Dinner For One

Two episodes in one week! Look at meeeee! This is my way of apologizing for the long break between episodes. So all is forgiven now, yeah?  In this episode, I talk about how what started as a way to center myself (and, let's be honest, keep me off the streets and out of the wine bars) turned into something way bigger. I didn't realize it at the time, but every solo dinner I made was laying the foundation for the life I have now. Cooking for myself became more than just something to do to pass the time. It was how I learned to listen to what I truly needed, how I built self-trust, and how I started making decisions that aligned with the life I wanted, even when I didn't fully know what that life looked like yet. To my surprise, asking “what do I want for dinner?” was really me asking “what do I want for myself? For this life?” And that's when everything started to shift and evolve in ways I still kinda can't believe it has.

In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Tanisha Townsend, the founder of Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency, and woman whose honesty, humor, and intelligence I admire deeply. I made fried chicken and mashed potatoes, she brought a beautiful bottle of Blanc de Blancs, and we got to talking! Tanisha brought her wit and no-nonsense attitude to the conversation in a way that left reflecting for days on some of the gems she dropped like, like: “Are you actually ready for what you really want?” and “If someone watched your habits for a week, would they reflect the life you say you want?” We also explore how living alone has given Tanisha the space to envision, build, and expand her business. It's not that she couldn't have achieved everything she has otherwise, but having the freedom and space (mentally and emotionally) to pour fully into herself and her vision made all the difference. I'm always moved and inspired by women who stand tall in their truth, show up fully, own their choices, and walk boldly toward the life they deserve.

Je parle français dans cet épisode. Pas le meilleur français et pas sans fautes, mais au moins je l'ai fait, et pour cela, j'en suis contente. Bien sûr, le fait d'avoir cette conversation avec une amie m'a beaucoup aidé. Dans cet épisode, "Pour que je m'aime encore", j'ai parlé à mon amie Farah, parisienne qui y est née et y a grandi. Elle est l'une des personnes les plus rayonnantes, réfléchies et profondes que j'ai pu rencontrer ici à Paris. Elle a raconté comment vivre seule pour la première fois dans sa trentaine lui a permis de s'épanouir et de s'aimer. De la décoration de son propre appartement avec beaucoup de couleurs à son rituel du dîner, en passant par le fait de se permettre de ressentir les flux et reflux de la vie, sans honte. C'était une conversation édifiante, amusante et honnête que j'ai beaucoup appréciée et et j'espère que ce sera la même chose pour toi.

In this week's episode of Dinner for One 2.0, I touch on the stigma surrounding solo living, especially for those of us in our 30s and beyond. There's still this outdated narrative that if a woman lives alone, she must be lonely, jaded, or just waiting for the right partner to “complete” her. But we know that's not true, right? Living alone doesn't equal loneliness, and it definitely doesn't mean your life is incomplete. In fact, living solo has made me so much more intentional with the people and experiences I invite into my life. I also talk about the Dinner for One Supper Club, which initially I thought would be a five dinner series and has turned into something much bigger. I created this monthly gathering as a space for single women living alone to connect, share meals, and celebrate the lives we're building. It's a reminder that living alone can actually inspire us to step out of our comfort zones and form deeper connections, the opposite of being lonely.   

My first guest of the season is my friend Jessica Hodge, an Australian sommelier living in Paris. This episode turned out to be quite an interesting one because I initially expected Jess to share similar feelings and ideas about creating and embracing a life of living alone, even if it's temporary. Well, listener, I was wrong. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, and perhaps most importantly, I walked away with a valuable reminder about assumptions and expectations. It's crucial not to assume that the people close to you share the exact same ideas or feelings about everything. That doesn't mean your friendship is any less meaningful, it's quite the opposite actually! It means you have an opportunity to listen more and ask thoughtful questions. And you know what happens when you do that? You'll learn something new about that person and probably about yourself, which can, ultimately, help you evolve your own perspective as this conversation did with mine.

