“Fantasies do come true. Despite my moments of uncertainty and pangs of loneliness, I was loving life in Paris. I was so smitten with the Gallic city’s grand, plane-tree-lined boulevards and ever-so-slightly crooked side streets, its countless café terraces and the ritual of lingering on them with a single café crème or coupe de champagne.” – Amy Thomas in Paris, My Sweet
- photo by Lindsey Tramuta
Amy Thomas. A writer, ad girl and francophile from New York City with a highly refined palate (and appetite) for sweets. A woman after my own heart! As fate would have it, our paths were meant to cross in Paris, where she auspiciously found herself writing ad copy for prestigious client Louis Vuitton. Pas mal! Upon meeting Amy, I immediately sensed an authenticity in her character, natural warmth, and a passion for life. Yes, we would have been friends in New York. Getting to know Amy through our shared experience of Paris, only proved that my instincts were correct. On one of these occasions, during her Croissant Smackdown (a tasting of Paris’ best buttery delicacies), Amy mentioned that she was just awarded a book deal on a project she had been working on. Sweet! I couldn’t wait to read her memoir, as only a true New Yorker in Paris could tell it.
Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) is here! In bookstores, on amazon.com and in my personal prized book collection. February 1st Amy Thomas became a published author, not only in the New York Times, but in the world. How proud I am of mon amie!
Needless to say, I inhaled the book, much like I would a box of macarons. Pierre Hermé or Laduree. It felt as though Amy were telling me her story in person, over a chocolat chaud. From nesting in her ‘tree house’ near rue Montorgueil to her many adventures sampling the best of Paris’ pâtisseries, via vélib’ bien sûr, to her endless attempts at finding her way into the core of a fascinating (and often challenging) city and the mind of its people. The tales are both sweet and savory, and worthy of being told, in a language and manner uniquely Amy. A lot of English, a bit of French, and all heart.
Though her experiences of Paris and New York, and often finding herself torn between the two (something I well understand) Amy has proven that you need not choose pleasure or success, beauty or energy, the macaron or the cupcake. You can indeed have it all, or at least taste it all, on either side of the Atlantic. Now then, where to find the best cupcake in Paris and macaron in New York? I believe the answer lies somewhere between chapters two and five…
If you are a fellow sweet freak, or simply adore Paris (who doesn’t?), you too will savor the pages of Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate).
You can also follow Amy via facebook, twitter and on her blogs God, I Love Paris and Sweet Freak.
It’s such a wonderful book and I’m so happy for Amy!
I’ll be interviewing her Wednesday on my blog for anyone wanting more wise words from the author herself!
I just got the kindle book – looking forward to reading it!
Dang amazon.fr! Ordered Amy’s book the other day and then received word they couldn’t ship it. I just have to have that hardcover! Dying to read it. Amy is such a great writer and well, I am a fellow sweet freak.
Lovely blog, Lovely photo, Lovely Book … lovely 🙂
Don’t forget my Monday Look at this Blog today !!!!
You took some of the words right out of my mouth! Have devoured her story!
I’m with Cat/Sugardaze — ordered it from Amazon.fr last week and it is not due here in France until March 6. Bah. Humbug. I could have ordered the Kindle version and read it right away, but I really wanted to hold Amy’s real book in my hands. I wanted to have one of those tactile experiences with the actual book, and have it on my physical bookshelf after reading it. It will be worth the wait.
Those of us who got to know Amy while she was living here in Paris MUST agree with this sentence (and I wholeheartedly do):
“Upon meeting Amy, I immediately sensed an authenticity in her character, natural warmth, and a passion for life.”
That’s “exactly Amy” and it sounds like her voice in the book has complete integrity with who she is face-to-face as well. Wonderful.
I’m thrilled for her — this could not happen to a nicer person. I hope many who love Paris (and even those who may not… yet) will read the book and fall a little more in love with the city. I have to say that at the height of my cynicism and skepticism about Paris, Amy’s genuine enthusiasm for the city came into my life through her comments on my blog and by her reaching out to me face to face, and her doing so made a big difference to me and how I perceive this city. I’m really grateful to her, and it makes me happy to have (pre)ordered her book and supported her in book sales.
Thanks, Amy, and may this book (and you) live long and prosper! Thanks, Kasia, for doing such a nice write up of the book.
xx
Karin
That’s such an awesome photo by Lindsey!!!
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Sheesh. Thank you, guys. Your generous words have me verklempt here in NYC. I’m honored to have such friends as you – I hope you enjoy the book (when it finally arrives via Amazon.fr – argh!) and I can’t wait to celebrate with you all in April!
What a great tribute to the book.
Hi Kasia – I found you on Amy’s blog book tour and am glad I did. The book was indeed a delight for the tastebuds and the heart, wasn’t it?
I’ll stop by again soon.
[…] eating chocolates in Paris, why not read about them too? Kasia from Love in the City of Lights shares her thoughts on Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy […]
another book to add to my list of Francophile loves! thanks for featuring her. sometimes i feel like the expat community in Paris is so tight knit – seems like you all know each other. it’s a small world after all? or am i just blog hopping too much? LOL!
You will LOVE this book! If you are a fellow Francophile and sweet freak, which I imagine you are.
The expat (blogger) community is small indeed and we all do know each other. Keep on blog hopping!
[…] eating chocolates in Paris, why not read about them too? Kasia from Love in the City of Lights shares her thoughts on Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light (and Dark Chocolate) by Amy […]