Dinner For One

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.

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 There’s still this outdated narrative that if a woman lives alone, she must be lonely, jaded, or just waiting for the right partner to “complete” her.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.   

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

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    

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      

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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 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/

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/

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 

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/

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 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/  

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?