A Brush With Food-Writing Fame

Yesterday I had the chance to meet David Lebovitz, the very popular Ex-Pat food blogger and writer.  Originally from San Francisco and the school of Alice Waters, he moved to Paris years ago.  His eponymous blog is a wealth of information on the city's food culture.  I really enjoy his writing and, lucky for me, he was signing copies of his books at one of the green bouquinistes stalls along the Seine.  So, I grabbed my camera and my wallet and off I went in search of foodie fame.

 

Being the super dork that I am, I was of course the first person there.  Lebovitz and his partner, Romain, seemed a little out of sorts that someone would arrive on time for the beginning of the event (Lebovitz is a self-professed vrai parisien, which of course means that he now has no concept of time in relation to keeping to a schedule.  In France, show up to everything at least 30 minutes late- it will keep you from looking like an early-bird and an idiot).  Oh well- I was out walking and just happened to be in the vicinity of the river at 2 pm- what could I do?! 

Truth be told, I actually considered walking non-nonchalantly past the stand and down the quai, turning around and heading back when the appropriate time had elapsed.  But, sometimes I just feel the need to embrace my American exuberance, and this was one of those times.  I made some joke along the lines of, "Am I the first one?," which elicited anxious chuckles from the hosts and well... that was that.  I bought a book (his latest, The Sweet Life in Paris), had it signed, asked for a picture, and voila!  Romain acutally chatted with me for a bit and offered me wine, but I passed.  I was just there to meet the man whose blog I read religiously, who has introduced me to many of the culinary pleasures of Paris that are to be found off the beaten path, and really, to get some material for my own blog.   Mission accomplished all around, I'd say.