And I'm back!  To be honest, I thought the last episode published in June 2023 would be my last, but clearly I was wrong.  When I started this podcast in 2018, I was in my early 30s grappling questions: "How can I survive this colossal life shift?",  "What does survival even look like?" "Can I stay in Paris?" "Will I stay in Paris?" For all intents and purposes, I survived and did some cool shit. Some would even say I thrived. My podcast became pretty popular, I published my first book,  launched a monthly supper club, started doing pop-ups at different restaurants in Paris, interned in a restaurant kitchen, co-hosted a dinner in Milan, and even prepared my first private dinner. A lot has been going on.  Now as I approach a very significant age milestone, new questions have started to plague me:  "What does it mean to truly live?" and "How can I design a life that really resembles me?"   So this new version of Dinner for One, version 2.0, isn't revolving around a love story gone bad. Instead, it is about self-discovery and continuing to bloom where you're planted even when life's path looks a bit blurry. 

It's been a long time since the last episode, but I'm back! From my Parisian kitchen to your ears, join me on a trip down memory lane with some of the best moments from the Dinner for One podcast.

Ten years ago today, June 12, 2013, I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris with a spousal visa in hand, a diamond ring on my left ring finger, and a husband waiting for me at the arrivals section. I thought I had it all.  Fast forward ten years, June 12, 2023, and my life looks very different. It doesn't resemble at all anything that I expected, but I am convinced everything that has happened led me to this moment. Maybe it was all meant to me?  Alongside the disappointment and tears, there were moments of immense joy, belly-splitting laughter, and taking on projects that led me to where I am today and I've learned some valuable lessons along the way.  In this episode, I discuss what I believe is my purpose in life and ten things I've learned over the last decade. Stick around because there are a few announcements towards the end.  I apologize in advance for the sound, I didn't realize it was so low and  while I can't really control the rain, I hope it doesn't ruin your listening experience. 

In this episode, I'm in conversation with another pal of mine, Rosie Clifton. The goal of this episode was to talk about French parenting styles vs British, or even more broadly, Anglo-Saxon parenting styles. And while we did touch on that, the two biggest and most important lessons I took away from this chat were that I really need to CHILL THE F OUT and appreciate just living in France. As you've probably figured out, overthinking is my superpower. I had many questions about being a parent in France, raising French kids, and preconceived notions about how hard it must be. Rosie's approach was just kinda like listen, you're here, you're you, you have to be confident with what you're transmitting and who you are and tout va bien (everything is gonna be okay), which is so true and can be applied to many aspects of life. Especially living in France. After you've been living in France for a while It's easy to make sly comments about French people and the country but the fact of the matter is that it's not a terrible place to live, despite how it may seem due to the recent strikes, and there are a lot of benefits that come with living in a country with a strong social welfare system and a history of fighting for it. The main benefit is that you can enjoy life and spend quality time with your friends, family, and half-French children if you have any. Thank you Rosie for helping me view France in a different light and easing my anxiety around my non-existent children. That said, if I ever have any and they start getting sassy with me in French I'm sending them your way. And thanks for putting up with me in the group chat too.

Back-to-back episodes featuring very chic, very cool, very stylish, very insightful Parisians.  How lucky are we?! In this episode, I'm in conversation with my friend, the artist Tiffanie Delune. In the episode, we talk about self-love, self-care, being in alignment with oneself and how that leads you on the path toward designing your own life. Having the courage to acknowledge, ask for and walk toward the life you really want isn't an easy feat. You have to be honest about your desires and needs, mute negative self-talk, banish doubt, face your fears, and stand naked in front of the mirror (hypothetical or real, as you want) with the unabashed truth: a change is necessary. But the reward ya'll. THE REWARD!  After taking that first step—the bravest step—is beyond measure. You'll find yourself in alignment with your life, with the way you love and want to be loved and, most importantly, with the regard you have for yourself. Don't be afraid to jump and believe, go after what you want. Usually, the net appears, in one way or the other. It's always been there, just waiting for you to take the leap of faith. I hope you enjoy the episode and it influences some positive changes in your life, no matter how big or small.

