best of Paris fashion week - Spring 2012 collections

This is the link to some fab must-see photos of Paris fashion week:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2012/01/25/chanel-givenchy-dior-spring-2012-couture-paris-photos.html

The clothes are gorgeous and the celeb photos just get me wondering who had work done as a few just look too good. The French truly frown on cosmetic surgery and still believe in aging with grace and style. Hope that continues to last and doesn't succumb to the American penchant for eternal youth at all costs.

French Etiquette

Here's a helpful article about French etiquette, especially for dinner guests:

http://www.cntraveler.com/travel-tips/travel-etiquette/2007/11/Etiquette-101-France

Would disagree about wearing shorts which this article says rarely, I would say never.

Definitely dress at night for dinner, makeup etc. for women

Favorite French Phrases - Sans Blague - at FIAF

Having started again with FIAF French classes at the lovely new location in Montclair, I always enjoy learning the colloquialisms, and phrases of the everyday world. Last spring my take-away was "tres cher" very dear or too expensive. That one I used quite a bit last summer in negotiating in the markets. Or "Etoile de mer" - literally "star of the sea", but really a "starfish."

This week's was "sans blague", literally - without joke, but really "no kidding" is closer to its meaning. I'll be using this one for sure, with a good shrug of the shoulder? A little animation for emphasis? Sans blague!!

Bread Quest - update - Supreme Bakery

Yes, right here in West Orange, Supreme Bakery has a pretty good baguette which went well this evening with my own turkey chili, perfect for the incoming snow.

Crust is a good texture, inside is a little light but not bad for a local close to home bread.

Paris Advanced

Here's a great blog post from Huffington Post with some Paris sightseeing that is beyond the regular Museum and Art tour:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sivan-askayo/paris-for-advanced-users-_b_1144210.html?ref=france&ir=France

10 Most Expensive Cities for Travel - 2012

Interesting list, especially since it does not include Paris which is usually pretty pricey. I assume this is, in part, due to the declining value of the Euro against the dollar, and the rising value of Asian currencies.

http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/10-most-expensive-places-to-visit.html

Paris adding video surveillance - controversial.

Paris is adding a network of pole cameras for video surveillance in an effort to reduce crime. Some claim it is an infringement on civil liberties. As we know, these are all over London, and in New York, in part for anti-terrorism efforts.

http://www.france24.com/en/20120117-debate-swirls-around-paris-new-high-surveillance-system-cameras-cctv-police

Villages and towns in France

Wondering how long it would take to see every village and town in France? Impossible to estimate as there are at least 800 towns and cities, but approximately 36,000 communes (or communities). In a country of 65 million, and 101 Departments (including non-continental territories). We estimate we've been in more than 100 towns and villages in the last 12 years, probably at least 10 or 12 departments, but hard to determine. This summer I will be counting.

http://www.francethisway.com/communes.php

Frommer's Guide - Provence Fetes

Pretty good list of Fetes throughout Provence during a calendar year. Does not provide specific dates but these can be researched through each commune's (town's) website.

ttp://www.frommers.com/destinations/provenceandtheriviera/0236028791.html

Wow - Apple opening a store in Aix!!

Very exciting for those living and traveling in this part of the world. Interesting that Apple is opening there and not Marseilles or Cannes. Will probably open in 2013:


http://news.yahoo.com/upcoming-southern-france-apple-store-nearly-transparent-050007421.html

There are nine Existing Apple stores in France including

Two in Paris - in the mall under the Louvre and the Opera (metro stop)
Nice
Bourdeaux
Lyon (a dining and industrial center for France)
Montpellier (more Southwest France - about 3 hours from Nice/Cannes area)
(3 other stores in locations I am not familiar with but now will research. If Apple is there it is important to know why. Must be industrial/research areas of the country.)

An older Provence article from 2006

But some goodies from this, will have to research if these restaurants still exist after the economic collapse.

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/10423?pageNumber=11

St. Tropez Hot Spots

Here's a hot articled about the hot spots in St. Tropez.

St. Tropez is one of the few places that lives up to the hype. Lots of stars, crazy people with money, great people theater, and a constant fashion show. Can't say that we are the stars, but we can certainly enjoy the show and we do. We have our favorite spots like Tahiti Beach for a lunch or late snacks and cold drink, but are always willing to try something new:

http://jetsetreport.com/cityguide.php?articleId=2&cityID=&CityName=&guidetoitinerary=true

France gets 2 Pandas

Happy and Chubby arrive for Zoo in Loire valley:


http://www.france24.com/en/20120115-panda-china-france-zoo

Hot Chocolate (Chocolate Chaud)

Fun piece on CBS Sunday Morning (always one of the best shows on television) about the origins of hot chocolate, or in French - Chocolate Chaud. Naturally, the best in NYC seems to be from the French chocolatier Jacque Torres on Hudson St.

