This is just too good - for all those who love great design and are looking for reasonably priced unusual Xmas gifts, here is the Core77 Ultimate Gift Guide . Some of the captions are really funny, so I recommend careful reading for maximum pleasure.

France as cited in 'The Onion's Atlas of the Planet Earth"

I haven't written this! Just quoting from the Onion's new parody, Our Dumb World: Atlas Of The Planet Earth.

This is their entry for France:

"Home to Earth's entire population of 62.7 million people, every single one of the planet's 427 cities, and all of its history, culture and beauty, France is the only country in the world. Located directly in the center of the universe, around which everything else revolves, the nation of France is the sole beacon of life and civilization in an otherwise black and empty void."

No comment.

Strike Watch-major

Another transport strike is wreaking havoc in the French capital again since yesterday.

Being France, this is not particularly news, and I have nothing more to say, Here's a link.

Oh wait, apparently there is a change. The French, usually so supportive of unions and demonstrations, are fed up with the havoc created by these massive strikes and have withdrawn their support for the movements. According to one report, around 70% do NOT believe the strikers demands should be met.

One of the (what I find to be outrageous)demands is that the train drivers be allowed to retire at age 50 because, 'driving a train is dangerous physical labor'. Dangerous?

Question - As people are living healthily into their 80-s and even 90's, what do they intend to do with the second half of their lives? And who is to pay for it? They clearly seem to think that it should be the government. Isn't this a clear example of a whole population evincing passive-agressive behavior? A whole population that feels victimized? Is it the educational system that grooms them to be so angry and entitled? Wouldn't they be less disgruntled if they felt more empowered to help themselves?

Pumpkin High Art

You've got to love his sense of humour, a Halloween rift on Damien Hirst's 100 million dollar skull

You can make it too, by spraying a small pumpkin with silver paint, and then encrusting $40 worth of fine rhinestones.

Sarkozy divorce captures headlines over the general strike

Looks like Sarko has timed the news of his divorce (from second wife Cecilia) to mitigate the ire of strikers and citizens. The full general strike, to protest his plan to overhaul France's public sector, has been relegated to second page world-wide with the divorce announcement (which we have been awaiting for some time) making headlines.

On strike for 24 hours:

all rail service
most subway service
bus service
most taxis
many museums

Even the opera was canceled...

Vandal punches hole in a Monet at the Musee D'Orsay.

But frankly, how stupid is that? To organize la Nuit Blanche, when many cultural institutions are open (and clearly vulnerable) on the same night as hooligans abound-France having staged both rugby and soccer matches that same night.

Best chocolates in Paris

I have forgotten the name! But it is on the left hand side of the road that leads out of the Place des Vosges towards Boulevard Beaumarchais, rue Pas de Mule, you really can't miss it.

Why it is the best chocolate of Paris:

1. They make tiny little bite size pieces, not the kind that are so big that you bite in and then want to throw the rest away.

2. They have a wonderful selection of creative chocolates such as cardamone and green tea and licorice flavored with pretty decorations on top.

3. They have chocolate covered confit de ginger ALL YEAR ROUND, not seasonal.

4. I brought them to a highly discerning group of friends, and they agreed that they are the most scrumptious!

Disgruntled Parisians Chauffeurs part 2

Should have known better- what is the point of calling a strike if you are not planning on making a real nuisance of yourself. The taxi chauffeurs just convened at a convenient time for them in order to wreak havoc the rest of the day.

They left in a convoy and proceeded to circle around Gare Montparnasse, with full disregard for traffic lights and signals, honking horns, blocking traffic, anad I saw alot of near misses with Parisians just trying to get to appointments, work and pick up their children. I never heard the outcome of all of this though.

I did hear of a "Moteurs en Colere Association-Angry Motorcycle Drivers Association-the Hell's Angels of France? I don't know, have to investigate futher.

Disgruntled Parisian chauffeurs

Good day to stay away from Paris, or to stay bundled under a quilt- it's dark and rainy and cold and the taxi drivers are on strike and have decided to demonstrate in the 7th, as of 10 AM, in what seems to me to be a non-strike. Who needs to go to the 7th at 10AM in the morning?
Very civilized, when you think about it, to wait until the end of rush hour. Although there will be an influx of taxi drivers from all over France, so it will probably get quite messy.

Will anyone truly miss them? It is so complicated to get a taxi on the streets of Paris that I stopped trying years ago.