In this episode, I talk to my very Parisienne, very chic, very cool pal, Marie Chalamet.  Like me, Marie is divorced. And like me, her marriage ended when she was in her early 30s. In this episode, we talk about food, of course, but we also talk about divorce and romantic relationships.  Her approach to relationships and life, in general, is quite different from mine. Where she goes with the flow and takes things as they come, I am someone that needs to plan, understand, and analyze. Essentially, I overthink everything. Especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I'm getting better at not doing that all the time, but it's still my default. I walked away from this conversion with the following questions: why am I worried about what's going to happen in 3 months when it's day 4 of me getting to know someone? Why am I putting so much pressure on myself? Why am I getting SOOOO WOUND UPPPP???  I won't say that this conversation completely changed me but, if you suffer from overthinking like me, I hope this conversation helps you to BREATHE take it easy and, as Marie suggests, just live in the moment. 

Ciao a tutti! I recorded this episode from a much bigger kitchen during my stay in Monopoli, Italy a few weeks back. In this episode I talk about why I went to Italy, the pull that the country, and specifically Puglia, has on me, traveling solo as a lady and I answer your IG questions (you guys are REALLY curious about TFM!) all while attempting to make pasta alla gricia. I hope you enjoy it and buon ascolto!    

Sometimes we forget to take stock of and appreciate the love we have in our lives when we feel like it's lacking. In this episode, I talk about a time in taking for granted the care, support, and affection I have around me and the things that happened that made it very clear that I need to focus on what I have versus what I perceive as a lack.

19 years, 3 children, 2 long-distance stints and the love that Camille has for her husband Bruno is as strong and palpable as when they met in school at the tender age of 18 years old. It really is just a coincidence that this episode is being released on Valentine's Day and their anniversary. I didn't plan it this way but my unwavering procrastination led to this twist of fate. I spoke to Cam about how she's sustained her relationship through the ups and downs of life, how they've grown as individuals, as a couple, and in love. I found our conversation very insightful and reassuring. And as I was editing the episode the one thought that was on replay in my mind was: Love is patient, love is kind Merci encore Cam for your friendship and taking the time out of your schedule to talk to me and for sharing your experience and wisdom.  Happy Valentine's Day à tous.

I'm not cooking in this episode and there is no chatting about my current life in Paris instead, I'm going to tell you a little story about what led me to you and you to me. So find a cozy spot, your fave beverage of choice, and listen to me tell you about the fateful Saturday that led me to start cooking dinner for one by reading the prologue of my memoir. I did get a *little* EMOSH during the reading

It's been almost 4 years since I started the podcast. In 2018 I was very much on a ‘no boys allowed' train. I needed to get my shit together by myself and was very wary of falling into the trap of using a relationship to help me. Time has passed, things have changed and now for the first time I find myself in a place where I think I *may* actually be ready to open myself to the possibility of falling in love again. I'm ready to share everything I've learned about myself, my mature outlook on love and life, essentially a new and improved Sue B with the lucky bugger that captures my heart. In this first episode of season 5, I cook a finger-licking good, stick to your bones, make you feel warm and cozy fried chicken and herb-infused mashed potatoes while talking about love. Specifically, I talk about how my idea of love has evolved, I randomly share what I consider my first love (hint: it was in Jamaica and I was like 3 years old haha)  and I go on a few tangents but it all makes sense in the end….trust me. Throughout the season I'll invite friends into my kitchen to cook and discuss all types of love: long-term love, love in a second language, love post-divorce, etc. Hope you'll stick around. Et voilà, quoi. On y va. 

