Holiday Greetings

I have been conspicuously absent on the Site since the death of my husband this past September. It’s not that I haven’t been reading Bonjour Paris with a vengeance, but as is frequently the case, traumatic events often happen in threes. Without going into specifics, 2006 has not been my year. Conversely, it’s been a very good year for Bonjour Paris. We’ve amassed some wonderful new writers and our content is rarely boring. An increasing number of our contributors are living in Paris and in France.  Some are recent arrivals; others are residents who have become more French than American (or British or Australian). Some of their writing styles require more editing since they are immersed in two languages (ah, the joys of Franglais!), but their writing takes on an extra spark because of the difference. Our writers range from literary notables, such as: Jesse Kornbluth, who was contributing editor for Vanity Fair, New York, Architectural Digest and Departures, and a contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Times, and other magazines and newspapers, and now takes us to an ever higher place with his www.headbutler.com; to the some-day-soon-to-be literary notable, Riana Lagarde of http://www.frenchtoastfrance.blogspot.com, who amazes us with her snippets of life in France (we look forward to the next bit of creativity she issues: her soon to be baby!). The list of our writers and their accomplishments are too vast to mention in one letter, so we encourage you to explore our Bonjour Paris Team section.  As well, we encourage other writers to come join the team  (email: [email protected]).   Our motto: one can never read or write enough about France! For those too shy to write articles, don’t be too shy to post on our Bonjour Paris message boards.  We aren’t just your basic message board out there floating in the Internet wind.  We’re a real live community.  You’re as likely to see me posting as the girl/guy next door.  In other words, you’ll never be alone here! To give you a hint as to what the future holds for our readers: more interactivity, pod casts, an increased amount of downloadable content, streaming audio and video about France and its news. In this fast-moving arena of Internet technology, the sky is the limit. Each person who becomes a Premium Member contributes to our being able to upgrade the Site. We’re so appreciative of each and every one of you who plunks down the yearly fee. Once again, I need and want to thank Sarah Gilbert Fox. Without her at the helm, Bonjour Paris wouldn’t be what it is. Sarah’s dedication is remarkable and she’s the only person I know who can multi-task as if nothing is too much. Our readers are the true bonus. So many of you have become cyber and real friends and will remain so forever. We always want and listen to your comments and feed-back. Please don’t hesitate to send any thoughts or ideas to me at:  [email protected] I’ll end this missive as I traditionally do. May all of you enjoy many trips to Paris and the rest of France. There’s no country like France, and it has become more tourist friendly each year. Much to my chagrin, visitors to Paris may not even be able to practice their French. The “younger” service generation generally speaks English and is eager to practice their language skills. Try to get out of the City of Light and explore other parts of the country. This by no means signifies you shouldn’t get your Paris fix. It’s still (for me) the most beautiful and civilized city in the world. But then I am prejudiced. May each of our readers not procrastinate in doing things they’ve dreamt about doing. Life can and does throw curves and it’s important to try to fulfill your dreams. I send you my most profound wishes for health, happiness and peace in the world. © Karen Fawcett