First of all, I would like to send my best wishes and prayers to the people of France as they recover from the worst attacks in their recent history,
Secondly, I would like to thank them for supporting my new Steve Country blog. I've always been fascinated about how much uniquely American art forms such as country have become part of the French landscape, whether it's Mirelle Mathieu's beautiful cover of Linda Rondstadt's "Blue Bayou", Franck Pourcel and his Orchestra's clever version of Anne Murray's "Snowbird," or even Quebecker Yvon Ethier, better known as Patrick Norman, who I first discovered during July 4th vacation in Salem, MA. (I saw him on CBC Quebec, via Xfinity.)
Thirdly, I'd like to share some of my experiences in that beautiful country. I have been to Paris four times (1984, 1989, 1998,2000) and I have seen most of the must-sees, the Louvre, the Crazy Horse, the Champs-Elysees,the Golden Arches of Triumph (OOPS, I'm getting ahead of myself! I meant the Arc de Triompfe.), and even a few places not usually in the tourist guidebooks, such as CNN's Paris bureau, the Cousteau Oceanographic Center, and those aforementioned Golden Arches. (Hope my fast-food-hating trainer doesn't see this!) I've also been to Disneyland Resort Paris, EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THEY HAVE A PARK IN FLORIDA! I've had the pleasure to stay at the Hotel New York in Disney Village, which was designed by Frank Gehry and the Walt Disney Studios Art Department,and despite the lack of Noo Yawk accents from the cast members, the lobby and rooms were JUST like home, so much so that I tried calling Radio Disney New York from my room only to be told that 800 and 888 calls were only toll free in the US and Canada and my call couldn't be completed as dialed. OH WELL!
I DO like French food, but sometimes I get a little homesick. During my last visit to France (and CNN Paris) I answered bureau chief Peter Humi's question about what I had planned for the day by telling him I planned on having lunch at Chilli's on the Champs and although he hails from Australia, that guy shook his head as if he was one of the hometown crowd questioning the tastes of those crazy Americans. In 2000 I also visited Procope, a legendary inn which counts philosopher Voltaire as one of its all-time legendary guests. My friend Jonathan B. Bell, the elder statesman of Z100 New York's Morning Zoo from 1983 until two-thousand-something, liked to joke about his "friend Voltaire." During that trip I sent him a postcard saying, "Hey Bell, the Maitre D was asking about you!" He loved the postcard!
I was there during the Bicentennial in 1989. I was SUPPOSED to get Mom some Tylenol at the local pharmacy, but somehow I got lost and wound up at a Bicentennial block party with Quincy Jones ("Killer Joe," "We Are The World," "I'll Be Good To You," "You Gotta Do It Yourself," among others) as the headliner. After the closing fireworks, I faced a distinctly New York problem: I NEEDED A TRAIN OR A TAXI BACK TO THE HOTEL AND STAT! I DID get a cab...AT 6 AM THE NEXT DAY! I also got a nice cup of warm tea...and word from my Mom that she had Paris' Finest looking all over for me! OTHER THAN THAT, I had a great time during that particular vacation!
Well, mes amis, that's it for now, but remember, #PrayForParis, pray for our troops and our allies, and stay tuned for our regularly scheduled blogs!
Steve out!