The pandemic is far from over but this past year and a half has been quite a doozy, no? I'm still processing everything we've all been through and trying not to be too nervous and anxious about what's next, so I decided to get on my soapbox and talk about the 6 *positive* things cooking dinner for one during a global pandemic taught me while making a tomato salad (yummmy whole grain bread not pictured).  The salad is so simple and delish. It's just cherry tomatoes, red onions, feta, and parsley.

My favorite Bahraini princess Manal Al Saleh joined me on this episode (kidding, she's not actually a princess but she's a princess to me!) We've known each other since university and what's so funny about our post-university transition is that we both went from not cooking at all (the first meal Manal ever made for me was a cheese sandwich) and driving from Hartford to Boston because we craved lamb shank from an Iranian restaurant to it becoming one of our passions. We've come a longgggg way. In this episode, Manal shares with me (and you!) how the entire experience of cooking inspires her, has changed her life, and continues to motivate her to push herself to new heights. She also shares wisdom around being a mom and not falling into the trap of thinking you need to do it all. So sit back, enjoy Manal's beautiful accent, listen to us reminisce about our transitions to being boss ladies in the kitchen, and giggle. 

Once I started cooking more regularly and upping my culinary game I noticed that more and more people with similar interests began orbiting my universe, and me theirs. And this was definitely the case with the guest on the most recent episode, “For The Love of Cooking” w/ Rebecca Plotnick. Rebecca actually ticks two boxes: a love of cooking and Paris. She lived between Paris and the US for a few years and is currently based in the states, but that hasn't decreased her love of Paris and the French way of life (including the food bien sur). She's the eye behind the beautiful award-winning blog Everyday Parisian where she shares all the lessons she's learned from her time living in Paris and traveling in France.  As a true Francophile Rebecca chose sweet potato quiche as her Dinner for One meal, which we cooked together as we chatted about Paris, cooking in Paris, moving to Paris, the magic of Paris, pretty much everything Paris, quoi. Rebecca's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayparisian/ Rebecca's Blog: https://everydayparisian.com/

It's been 11 years since Gabbie and I lived together and almost 8 years since we've lived in the same country, yet she's one of the first people I turn to when I need a non-judgemental listening ear and let it all out. But that doesn't mean she doesn't tell me about myself when needed (and I need to be put in my place more than I would like to admit). Her well of love runs deep and wide and I'm so happy she joined me on this episode to discuss her approach to fostering a healthy romantic relationship, her journey to understanding and accepting her emotions, and how to be comfortable with yourself.  I attempted to make a shrimp scampi with her, but I kinda just ended up doing my thing. She was incredibly annoyed at me for not following the recipe and I enjoyed every single minute of grinding her gears.  Friendships like this are rare and I feel beyond lucky and blessed to know that truly there ain't no mountain high enough, valley low enough, or ocean wide enough to keep me from my Gabz. 

I had the pleasure to chat with New York-based, Ghanaian writer and creative consultant Natasha Nyanin about her tried and true Senegalese Yassa Chicken recipe that has made its way from Senegal to New York City to Poland and to my Parisian kitchen (and a few of my friend's kitchens too!) What I loved the most about this conversation was the way Natasha elevates cooking, hosting, and designing her tables to an art form. I highly recommend following her on Instagram and join me in drooling all over her delicious dishes and eyeing her killer wardrobe.   

*Just a heads up, this episode is in French. Why? Listen to at least the first few minutes to find out.* Journaliste, fondatrice de l'agence de rédaction PLUME et animatrice du podcast Manger, Laurianne Melierre m'a rejoint dans ma petite Parisian cuisine pour enregistrer ce bel épisode où nous avons fait des pieds de porc pané, des œufs mimosa et quelques accompagnements

London-based journalist podcast host Hattie Crisell joined me on this episode where we cooked pancakes and had a wonderful conversation. We talked about gaining confidence in the kitchen, the therapeutic elements of cooking solo during a pandemic, our policy on wearing a bold lipstick color on a date and so so much more. Enjoy!  You can find Hattie's podcast, In Writing with Hattie Crisell here Hattie's Instagram Hattie's Twitter  

Fall of 2020 I skipped town and laid low Aix-en-Provence for a little bit. I went there with a specific goal in mind, but left with an addiction to mussels and so much more. 