My favorite place for it, the Plaza Athenee in Paris, to sit in the salon on the Lobby level and watch the world go by, the classic French women with their dogs and handbags, the world travelers, and the business people, enjoying an afternoon tea or snack. The chocolate is served in two hot metal carafes, one for the melted chocolate and the other for the warm milk so you can mix to taste. Amazing and unforgettable. Le reve for Paris on a chilly day, after a long walk through the city.

More French Words - Corduroy

D. was cleaning out his closet today and we got to discussing the fabric corduroy. As with all words that interest me I began to research wondering whether this had a French origin. Voila - the word was originally "le cord du roi" to describe the corded fabric which was favored by European royalty. It is a fabric that seems to be much more American these days, for casual wear, but a step above denim. For me, I love a man in the winter with cords and a sweater, great look on a chilly day.

Ah, how much we love the internet and how it makes research so much easier.

Real Drivers in Europe

Upon his return from Europe, D. and I were discussing driving and cars in Europe. Anyone who knows us knows we are both car-obsessed. D. once spent a five hours drive to Cape Cod describing to me every car he ever owned, sequentially, but that was about 11 years ago. We've since been buying and selling and adding to his list. D. is particularly interested in style and performance. He's owned everything from Mercedes and Cadillac, to Porsche and TVR, Jaguars, Buicks, you name it. Most automatics, but not all.

For me, I am more about driving the cars, performance and efficiency. My first car was a Chevrolet Citation, a four speed with a four cylinder engine that got 36 mpg back in 1979. It was pretty groundbreaking. Didn't drive well, not enough power, but for local driving it was fine. It was front-wheel drive which was relatively new then, and had problems in slick weather with breaking and wheels locking, causing spin-outs. My next car, a Mitsubishi, was more powerful, with a four cylinder engine, but a five-speed turbo. But it still got 26-30 mpg. Since then cars got bigger (more like the 1960s and 1970s) with lower mileage. I had a Ford Probe which got about 25 mpg but had a 6 cylinder 2.3 liter engine, with a five-speed. Unfortunately, after a car accident in that car, I switched back to automatics (Volvos) particularly for safety reasons while driving my son. Good to drive but not good on gas.

But in Europe, it is always easier to rent a manual and I am always happy to drive one again, better performance, better mileage. So in buying our Alfa, we got to discussing how in Europe, living like a European means driving a stick with diesel a TDI. Bit by bit they are being made cleaner and re-imported to the US, and with pretty high mpg.

In reality, Europeans, if they are fortunate enough to own a car, are real drivers, with manual transmissions, who keep them for long periods of time, generally take care of them, are aggressive on the road, but not dangerous. It is not uncommon to see a 20 year old car still on the road. It may not have AC, but it will still be running on the autoroute with the windows rolled down. Now it does take some driving skill to drive a stick, talk on the cell phone and smoke all at the same time, but we've seen many doing it.

For me, I'll just focus on driving the Alfa with the manual five-speed on the back roads of Provence (with AC when needed), dog in the back, like a European but without the smoke and cell phone use at the same time.

French women rejecting the G-string.

Now here's an interesting survey from France about lingerie:


http://news.yahoo.com/sexy-undies-yes-g-strings-no-french-women-164409520.html

My favorite part is the discussion about French women finding the G-string tacky.

French Version of Steve Jobs?

This article has a good explanation of French cel phone market. Clearly the cel phone services to get is "Free".

http://www.france24.com/en/20120111-free-xavier-niel-france-answer-steve-jobs-apple-orange-sfr-bouygues-mobile-phone-tech

Provence Goodies

D. has returned home with some favorites from his trip, fresh herbes de provence, Leonne Candy from Jouvaud in rose and violet flavors, and a box of Joel Durand, and lovely stories of people places and kindness throughout his trip. From purchasing and registering the car, to the restaurants and shops, the market in Isles Sur la Sorge, and even the TGV from Paris to Avignon and back, he can only rave about everyone he met and all his experiences. It brings us that much closer to the summer.

So here we are, hoping for a continuing mild winter, and dreaming, hoping and wishing the summer was now, and not five months. And the goodies will help us feel as though we are there already.