The French-and the law...?

i just listened to an interview on France Info of a woman on a walk in the Bois du Boulogne, with her Rottweiler, running free somewhere near, without the mandatory leash. This happens to be illegal, given the Rottweiler penchant for attacking innocent children and this being one of the last Indian summer Sundays when most Parisian families have abandoned the safety of their apartments for a walk in the park.

This woman, when asked about her blatant disrespect for the law, stated that she could not care one whit for the law, not one whit.

The Brits and the French have been at war (however peacefully) for years, centuries, perhaps millenia.

But I have to cite an instance of perfect harmony I discovered a while ago: the simple Scottish oatcake eaten with the Queen of cheese from many a cheese lover's short list, the regal Comté.
Especially when ordered from 'La Fruitière" in the Jura, whose number I may supply you if you like.

An instance of serendipitous accord.

Strike Watch

There are some "movements sociaux" = strike on the northern branch of the Transilien, the train that moves passengers around l'Ile de Paris.

More customer service -the SNCF-don't get me started.

This is just the beginning of what will be several posts, or one very long one.

I was just invited to the country this weekend -which would entail a drive from a place I know, an hour train out of Paris and a place I know how to find by looking at the 'Transilien'. It also brings me into my beloved Gare Montparnasse, a mere 5 minute jaunt home.

For this extra excursion however, I will have to take the train from Dieppe (a new departure city) to a different train station across Paris - the Gare St. Lazare. Paris has six train stations - Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare du Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare St. Lazare. This is not counting the Gare d'Orsay, now a museum.

With the internet, this should be easy, right? You go to SNCF (whatever that means), type in the departure and arrival cities, and voila, right?

But nooooooo. You are meant to know which service you will be traveling on. And without a handy glossary. Is it a TER, a Transilien, the TGV ( I doubt that one), iDTGV ( a new way to travel, sounds scary enough), or FRET, if you want to travel in baggage? Are the French just born with this innate knowledge?

Since I am clueless, I figure the Voyages-SNCF link will do the trick. But it is a half an hour later and I still don't have the right departure city. I've sent an aggrieved email to my host begging for help.

And a lovely week-end in the country turns into more stress...

Customer service France Telecom/Orange style

My good friend Eric now has three new cellphones with two different numbers.

This was never his intent. He went to France Telecom/Orange to buy the new Blackberry, to eliminate the need to carry around telephone, agenda, and camera. This operation took about 2 days (thanks to generally inattentive and unknowledgeable salespeople, which I can imagine, having already tried to buy a Blackberry through SFR last year, to no avail.)

It became so complicated and expensive, that he just gave up and signed on for a new subscription, complete with new number. (I know I don't have to describe the horror of having to get everyone from the old phone transferred to the new phone, as well as using the new number).

The glitch was that Eric arrived home, he realized that his new super-duper gadget DID NOT HAVE A CAMERA. For a man making his living turning over furniture and objets d'art, a camera is one of those indispensable features he is not willing to give up.

No problem, he says to himself, 'I'll just look up the number, work it out with the salesperson and send my assistant to exchange it tomorrow.' This is where it got tricky. France Orange, A TELEPHONE/COMMUNICATION COMPANY, has NO LISTED TELEPHONE NUMBER for the store. That's right, if you want to complain, you have to go back and do it in person.

They certainly know what they are doing. I have heard Eric tell this story several times, and each time, those listening just look at him sympathetically, knowingly- THEY HAVE EACH AND ALL HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE. They all had to return to the shop to complain about one problem or another. No wonder France Orange won't list their number-too many complaints to handle. Isn't it just a little too ironic that a company in the business of providing phone numbers for others has no way to be contacted by phone?

Which is probably why this YouTube video Brenda calls Becky has a lot of fans in France.

Last chapter- Eric is quite happy with his Blackberry minus camera, as he is now the proud owner of a separate camera. What we will settle and be delighted with, when the going gets tough...

Chocolate Truffle Factoid

Was flagging by the end of the day yesterday - and understandably, from walking around Paris with an indefatigable Eveready bunny in the flesh- my dear friend Beth. So I ducked into Jeff de Bruges to buy some chocolates for a dinner party and for a much-needed bitter cocoa boost. This, in the form of one of my faves-chocolate truffles. No yucky milk chocolate for this girl-bleagh.

However, much to my dismay, I was having trouble locating the truffles. And surprise! to discover that there is actually a season for truffles-as they have to be refrigerated at lower temperatures, they are not made before November.

Now that I think about it, isn't that silly? My aunt in Philadelphia could be forgiven for believing that the French don't use ice cubes because they don't yet have refrigeration.

