How it all began!

Beginning a blog that one intends to cover over fourteen years is daunting at best. To start at the beginning is even more years; about 27 years ago.
 So I have decided to go back to 1979 when I was the Culinary Consultant for le Creuset USA.  For those who are foodies and cookware groupies, le Creuset is that great, colorful and heavy enameled cast iron cookware. In 1979 it was just beginning to be enameled in the USA, with the cast iron "insides" made in France.
My job was to arrange cooking demonstrations across the USA in the major department stores and gourmet shops, utilizing le Creuset.  Additionally I was sent off to study cooking in New York City and other cooking schools of note around the country. Tough job but someone had to do it!
About that time the parent company, le Creuset of France, called an international sales meeting in Nice, France. My classes were a hit in the USA and they wanted distributors in other countries to hear about our system of demonstration selling.  My boss, President Bernie Mariano and Paul Bates our VP of marketing twisted my arm and made me attend. Anyone can imagine my reluctance to go to southern France for a week, but I sucked it up and packed my bags and headed off a day before the others. Ah, the sacrifices one makes to keep a job.
The meeting was actually held in a terrific resort just north of Nice by about 20 minutes, adjacent to the perched village of St.Paul de Vence. Imagine a young lady on her first trip to France discovering this unbelievable village brimming with art galleries, bistros and shops of all types. After returning home memories of that village remained etched in my mind long after almost any other aspect of the entire trip had receded to the dark crevices of my mind. (well there was one man I do recall; last of the great gentlemen) ( I was young, thin and single also!) I digress, sorry.
Fast forward years ahead to 1985, I am married to John and we have a son Clark and my two sons from my previous marriage, Aaron & Denton.  We have left Chicago for a small sleepy Mississippi river town north of St. Louis, where John's work has taken us. I have been gone from le Creuset for years and we have started a two room B&B in our country home. I continue to cook and do some teaching on the side, and end up working for a firm that teaches management development, public speaking and sales techniques. Most everything I did as a Culinary Consultant applied to this position and once again I was flying literally around the world to teach these programs tailored to each company we worked for. 
By 1998 my frequent flyer miles had stacked up and it only took 25,000 points to fly to Europe.  I convinced John his life was not complete until he had visited southern France; like I was some former expat speaking from years of experience! I raved about St. Paul de Vence and the Mediterranean. Spoke with authority about the TGV from Paris to Avignon like I rode it everyday. Never! Booked a charming B&B near St. Remy recommended by our friend Becky, a frequent and knowledgeable French traveler. Rented a car at the train station well in advance and paid for it prior to leaving the USA. Wrong! Traded in my miles and booked the flight to Paris returning from Milan Italy. What was I thinking?
This first trip set the stage for all future trips.  The experiences of this trip will always be a source of wonderful memories, particularly when we revisit the diary of our adventure. Next time I will begin to share the escapades and enlightenment of that first trip.
Until I return to the keyboard in a few days, happy spring and safe travels where ever  you may journey.  Karen