Maui to L.A. to Paris: Welcome Home

MAYBE I SHOULD SPILL COFFEE MORE OFTEN

I flew on United Airlines from Maui to Los Angeles on Wednesday. En route, I spilled coffee all over myself and must have blurted out “oh sh-t!” that didn’t sound loud from my perspective wearing earphones. But about an hour later, a flight attendant came over. He said that he heard I had spilled coffee. I took full responsibility for the spill—the airline had done nothing wrong—but surprisingly he offered up the choice of a bonus of miles on my account or a voucher for $50 to use on an upcoming flight. I certainly didn’t deny the gift, thanked him profusely and remarked that United had just come up in the ranks in my opinion. That was a first.

CHICHI SUSHI, AND NOT SO CHICHI BUT CHEAPY

One thing I love about being in Los Angeles is the ability to eat good sushi. When I was living here in the late ’80s, early ’90s, Matsuhisa was one of our favorite spots. My business partner and I would go to sit at the counter, order up their $12.95 lunch special, and Nobu himself was slicing the fish in front of us. It was a tiny spot at the time—perhaps only seating about 24 to 30 people, and that was before he was bankrolled by a few celebrities who loved him as much as we did.

Today Nobu’s “restaurants stretch across five continents, with over 40 locations across the globe. His food is enjoyed by millions of diners hungry for his innovative food and sleek atmosphere. His name is the springboard for this generation’s master chefs, who have gone on to open their own acclaimed eateries after their start under Nobu’s guidance.” (Quote from his own website.) What’s most interesting is that the chain is microscopic in footprint compared to other restaurant chains worldwide (McDonald’s and Starbucks, for example), but it sits in the Top 500 U.S. chains by sales purely on the strength of a couple of dozen ultra-high grossing locations.

My business partner from L.A. is still one of my closest friends, Marcia Mazria, and she takes me in whenever I come to L.A. Sushi is always on the agenda. This time, she took me to Yama Sushi Marketplace on National Boulevard in West L.A. for an unusual “fast food” kind of experience.

It isn’t a traditional sit-down sushi restaurant—it’s a Japanese grab-and-go marketplace that blends the quality of a sushi bar with the convenience and affordability of a neighborhood market. Most sushi restaurants charge premium prices for fresh fish. Yama delivers restaurant-level freshness for a fraction of the cost. Rolls often run $7–$8. They refresh their sushi throughout the day to maintain quality—something many take-out spots don’t do. There’s no waiting for a table, no servers, and no long lunch rush delays. You walk in, grab beautifully prepared sushi or sashimi, pay, and go. It’s perfect for busy Angelenos who want real sushi without slowing down.

Let’s face it. It’s not Matsuhisa, but it was fast, delicious and ridiculously inexpensive! After spending $60 a person at a sushi restaurant in Maui, and a meal at Matsuhisa now could set you back a pretty penny, $40 for the two of us was a reverse sticker shock! (I just wish we could re-invent this in Paris! If so, I’d be there every day!)

MORE FROM JR

I spoke too soon mentioning Artist JR in a recent Nouvellettre® because a moment later, in came an email from him about his newest project, “La Caverne du Pont Neuf.”

Thanks to JR, one of Paris’s most iconic artistic interventions is about to be reimagined. You may remember when Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the Pont Neuf in 1985, transforming the city’s oldest bridge into an unforgettable work of art? Their legendary installation challenged Parisians to see the familiar with fresh eyes—something that has always inspired me deeply.

Christo and JR at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art during the exhibition of JR’s “The Chronicles of San Francisco”, San Francisco, May 2019, © 2019 JR

Despite its name, the Pont Neuf is actually the oldest bridge in Paris, finished in 1607 under Henri IV. When it was built, it broke all the rules: no houses crowding the edges, just wide stone walkways and glorious open views of the Seine. Parisians immediately claimed it as their favorite promenade—part bridge, part social scene, and pure Paris charm. Stretching across the tip of the Île de la Cité, it’s been the city’s most iconic crossing for more than four centuries, and it still feels as timeless as ever.

Now, forty years after Christo and Jeanne-Claude, artist JR is taking up that mantle with La Caverne du Pont Neuf, an ambitious public artwork that will run from June 6th to June 28th, 2026. The project has been years in the making, and JR has been working closely with the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation and the City of Paris to make it happen.

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Paris, 1975-85, Photo: © Wolfgang Volz 1985 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation

JR’s idea is to symbolically “reopen” the stone of the bridge itself—creating a monumental illusion that invites the public to look inside the structure, question what they think they know, and experience the city differently. As with all of JR’s major works, the installation will be free and visible from across Paris, becoming part of the urban landscape for a brief and magical moment.

This new project continues a chapter JR began during the pandemic, when he created striking visual “openings” in buildings across Florence, Rome, and Milan, and later at the Palais Garnier. Now, in honor of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, he turns his attention to one of Paris’s most beloved landmarks.

We’ll learn more details in 2026, but for now, mark your calendars—this promises to be one of those Paris moments you’ll want to witness.

CARA BLACK IS BACK

Cara Black is one of our favorite authors. I own every book she has ever written. She is also one of my favorite people and has spoken many times at Après-Midi. She will be gracing us with her story once again on April 14th, 2026 to talk about her latest crime novel, Huguette.

The New York Times just noted it as one of 15 Books Coming in December alongside new novels by Olga Tokarczuk and Kamilah Cole, nonfiction by John Darnielle and Olivia Nuzzi, a Booker Prize finalist and more.

“Black’s 24th book is, as usual, a crime novel set in Paris—but, unusually, it’s a stand-alone: a chance to introduce Huguette Faure, a pregnant teenager scrambling to rebuild her life after World War II. That rocky road puts her in touch with a protective police officer, an ambitious film director and a mysterious correspondent: ‘Consider this what I owe you,’ he writes. ‘Signed, The Grasshopper.’”

Mark your calendars for April 14th to attend Après-Midi to hear Cara speak in person and get your personal copy signed by the author. You can also get your copy now!

A la prochaine…