It seemed that in Paris you could discuss classic literature or architecture or great music with everyone from the garbage collector to the mayor. - Julia Child

Remember, 'No one's more important than people'! In other words, friendship is the most important thing — not career or housework, or one's fatigue — and it needs to be tended and nurtured.

I would far prefer to have things happen as they naturally do, such as the mousse refusing to leave the mold, the potatoes sticking to the skillet, the apple charlotte slowly collapsing. One of the secrets of cooking is to learn to correct something if you can, and bear with it if you cannot.

When you know your time in a place is running out, you try to fix such moments in your mind’s eye.