Photo essay. After nearly a month, I’m tired of my view. Same buildings day after day. Same street. Same rooftops. Same windows. I bet you’re sick of my view, too. So, I asked my friends to send me photos of their views, so I could have a different perspective of lockdown—and you could see a little more of Paris.

VIEW FROM THE 19TH ARRONDISSEMENT

Finally, a different view!

My friend, Yann—who appears in my memoir as my date to the wedding of Geoffrey and Christophe—has a lovely 1-bedroom in the 19th. He has exquisite taste and it’s decorated to perfection, including his lovely balcony, replete with a remarkable Japanese maple. Imagine looking out and seeing all these glorious plants and flowers, right in the heart of Paris? Such class!

VIEW FROM A TERRACE (11TH ARR.)

If you’ve read my book, you know this view. This terrace, high up in a large apartment complex, belongs to my friend Fabien. I describe it, and the view, in Chapter 12, page 138 (print). To have a large terrace is a huge gift, and very rare. I’m not a little jealous. Outdoor space makes all the difference when you are confined. If you lean out, and look to the left, you can even see the Eiffel Tower. I hope I can have dinner with my friend on this terrace soon again.

My friend’s enviable view, high above the cares below.

VIEW FROM THE MARAIS

With cafés closed, my friend makes his own provisions, chez lui. ©Andrew Gentry

©Andrew Gentry

My dear friend, Andrew, has a beautifully decorated terrace in the Marais, with an enviable view of Paris and the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Andrew is a wonderful host, and I’ve spent a lot of time on this terrace over the years. Andrew sends me photos of his breakfast every morning, his provisional café chez lui. Below, a photo from 2017, drinking spritzes as the sun sets.

On Andrew’s terrace, 2017. ©Andrew Gentry

COURTYARD VIEW

This is the view from my friend Geoffrey’s window. Geoffrey, who calls me “Liza” since forever, also features prominently in my memoir. You may remember him and his “Geoffrey-isms” from Chapter 6. There is a story behind this view. Back in 2011, three months after my mother passed away, I was in Paris doing a collaborative show with Geoffrey, who is an artist. The apartment across the way (with the shutters closed) had recently become available, and we joked that I should try to rent it. “We’d be neighbors!” Geoffrey cried. I loved the idea. “No need for a phone,” I said. “I’d just call over, ‘dinner’s ready!’.” That joke turned out to be the catalyst that began my apartment search months later, and ultimately in my buying a little apartment a few streets away. How dreams are made.

Another shot of Yann’s glorious balcony garden.

Get caught up on my diary, here.

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Tip of the day

Get a new perspective on the situation. If you’re spending too much time kvetching on social media, or vegging in front of a screen, take a break. Go for a walk, read a book, call a friend, start a journal. Get a fresh outlook and reset your mood.

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Meet my friends in my Paris memoir

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