Packing for Provence

As we begin to plan again for the summer, I always do a summer clothes clean-out and organization and consider what to pack. Since my first trip with D. to Cannes in 2000, I no longer wear shorts, as few women in Europe wear them. Only recently do I see some wearing the longer ones which have become fashionable in the states, but older women never would be seen in them. Skirts, slacks, dresses, mostly linen due to the heat, mainly earth-tones. In NY, we live in black, year-round. Maybe a few colors mixed in for a change or contrast. Definitely not white.

When we spent time at the beach, especially Cannes, the attire was very New York, very high-style and expensive. Tourists from all over the world trying to demonstrate their wealth. We learned over time about the safety issues including kidnappings and robberies, and we always worried about watching the children with great care.

In contrast, Provence is low-key, many people with money who just want to relax, unwind, while fashionable, not necessarily fashionista.

In Provence, I find myself in white slacks, or either a short skirt or white long-flowing skirts, and even an-off white dress, long and light-weight. Yes, I prepare for some rain with one sweater, one pair of jeans, one long-sleeve shirt, and a shawl or two, but the weather is usually so hot and dry that comfort, while still having some style, is critical. Always included are t's courtesy of Uniqlo (in NYC( which have built-in bras, and other t-shirts purchased at Monoprix (in France) or Target,at least two bathing suits (with stylish cover-ups if we go to the beach), and nice sandals, as well as comfortable sandals, as we are always walking, and one pair of track shoes for our long after-dinner walks near the house. The uniform for a local night-time dinner excursion is definitely a black shirt with white pants. Last year I fortunately threw in the bag at the last minute some yoga-type pants which I ended up wearing for riding in the Camargue. Always at least one nice hat for daily wear, my Longchamp beach/shopping bag.

For men, the attire is similar. Definitely no shorts. Capris or slacks, jeans, relaxed light-weight shirts, t-s or short-sleeve button down, shoes with no socks or sandals. The must-have bathing suit for men - the Villebrequin - which is forever fashionable in fabulous prints.

Of course, staying in a house where we can do laundry is a huge advantage, especially when we are there for several weeks, allowing us to pack less not more than a hotel-based trip.

Just writing this, I know if I could, I would pack in an hour and leave tomorrow. I am so ready.

rever de la provence - dreaming of provence

When we return home at the end of each summer, Provence is behind us and the experiences of the summer carry us through several months. We remember the light, the food, the sensibility of Provence and France as we end the year and begin to plan the next. So, we begin January with more planning and dreaming of the next trip. So, D. is currently there making some arrangements for the summer and sending me his usual food photos from the Bistro Varieties in St. Remy, and the horses in the streets, it is still le reve, the dream for us. Maybe it is not for everyone, some don't like to travel or only travel in the US, but for us, the summer begins now in our dreams and plans so each summer is more special than the last. The sunflowers will be ready by the time we land, the markets full, and ready for shopping.

Beautiful Photos from France

Worth a look, some places to go, things to do:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-thorp/why-you-should-travel-to-_1_b_1177722.html?ref=travel#s592398&title=8_The_Samurai

China Invades the Europe Truffle Market

Not something one would expect or anticipate as truffles as so difficult to grow commercially. In the US it has failed despite numerous attempts. But apparently China is making inroads although not well-received for taste and smell:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57353188/the-trouble-with-truffles/?tag=broadcast

I'll be paying more attention next summer when we're buying truffles in the markets.

French Dry Cleaning - Origins are Definitely French

Based upon today's free-association with D. we came up with French dry cleaning as another term to research. Is dry cleaning French? What makes it French? So, with a little research, all dry cleaning originates from the Frenchman Jean Baptiste Jolly, a mid-19h century dye-works owner. He apparently noticed that his tablecloth was cleaner after his maid (yes probably a French maid) spilled kerosene on it. He began to do research on solvents that would achieve cleaning without using water, thus, the term "nettoyage à sec," or "dry cleaning" was born.

We all think of French dry cleaning as something more specialized, with a little more attention to detail, a little extra care. D. and I think of it as some extra tissue paper in the sleeves, perhaps, depending on the cleaner.

Regardless, it is all French.

French Blue - Something that really is French

In keeping with my research on terms or phrases that include the word "french" D. and I started talking today about "French Blue" - what color is it really? Where does the term come from? Is it really French? It is one of those colors that looks wonderful on everyone, warm but bright, soft but colorful, yet not overpowering. Looks good with black, brown, white, almost any other color.