I had a lot of grand plans for season 3, which mostly included hearing a tiny bit less from me and more from other people in my life, old friends and new, and their experiences in Paris. Alas, that wasn’t possible, so I cobbled together what I could.  So for this last episode of the season, I decided to turn the mic over to you and answer some of your questions. After almost 3 years of DFO, 24 episodes, and probably too many minutes spent listening to me talk about n’importe quoi, it felt like it was time. I answered as many questions as I could, but I had to reach out to two friends of the podcast for specific questions about wine and the French language. Wine expert Tanisha Townsend (https://www.instagram.com/girlmeetsglass was gracious enough to share her recommendations and The New Yorker staff writer and NYTimes best-selling author Lauren Collins (https://www.instagram.com/laurenzcollins) and I discussed French language nuances around the usage of "love" vs "like".  I hope you enjoy this episode and again, thank you so much for your patience during this peculiar, intense, and trying year. I hope you have a pleasant holiday, whether you're celebrating alone or with your loved ones, and we’ll talk again in 2021.

My friendships, my friends, these relationships give me another perspective on life. I get an intimate peek into how they see, and live, in this world. I learn what their values are, what makes them tick, and that has made me a better person because it has given me the ability to think outside of myself about people that are not family in any way shape, or form. We’re not bound together by blood or legal contracts, this is a relationship that is built on and nourished purely by mutual desire and that’s exactly what makes them so special. In this episode I talk about: What friendship means to me and how those relationships have helped to shape me.  Friendships during live transitions and explosions: like moving abroad and my divorce  The different type expat friends you *can* meet in Paris (this is not an exhaustive list) 

For a long time, I felt like nothing could compare or be better than a New York City summer. There would be no city as electrifying, the pulse of no other city could match up to the beat of New York's, and the pace never outmatched. As a result even after seven years of living in Paris, I always craved a New York City summer until this summer. The coronavirus curtailed my usual summer of traveling,  which led me to lean into French summers, and while different from New York City summers, gave me a newfound appreciation for l'èté a la français.  Meal made: salade niçoise

This is part two of the pandemic centered episodes. In the last episode, I talked about how the pandemic helped me realize that I need to be more proactive about dating. In this episode, I dive deeper into how my views around dating have evolved, a few revelations I had around my pre-COVID dating habits, and how I plan on being a better dater in the future.  I spoke about all this while making mackerel patties. 

In this episode, I share the unfiltered truth around my experience living alone and cooking dinner for one during the lockdown period of the coronavirus pandemic. I talk about how the loneliness affected me and how this experience changed my outlook and approach to many ways I was living my life pre-corona. 

What does that even mean? No, I am not talking about becoming a French citizen. In this episode, I discuss how I've come to the conclusion that the best way to experience life in Paris and lead a happy and successful expat life here is to create my own kind of Frenchness. 

I'm back in my kitchen, toute seule and in English, making one of my top 5 pasta dishes. To be completely honest I didn’t expect to still be cooking dinner for one, but here we are 3 seasons later. In this episode, I will talk about how I’ve tried to keep my optimism and guard my “softness” while simply trying to be a good person in this sometimes cold, harsh, sad, digital world we live in. 