And come to think of it, global warming does not bode well for truffles. On the other hand, if France continues to have summers like this past one, they will be serving truffles on the beaches of St. Tropez in August.

And where is Marie Antoinette when we need her, "Let them eat chocolate truffles-yeah!'

But wait, there's more. For those of you who think (like me) one of the all-time great food combos is ginger confit with a thick coating of bitter chocolate, this also turns out to be seasonal, but with no particular rhyme or reason. If you have a year-round craving for choco/ginger, you would find yourself on a patchwork hop through Paris, Jeff de Bruges around St. Valentine's Day, and Jadis et Gourmande (in my mind, one of the best chocolatiers of Paris), makes them available for Easter.

Umm, does anyone see an opportunity here?

Fighting progress

France is a country that will resist change, even when being led by a new dynamic president which the French themselves are responsible for electing.

The flak that Sarko receives for being young and dynamic is puzzling, compared to the phlegmatic Chirac. Sarko is criticized for jogging instead of walking, and each positive proposition is met with an outbreak of criticism, reasons why it can't or shouldn't be done, and fear-what will he do next? He is moving so fast that it is certainly hard to predict.

Predictably, the hard-core Francophones are still fighting the adoption of foreign words- predominantly English words, now thanks to the web, the influx even greater, a battle they will lose and has kept me giggling for the 15 years I have been observing and trying to understand this country.

They are at it again, proposing that citizens replace 'web' with 'toile', as in spider's web'toile d'araignée', and determined to spell blog with an e, bloge.
Catchy, isn't it? Harumph.

Instead of fighting the wave, why don't these naysayers just put their energy into going with the flow and creating new ideas, new applications, be leaders instead of begrudging followers?

I am definitely noticing more and more people living on the street. Not sure if it is because of the relatively comfortable temperatures, the open borders, but I see a defnite increase in bodies huddled in building entrances, even since June, and find it curious, especially in a country so renowned for its social services.

However, they are outnumbered about 5 to 1 by the amount of security and police one passes daily. I hear this is due to the amount of rising terrorist threats, thanks to Sarko's growing friendship with Prez Bush.

Un summer-like return to Paris in August

If you arrived at CDG Airport this morning, you would have witnessed unprecedented lines snaking from arrival gates to the immigration checkpoints. I've never seen lines this long in France. Once upon a time, I remember seeing similar lines for foreigners at JFK, but that was before Homeland Security managed to scare any willing tourists off to more distant lands. But NEVER in France, where the border police desultorily glance at passports as arrivals slip through.

I thought I had timed my return before 'la grande rentree' but hadn't counted on this year's culprit- the bad weather. August, and most of July, has been so un-estivale, that vacationers have literally thrown in the towel, or left it on the beach if they even made it that far, to come home early.

Fortunately, my brand new hip enables me to order a wheelchair, bypassing the thick crowd of grumbling impatient travelers not moving forward in the line, directly to my waiting (!)luggage and empty taxi stand. I warn the taxi manager to start lining up the taxis for the inevitable crunch that is about to hit, as nothing irritates me more than seeing mash-up of taxis sitting in a holding pit below while we wait for their far too leisurely emergence from taxi purgatory.

It's 65 degrees, overcast, and drizzly and I see alot of glum faces heading back to the capital.

This being France, the inclement weather has had its impact on the eternal discussion - gastronomy. Reports state that the bad weather has ice cream and soft drink vendors complaining about the lack of commerce. Tourists have traded their usual desire for salads and frosty drinks for comfort food-warming soups and legumes, finished off with copious helpings of chocolate, whose sales have surged-no doubt to help depressed vacationers up their dopamine levels from the dismaying weather.

At least, there's still a few weeks left of Paris Plage....although someone should tell the weatherman, because today looks like another drizzler.

Paris Mayor's National Tourist Day

Monday, July 9th was National Tourist Day as declared by the much maligned (and for cause) Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe. Delanoe is kicking off a campaign to change the image of Paris as arguably the most beautiful city in the world but sadly offset by a reputation of having the grumpiest and rudest denizens.

As Parisians don't feel they are rude, and the director of the Paris Tourist Office claims that they are simply too shy to speak English because of their funny accent, I an doubtful, yet curious to see if this 'awareness' campaign will result in any noticeable difference.

I am pretty sure they should be starting a lot earlier-namely in the early school years when one first learns how to treat others, so I remain fairly skeptical.

That said, for every grincheux Parisian encounter, there is generally a follow-up with a helpful Frenchman with a sense of humour to boot, so it probably balances out in the end...

