Southern Passion Lounge in Paris

I am pleased to report that, as of February 21st, I will co-host a dynamic new on-line radio show called Southern Passion Lounge in Paris with Chef Amadeus of Jacksonville, Florida.

Chef Amadeus
Photo courtesy of ChefAmadeus.com
Several weeks ago, Chef Amadeus contacted me through a referral by Chef Dwight Evans* of Chicago. I learned that Amadeus was the winner of the Food Network's first Extreme Chef competition "Mexican Showdown" in 2012...

Chef Amadeus at the Food Network's "Mexican Showdown"
Photo courtesy of ChefAmadeus.com
and that he has created a line of salt-free spices called Southern Passion Spices.

Southern Passion Spices "Lil Bump"
Photo courtesy of ChefAmadeus.com
I also learned that he has hosted the Internet radio show Southern Passion Lounge for over two years and that his broadcasts attract hundreds to thousands of listeners per show.

Chef expressed his interest in sharing with his fans his love for food, wine, and travel in a show with a new twist. He remembers fondly the time that he spent in Europe when he was in the U.S. Navy and was inspired to explore launching a radio show featuring Paris by Chef Evans' experience attending culinary school here. He is passionate about encouraging his listeners to think and move "outside the box" by trying new foods, experimenting with wines, and leaving the comfort zone of their communities to venture out into the world. This was music to my ears because I am passionate about motivating Americans to travel abroad and have incorporated the culinary arts into Discover Paris! tours and activities since the early 2000s.

Appreciating the aroma of fresh roasted coffee
© Discover Paris!

Making bechamel sauce
© Discover Paris!
Together, Chef and I have created the concept of Southern Passion Lounge in Paris, where we will explore some of the best places to eat and drink in Paris, listen to the music being produced by American expatriate artists, and take a look at the fascinating culture and contemporary life of the African Diaspora here. We'll also look at French cuisine in the U.S. through the many connections that Chef Amadeus has with French restaurants and chefs around the country.

Be sure to join us on the 3rd Thursday of every month from 1-2 PM EST / 7-8 PM Paris time to see what we've cooked up for you!

To call into the Lounge, dial 760-283-0856.

Follow us on Twitter: @ChefAmadeus and @moniqueinparis.

*Read about Chef Dwight Evans here:
  Chef Dwight Evans in Paris - Part 1
  Chef Dwight Evans in Paris - Part 2

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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A Five-Star Review for Black Paris Profiles

A couple of people have contacted me to say that they've tried to post their comments about the new release of Black Paris Profiles on Amazon.com and found that the system has not accepted them. If this has happened to you, send me an e-mail message to let me know. I'll be pleased to post them here!

************ 5-star review by Marian Hayes (Yeye Lynvonne)

Marian Hayes
Photo courtesy of Marian Hayes

Black Paris Profiles by Monique Y. Wells, is, for a media person like me, a Press Pass to some of Paris's most prolific artists in all fields and genres. Twenty-four stories told within ninety-four pages , most sharing the same pattern—visiting Paris and fulfilling a soul's craving to return. Wells has showcased a unique mix of American Blacks experiencing what it means to go beyond the fifty states.

Extremely multi-talented, these New Millennium Blacks appear to be Renaissance people channeling the likes of da Vinci in their capacity to master skills in the fields of photography, film making, and visual arts, all the while navigating the world of French culture. Page after page, reading the lives of these expatriates is like hearing a siren's song, beckoning all to join the Soirée!

Black Paris Profiles showcases the Black American French from the view of a 40-year expatriate to a bevy of hip-hop generation young (B)arisians. Reading BPP, at times, seemed like a page from the wave of Black artists who lit up the City of Lights in the Jazz age! My hopes rose higher and higher each time I read how accessible each Black profiled is to the internet. It was refreshing to have Mrs. Wells include the questions of publishing the old standard way or going electronic and D.I.Y. One thing for sure—Black Paris Profiles has fueled my desire to return to France and this time Paris will be, like the Blacks profiled, my beck and call.

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Entrée to Black Paris!™ is a Discover Paris! blog.
We are proud to have been selected as one of 10 BEST Paris blogs!

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How a Passion for Travel Became a Mission for a More Peaceful World

by Annemarie Osborne

I have always been a proponent of travel as a means of widening one’s horizons, dismantling cultural stereotypes, and sharing what is best about being human on this ever-shrinking planet. These are some of the reasons that inspired my husband Tom and me to launch our travel-planning service Discover Paris! twelve years ago, and they are what motivated me to develop our Entrée to Black Paris walks and activities and to write this blog.

Ted Bravos, co-founder and CEO of the International Tour Management Institute, has an even broader vision—one of travel as an instrument for peace. Read Annemarie Osborne's guest posting below to learn about it.

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Maya Angelou
Photo from Wikipedia Commons

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.”

Maya Angelou

Ted Bravos, CEO of International Tour Management Institute (ITMI) remembers how inspired he was when he heard President John F. Kennedy say: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Although he was accepted by the Peace Corps and fully intended to teach high school biology in Africa, Ted’s hopes were dashed when he was drafted and sent to Vietnam. During his 13-month tour of duty as Marine infantry officer, he made a commitment to dedicate the rest of his life to doing something that made sense and was meaningful.

Upon his return from Vietnam, Bravos indulged his passion for travel by taking a yearlong bicycle trip throughout 17 European countries. This life-changing experience marked the beginning of his career as a tour director and, in 1976, to the founding of ITMI, the first state-certified tour-guide and tour-director training school in America.

Having experienced first-hand the compassion, understanding, and lifelong friendships that develop when travellers connect with people of other cultures, Bravos found the meaningful work that he had sought. What began as a passion for travel has become a mission for a more peaceful world.

Ted Bravos near the Golden Gate Bridge
Photo courtesy of Annemarie Osborne
Ted Bravos often quotes the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was commander of the Allied Forces during World War II. Eisenhower’s slogan for his newly created People to People Program was: “The passport to peace is travel.” Having dedicated his life to training travel professionals, Bravos not only believes that Eisenhower’s motto is true, he has also witnessed it countless times. The thousands of ITMI graduates have related personal stories about the transformational power of travel that speak volumes about the importance of experiencing other cultures and traditions as an instrument of peace.

ITMI carefully selects the students who enter its program to ensure that they have the emotional maturity, intelligence, and personal responsibility to become great tour directors. ITMI alumni are often as passionate as Bravos about their roles as ambassadors of goodwill. They take great pride in gaining a deep understanding, respect, and appreciation of the history, culture, traditions, and protocols of the countries in which they escort tour groups and in relating this information to them. City by city, country by country, ITMI alumni infuse their travel groups with an authentic desire to build bridges of understanding.

Among the many things that continue to inspire Bravos are the stories he hears from former students, who enthusiastically share their experiences and insights. Looking back on his 30-plus years as an impassioned teacher, humanitarian, and advocate for a more peaceful world, he finds it difficult to choke back tears when relating some of the many success stories he has heard from graduates of his program.

Over the past 33 years, thousands of ITMI professional tour directors have collectively led hundreds of thousands of travelers around the world on escorted tours. One can only imagine the impact that this has had on the world. In the annals of human history, Ted Bravos is truly an unsung hero, whose legacy will continue well beyond his lifetime. When someone inspires others to touch hearts, not just minds, miracles are destined to occur. To that end, we salute Ted Bravos, a man who has ignited hearts and spirits with a desire to contribute to a more peaceful world.

To learn more about ITMI visit www.itmitourtraining.com.


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