Apr 15
Inspired by the winter flooding on Venice’s St. Mark’s Square, the 3,000 square meters water feature on Bordeaux’s well-designed boardwalk, floods with a thin layer of water followed by an apocalyptic mist effect when the water mysteriously disappears on the hour. (Architects: P. Gagnet and Atelier R. Landscape Architects: Michel and Claire Corajoud)
Apr 10
I had the opportunity to attend an electrifying vocal concert in Paris last weekend.
As you have probably gathered, I love the performing arts and I try to support my children, my friends, and my friends’ children whenever possible. Last Friday was no exception, but it turned out to be exceptional.
Late as usually, I zoomed down to the Marais to support my friend Andrea in her new choral home: VOICES Choir International. And, boy, am I glad I did. Aside from Button’s run in Pasek and Paul’s EDGES last spring, this was the most inspiring and glee-inducing performance I have seen in France.
VOICES Choir International has been around since 1989 and is headed up by the dynamic Bonnie Woolley, an American vocalist and choral director, who exudes the kind of passion and love for her craft that is almost disarming in the often serious world of choral music. Her smile and wit (even en français) is contagious. With her are 40 talented singers from around the globe who give their all. Their repertoire consists mainly of Negro Spirituals and popular and contemporary Anglo-Saxon music. On Friday, it was dedicated exclusively to Spirituals.
I have never seen a group of musicians enjoy themselves and each other so much. I sat there thinking, “Is this much fun legal?” Together in song, they made it impossible for the audience to sit still. I was reminded of the few times I have attended a Baptist church service in the South. They just needed some fabulously bright and ribboned Sunday hats, and I could have been sitting in the pew with my dear friend Sarah in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Do you know the saying: “Live like there is no tomorrow. Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one can hear you. Laugh like no one is listening.”
Well VOICES does all of the above, but amplified.
I’m not sure if the Spirit moves them, but JOY certainly does.
Look them up the next time you are in Paris or the next time you need to smile and remember the good. You’ll be delighted you did.
Apr 6
Who says the French aren’t HAPPY and fun? C’est pas vrai!
Take a look at all these happy Frenchies dancing around in Montmartre. I LOVE this. I dare you not to smile (and dance). Thanks to Julie and Meeting the French for reminding me that there is a lot of joy in this country.
Vocabulaire:
Ce n’est pas vrai! (C’est pas vrai!) It’s not true!
Apr 5
If you happen to be in France on April 1, beware of the fish. Yes indeed, if you let yourself be duped or tricked, you’re not just a fool, but you’re also a poisson d’avril, or an April fish.
The jury is still out as to why you are a fish en français instead of just a fool, but so far this morning, I’ve already seen a bus full of prankster in my ‘hood, and they were all quite fishy-looking.
Out early with Taz, I spied a group of grade school children bounding off their coach and making merry, gamely tumbling over each other while trying to pin cut out paper fish on each others’ backs. Despite their teachers’ stern disciplinary warnings, les enfants could not help themselves, as fiendish squawks of “Poisson d’Avril” escaped their mugs announcing their foolery to the passing tourists.
I’ve always wondered about April Fools’ Day. As far as I know it is the only holiday dedicated specifically to hoodwinking your gullible friends and unsuspecting family members. For me, the French-fish-thing adds a whole new dimension to this goofy day.
There are several theories about where the fish imagery came from in relation to the first day of April en France, and they go from the simple to the more complex:
No matter the uncertainty behind all this French fishiness, there is one thing you can always be certain of in France. The French, God bless them all, cannot celebrate a holiday without some sort of beautiful and delicious food or pastry attached to it. The Poisson d’Avril is no exception. En ce moment, French pâtisseries, boulangeries, and chocolateries are currently filled to the brim with fish-themed and fish-shaped delights.
Hmmm…me thinks we might be having fish for dinner tonight…probably not salmon, but maybe something of the cocoa bean variety?
Mar 31
I’m behind on my posts because I actually started my blog on September 23 instead of September 1. Oh, to know me, is to know I’m almost always running late. It’s my fatal flaw. Occasionally I get super stressed that I won’t be able to make my goal of finishing the 365-things-I-love-about-France by August 31, so I have to sneak in these bundle-post occasionally to make up for lost time. Je vous prie d’accepter mes excuses.
Donc, here are Ten Quick Things I Love About France…I can’t quite fill a single post with each one, but I love them nonetheless.
1. Salted Butter. Fresh creamy butter + salt crystals. Nothing more need be said.
source:matvpratique.com
2. International Hotel Chain Bathrooms. So clean and consistent, like a touch of home, plus they might even have a bidet. You never have to double foot it Turkish/French style. The trick is pretending you’re a guest. 
3. Straw Baskets for the Marché. They are simply charming.
Meryl Streep as Julia Child with her typique pannier.
4. Dodging French Families at the Bois de Boulogne (the large public park located on the edge of the 16e in Paris). Because if you are dodging them, three things are happening: it’s Sunday, the weather is good, and you’re on your bike.
5. Aux Merveilleux de Fred Meringue Balls. “Heaven popped on a plate,” as Button would say.
6. Adorable Children’s Clothing. I’ll have to stay in France until my (yet-to-be-born) grandchildren are grown.
7. The Brits. As of 2012, there were 150,000 registered British Nationals living in France. Although they seem to prefer Spain—nearly 400,000 British subjects live there–I’m glad some have chosen to live here.
8. Well-maintained Motorways. The tolls may be crazy expensive, but you get what you pay for, a smooth ride.
9. Religieuses. Anything that looks this pretty and is deliciously edible is at the top of my pastry list.
10. Merde. It almost sounds pretty, or at least gentile in French. Most things do (sound better) with that alluring French accent.
Vocabulaire:
Je vous prie d’accepter mes excuses: Please accept my apologizes.
Mar 30
I have to share this happy news with someone.
Last night I was able to watch the entire French film le Prénom in French (ok, avec sous-titres français) and understand almost everything that was going on. I actually laughed out loud at all the right times and cringed at the cringe-worthy moments, and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The whole time I kept thinking, “Look at me understanding French!”
After 2½ years of struggling with this difficult language, being able to laugh in French seems like nothing short of a miracle.
Vocabulaire:
avec sous-titres français: with French subtitles
le Prénom: the first name / given name; a rapid fire, rich and funny dinner party comedy turned dinner disaster, starring the lovely Patrick Bruel. It was a huge hit in the French theatre before being made into a film.
365+ Things I Love About France 