Fall weather in July

That's funny. I just learned that in French, there is a song that goes 'il pleut bergere'. The literal translation would be 'it's raining shepherdess(es)'.

I suppose the image is no more strange than 'it's raining cats and dogs', and haven't a clue as to how one or the other were adopted!

But that's just a nursery rhyme. In fact, we say 'il pleut les cordes', it's raining ropes', slightly easier to imagine, especially lately.

I am enjoying the weather in Paris, which is cool enough to feel like fall, but it is starting to wear everyone down, me included. There is no proper comfortable way to dress. Within a half hour, and every half hour, we get a burst of sunshine and heat, rainfall - sometimes quite tempestuous, and plenty of wind. It is impossible to leave the house without an extra sweater, a lighter t-shirt, a Macintosh (not the computer) and brolly. Wellingtons would be useful, as well as a pair of sandals. And a helper to carry it all!

Crazy weather!

I heard something on France Info this morning about a small manif today-something to do with immigration over by place Stalingrad. As it is Sunday, as half the parisians have already left for summer vacation, and as Stalingrad is not a major thoroughfare, it doesn't sound like it will be terribly disruptive (or productive).

Louis Vuitton Champs Elysées (finally) allowed to open Sundays

Victory for Louis Vuitton Champs Elysées who has finally won the right to open Sundays, starting today, July 1.

But not for the reasons you would expect. Not because of its superb location at the angle of the most touristic and perhaps expensive street in the world and the Avenue Georges V - smack-dab in the heart of the Triangle d'Or. Not because this enables tourists to fly in for a week-end and shop till they drop-especially the Japanese.

Louis Vuitton is allowed to open because the courts have classified it as a 'Centre Culturel'. Yes, there is a browsing library as well as an exhibition space with currently, an exhibit of Philippe Starck. I imagine that 90% of the traffic will be for shopping.

As this is France, there is organized opposition to this concession. Law dictates that no more than 30% of the Champs Elysees be open on Sunday-this is still a Catholic country, and and according to the Catholic Church, Sunday is still a day of rest. But the real reason for this protection is supposedly because the smaller businesses can't afford the extra labor and will be driven out of business.

The real battle lies who between those who wish to preserve their vision of the traditional French lifestyle, and those who are trying to expand flexibility in the workplace and bring France into the 21st century.

Read about the debate

French child rearing

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I ate with a friend in the Closerie des Lilas which, much to my surprise, is a real pick-up place. Next to us was an obviously divorced man with his 10 year old son. At the table next to him was a man I at first mistook for a woman, and at the adjoining table were two young woman clearly looking for some action. This man completely ignored his son while flirting alternatively with the man and the two women. The poor child, who should never have been there in the first place was totally bored, completely ignored. I am still choking from the smoke of last night. How selfish and thoughtless can a parent be?

I wanted to chastise that man (my reaction is in fact alot more violent than that, I'd rather choke him), but instead spent a few moments talking to his son, Florent, who is sweet now, is a fan of Andy Roddick (yea!) and will find it hard to grow up and not be an angry rebel. There will be retribution when the son is old enough. I'd like to whisk Florent away to a school that practices the KPM Approach to Children, where he would feel cherished, unique and not like an extra piece of baggage to be lugged around and dumped when inconvenient.

Not being French, I can't say it, but since my friend does-it is a case of incredible egoism. It's incomprehensible-each and all out for their own personal satisfaction, not thinking of other's needs or welfare. The children suffer the most and then grow up to be just like their parents, their role models. Parents: WAKE UP.

Is this taught in schools? It's pretty hard to be this selfish left to your own devices.

Gay Pride Parade

Much to my chagrin, the Gay Pride Parade will start at the Bastille and finish at Montparnasse-not far from my apartment. I thought it was starting here and was relieved that I would be able to go out later. Now I feel trapped for the day.
I have only witnessed the parade in New York, but once was more than enough. I hate crowds!

The Grand Départ

School vacation does not officially start until July 4th, but the roads are already classified as orange-certainly on the Autoroute du Soleil, adding an extra hour to the leg between Lyon and Orange.
I can't understand leaving with everyone else although I do understand wanting to escape the cold unseasonable drizzle of northern France. I may be one of the few to enjoy this weather- appreciated after the heat of India, and also because I find all cities too stifling when the mercury rises. Prefer jacket weather -the heat absorbing buildings which absorb the heat and traffic congestion becomes that much more intense in the heat.

