Christmas lights and metro sign, Boulevard Hausmann, Paris.
I just got back from Bon Marche (buying dried cranberries at 8.95 euros per tiny package!) to find Paris Parfait has been named one of the Ten Best Blogs for Francophiles at Blogs.com. What an honour to be in such fine company! My thanks to Becky Ramsey and the editors at Blogs.com.
To accompany Thursday's Thanksgiving turkey, my British chef is making Nigella Lawson's cranberry-and-orange stuffing. Since it's nearly impossible to find fresh cranberries in this country, dried ones will have to do. I have pies to bake, so had best get busy.
Wishing you and yours safe travels and a very Happy Thanksgiving!
And here's another nice surprise, sent by my talented artist friend Leau Philips:
Tara, ~~~~Congrads~~~
WEll-deserved. I've enjoyed your photos, articles, and compassion from day 1 of landing here.
Posted by: a | 05 December 2008 at 05:19
Congratulations, Tara!
Posted by: Mary | 02 December 2008 at 01:56
SO WELL DESERVED!
Posted by: Yoli | 29 November 2008 at 00:48
Merisi, thank you so much! Usually I bring back cranberries from London, but this Thanksgiving, I didn't have time. The dried ones worked fine. I appreciate the kind offer. Hope you and yours had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration too.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 17:25
Congratulations on the award, Tara!
I am sure your Thanksgiving dinner was a treat, dried cranberries or not! I wished I had known earlier that you could not find fresh cranberries in Paris, I could have shipped you fresh ones from Vienna, even the original Ocean Spray brand is sold here, at Euro 3.20 for 9oz!
Enjoy your weekend!
Posted by: Merisi | 28 November 2008 at 16:55
Terri, hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving meal, despite the challenges with your oven! And thank you, yes, the chef deserves many compliments for his turkey and cranberry and orange stuffing. Thanks for the kudos too. You're the best! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:49
Thank you, Judy. Hope you can fit Paris into your agenda on another trip!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:47
Chris, thanks for the lovely note and the kind offer about cranberries. The dried ones worked just fine, so I think we're set for the Christmas turkey. Hope you enjoyed a wonderful sunny Thanksgiving in LA!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:46
Dearest Deb, you are certainly a blessing in my life. Hope to talk to you soon. And thanks for being in my corner! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:45
Nihal, thank you - it was a lovely day. Lots to be thankful for...
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:44
Leau, thanks for the wonderful kudos. And I'm hoping you're enjoying your wintery holiday in New Mexico. Wish I were there to experience the beauty of the snowfall. xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:44
Merci bien, mon ami! xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:43
Brenda, thank you for the kind words and for reading!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:42
Thank you, Christina! The cranberry and orange stuffing was delicious. And my chef is also my husband. :)
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 28 November 2008 at 14:42
YaY!!!! I am Soooo happy for you! You deserve this award. I feel like I am the last one to know but, I was so engulfed in my new book, I hadn't been over here for a minute. ; ) Wink.
Wait, you have a British chef? ; ) Cranberries and orange? How did it taste? Yummy, I bet. ; )
Posted by: Christina | 28 November 2008 at 01:29
Nice video!!
Posted by: mauricio planel | 27 November 2008 at 22:24
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours Tara~!
The stuffing sounds delicious.
Enjoy your meal, your family, and your company.
xo
Posted by: Gillian daSilva | 27 November 2008 at 22:09
Congratulations, my dear! Now you have something else to be grateful for on this day. I love your blog. They picked correctly.
Brenda
Posted by: Brenda Kula | 27 November 2008 at 20:13
I'm not surprise!
But congrats anyway!!!!!
XOXO
Posted by: Colette | 27 November 2008 at 17:32
Finally the world recognizes what "we" all know! You're the BEST of the top ten. Congratulations. It's finally cold and rainy here and seems like a holiday. Happy, happy, enjoy your day and those you host. smooches
Posted by: Leau | 27 November 2008 at 16:58
I wish you and yours a happy and memorable Thanksgiving Day! I can almost smell the turkey, even from here;)
Posted by: Nihal | 27 November 2008 at 16:54
Congratulations on the honour ... I'm a francophile and your blog is le premier!
Many thanksgiving blessings to you dear Tara. I count you as one of the blessings in my life.
Peace & love,
Deb
Posted by: JanePoet ~ JP/deb | 27 November 2008 at 16:35
HA! I was getting ready for the day and I realized that you didn't even mention jiffy mix! I got you confused with someone who misses jiffy mix and cranberries. And she just had to buy cranberries at exhorbitant cost, and so I wanted her to know I'd be willing to send them with the jiffy mix.
Oh, it's hard for us Americans to keep things in order.