I'm back after an extended break. To kick off this season I decided to do things a bit differently by recording the entire episode in French! My good friend Nathalie joined me as we had a chat and shared a few giggles over a very Parisian apéro dinatoire.  The rest of the season will continue in English with sprinkles and dashes of French thrown in here and there, as usual. ;)  Donc, pourquoi en français?  J’ai décidé de faire ce épisode en français parce que pour moi ça représente une étape naturelle dans ma vie à Paris, ma vie en France, d’être capable de m’exprime en français avec confiance et des moins d'erreurs possible. La première saison de Dinner for One j’ai beaucoup réfléchie sur mon situation actuelle, a l’époque, ce t a dire “Comment je vais et est-ce que je peux survivre ça, cette nouvelle vie de divorcée, célibataire, dans ma trentaine, dans une pays et ville qui ne pas le mien?” Saison deux j’ai été un peu perdu, est-ce que je vais rester? Est-ce que je vais partir? J’ai décidé que je vais rester pour le plus long possible et donc voilà on arrive à saison trois. J’espère que pendant cette saison je vais explorer comment je peux vraiment construire une vie ici, et le première façon est de parler français, non?

This week my friend and fellow American, Léonard aka Lenny joined me in my kitchen to talk about life in Paris, living this experience as a young black person and his idea of the adult trifecta.  Lenny is a fashion stylist and hails from Brooklyn, NY. He has been living in Paris for 3 years and always has funny and interesting insights into life here. Also be sure to follow him on Instagram because he is hilarious. @lennyoffduty.  Enjoy!    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/  

Living abroad, and living in Paris in particular, isn’t always a perfect Instagram story and I hope I’ve done a decent job of showing another kind of American in Paris story. That said, even when Paris is bad, it’s never THAT BAD.   Why? How? Because of the "P" word, Pleasure. In this episode, I talk about how Paris taught me to embrace and expect pleasure in all aspects of my life.    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/

This week Paris based writer Lindsey Tramuta joined me in my kitchen to talk about all things French and food. As the author of the Amazon best-seller The New Paris: the People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement and host of the podcast The New Paris podcast she has a lot to say about France, French culture, Paris and food.  Lindsey's favorite dinner for one is a simple yet filling omelette that is trés French in its simple elegance. Sit back and enjoy as we talk about the importance of self-care while being an foreigner in Paris and I share a pretty funny (read:embarassing) story about cheese and butter) Lindsey's book: The New Paris: the People, Places & Ideas Fueling a Movement,  Lindsey's podcast:The New Paris Podcast Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/

It has officially been 1 year since I launched Dinner For One! Doing this podcast, sharing my story and living this experience. the most important thing this project has thought me to do is to be more open to life's experiences.  In this episode I talk about being more open to experiences and adventure, and also share a little short story about what happens when I let life just happen.    On the menu: Turmeric rice with tomatoes and roasted salmon 

Paris expat and my good friend Lauren joined me in the kitchen this week to share her favorite Dinner For One, a cauliflower and chickpea curry, and talk about life in Paris.  The conversation quickly turns to dating, Lauren's theory on dating, French men and a fun dating experiment for 2019.    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/

I'm back in kitchen, toute seule (alone), and super in my feeling (again) in this episode. I make a butternut squash and sweet potato soup while talking about the things I do alone (spoiler: a lot of things) and how doing those things make me feel. I also touch on the subject of loneliness a bit, which I think we, as a society, don't talk about enough because everyone looks like they're living THE life on Instagram.    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/

On this episode, fellow American in Paris, chef and restaurateur, Kristin Frederick joined me in my little Parisian kitchen to share her favorite dinner for one. The only thing “ordinaire” about Kristin's Paris story is that she’s an American that moved to Paris, everything else is “extraordinaire”. She founded Paris' first ever food truck, Le Camion Qui Fume and she's the creative brain behind the amazing GreenHouse restaurants. She a bad ass lady and business woman, and I'm so happy to have her on this episode.  Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/   More about Kristin and her restaurants: Le Camion Qui Fume GreenHouse  Food Trucks in Paris? U.S. Cuisine Finds Open Minds, and Mouths  

