Today

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I dreamed about it in technicolour.

The visions began at L'Escargot. Beside Gage Park. Hamilton.

Sent André Donnet a postcard from Le Royal Gray.

Dreams do come true, I wrote. 

Because he always believed.

In me. 

***

There are so many good men in the photo.

Assembled at my request. 

Spent six weeks with them—April 30 to June 13.  

1993. 

Jacques Chibois Gault Millau chef of the year.

I made having their backs my business. 

***

The man with the moustache behind me was chef de cuisine. 

Full on class act.  

The respect he showed me I will never forget.

Having a woman in the mix this long was an adventure.

He was up for it.

***

I had a tan and was foreign. 

In short, gorgeous. 

***

Catherine Deneuve, the master of ceremony at Festival de Cannes. 

Her Rolls Royce parked out front of the hotel.

She had dinner in the restaurant opening night.

Chef Chibois in a stylish Bragard jacket—luxurious Egyptian cotton.

Coming back from her table. Flushed.

All of us hoping for a word.

***

I was in Europe on scholarship.

Three months. Six weeks near Padova and six on the Côte d'Azur.

***

On the train journey south.

A stranger lured me into a bit of night adventure in Nice.

For an hour I was scared. Then I realized I'd been had.

***

I rented a studio apartment facing the Mediterranean. I was so lucky.

The night before my first day, I called Jim in Stratford.

Relax, and enjoy yourself.

I didn't always take his advice.

But I knew it was solid. Made everything magic.

***

Gerard to my right. So funny. 

Found out first thing I didn't know Roch Voisine. Shook his head at me for half a day.

Taught me white asparagus is the right size when it makes a young girl blush. The way he said it in French.

All of us laughing. 

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1993