a translation of mille feuilles in french is “thousand leaves.” it is made of 3 groups of rectangular layers of pastry puff and sandwiched with a cream filling and covered with a white icing and a tiny amount of chocolate sauce for decoration. just underneath the icing is a thin layer of raspberry jam. the one pictured was a bit haphazardly assembled but it tasted pretty goooOOOOOood.

the mille feuilles is believed to have been invented by Marie-Antoine Car�me (1784-1833), known as “the chef of kings and the king of chefs.” he started out as a pastry chef constructing impressive window displays of pyramids, temples and ancient ruins completely made from pastries and other edibles – then moved on to invent other things from innovative sauces and menus to kitchen tools. he is responsible for having invented the famous chef hat, the toque.

my chocoholism leads me somewhere every week and one week it led me to an independent chocolatier (chocolate shop) in a small town near my house. i picked up a small bag of pralines and saw the label with “NOBLE INGREDIENTS” proudly printed on the side. because it emphasized pure, real and noble ingredients, i bought it. there’d be a photo of the actual chocolates but i ate them before i realized i should’ve taken a picture! i later looked at the bag that previously contained the chocolate and read the ingredients listed: cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa, whole powdered milk, waffle cookies, almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa powder, E102 dye and bourbon vanilla beans.

SCREEEEEECH sound here.

wait a minute. what the hell is E102???? that does NOT sound very NOBLE so i found out a bit about this ingredient posing as nobility. i can tell you one thing: it’s not even close to it. you see, E102, aka tartrazine, aka in the u.s. as FD&C yellow number 5, is a coal/tar derivative (meaning it is a petroleum based substance) that is used in cosmetics, medicines and FOOD. it is literally INDUSTRIAL WASTE why do you think it’s called TARtrazine??

no one should be eating this but it is found in so many foods. here’s just a few examples: breads, cakes, canned fruit and vegetables, yogurt, butter/margarine, any orange cheese, soft drinks, fruit drinks, doritos and orange snacks, candy, chocolate pudding, caviar, skim milk, pasta, beer, vitamins…

it’s also fed to animals like chickens and cows, which later, humans consume.

now, if someone were to offer you some TAR to eat, would you eat it? of course not. why do you think it’s banned in several countries? scientists have linked it with chromosome damage and kidney tumours as well as abdominal pain, hives, nausea and vomiting, not to mention a whole host of allergies and ailments. a woman had a strange rash that wouldn’t go away, and realized it was in the daily vitamins she was taking, and when she stopped taking them, her rash (that her doctor said was a chronic problem) went away.

so, why are we eating INDUSTRIAL WASTE? why is it in practically everything, seeing that it is such a harmful substance?

the usual reason: someone’s greedy bottom line and lack of public knowledge regarding E102. there are natural and safe alternatives to achieve the same color in food but they cost more than TAR, and so far there are no laws that limit its use. so do you think the manufacturers (guess who that is? it’s the OIL INDUSTRY) of TARtrazine give a rat’s ass about its CARCINOGENIC POTENTIAL if eaten? i know you know the answer.

please email your support to BAN harmful dyes in food by emailing the U.S. government. click on the email address below:

email address: fdadockets@oc.fda.gov

please indicate the following in your subject line: Docket #01P-0345, Delist Yellow #5

- download the petition

sources: how hazardous are food dyes?, alert over dangerous coloring, Beware of products containing dyes and coloring, our food supply: a chemical cuisine, how behavior changed in students after they stopped eating aritifically colored food, tartrazine

it’s been a while since i was last in angelina cafe on rue de rivoli for one of the best cups of hot chocolate with whipped cream in paris. i was to meet a bunch of friends there but for many reasons i ran into bumps and snags that made me very late for the chocolate date. and i hate being late when it involves people having to wait for me.