I'm back! After a longer than expected break, I'm back in my Parian kitchen cooking up goodness and being in my feelings. Speaking of feelings, this episode I talk about my summer holidays, my trip home and the surprising feelings that came along with my trip.  Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the story behind the episode, recipe and the Seafood Sea Me Spotify playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

The conversation with my four girlfriends continue in part 2. Things get juicy in this episode - we talk about different dating cultures and the immigrant experience to name a few.  Thank you to everyone for supporting me on this journey and this season. It has meant so much to me! See you again in a few weeks.  Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the inspiration behind the episode, recipe and the Call Your Girlfriends Spotify playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

For the final episode of season one I invited four girlfriends into my little Paris kitchen and living/dining room to share their perspectives on life in Paris, the podcast and just being women. In this episode you'll hear the thoughts from a Lebanese, Parisian, American and English woman (Lory, the producer of this podcast, makes an appearance too!). I'm so excited to introduce my crew to the world, I hope all of you will love them as much as I do.    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the inspiration behind the episode, recipe and the Call Your Girlfriends Spotify playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

Behind the desire and drive to stay in Paris and make it my home was fearlessness. In this episode I talk about how it dawned on me that I was being fearless, how being in a foreign country can aid in being fearless and ultimately how embracing fearlessness has opened my eyes to a new way of living.   Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the inspiration behind the episode, recipe and the Fearless Tarte Spotify playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

Leaving my tight, comfortable and safe friend group in New York was equally as scary as moving to Paris. I thought I would be friendless and alone, but luckily for me that was not, and is not, the case.  I either met most of the friends I've made here or deepened our relationship over this pre-dinner tradition, apéro. In this episode I share my take on a French apéro and the importance of female friendship as I build my new life in Paris.    Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the inspiration behind the episode, recipe and the Apéroship Spotify playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

This episode is all about dating, a la française. Am I the only person that finds dating a complete pain in the ass? When was it ever a pleasurable experience? Add to that the whole living in Paris thing and you've got layers and layers of complication. Listen to learn how I'm dealing with all of it. Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the inspiration behind the episode, recipe and the non-engagement playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

I talk about homesickness in this episode. Sometimes I feel guilty about wanting to making Paris my forever home because does that mean I love my family less? Does that mean I love my friends back home less? Of course not, but it’s hard to justify to yourself, and sometimes others, when the thing that at times makes you sad can be easily fixed.   Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the recipe and the Fry Up The Vibes playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com  

I've already talked about what it's like to start over again alone in Paris on an emotional level, but what is it like on a practical level? By practical I mean actually parler français. Well, it's not easy. In this episode I talk about what pushed me to actually look past my horrible accent and mistakes that I will inevitably make (bonjour masculine and feminine gendered words, salut verb conjugations) in order to really integrate and actually speak French. Meal: Sole Meunière  The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera: http://bit.ly/2FGiuU8 Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune, https://www.tiffaniedelune.com/ You can find the recipe and the Tout Sole Meuniére playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com      

In this episode I talk about how I faced one of the biggest shifts when cooking for one, coming home to an empty apartment every day. Spoiler alert: there was  A LOT of rosé involved.   Meal: The post-indulgence salad  Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune You can find the recipe and the Greens Do The Body Good playlist on the website www.dinnerforonepodcast.com    

In this episode I try to explain the concept of the episode. I also talk about coming to terms with being single again after a long relationship ends, especially a marriage, and the first few realizations that I was now alone in this beautiful, yet confusing and sometimes scary city of Paris.  My favorite bit is the Monoprix story. Stick around for that.    Meal: confit de canard and red wine   Music: Eternity by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Producer: Lory Martinez, lorymartinez.com Logo: Tiffanie Delune

Like many American women in Paris, my story started out the same: meet beautiful French man, fall in love with said Frenchman, marry the Frenchman and move to Paris. Except, this story ends with a separation. Join me as I share the OTHER "American in Paris" story while redefining my identity in a new city, culture, and language one solo dinner at a time.