The events of last Friday have hit me hard, and I am still feeling a bit shell-shocked. I was just in Paris the last two weeks of October, and in particular, I was at the Bataclan on October 23rd, hearing Maceo Parker, a wonderful “funk” saxophonist who played with James Brown back in the day. He’s in his 70s and still going strong. That’s the kind of artist that plays at the Bataclan and why I love that venue so much. It only holds 1,400-1,500 people, so you feel like you are a part of the performance in a way that large venues can never capture.

I’ve seen the Fray there. I’ve seen Peter Frampton there. I know I will see many more artists there over the next few years. Because I am NOT going to change my way of life, and I am NOT going to let this change my passion for all things Parisian. Paris has a soul that cannot be beaten down, and Parisians refuse to be cowed into submission. That is just not how they live life. This article is a wonderful summary of that attitude.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/world/europe/french-crowd-cafes-to-defy-terror-with-a-sip-of-wine.html

ENJOY YOUR LIFE. LIVE YOUR LIFE. GO TO PARIS AND SIT IN A CAFE AND SAVOR A GLASS OF WINE. And be thankful for your ability to do those things. There are so many wonderful places to discover in Paris, and I am determined to spend my time finding them and writing about them, to encourage you to go find them, too.