What would it be like to wake up tomorrow morning in Paris? Maybe you’ve had this fleeting thought and Paris has been on your bucket list for years. Or maybe you’ve been there many times and speak the language.

Once you’ve experienced Paris, though, it never quite lets go. The golden glow of the Invalides dome. The Eiffel Tower sparkling at night. Tires hissing over cobblestones. The aroma of ripening cheese drifting from a local fromagerie. The temptation of a warm, fresh baguette.

The sights, sounds and scents of Paris keep drifting back into your thoughts. This allure may be as much about the city itself as what it represents: beauty, savoir-faire, adventure, intellectual stimulation and the chance to step into a different way of being.

My own Francophilia started in Miss Verner’s ninth-grade French I class. As a chatty, verbal learner, grammar and spelling had always been my strong suits, and I took to French like butter on a warm baguette. The sound of the language seduced me, and I was enchanted to discover that so many English words ending in “-tion” had the same meaning in French – but somehow sounded prettier. It felt like I’d cracked a secret code.

From then on, French was my favorite subject. I continued in high school with French II, III, IV, and AP French, followed by a minor in French in college. From the adventures of Le Petit Prince to Molière’s hilarious plays, the haunting poetry of Baudelaire and the sweep of French history and literature, I evolved into a full-fledged Francophile.

For me, living in Paris was never part of a grand plan. It began as a one-week business trip – the kind where you pack light, keep a busy schedule, and assume you’ll be home before jet lag sets in. But something unexpected happened that turned one week into seven years.

Looking back, I see myself standing alone on the Pont de l’Alma, not knowing a single soul, peering down at the Seine on a cold January morning as I make my way to church – not for the sermon, but for the coffee hour and the promise of welcoming voices. I’ve decided not to go home – a leap into the unknown that would change the course of my life. And it was worth it.

After that I lived the expat life, absorbing the culture, forging friendships, discovering a version of myself I hadn’t known before and creating indelible memories.  Like many newcomers, I had to figure out everything from scratch: navigating the French bureaucracy, finding an apartment, opening a bank account, building a social circle and creating a daily rhythm in a new culture. Along the way I discovered that many of the things I feared were far less intimidating than I’d imagined, and that the French were warmer and friendlier than their reputation suggested.

My goal for The Three Tomatoes is to share practical advice and personal insights that go beyond postcards, Instagram photos, and clichés—to reveal the Paris I’ve come to know and love. Together we’ll wander neighborhood markets, linger in cafés, discover hidden gardens, decipher French customs, navigate the occasional bureaucracy, and uncover the everyday rituals that make Paris feel less like a destination and more like a way of life.

One of the greatest gifts Paris offers – beyond great food, high fashion and ubiquitous beauty – is an invitation to explore a version of ourselves unconstrained by familiar surroundings, habits and expectations.  I think of Paris as a seductive feminine force: a city that engages all our senses and draws us into relationship with her every time we visit, revealing parts of ourselves just waiting to be rediscovered.

Like many American women, I long for authentic experiences, and I hope that what I can share from my years in Paris will help fill your own trip with moments to savor. Whether you’re planning a short visit, a longer stay or exploring retirement abroad, preparation and perspective can make all the difference. My goal is to help you see what’s possible and take your next steps with confidence.

Most of all, I’m a kindred spirit – someone who loves Paris, too – and who understands the excitement and uncertainty that come with following a dream. Perhaps that’s why Paris never really lets us go. It reminds us that there is always another chapter waiting to be written. Because sometimes the life we imagine begins with a question that won’t go away: What about Paris?