AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL...

Well, it's over.  After four months of planning, meeting, emailing, calling, cursing (only from David!!),  and praying,  Bloom Where You're Planted arrived last Saturday (Oct. 6) and was a roaring success!

Set-up took place Friday night, and we had a good turn-out of people to help get everything ready for the next morning. David's sister, Deb, had come in on Tuesday for a visit,  and she joined hands to help fill gift bags and help with other miscellaneous jobs that needed to be done.  It takes a village......

You know we've had some glitches along the way.  I suppose this is normal in the planning of any event like this.   The glitches were taken care of,  and the event was wonderful!  We had 112 adult attendees (which included 30 walk-ins!!!!!) and 10 children!!  Two years ago (remember, they had to cancel last year) they had 75 adults.  We were thrilled!  There were pastries and coffee/tea/juice available after they registered,  and as they entered the sanctuary,  we played a "Midnight in Paris" soundtrack while a video of Paris scenes looped across a screen in the front.

It got busy at the Registration table

Coffee, tea and juice were appreciated in the morning

Our morning speakers were informative, friendly and humorous.  Two,  Peter Caine and Craig Carlson (he of "Pancakes in Paris" fame) had spoken at previous Blooms.   The third speaker, Dr. Linda Zonens, our pharmacist (Pharmacie de la tour Eiffel at 24 rue de Monttessuy 75007 Paris),  did an interview-conversation with me about the differences in pharmacy care in Paris.  It was really interesting,  and she had people asking her all kinds of questions afterwards.

Peter talked about the history of Paris

Craig was funny-we love his American diner, Breakfast in America

I told the audience to pretend they were all in my living room!!

After the morning sessions, the Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop, 9 Rue de Medicis, 75006 Paris, was open for participants to browse.  Penelope, the owner of the bookshop, had books available from several of our author-speakers that they were happy to sign.  Then it was time for lunch and visiting the exhibit hall.  While half went to lunch the other half could go to the exhibit hall or the bookshop.  It all ran pretty smoothly,  and it seemed there were people everywhere (a good thing, I thought).

There was a nice assortment of books for our participants

Lisa, Craig and Toni are ready to sign books!

The Bookshop kept busy.  Even I bought two books!!!

The Exhibit Hall was a pretty active place!

Volunteers are everything!  Kathryn (with me) had tireless enthusiasm as she publicized Bloom and Sue (with David) has been part of Bloom for many years and shared her experience and wisdom with us "newbies" who were learning as we went.

Craig had donated pancakes/bacon from his diner,  and we also offered salad, roasted chicken/vegetable sandwich on a baguette with brownies/pumpkin tarts that were catered by one of our afternoon speakers, Janine Springall, who has a catering business.  All the food was delicious and people seemed to enjoy everything.  I loved grabbing a little salad (and a brownie, of course!) and visiting with several people who were new to Paris.  That's the part I enjoy the most!!

Our friends, Alain and Therese, jumped in helping in the kitchen

These sandwiches were fabulous!

Looks like everyone is enjoying lunch and visiting with others

The first two sessions we offered were a panel discussion on Family Adjustments/Education and Adrian Leeds , our friend and realty consultant, speaking on buying and renting real estate in Paris.  David and I both sat in on Adrian,  and her session was full and then some.  She gave great information and had lots of questions from the audience.  It was entertaining and informative and made me want to buy property in Paris (if I had a rich, unknown relative die and leave me a lot of money!!!!).

Adrian Leeds

The second session we offered another panel discussion, this time on the French workplace and the differences between it and the American workplace.  I heard good things from this discussion later.  Opposite it was Lisa Anselmo, the author of my favorite Parisian memoir, "My Part-Time Paris Life".  I found her book to be sincere, funny, and touching,  and her presentation matched that.  She, too, had a large audience, and I think her words probably touched an encouraged others as much as they did me.

Lisa Anselmo

The last sessions of the day were Safety in Paris with representatives from the U.S. Embassy and Janine Springall, the woman who helped catered our lunch, talking about marketing and cooking in Paris.  She had a pretty full group as well and many questions about finding certain foods here, proper storage of food here etc.  She offered a great handout with tons of good information.  When she sent us the handout to copy for the event, I told David I wish I'd had it seven months ago as we were struggling to know the difference between detergent and dish soap!!!  And that's just a sample of what we had to figure out!!!!

Janine Springall

Our day ended with the Wine Down, a casual, relaxed time for all participants to sample wines from different regions of France, learn a little about those wines, have some cheese and baguette and mingle with each other and our volunteers about their experiences in moving to this beautiful city.

Our friends, Joerg and Tinu, stepped in and helped manage Wine Down

To Paris and all the things we all love about it!

As the last of the cheese and baguettes were eaten and the last glass of wine was finished, people began to step out into their Paris life armed with new information, new resources and, perhaps, a new friend.....