Of course, doesn't doesn't mean I won't send you cranberries and jiffy mix. We can beat the system if our will is strong!
Posted by: Chris | 27 November 2008 at 15:24
Oh, I wasn't even going to go online today but I got up early, and am I clad I did. This video made me cry. It is so touching.
Congrats on your award, and you DESERVE it. I relish your news and ponderings, and I am so glad I found your blog.
I am still happy to send jiffy mix your way for the coming yule, and also, if you think fresh cranberries will travel, I will give it a shot. I can secure them so they do not ooze in the package all over the jiffy mix, in case they don't keep.
Have a happy day (now night there, I'm sure), and thank you for making my morning here in L.A.
Posted by: Chris | 27 November 2008 at 15:01
Happy thanksgiving to you and all your loved ones.
Sorry i could not make it to paris this time - too costly.
xox
Posted by: Judy Wilkenfeld | 27 November 2008 at 13:50
Congratulations, Tara! I'm so happy for you that your wonderful writing and photography is receiving such well-deserved recognition.
The stuffing sounds delicious. Kudos to your chef :) and happy Thanksgiving to both of you~xoxo
Posted by: tinker | 27 November 2008 at 13:19
Thank you for all the kudos! Yes, the video is wonderfully clever. And I bet you would like the stuffing! Maybe next Thanksgiving you will be in Paris?
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 27 November 2008 at 10:05
Thanks so much, Kay!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 27 November 2008 at 10:03
Congratulations - well deserved!
Posted by: Kay | 27 November 2008 at 05:17
oh i got completely lost in the delightful video and forgot all about making the stuffing!!!
:)
that made me smile all twenty times i watched it.
p.s. but i did not forget about your award...you soooo deserve the recognition. you work hard at blogging for social justice, creating beauty and helping others!
i think i would like that stuffing...
Posted by: Robin Laws | 27 November 2008 at 04:23
Steph, thank you! Hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving, as well. Isn't that video fab, especially to help encourage kids with art talent??!! xoxox
Posted by: Paris Parfait | 27 November 2008 at 00:01
Thank you! 7 p.m.; don't be late! :)
Posted by: Paris Parfait | 27 November 2008 at 00:00
Oh I love cranberries. What time is dinner? I'll be right over :)
And congrats on your award!!!
Posted by: My Melange | 26 November 2008 at 23:50
Jeanie, thank you so much for the kind words. Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving as well.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 26 November 2008 at 23:21
Congratulations!!! So very well deserved!
Happy Thanksgiving Tara..
x..x
steph
p.s.
wonderful little video
Posted by: stephanie | 26 November 2008 at 23:21
Thanks, Mary. But at least we have cranberries of some sort! Next year I'll have to plan ahead a bit better. Hope you and your family enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 26 November 2008 at 23:20
Oh, Congratulations, Tara! That's fabulous! Of course, most of us have known that for a long while!
Have a lovely Thanksgiving -- the stuffing sounds wonderful. Hugs!
Posted by: jeanie | 26 November 2008 at 20:55
M-m-m-m-m, I'm forgetting everything today. I have to make cranberry sauce since it is so easy and I want it done today and not tomorrow. I'm so sorry you have to make do with dried ones that cost so dear! Yikes! I guess cranberries aren't high on on Parisian needs! Sigh!
Posted by: Mary T. | 26 November 2008 at 20:48
Thank you, Gemma. I'll be posting lots of photos of Paris lights and department store vitrines, beginning Friday. Isn't that video terrific?
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 26 November 2008 at 20:34
Beautiful Christmas lights in Paris!
And what an honour to be one of the best Francophile blogs! Congratulations!
The video is so much fun! Love how it shows art at work to inspire others!
Posted by: Gemma | 26 November 2008 at 19:53
Michelle, usually we get frozen cranberries in London and bring them back. But last trip, I didn't have time to get them - hence the expensive dried ones. But they'll do the trick. As for the cranberry sauce from a can, our American guest who's joining us sent a can ahead with the chef. :) Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, too!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 26 November 2008 at 19:33
That was fabulous. Had we known, we almost could have FedExed a big huge bag of dried cranberries to you for that much. My brother still prefers his cranberry sauce to be cylidrical with ridges. You can take the boy out of Alabama...
Happy Thanksgiving to you and to all of your family of fans.
Posted by: Michelle | 26 November 2008 at 18:59
Merci! Will oblige with photos, although I'm sure they won't look as good as the food tastes (at least I hope not). :) Happy, happy to you as well. xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 26 November 2008 at 18:12
Now that IS a wonderful surprise! And a perfect recognition for you.
Be sure to take some photos of your special British stuffing. I love foodie pics too.
Happy Thanksgiving!
xoxo
Posted by: tangobaby | 26 November 2008 at 18:06