once there, i felt a bit exasperated by the day’s events, and i was starving, having missed lunch. everyone else had already ordered something so i had to grab the attention of the waiter, which was like pulling teeth. (he was ignoring me) – eventually and unwillingly he came over. with hips twisted, eyes rolled practically up into his forehead, plus a big SIGH, the waiter awaited my order. (i could swear he was straight from a cartoon, a sort of pepe le pew gone bad.) i was also craving something salty so i ordered the salmon on toast and of course the reason for going to angelina in the first place: some hot chocolate. if you’re thinking, “PFFFF hot chocolate? whatever!” no, no, no – this does not in the slightest resemble your run-of-the-mill cup of hot chocolate, this is the silkiest, smooth, most chocolaty thick lusciousness you’ll ever drink.

the waiter: “WHAT??? salmon and chocolate?! that’s disgusting!” (he obviously and loudly didn’t approve of my order. in the meantime all eyes turned to me and i HATE that kind of attention!)

me (squinting and grumpy): “YES!! that’s what i want. i’m hungry and don’t want to order the hot chocolate later (thinking it would take too long). you might think that’s disgusting (thinking to myself maybe it WAS a disgusting combo) but that is what i feel like eating so yes, yes YES! i am ordering that. why do i have to explain my choice!?”

at that moment, there was only: silence.

then all at once, we burst into laughter – everyone including the waiter. and from that point on, the waiter and i were like this: [*fingers crossed*] – go figure. he brought my stuff surprising fast and gave me the postcard of Angelina for free (see picture).

Angelina
226 rue de Rivoli
75001 Paris France
Tel: 01.42.60.82.00

note: though i’ve heard recently that angelina is in need of an overhaul to perk up the dingy louis xiv decor, the hot chocolate hasn’t changed.

oh, and the waiting staff attitude probably hasn’t either. but don’t let that stop you from going. it’s really no big deal.

[top photo courtesy of pat and seb. merci!]

tags: france food angelina paris cafe hot chocolate

the chevy chase branch library has impeccable timing as their window display right now is dedicated to all things french. while so many eyes of the world are on france, this library in america’s capital is focused on putting a positive spin on france by encouraging cultural understanding and featuring popular french landmarks, singers, entertainers – highlighting culture, art and contemporary figures that remind us of why we love this crazy but beautiful country so much.

to see the display, please click here: library display of france. to see the display in person:

Chevy Chase Branch Library
5625 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.
near McKinley Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20015
202.282.0021

[thanks, Dave!]

i often run into europeans who SWEAR that americans have no concept of GEOGRAPHY, not knowing where anything is. i usually try to defend that generalization to an extent stating that is overly exaggerated to declare such biases – but after seeing this “map” of “france” on CNN as was reported by french television 2, DO YOU BLAME THEM?

first of all, according to CNN, the WORLD LEADER OF NEWS, the city of toulouse, normally found in southwest france, is now cavorting around northern italy! (possibly switzerland). was there an earthquake i missed? lyon has moved too! strasbourg, usually found in the alsace-lorraine area of france, has shifted to germany. yes, yes, strasbourg SOUNDS german but that doesn’t mean it’s in germany! since when did france spread to POLAND? cannes is miraculously situated where perpignan normally hangs out. (a rough 400 miles off base along the coast). where did perpignan go? anyway.

tags: france cnn geography generalizations journalistic integrity news reporting

by night, our friend, “C” is a musician and composer. by day he works as a waiter in a cafe right in the center of paris serving coffee, drinks and light snacks. he revealed some interesting information related to the coffee being served in the cafe. he says he believes this is a standard “practice” in most cafes in france.

when you order a cup of coffee in france, it’s actually an american’s idea of an “espresso,” differentiating itself only by the process by which it’s made and it’s full-bodied, rich flavor. it is also denser and smaller in volume. the way it is brewed involves steam being forced through finely ground coffee beans at a very high pressure (versus brewing by drip method), and this steam pressure method always produces a foam on top of the coffee.

