HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND MORE CELEBATIONS ...

Today for brunch Donald, Francis, Alek and I went to the Bel Air Hotel to celebrate a double anniversary :-) 8 years ago our friends Donald & Francis met in Los Angeles and 8 years ago we have met Donald for the first time in Los Angeles. Not only they are the most amazing friends and we love them so much but today they are family to us.



The Bel Air hotel is one of those iconic places in L.A. Originally built as office space, it was purchased in 1946 and converted into a very secluded ultra luxurious hotel by Joseph Drown. Since 1992 is owned by the Sultan of Brunei's brother.



While the city's more fashionable hotels may attract the latest box-office heroes, the Bel Air is where people come for a low key moment, something that has almost disappeared elsewhere.



On saturday we went to the restaurant Salade de Provence, a French restaurant (you would have guessed) down the hill from us in West Hollywood. Not that of an important event to remember but when we sat at our table the song "O Toulouse" started to play.

Ok, you have to know that Toulouse is my hometown, and this song (along with the Ave Maria by Maria Callas) were the top 2 songs that my grand father who raised me for many years was listening to when he was painting [Listen to O Toulouse in the second part of the post]. So I did felt nostalgic of this incredible man who inspires me and that I truly miss :-(



A couple of days ago I have decided to book a flight for Paris and Toulouse. I will be traveling to the south of France end of January. The reason is another person that is really important in my life today, her name is Eva my beautiful goddaughter who will turn one year old next month!

She is what we call a survivor, she was born at 6 months and a half and was just as big as my hand!!! She fought hard, and had the amazing support of Celine and Alain her parents who were at the hospital every single day for almost two months to constantly hold her and talk to her. So yes, one year is a pretty important celebration for all of us and I would not miss it for anything in this world :-)



Those photos were taken in Toulouse this summer. I see the all family almost every week on the webcam and she is growing up so fast.