It’s true. It’s really, really true. I know if I had met her, we would have been the best of friends. I adore Nora and am so sad she is gone from this earth.
For those of you that don’t know her, she was a talented journalist, writer, screenwriter and director. You would know her from her movies like Sleepless in Seattle or Julie & Julia. Nora was a woman’s woman. By that I mean she was a woman who understood us, cared about us, and never treated another woman like competition. She was intelligent, witty, funny as hell and didn’t pander. OK, I don’t know this for certain, but based on her books and movies, she just seemed that way. And I will continue to believe this about her, because she is an inspiration to me.
Nora loved food and cooking. Nora loved Julia Child. So much of her writing was about this subject, and that is another reason she is a kindred spirit. She, Julia Child and me we’re practically best friends—in my mind at any rate. Now what does Nora Ephron have to do with Provence you might ask? Well, I think about Nora and Julia often when in France, because they loved it here too. They understood how special this place is, and just how darn good the food and wine is. It’s impossible for me not to imagine them here with me, sipping beautiful wine on the terrace, chatting about the best place to buy fish.
There is something about the written word, especially on a subject you are passionate about that simply connects with your soul. It touches you, resonates with you and if you are very, very lucky, changes you. And that’s what both Julia and Nora have done in my life; they used words, words about food and life that have made me a better person. And for that I will be forever grateful. The world is an emptier place without you both.