one dose of ground coffee should create one cup of coffee, but according to C, the general rule of the cafe is to try to sneak in more rounds of coffee using fewer doses. in other words, he’ll often make 2 cups of coffee using only one dose of ground coffee that is generally meant to make one cup. doh! he says it’s obvious to spot: the “watered down” version will never have foam on the top of the cup. if you know your coffee, you’ll be able to taste the difference too.

oftentimes, he says he’ll get an odd number of coffee orders but make it into an even number and have an extra cup sitting at the machine. then the next coffee order will get the lone (2nd pressed) order and he’ll heat it up using the milk steamer. even then, it doesn’t create a foam; it just warms it up.

his advice: order your coffee at the bar, near the coffee machines. not only is a coffee cheaper at the bar than at a table, a waiter will never serve the second pass version to someone who is watching him. [thanks, C!]

instead of going to each french news website to watch the news (in french), this little freeware script, FrenchTVNews, aggregates all the news in one place. you have access to the following French-language TV channels : TF1, France 2, France 3, M6, RTBF (la une), TSR, RTL9, EuroNews, RFO Sat, TV5, Radio-Canada. The channel i>TELE streams live news and interviews. La Chaîne Parlementaire is live from the French national assembly. FrenchTVNews gives you access to 15 channels, 56 news bulletins and programs, for a total 230 regularly updated videos. Note: you must have either Windows Media Player or Real Player, and your OS must be 10.2 or higher.

click here to download now (140 KB)

if you have any questions or issues regarding FrenchTVNews, please contact the developers directly here: doktor kleanor.

there’ll be a special program live tonight on television station, france 3 at 10:20 pm to 11:55pm (95 minutes) hosted by catherine matausch and marie drucker. named “banlieues: la grande colere” (~ rage in the suburbs), the show aims to describe and discuss the current situation surrounding the rioting. in addition to special reports and interviews, there will be a roundtable discussion with a variety of participants, speaking from several perspectives: social life, education, economy, as well as engaging dialogue from the community, associations, socialogists, mayors and politicians.

SIDENOTE: the french national assembly is meeting at 3pm to 4:30pm today (paris time) to debate about the paris riots. live news about it can be found on the france 3 website.

the french national television station, france 3, is inviting audience members to tonight’s LIVE special program: “Banlieues : la grande colère” (Rage in the Suburbs) taking place tonight, tuesday, november 8, 2005 at 10:20pm.

if you’d like to attend, please call and make reservations: 01 56 22 70 11 and speak with valerie.

meet at 9pm at the France Télévisions building, 13 Boulevard Martial Valin, 75015 Paris Métro: Balard (line #8) , RER C Boulevard Victor, Bus: 42 or 88 at the last stop of the busline (Hopital Georges Pompidou)
———————————-
La rédaction nationale de France 3 vous invite à assister en direct à l’émission spéciale d’information : “Banlieues : la grande colère”, mardi 8 novembre à 22h20 dans les studios de France 3.

Si vous souhaitez y assister, faites votre réservation au 01 56 22 70 11 auprès de Valérie. Rendez-vous à 21h00 dans les locaux de France Télévisions 13 Boulevard Martial Valin, 75015 Paris Métro: Balard (ligne #8) , RER Boulevard Victor (ligne C), Bus : 42, 88 arrêt au terminus (Hopital Georges Pompidou)

[program (click on "Banlieues" for a description (in french) announcement via AFP[rofiteurs2Hype]]

tags: france paris riots politics racism politics paris riots

every friday, crowds flock to the flea market in ventimiglia, italy. it’s just a 10-minute ride from french town, menton (and an easy 20-minute train ride from nice) – however, people come from all over europe because the prices of merchandise at the market are rock bottom. main attractions are clearly the designer counterfeits: labels sporting fake louis vuitton, hermes, armani, chanel and other labels are blinding by the numbers. it’s hard to find something that isn’t a fake! belts, purses, shoes, sunglasses, clothing, perfume, you name it, you’ll find it. with prices so low, it is nearly impossible to resist (if you’re into that kind of stuff).