So, a little research later and voila:

"French ultramarine ("French blue," Guimet's blue," "permanent blue," "synthetic ultramarine"):

Origin and History: Ultramarine is imitated nowadays by a process which was invented in France in the eighteenth century as a result of a prize offered by the French government. The raw materials of ultramarine manufacture are soda and china clay and coal and sulphur, all common and inexpensive materials. The process requires skill, is inexpensive, and the product is many thousand times less costly than genuine ultramarine prepared from lapis lazuli. The first observance of the substance was made by Goethe in 1787, when he noticed blue deposits on the walls of lime kilns near Palermo. He mentioned that the glassy blue masses were cut and used locally as a substitute for lapis in decorative work. In 1928, Jean Baptiste Guimet perfected a method of producing an artificial, and cheaper, ultramarine pigment.

Making the Pigment: Artificial ultramarine, also known as French ultramarine was made by heating, in a closed-fire clay furnace, a finely ground mixture of China clay, soda ash, coal or wood, charcoal, silica and sulfur. The mixture was maintained at red heat for one hour and then allowed to cool. It was then washed to remove excess sodium sulfate, dried and ground until the proper degree of fineness was obtained.

Chemical Properties: Because the particles in synthetic ultramarine are smaller and more uniform than natural ultramarine, they diffuse light more evenly. Chemically, the artificial ultramarines are not distinguishable from the blue particles of genuine lapis; you can only tell by the percentage of colorless optically active crystals, whereas the artificial is pure blue and free from diluting elements.

Artistic Notes: Synthetic ultramarine is not as vivid a blue as natural ultramarine. Synthetic ultramarine is also not as permanent as natural ultramarine. French ultramarine is light-resisting, but owing to the use of sulphur in its manufacture, may discolor in the presence of acid. " from this website: http://jcsparks.com/painted/pigment-chem.html#FakeLapis

Sale Dates for France 2012

Here is a good description of how the sales work in France each year:

"The Winter sales normally start on the second Wednesday in January every year. In most departments in 2012 they start 11th January and finish 14th February. Summer sales normally start on the third Wednesday of each year in France. In 2012 they start 27th June and end 31st July.

However, many departments have different start and finish dates in 2012. More information (in French) - www.economie.gouv.fr

The summer sales in France in NORD (59), Pas de Calais (62) and Aube (10 - Troyes, Factory shopping centres) start mid June and run until the end of July every year. Six departments near the French border are free to set different dates: the Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle, Vosges, Landes and Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

In Belgium the sales are held in January (2012 - 2nd to 31st) and July (2012 - 1st to 31st July)." from the website www.day-tripper.net

Note the sale dates for Provence in summer will begin July 4.

Austerity Measures in France for 2012 including tax increases - Possible General Strike on Ja. 18

This is a helpful article to understand changes in the sales tax structure in France, happening now in 2012, including home fuel costs, certain foods and household necessities, as well as restaurants and hotels. This is all being done to close the budget deficits. Definitely would not happen in the US where tax increases are sacrilege and we just keep digging the budget hole deeper and deeper.

The article also notes a call for a general strike on January 18, just after the Winter Sales start in Paris on January 11.

http://www.france24.com/en/20120102-france-taxes-rise-vat-austerity-measures-consumer-sarkozy-fillon

A US Politician Would Never Even Consider Proposing This - A Salary Cap

Propose a salary cap on anyone, much less a revered sports figure:

http://www.france24.com/en/20111230-french-politicians-salary-cap-david-beckham-psg-paris-saint-germain-football-sport

The Euro After 10 Years

So on the anniversary of the Euro, an interesting article:

http://www.france24.com/en/20111230-europe-eurozone-ten-year-anniversary-rise-fall-euro-sovereign-debt-crisis

D. and I were discussing this recently and recalling the advent of the Euro in 2002. Initially, the exchange rate was about .90 to the dollar, but within 12 months it was on par, then 1.10 to the dollar, and it has never retreated. I follow the currency daily and keep thinking that the correct value should be about 1.25 but even with several EU countries basically insolvent with Germany and France bailing out the failing EU states, the Euro remains stronger than the dollar. Perhaps it is related to their decisions, necessary and unpopular, to raise taxes, reduce some benefits (i.e. raising retirement ages), etc. Although the US has a much higher retirement age for obtaining government benefits, we simply refuse to raise taxes, and bizarrely cut taxes on wealthy folks who can clearly afford to pay more, gut taxes on corporations etc. Makes no sense to me. Trickle down economics has failed since it was implemented in 1981 as we have seen the growing disparity between rich and poor in our country, loss of manufacturing jobs, and so many struggling just to survive.


When a business needs to survive it not only cuts costs, but also sometimes raises prices. It doesn't give away the store. Just seems like common sense to me.