The French Welcome

I am listening to a blurb on France Info about how terribly the French are viewed when abroad as well as the frosty welcome they serve to foreigners in their country.

The last 30 years, politicians have exhorted, at least those in contact with tourists, to be more helpful, certainly smile a bit more. All to no effect. France, especially Paris, has effortlessly managed to keep its surly reputation intact.

Thierry _ _ _ _ _, I didn't get his last name, reproaches Parisians for acting as if tourists are a nuisance and begs them to be a bit more helpful. He is outraged at how announcements in the metro of a change of quai are announced only in French, and compares to Nordic countries, where they also announce in English to help the maximum amount of people.

How can it change? I dined with one of my few French friends at the legendary Closerie des Lilas last night. Even she says she has practically no French friends!

I can't say it but am, only because I am quoting my friend! It is egoism - never think of anyone else, just your own personal satisfaction.

Perhaps rudeness fines should be in place, fines have certainly worked on the roads. Everyone is driving the speed limit now that the speed limit is being ruthlessly enforced with radar, hefty fines, and confiscated driving licenses.

Strikes and the great departure

Strike today - heard this morning on the news, but I have yet to find it in any of the papers, even with my new mac dashboard widget which aggregates the headlines of the Nouvelle Obs, the Figaro, Le Monde, l'Equipe, le Parisien, and 20 Minutes.

I believe I heard that the walk-out this afternoon will include all of the personnel in contact with the public on the new TGV line Paris - Strasbourg. I am not sure what they are asking for, presumably more money, but in France, maybe not.

This is sure to cause great perturbation as the first 'grand départ'. The summer vacation starts today-even though it is not official until the fourth. A million people commence the Exode this week-end -in Ile de France, la vallée de la Rhône, and the Mediterranean.

Far from feeling left behind, I am grateful that 1) the holidays are staggered to alleviate the gridlock, and 2), that Paris will be empyting out, although the tourists do a pretty good job of repopulating the city in the meantime.

However, tomorrow is Gay Pride Parade, so gridlock, of that we can be sure.

Technorati Profile

Why am I not surprised? Putin lays claim to the North Pole

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has made an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic, giving himself claim to its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.

His audacious argument that an underwater Russian ridge is linked to the North Pole is likely to lead to an international outcry.

Some commentators have already observed it is further evidence of growing Russian assertiveness under its authoritarian president.

The Russian media trumpeted the findings of a Moscow scientific mission to the region which boasts "sensational" geological discoveries enabling the Kremlin to make the territorial claim.

Read on

Just in from my sister in Crozet, VA

Nothing to do with Paris but I couldn't resist! From my sis:

I was sitting at my computer when I spotted him loping through the

trees...(on phone with customer support at nTelos - she said a real
live bear outside your window?! I said I'll call you back later...).

I ran to get camera, and went outside. I was standing on our path,
near the bunny hutch, the bear was nearly in the neighbor's yard, just
at the edge of the woods. When he saw me, he took several galloping
strides towards me (to get a better look?) I quickly retreated to
just outside the basement door & took this picture. I think this is
the closest sighting yet.This is the only photo that isnt blurry...my
hand was a bit shaky at that point...

PS The dogs slept through the entire encounter. Lucky is out there
now barking - trying to make up for sleeping on the job? Or is bear
back? Must go check.

HRH King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in Paris

If you woke up wondering where the King of Saudi Arabia was today, I can report that HRH has safely arrived in Paris with an escort of 30 cars carrying various courtiers and security. HRH arrived near Montparnasse at the most inconvenient time of 19:00, when most Parisians are frantically trying to end their grueling 35 hour work-week. (Although the buzz is that Sarko wants to extend to 38 hours, which, in reality, only means that he wants to allow employers to boost overtime pay by 25 percent, making the extra hours exempt from taxes and social charges.

I just happened to be out for a walk and saw the King in his coupe. He was 'welcomed' with a cacophony of furious parisians blaring horns from the gridlock of too many cars blocked in too many narrow streets. And the poor circulation police were just trying to do their job...

Windows

A friend the other day was talking about a class she had recently finished discussing views seen through windows -perhaps it was an art class. I turned to her and asked 'but what about Mac, they didn't discuss Mac at all?"'
She gave me a funny look and replied, "No, I meant real windows" and pointed to the windows looking out on the Fontaine de Mars.
It is time to take a long computer break.

Why am I not surprised? Chirac linked to £30m secret bank account

Chirac linked to £30m secret bank account
By Henry Samuel in Paris Last Updated: 2:32am BST 24/05/2007

French investigating magistrates have acquired "explosive" documents suggesting that "large sums of money" were funnelled into a secret Japanese bank account in the name of Jacques Chirac, it was claimed yesterday.

