port at the Bastille in Paris, which is like living next to Union Square. They have the mother of all boat locations. They had invited us to have Sunday lunch, there was a guest chef preparing the food.
Sunday was a perfect sunny day in Paris, the cafes were crowded, a mass bicycle event was in place, and crowds were everywhere enjoying the sun. We saw a topless bather across the boat basin and I thought this barge business isn’t so bad.
Bill and Nancy welcomed us to their floating home. Houseguest and celebrity chef were Peter and Jane. They were British by birth but South African by choice. Peter had owned restaurants in Cape Town for over 20 years. They were in the process of having a new barge built for them to live on. Why was this 70 year old international man making me feel like a slug?
We dined under a canvas awning on the back deck facing the water, the Bastille Monument and the Opera House. It was a great lunch of salmon on a bed of pureed watercress and white asparagus. A parade of boats came by as we relaxed at the table.
The constant base beat of a Techno music festival floated down from the Bastille; it was like a soundtrack you couldn’t turn off. Hours went by as did tour boats toting waving visitors, a sail boat, and even a long barge with two young ladies dancing provocatively to entertain the crowds on the banks. Tres Bon !
It was what the Baroness called a Gourmet Magazine Moment, a postcard snapshot for others to look and maybe envy. The food was superb, the friends were delightful, the weather was stunning, and the urban theater both relaxed and invigorating. The hours went by, the wine flowed, and the dead soldiers piled up like glass memorials to good times. Thank you Bill and Nancy. It is SO nice having friends who live in Paris.
The end of the day found me hunched over my laptop in our hotel room. It is 10pm and I am listening to the 49er – Rams game from a continent away. This is a pathetic sight of an unrequited lover and fan. Oh, and the 9ers won.
posted by Jim Healy | 10:32 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Jim
Do you still get comments posted on this site? Great stuff. I borrowed some of your pix and a quote for a story at http://www.buoyantlife.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=135&Itemid=136 , with credit of course, and links. Please let me know if that is ok. I love your other blog too. You are a good writer. Best regards
Lee
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