When I first moved to Paris, I pined for certain familiarities; mostly those in the form of breakfast foodstuffs. With time, I adapted to the limited selection of certain goods and resigned myself to the reality that things like customer service, dressing on the side, and ice would be infrequent luxuries reserved for trips to the States. Aside from that, most things are accessible – it just depends if you’re willing to empty your wallet for them.
But according to recent expat Kristen Beddard, there’s still room for improvement. Upon settling in Paris with her husband last fall, Kristen was aghast to learn that kale, her favorite leafy superfood, was nowhere to be found; not at the myriad of farmers markets around town nor deep within the vegetable farms of Brittany. Given the plant’s resilience to cold, it’s actually quite easy to grow. So why aren’t French farmers more keen on kale?
With The Kale Project, Kristen hopes to get some answers. She’s gamely intent on bringing the neglected green to France and has met with local farmers to get them on board. Her efforts are already proving successful – she recently handed off seeds imported from England to one of the Parisian farmers she approached and now waits (and hopes) for a fruitful harvest. A number of high profile restaurants and cafés have also shown support for the project and are themselves anxious for the opportunity to work with the vegetable.
When she’s not campaigning for kale, you can find Kristen taking advantage of all the plentiful things her adopted home does offer!
Weather, weather, weather. Just kidding. Wine. Cheese. Exploration.
Hardest adjustment in moving to Paris from New York?
The hardest thing of course is the language barrier. I moved here knowing zero French and while my language skills improve daily, it will always be something I struggle with. Losing the number one way to express yourself when you have to start life over is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. And I guess that’s really the hardest adjustment: starting over. When we left New York, I’d spent five formative years building a life there. I felt comfortable and confident in my place within the rhythm of the city. In Paris, I don’t feel like I have as much of a “place.” It takes time – more than ten months – and it’s been very humbling and rewarding process so far discovering how to build a life here and immerse myself into the culture.
Best place to relax?
My favorite relaxation spot in New York was a summer day in Central Park’s Sheeps Meadow. For Paris, I live close to Parc Monceau, so if is a nice day, I head there to rest, read and people watch.
Favorite eatery in Paris?
I love Verjus. I tried their wine bar soon after we moved here and it felt like a place I would have gone in the West Village, where we used to live. Even though I enjoy trying all things French, it is a comforting feeling to be in an environment with American greetings and food that strays from normal French fare. If I ever feel a bit homesick, all it takes is a nice glass of wine, a few scrumptious small plates and nice conversation with Laura, one-half of the Verjus team, to make me feel better. Plus, Verjus was the first restaurant to support The Kale Project and they have been very helpful with all aspects of the initiative.
Most amusing or frustrating interaction with the French?
As someone who danced my entire childhood, I decided to pick up ballet again and started lessons at the Centre de Danse du Marais. They’re adult classes, so no one is training to be a ballerina but you’d think they are given their attitudes. It has been one of the most frustrating experiences because I would “Bonjour” and “Au Revoir” like I’m supposed to, but no one in the class would acknowledge me. I found this hugely stressful as I’d been going to the same class three times a week since February and these women would not even smile. I’m very aware that French women are hard to crack and that once you do, they can be wonderful friends but going to a class to dance for fun and feel like the odd girl out week after week became draining. I always tell people it’s like Mean Girls meets Center Stage. Finally just last week, the teacher, who has always been very kind, invited me to coffee with a few of them post-class. And like that, there are a few more smiles in between pirouettes and jetés! If anything, the ballet saga reminded that my American-style perseverance is key for living in France.
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Thanks, Kristen! If you’d like to help support The Kale Project, please get in touch with Kristen here – suggestions and questions welcome. She’s already accomplished so much in such a short amount of time; I think it’s likely we will all be seeing Kristen in the news for pioneering a whole new kind of green movement in France!
