Derailed, December 31st

Le Train Bleu is a famous and opulent restaurant located inside the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. “Opened in 1901, it was originally designed to impress travelers heading to the south of France. The restaurant is known for its Belle Époque decor, with grand chandeliers, beautiful murals, and ornate ceilings that transport diners back to the elegance of the early 20th century.” In a word? Schmancy. Le Train Bleu serves classic French cuisine in a palatial velvety setting and I couldn’t wait to have the full on Parisian experience in this cultural foodie mecca.

I remember dining at Le Train Bleu when they had a United States location housed lavishly in the flagship Bloomingdale’s on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Le Train Bleu had mahogany paneling, lux walls, a deep-green interior, and a Victorian style ceiling with lamps that matched. It was a popular luxury dining destination for over 30 years. So it was only natural that I found the OG location in Paris and planned to pop in for a meal.

And because our workcation spanned the entire month of November, our dates included Thanksgiving. So to be incredibly posh and Parisian, we decided to make our last Thursday meal of the month a fancy lunch at Le Train Bleu. Now that’s my kind of holiday spirit!

There’s no easy way to say this but we had a major derailment during our trip. After barely 28 hours in Paris, Michael suffered a great and unexpected loss in his family and had to fly home immediately. We were shocked and saddened by the news. Even writing this now has me crying. This was not the way we wanted to kick off our month away, especially after carefully planning every detail for months and months. And what was worse? I was so torn. Of course I wanted to travel with him, but my Mom was scheduled to visit a few days later and her trip dates unfortunately overlapped with the memorial. After a thoughtful discussion and many tears, Michael flew back alone and with his blessing I stayed. We both believe that life is for the living and I tried to embody that spirit while supporting him at the same time.

So the posts this year about Paris will be delivered with mixed emotions. I did make the absolute most of the trip, but my heart was definitely with Michael and his family.

Life throws so many unexpected challenges our way. And how we handle them shows our character. This trip showed me that even though it wasn’t my plan or preference to travel solo in a foreign country, I managed remarkably well with just a few years of high school French under my belt, a can do attitude, and google maps. I was able to navigate the streets and subways and enjoy my own company when I dined alone even without the comfort of a book or my phone.

I entertained a few visitors and had some wonderful experiences. And yeah, I engaged in some retail therapy which did manage to cushion the loneliness a little. My wallet had a spectacular time out on the town saying yes to everything! So stay tuned for a few upcoming posts that detail my Parisian adventures.

Each time I planned any kind of time off in 2024, I had a close relative pass away! So I’m glad to finally turn the page on this calendar year. With that in mind, I dedicate my last post of December to the loved ones we all lost in 2024. May your memories be a blessing.