L'appart: the Delights and Disasters of Making Paris my Home by David Lebovitz

L'Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home by David Lebovitz

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




Jacket Blurb:  Bestselling author and world-renowned chef David Lebovitz continues to mine the rich subject of his evolving ex-Pat life in Paris, using his perplexing experiences in apartment renovation as a launching point for stories about French culture, food, and what it means to revamp one's life. Includes dozens of new recipes.

When David Lebovitz began the project of updating his apartment in his adopted home city, he never imagined he would encounter so much inexplicable red tape while contending with the famously inconsistent European work ethic and hours. Lebovitz maintains his distinctive sense of humor with the help of his partner Romain, peppering this renovation story with recipes from his Paris kitchen. In the midst of it all, he reveals the adventure that accompanies carving out a place for yourself in a foreign country--under baffling conditions--while never losing sight of the magic that inspired him to move to the City of Light many years ago, and to truly make his home there.
 
I have read a number of "My Life in Paris and or France" books and cookbook combinations over the years, but this is the first that has not painted the City of Lights with glassy eyed adoration. This is also the first story that gave me a close-up look at Parisian society and culture beyond raving about boulangeries, patisseries, charcuteries, name your "ies".

And I appreciated the book all the more for it.

Premise of the book is David moved to Paris from San Francisco, and after 10 years of renting an apartment, he's ready to buy. Wanting to prove to himself and Paris he's ready for this transition, he embarks on what becomes nearly three years of heartache, headache, and painful lessons in navigating the bureaucracy known as Paris. He admits his naivety, cultural expectations, and language barrier played a huge part in the trials and tribulations. Interspersed between the chapters are a fun assortment of recipes.

I found this a fascinating and painful read. When authors wax poetic about Paris, it's about the bakeries, the butchers, the cheese shops, the cafes, the wine, and more. I came to realize with David's story, there is a whole aspect of Paris that is never written about: how to actually live there as an expat. Where customer service is first in the US, the customer is there at the convenience of the service in France (I wasn't clear if this was the whole of France or mostly Paris). Where we have legal protections against fraudulent builders, David had...nothing. Where the nuances of the language is something you have to be grow up learning. This was facinating.

Where it was painful, was watching David write check after check, knowing that this is a baaaaddd idea. Wanting to reach through the pages and shout - "Listen to Romain!" I wanted to pull a blanket over my head as one thing after another went wrong, as costs kept accumulating, as deadlines were pushed back yet again.

I also suspect David has some of the worst luck imaginable when it comes to renovating... be it in San Francisco or Paris.

Do I still want to visit Paris? Maybe. It is a city rich with culture and history. Do I want to up and move there after reading this? No. Frickin'. Way. The grass (and thus the butter) is NOT always greener on the other side of the fence.

Thank you for sharing your story, David! It was delightful, mesmerizing, painful, and insightful.

Recommended if you enjoy those "my life in Paris or France" type books.



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