but! be warned. the french authorities are beginning to crack down on the CONSUMERS buying such merchandise, since they cannot enforce any laws across the border in italy proper. the french police will make random checks at the toll/border and search cars to see what you bought. if you have any fakes, they not only will confiscate it from you, but also, you will be fined several thousand euros and can be subject to jail time. you’ll end up spending the amount for a REAL designer labeled item without getting that actual item!

if you travel to other parts of italy with your fake designer goods and get caught in a random search, you may be fined as well from italian authorities – just like this danish woman: she was caught in rome with fake designer sunglasses and fined 10,000 euros.

some advice: don’t buy these counterfeit items!!! 1) it’s not worth getting caught; 2) they are cheaply made products that will not last; and, 3) a note about the fake perfumes: they have pee inside of them. i know, gross. no, i am not kidding! apparently, urine has just enough of an ammonia in it that acts as a stabililzer (to maintain the scent of perfume), as well as adds cheap (ok, free) volume to the bottle. source: envoye special, france 2

ventimiglia is still a beautiful, italian riviera town worth seeing, and has a lot to offer a traveler. if you want to buy something there, go into the town and buy something in a shop instead of being stuck in the slow moving herds of shoppers at the (in)famous flea market. instead, grab a big hunk of real parmiggiano reggiano cheese (so much cheaper in italy) or some bottles of italian wine.

while we’re on the subject of counterfeits, there’s a Musée de la Contrefaçon (museum of fakes) in paris that displays real designer items next to their fake counterparts – and ironically, this museum is situated in the 16th district (arrondissement), one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the city of light. 16 rue de la Faisanderie, 75016, Paris; tel: +33 1 56 26 14 00; metro Porte Dauphine; open Tue-Sun, 2-5.30pm; closed weekends in Aug; €2.50.

when i first came to france, i’d go into pastry shops and just point to what looked good and ask for that. i didn’t know the names of many pastries other than the standard “pain au chocolat” (the square shaped croissant-like pastry with chocolate inside), croissant, and…that’s about it!

sidenote: when i was in bordeaux, people called it “chocolatine” instead of pain au chocolat. (i’m not sure where else they say this.)

it’s ok to point and request things but doesn’t it feel better to know what you’re talking about? also, it’s logistically easier because sometimes you’ll order on one side of the bakery and all the pastries you want are on the other side. anyway, today’s pastry is called, the “paris brest,” a pastry puff with a hole in the middle, split in half and filled with a smooth hazelnut pastry cream with toasted, sliced almonds and powdered sugar topping the puff. it’s one of my favorites because it is soooooooo goooOOOoooooood.

some background on the paris brest pastry: in 1891 france launched its first bicycle race from paris to brest (and back again to paris). an entrepreneurial-minded french pastry baker with a shop along the route, decided to dedicate a pastry to the race and created a circular eclair that was to resemble bicycle tires. his creative, baking business mind paid off. the paris brest was a success, as was the bike race. (the paris brest bike race was a precursor to the tour de france, which began in 1903.)

source: JSonline

the u.s. embassy in paris issued the following statement:

” Significant rioting that began in the northern suburbs of Paris Oct. 27 has become extremely violent, as angry protesters set fire to several buildings and hundreds of vehicles. Although the riots have occurred in areas not normally frequented by U.S. tourists, travelers should be aware that train travel from the Charles de Gaulle Airport to the city center may be disrupted at times, as it passes near the affected area. Travelers could rely instead on airport buses or taxis to downtown Paris. Americans should avoid the affected areas that include the northern suburbs of Seine-Saint-Denis, (Clichy-sous-Bois, Aulnay-sous-Bois and Le Blanc-Mesnil) and also Trappes in the southwest of Paris), and should move quickly away from any demonstrations that they may encounter.