	Mr Chirac stands to lose his presidential immunity in weeks

The judges have bank statements and more than a hundred notes written by a former French intelligence chief, Gen Philippe Rondot, on the subject, but were unable to consult them until Mr Chirac stepped down as president last week.

According to the satirical weekly Le Canard Enchaîné, one of the dossiers bears the title "Japanese Affair," with two others called "Affair of PR1" and "Affair of PR2" - PR meaning president.

Such was the nature of the judges' findings that they held an emergency meeting on Monday and Tuesday and hauled in Gen Rondot for questioning on the alleged bank account, the magazine said.

The existence of such an account, into which £30 million had been paid over a number of years, was first mooted last May by Gen Rondot during questioning over a separate spy scandal.

Gen Rondot told judges that French intelligence agents had stumbled on the accounts at the Tokyo Sowa Bank in 1996 when investigating the financial credentials of a Japanese businessman and friend of Mr Chirac who wanted to invest in France.

Mr Chirac took the exceptional step of denying that he had a secret bank account.

Final outcome of the French Elections 2007

Went to a get-together last night to watch the final outcome of the last round of the elections.

It turns out that the left unexpectedly came back in strong numbers. However, the consensus at this staunchly right party was positive - that the left will now be able to express itself in the Senate.

This is hugely important, for had the left lost out, they were threatening huge social movements and unrest, which no one doubts for a moment they would have carried through.

However, in a democracy with correct voting and counting procedures in place, how can a disgruntled few justify bringing the country to a standstill with demonstrations? Isn't that just the definition of a poor sport?

Skinny food

I was invited to a cocktail/dinatoire on Thursday. It was intelligently planned, for the couple live in a strategic location in the heart of St. German des Pres, near rue du Bac. It was la Soirée de la Mode so they could escape the usual fines that would ensue by placing tables outside to allow guests to spill to out onto the street.

There are strict and severely enforced laws to that effect. One is allowed to use the sidewalks for walking and window shopping and I suppose, a bit of loitering. But one is not allowed to use the sidewalk in front of one's house to place a table, not even for one exceptional night.

Still it was your typical Parisan soiree. Although the hosts are friendly and obviously love to entertain, they made no effort to introduce strangers and encourage more commingling. The whole downstairs is organized for maximum traffic flow, with a huge open kitchen for cooking for large numbers. They must entertain alot, so clearly it does not seem to be part of French custom to welcome strangers openly.

Being a foreigner and knowing no one, I was pretty much ignored all night. Perhaps the guests all knew each other and so didn't notice the stranger amongst them. The attempts I made to introduce myself just petered out. All french are not unfriendly, but it is a pretty safe bet that attendance to many a native Frenchman's soirée will leave you with as many acquaintances at the end as you came with.

Maybe they are just shy. I'll never understand what appears to be the lack of curiosity and openness to include others.

Meanwhile, the mode for food has become downright unfriendly and inedible! French cuisine has always been reputed for healthy small portions, which I applaud. Nouvelle cuisine taken up a notch: hors d'oeuvres passed around in esthetically pleasing perhaps, but impossible to eat from, dishware.

Most of the food could be labeled highly 'creative', taking the "what-on-earth-am-I-eating dilemna" to new question marks. Impossibly long and narrow glasses for some version of gazpacho-the glass too narrow to drink from nor scoop with a spoon. Deep spoons held some kind of unidentifiable creamy mixture. The first bite was manageable but the only way to finish it was to stick a tongue deep into the spoon to scoop-very awkward.

Even the waiters found it hard to describe the menu when pressed. Frothy mousses, hot pink rondelles and other unsavory shapes and colors. it all looked pretty enough if you were the adventurous gourmand. It just didn't look like anything you would want to eat, especially considering there were no instructions on how to negotiate the utensils.

I hope this mode passes quickly. I have never liked to see cheese and crackers at a cocktail party as Americans do, but it might have made me happy on Thursday.

All in all, it made for an interesting sociologically ruminative evening, but one that I don't care to repeat for quite some time.

Citizen Unrest

There was a manifestation (demonstration) from Gare Montparnasse down Rue de Rennes on Thursday, June 13th but I have yet to find someone who knew what it was about. Stay posted.

Someone thought it was the nurses, and this is an ongoing issue:
There was a strike in May which i mentioned in an earlier blogand April: May 07

Student nurses went on strike in September 2006:
Sept 06

And so on.

