BONJOUR a Paris!

So, we landed last Sunday finally, in the City of Lights! Buoyed of course by the election wins - not just Obama but the many EMILY's List candidates who triumphed - we packed up our house in Nyack and flew over Saturday night. Josie was a dream on the plane, slept the whole night through.

Our apartment is gorgeous, and the location really could not be better. We're in the 7th arrondissement right on the border of the 6th. Musee D'orsay? 5 minutes away. The Bon Marche (great food and clothes shopping)? 5 min. The Tuileries and Louvre? 10 minutes. Luxembourg Gardens? 10 minutes. The Opera (close to Jeff's Office)? 25 minutes. It's really incredible. It's a very Parisian apartment - with high ceilings, four fireplaces, a separate W.C. down the hall from the "bath" room, and a very non-Parisian, large kitchen. Jeff had posted great photos on our last blog entry if you want to see.

We spent the first night in Paris taking a long walk along the Seine (which is also a 5-minute walk from our apt) all the way down to the Eiffel Tower. Now every hour on the hour after dark, it sparkles -- really beautiful, we'll try to get some footage -- and Josie's exhausted face when she saw it was priceless!

We spent the whole first week acclimating to our new neighborhood. My priority was of course to find a good grocery store - which I did, finally. Food shopping here, aside from the prices, is a dream, even in the regular grocery store. I have yet to brave a real boucherie (butcher) but I've found a boulangerie (bakery) with incredible baguettes and pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants). We've figured out the metro system (it's quite expansive and clean, wonderful) but with Josie (and her stroller) the bus system is much easier to navigate.

We had our first visitor on Saturday - Jeff's aunt Louise - who is with us until tomorrow. Yesterday she and I had a wonderful visit to the Louvre, seeing a quite impressive Mantegna exhibit as well as a small Picasso exhibition based on his fascination with the Women of Algers by Delacroix. Both were terrific! Jeff and Josie came and met us for lunch at a local boulangerie/cafe, and we walked down the Seine to catch a "Bateaux Mouche," a boat tour that takes you all the way down to the Ile St. Louis on the Seine. It was a little cold coming back into the wind, but it's a great way to get the layout of this gorgeous city. Then she struck out on her own to an exhibition of a private collection of modern art at the Musee Luxembourg while I prepared apertifs of kirs and cheese and a roast chicken dinner with potatoes, onions, and haricots verts, of course! This morning she's out walking with Josie while I wait for our dryer to be delivered (thank god!) and when she returns we'll meet my friend Melissa for some shopping around the Opera area.

Everyone is definitely having his or her own adjustment. Josie was definitely unsettled the first couple of days, crying whenever one of us left a room... but now she likes her new room and lOVES how much space she has to toddle around, especially the one long hallway, which she enjoys tearing down at the speed of...Josie. She has also been adjusting to the new food, becoming quite a picky eater and staging several food strikes. But all in all, she seems to be acclimating to la vie francaise. Jeff and I are definitely missing American television - our hopes of keeping up via Hulu.com were dashed when the server rejected our non-U.S. isp address. I can still watch some things on Jeff's American Laptop, which still has its U.S. address, but I'm also just reading more and letting go my obsession with Gossip Girl, the View, Brothers and Sisters (sigh). We both also are eager to learn French -- Jeff started lessons before we left and I hope to start them next week - as soon as I can find a babysitter for Josie! I think once I can communicate better, I'll both appreciate and enjoy everyday life even more!

All in all, we're so happy to be here and enjoying this big adventure-- not feeling too lonely yet, since we're skyping often with family. More - and more photos - soon! a tout a l'heure!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSIE!!

Again, a long overdue post and I apologize. Things get crazier and crazier as the election gets closer - along with our impending move to the City of Lights. Jeff and I traveled to Paris at the end of September to find an apartment. We were not successful while I was there, but after I left (Jeff stayed to start his new job with Dannon in Paris!) Jeff found us a beautiful 3-bedroom in a terrific neighborhood in Paris' 7th arrondissement.

When we returned it was to celebrate Miz Jo's first birthday! We had a small party at home of family and our friends Jen and Jeremy whose daughter Bella is just 10 days younger than Josie. Josie had her first birthday cake, first sloppy joe, and many awesome presents. It was a great time and I am so proud of our beautiful daughter!

Meanwhile, we're missing Daddy, who's doing a great job in his new job in Paris, but luckily Gram stayed to help with Josie - and we are so thankful! We're taking lots of beautiful walks in the fall foliage, eating healthy food and watching the presidential debates with relish (and guacamole, and beer!). I'm frantically packing and organizing as the clock ticks down.

Josie has lots of new faces (see the new video here or on YouTube), lots of new tricks... she walks holding just one of my hands, says "arp" when you ask her "what does a doggie do?" and continues to eat like a champ. She got four stars at her 1 year check-up, wowing the doc and nurses alike. What a year it has been!! As we say Shana Tovah to family and friends we feel very blessed in this bright new year.

A vineyard haven

Sorry, this post is SO overdue! We received the news that the Davidson-Rothmans will indeed be jetting over to Paris for a stint while Jeff takes a terrific new job, so things have been a blur! Josie is ON THE MOVE -- crawling, pulling herself to stand, experimenting with standing unsupported. She eats almost everything: mac and cheese, chicken, bread, even a bit of ice cream in Oak Bluffs which she just found much too cold. She has 7.5 teeth, and a new "Social smile", that indicates not merely that she's happy about something, but that she's smiling at you - it's totally hilarious. She says "Ball," "up," and "Da," but "mama" is still a bit slow/questionable.

We had a wonderful vacation in Martha's Vineyard with Gram and Pops, both Jeff and I unplugged from work and played tennis, swam, went to the beach, ate lobsters, read (a bit) and of course watched the Repub convention news with relish. Jeff turned 36 and we celebrated both with a fancy dinner in Edgartown and a lobster dinner at home with everyone. Josie loved spending so much time with Gram and Pops, and it was just a great time. Now, back to work, I'm working through the election writing, and Jeff will start his new job in Paris Oct. 1! Very exciting stuff. LOTS of photos in 2 new galleries!

The Jo Days of August

Josie talks! (first word: ball) Josie crawls! (sort of - more like a scootch) Josie sits up in the crib! (wreaking havoc with naps) And look out Dara Torres - Josie swims!!