Travelers in France who need assistance can contact the U.S. Embassy at 01-4312-2222, or by email at: citizeninfo@state.gov. The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Paris is located at 2 Rue St. Florentin, 75001 Paris (Place de La Concorde, Metro Stop Concorde), tel. 011-33-1-43-12-22-22 or (in France) 01-43-12-22-22; fax 011-33-1-42-61-61-40. Further information can be obtained at the U.S. Embassy’s web site at http://france.usembassy.gov.”

also recommended is to avoid the RER train line B coming from the charles de gaulle airport to the center of paris. as alternatives please take a taxi, shuttle or bus.

the center of paris is considered safe for tourists.

source: u.s. embassy in paris

tags: france paris riots travel safety us embassy in paris paris riots

nearly 300 french towns has seen rioting according to the associated press and there has also been some reports that more violence spread to brussels and berlin (the brussels journal).

10 french police officers have been shot but no fatalities have been reported among them. lastly (and sadly), the first paris riot-related fatality has been reported.

tags: france paris riots politics racism 2007 elections paris riots

click here to enlarge photo

lulu decided to pose in a stately manner at the fragonard factory, one of the three perfumes factories in grasse. doesn’t she look statuesque?

for more information about the perfume capital of the world, i’ve already written a tiny bit about it here: grasse, france

————————————————
*Lulu Lundi – means Lulu Monday and is dedicated to posting photos of a cute, traveling bostie in france.

this is also spooning up lulu’s serving for weekend dog blogging #8 chez sweetnicks!

tags: grasse france dogs dog blogging

an american expat living in the center of paris, today has an eyewitness account in her blog, “rue rude,” about some torching last night that happened in her neighborhood (i believe she lives in the 16th arrondissement, one of the most (if not the) poshest neighborhoods in paris. she heard some strange noises around 5am and with shaky knees, still managed to take a photo outside her home’s window. here’s her story: fear in the night

i wonder if this will make tonight’s news?

tags: france paris riots 16th arrondissement paris

click here to see the photo enlarged

i saw this store in the old town section of nevers, france. it’s a watch/clock store, which is easy to guess by the art and name (“espace temps” means spacetime) in front. apparently, the town’s tagger’s name is kalouf. it’s hard to miss and you’ll see his/her store facade work all over town.

tags: france graffiti art nevers france

this children’s bookstore’s window display definitely merited a photo and a blog entry! the theme of the window display centers on toilet training and bodily functions with book titles: “caca boudin” (poop sausage), “crotte de nez” (boogers, or more formally SNOT), “prout!” (poot!), “crotte!” (poop log (unless is curls like an ice cream on a cone), “est-ce que les sirènes font pipi au lit?” (do mermaids pee in bed?), “qu’est ce que c’est que ca?” (what’s that?) – but my favorite in this window is “de la petite taupe qui voulait savoir qui lui avait fait sur la tete” (the little mole that wanted to know who did (pooped) on his head). cute!

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL WINDOW DISPLAY<

the citizenship called 93: We’re French but not REAL French

“The common-denominator here is NOT Islam or being Muslim, but instead economic misery, racial discrimination and provocative policing. The riots in the Paris suburbs highlights the many problems plaguing Paris, that are also prevalent in Denmark, Britain, USA and elsewhere in the rapidly changing world. Even Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy now accepts that the problems are structural.” — france riots in perspective

the spin doctors in france like in the u.s., can always count on one
consistent factor: people’s bigotry and ideologies upon which they’re
predicated, and indifference until it knocks on one’s door.

friday was the ninth consecutive night of rioting in the paris suburbs, but also spread to new territories: Dijon, Rouen, Lille, Toulouse, Nice and Marseille. [article: bbc]

tags: france paris riots politics racism 2007 elections paris riots

everyone is wondering about what the hell is going on in paris with all the rioting, fires and general destruction. the details of the events are sketchy at best with gaps and holes of missing information. but, the issues of the paris riots seem to come with many layers.