Paris Strike Watch- les grèves éternels

June 14th 2007 - I arrive a bit early to trendy Hotel Costes for a 6 p.m. meeting, thinking to catch up on the press. Only to be told that there has been a strike of newsprinters- even international papers have not been printed.

There were also some general airport strikes today, but I am not sure what the precise issues were.

Paris: City of Love -rooftops

Every city has far too many pigeons, which makes them common and unwanted for the unsanitary mess they leave, but for the occasional bird enthusiast who feeds them. I couldn't agree more with those who call them flying rats.

However, last night I was enchanted by the pigeon courtship I witnessed on a Parisian rooftop. in this instance, a TV antenna served as the wall where suitors awaited their turn to dance for the Princess. The first suitor was immense, showing endless stamina as he gracefully bowed forward in a low swoop, throwing his tail to the sky, and then puffed his pecs at her, his breast enhanced by a little ruff of feathers that stood out as he arched back. This sequence was repeated about eight times as she stood and casually watched, not one to betray any emotion or favoritism.

The second suitor was Popeye to the previous Brutus. He was puny, maybe just young and inexperienced, his first run ever perhaps? He quickly threw off 2 half-hearted bows, with no chest flailing, and beat a hasty retreat.

There were two more in line, but I was already late and the courtship rituals had only just begun.

Paris-most convivial

Now that spring is well on its way to summer, every neighborhood in Paris seems to host its version of what we know as block parties. Festive neighbors lay out tables and linen and line them with mash-ups of food and drink- bottles of wine in assorted colors, soft drinks, evian and enough food to think about skipping dinner. From cocktail snacks to home-made quiches and tourtes, ham slices, cheese through to desserts-the occasional American brownie and fruit tarts.

Neighborhood galleries and shops host their versions with free-flowing champagne, sometimes on concurrent nights, making it impossible to see everything in one go. Not that it is ever possible to take in all the art on display, but some try. I gave up long ago.

Shopping in Paris

Making a purchase in France is different than anywhere else. You are bounced between the following two experiences:

In the first scenario, when you have no bills but alot of change, the cashier frequently refuses to take it. When you insist that you have nothing else, they make such a scene with much huffing and puffing, slicing glances and pouting, that you feel you should be grateful.

In the second scenario, cashiers refuse to take anything over 10 Euros, claiming they have no change.

Question: If they had been willing to accept the change in the first scenario, wouldn't they have plenty of change to dole out in the second scenario?

Conclusion 1: Commerce is indeed frowned upon in France, everything should just be given away.


Conclusion 2: The customer is NOT 'always right'.

Conclusion 2: Use a credit card, or even more popular, write a check. Whaaat? Yes, checkwriting is still a very popular way to pay, and more surprisingly still, for incredibly small amounts.

The Ritz and Celebrity Sightings

For those of you who get excited at star-gawking, forget Cannes and try sitting inobtrusively in the lobby of the Ritz Place Vendome, seemingly the hotel of choice for the entertainment world. Although I'm not sure how long the Ritz security will allow it, that is, if you get past them. I had a friend staying there once that security tried to throw out as he paraded through in sweatpants, until the concierge vouched for him.

During a 10 minute stroll from the breakfast room to front desk this morning, I heard Courtney Love in a very smokey voice weaving tales of her late evening (or early morning, depending on your vantage point). There was Ralf Fiennes with rocker Patti Smith, Graydon Carter greeting various and sundry, and Helena Bonham-Carter with director/husband Tim Burton.

Later, we spoke with James Spader and his sculptress/fiance Lesley at l'Ami Louis. We were content overfed diners, one and all, and it made for a very relaxed conversation. He seemed quite pleasant, not at all like the twisted lawyer he has developed to entertain his audience on Boston Legal. He certainly works hard, TV definitely doesn't sound as glamorous as it looks from the outside.

Today I had to leave Roland Garros early - I just couldn't bear to see Andy Roddick lose. Happy to see that Nadal came through, just sorry I missed the opportunity to watch him in action. And that is probably all I shall have to report for celebrity sightings for a very long time.

Paris Architecture-hidden surprises

This morning, I happened to walk past a doorway, one which I have passed many times, a doorway that resembles any building entrance in Paris. I caught a glimpse that made me backtrack. I gazed into an enchanting be-gardened charming row of mews-homes lining both sides of a pathway of blossoming trees and plants laid out in hodge-podge English garden fashion, worlds away from the usual orderly French parterres. This pathway ends at the entrance to the Dubuffet Foundation, which I had never before noticed.

