Happy new year all! A big MERCI BEAUCOUP to everyone who emailed inquiring about the Café! My sincerest apologies for being gone so long, but those of you who know the Café well, probably already knew I’d be bringing this baby back with a NEW LOOK! My chronic addiction to the whole “website redesign” thing seems like a line straight out of Prince’s song “When Doves Cry” : “She’s never, never satisfiiiiiiiied…”

The truth is that I’ve been on an eternal search for the perfect website; one that delivers both style and functionality. Visually appealing yet also easy to maintain. Have I accomplished that? We’ll see as I test drive this new software over the next couple of months. Also, bear with me, as I’m also getting used to using the new software as well!

.: So what’s new?:.

The look, for starters. The site is even more photo driven than the last, providing more *eye candy* for Café fans. Peep the home page @ http://cafedelasoul.com and browse the pages to get the full picture. For ease of navigation, I’ve grouped the current pages into the following categories:

*Paris Living*: includes word from the editor, feature article, portrait (interviews), single in the city (advice column), quoi de cool (reviews) and paris: my story.

*Soul on the Seine*: includes this month in Paris (event calendar), quick guide to Black Paris, event flyers and user recommendations.

*Travel Resources*: includes organizations and groups, tours (groups and guides), recommended reading and accommodations.

*Interactive*: includes message boards, classified ads, guestbook and links.

In addition, there is also new *comment functionality* that allows you all to share your thoughts on the various articles and columns that run on the site (BE NICE!); and a couple of new categories: *word from the editor* (ya girl comments on all things Paris), event flyers (Café fav flyer(s) of the month), *user recommendations* (visitors share their recommendations), *recommended reading* (list of recommended books), *accommodations* (quick list of Café favs) and *classified ads* (make announcements, post your events, rent your apartment, hock your wares, meet new friends). So there you have it, that’s the scoop!

Do have a look around and tell your friends about us! If you’d like to share your thoughts re: the new look, you may send *GENTLE* emails to blackparis@cafedelasoul.com. In the meantime, I’ll try to lay off the web redesign sauce. For a little while at least! (wink)

.:What else has been going on?:.

As many of you already know, Café de la Soul is a proud partner of Black Paris Divas, a unique tour group offering African American heritage excursions in France. The Divas’ HOT tour right now is Culture, Cuisine & Josephine and shows participants the BEST of Black Paris and then whisks them off to Josephine Baker’s dreamy chateau in the Dordogne.

This past June 2006, the Divas escorted a group of African Americans to France on Cent Ans de la Dame, our straight-out-of-a-fairytale Baker centennial celebration tour! You can read about it in this month’s Feature Article.

.: Highlights from the excursion:.

*Meeting Akio Bouillon-Baker, Josephine Baker’s oldest son*
Akio is one of the most charming, gracious and friendly individuals you’ll ever meet. When one of the tour participants told him what an honor it was for her to meet him, Akio replied “No, it’s an honor for me to have you here to celebrate my mothers life”. It was at that point that I became a lifetime member of the Akio Bouillon-Baker fan club!

*Attending the private gala @ Chateau des Milandes*
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any better, we found ourselves sipping champagne in the chateau garden and later, dining in the company of counts and countesses. We were 10 deep y’all, dressed to the nines and looking FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!! We repped our community for real. Y’all would have been proud!

*Meeting Sonia Rolland, the first Black Miss France*
While the tour group participants and I were just chatting after the six course meal, Sonya Rolland made her way to our table to chat with the Americans. Sonya (who by the way was GORGEOUS and didn’t appear to have on a stitch of makeup) was a complete doll, so friendly and approachable. We talked about her experience being the first Black Miss France and Maisha Africa, her nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the orphans of Rwanda. She was 100% SUGAR!

*Reading the NAACP letter @ the June 3, 2006 celebration*
Yup, your girl had the distinct honor of reading a letter signed by Bruce Gordon, President of the NAACP at the festivities held near the chateau in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle. Overall the trip was ABSOLUTELY wonderful . I felt blessed just to be a part of it and to be able to share the experience with our tour participants. For the full effect, visit the tour’s online photo gallery.

The next tour is scheduled for April 2007. Check out http://www.blackparisdivas.com/ for more information. We would LOVE to have you join us! Okay mes petits chous-chous, I’ve got to run, but do continue to log on the site from time to time for the quatre cent onze (the 411) on Paris!

Wishing you a prosperous 2007 filled with only the best of God’s blessings! Bisous!

Robin Bates
Founder/CEO
Café de la Soul * Your Black Paris Portal