A few years ago, when I began reading Haven in Paris‘s well-crafted blog HiP Paris, I was instantly drawn to two of its regular contributors: Amy Thomasand Tory Hoen, wildly different but both equally discerning voices on food, art and culture in Paris. Neither peddle the kinds of battered clichés about the city that you’re likely to find elsewhere but they still retain a keen sense of what readers want most – a mix of whimsy and fact, personal anecdotes and delicious food tales.
Many of HiP Paris readers share my girl crush on Tory but few know her story. After working in New York for two years and feeling stifled, Tory had her ‘it’s now or never’ moment and bought a one-way ticket to Paris, found a questionable sublet and settled into an artist’s life. She returned to the states over a year later, taking with her a swath of stories, finds and memories. Back in New York, she is a freelance writer/editor, contributing to NY Mag among other outlets but getting back to Paris is never far from mind. It seems fitting that the first time I met Tory was at Amy’s Paris book signing…