I had a similar experience last night. I was invited to an art opening, and was given an address in the Marais. I was certain I had the address wrong from my jet-lagged friend, for all I saw were huge forbiddingly shut oak doors. None of the usual art scene was spilling into the street either. As I walked towards this address with a puzzled look, a hip doorman dressed in the sartorially requisite black suit of the art and entertainment world silently opened the door. This imposing doorway was hiding a stately courtyard of one of the many aristocratic hôtels particuliers of Paris, where a sedate vernissage was indeed in progress. Sedate, because although there were the requisite stars, princesses, collectors, artists, curators, and even a french rapper, it was all quite contained and quiet, all the moreso considering the many Americans milling around. Let's face it, our contrasting conceptions of space make the average American alot louder than your average Frenchman.

This takes me back to my very first trip to Paris, where my second goal had been to find les Arènes de Lutèce, right after the visit to Notre Dame. I have always been fascinated by ruins, the older the better. The arena is not easy to find, as the entrance is an unprepossessing doorway. A hallway leads you into just another bourgeois apartment building. Not so! You walk into an open-air ampitheater where characteristic Frenchmen 'boule', children cavort, and picnikers and bookworms enoy the twittering birds and calm from the impatient French drivers blowing horns on Rue Monge. This totally unexpected panorama only increases the delight of the find.

Morale of the story: In Paris, you can not tell a book by its cover, it seems.

Service with a snarl

It's only taken 9 days to get my Internet connection up and running. Want to know how it can take so long?
Here's how:
1. Do it in the month of May, when every other week-end seems to be a holiday, so that a 48-hour action period stretches into a 4 or 5 day wait.

2. Be obliged to wait for the '48' hour period to expire before calling in to say that indeed, the line is still not working.

3. Wait another 48 hours for the engineer to make a housecall-I make an appointment with Jean-Paul for 15:00. He calls me at 14:00, during a business lunch, wondering where I am. I rush home, not wanting to wait another 48 hours or have to call and listen to France Telecom repeat every 10 seconds that an operator will be with me in less than 2 minutes (this goes on for 5-10 minutes until they disconnect you). He then has the nerve to tell me I am lucky that he didn't have an appointment after me (insinuating that he would not have waited).

4. Be sure you have a Mac, the mystery machine.

5. Spend 3 days once the line is up trying to reach the Mac expert at France Telcom - get either busy signal or message to send an sms to which they will never respond.

Plea to France Telecom-instead of having an operator repeat "an operator will be with you in less than 2 minutes" with irritating background musack, why not give the solutions for known issues instead? Or better yet, publish the problem and its quick fix on line? After all, isn't that what technology is for?

So much for Paris quiet

It was quiet, almost mystically so this morning when I started off to the pool at 6:30 AM. The sun seemed to be mystically rising in the north.
I languidly mused that Paris felt pretty quiet for 8:AM. Quiet and low-key.

But now I can hear the strikers manifesting two streets over, around Montparnasse. Nurses have called a 'manif' and probably for cause, as much as I am reluctant to say it. I am sure they are underpaid, underappreciated, and generally maligned.

Also, I've been here 13 days and I believe it's the first strike since back. Unbelievable!

Paris in the month of May

I am still planning on writing about why I still don't speak Malayalam, but I am back in Paris, so it feels a little less urgent.

The cultural differences are so fresh:

1. The food that I was so looking forward to eating - the cornucopia of mouth - watering cheeses, copious amounts of fresh mache with avocado, croissants, my favorite Thai restaurant.....is tasting a little bland - I add salt (this is a novelty), and unconsciously look for the chili pepper!

2. I am reminded and sincerely stunned by the amount of smoking -esp by women -that goes on here. I think it looks unbelievably tacky (alright, I'll try not to be so judgemental) and realize I have spent 3 months without once being bothered by anyone smoking. What's worse is seeing women light up in the streets as if it's their last cigarette before the executioner-sucking in the nicotine in like a vacuum cleaner inhales dirt. As I write this in a hotel lobby, an elderly woman chain-smokes (when she is not hacking) and carrying on a conversation in a raspily irritating growl. So appealing.

3. And lastly, I am struck by how quiet and empty Paris is. This is partially due to the month- May is notoriously bad for accomplishing anything. There are so many holidays-at least 3 week-ends that many 'font le pont', in other words, they carry one week-end into the next, especially this year when they are all falling on a Thursday. But even as its most crowded, it will never feel as crowded as Cochin, never!