it’s no secret that the “paris banlieues” (suburbs of paris) and their neighborhoods are just horrible. the conditions in which people live are deplorable; they live in sub-standard levels of so-called housing and feel like they’ve been disposed of there and are now warehoused, with no hope of any improvement or escape. they know that they and their children will die in such a place. since they feel that they own nothing there, they are destroying and torching the very symbol of that oppression in the absense of the oppressor whom they cannot always specifically identify.

so how does one express his frustration and rage in a place where all options are rejected? rally and demonstrate for justice, right? that system so loudly doesn’t work in the banlieues. in the meantime, socially excluded youth there are on the rise.

it is an accumulation of so many levels of injustice in france.

all that however, is just a few layers exposed. there’s also some spin doctoring going on around france too. though not to downplay the insidious problems of the banlieues and its people, the whole media coverage on it recently can only be linked to one thing: the devil.

ok, ok, i mean sarkozy and villepin (one entity masquerading on mortal soil as 2 UMP politicians). look at the evidence:

1) villepin just finished a visit to the whitehouse just before the coverage of the riots began. what did he do with ole dubya? need one ask who has LIED and betrayed more than anyone in the universe including judas? who has SPUN so many lies to the american public that he got them to believe a war was justified?? the american government’s administration has got to have the most evil, yet effective spin doctors history has ever seen – and villepin must’ve gotten some lessons while at the oval office;

2) french presidential elections are just around the corner (just over a year from now) with many candidates expecting to run, and they have already begun campaigning. last time around during the french presidential election in 2002, the fascist party (aka the national front with candidate le pen) gave a good run for chirac’s money. scary i know! but true. chirac only won the presidential election by the skin of his nose, a mere 2.65 percent, just above le pen (chirac 19.67%, le pen 17.02%). this is the reason for the SPIN.

it is so obvious that sarkozy is trying to steal the national front’s votes in order to win the election. it all started with the expulsion of immigrants after all the paris apartment fires just last september. national front supporters then probably said, “hey, sarko’s not a such a bad guy!” but, how staged was that?? c’mon – there was one fire a day for several days in a row usually having started in the middle of the night. every consecutive night. that’s no coincidence. yes, these people do live in substandard housing and it’s a problem but fires every day, suddenly?? sadly, many people died just when sarko and villepin began campaigning.

do people see the obviousness of manipulation?

yes, people live in substandard housing and that is an issue and a concern to us but not to politicians – the fires had to have been staged. part of the sarko spin campaign against immigrants. it’s like the ump candidates are camouflaging their real motive by bringing up the subject of immigrants and the problems in the banlieues.

this isn’t the last media covered event of this type – something tells me there will be more “incidents” coming to france that will put sarko or villepin (or both) in the limelight each time to boost their popularity among the front national party. all, of course, covered on tv and these “events” will be strategically scattered over the calendar up until the elections.

what will happen is: sarko or villepin will get elected and do you think they’ll give a sh*t about the banlieues then? clearly, they’ll still hate immigrants and pass legislation to give them less rights but guess what issues WON’T be on tv anymore?

i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. i fear for france. well i guess i fear for the world. it’s insane. was it insane before and i just didn’t notice?

tags: france paris riots politics racism 2007 elections paris riots

the number of french smokers, while declining, is still a whopping one-third of the population (approximately 20 million smokers). in france, smoking is only prohibited on public transportation and some offices. people can still light up in other public places: bars, restaurants and cafes.

a proposal to ban cigarette smoking in all public places was introduced to parliament recently but promptly failed to win the support of the ruling party deputies.

though, i’m not a fan of second-hand smoke or smoking (because fumer tue!), a ban to smoke in public places, particularly cafes and bars is an invitation to cause further detriment to the struggling economy of france. this is such a big part of life in france for so many bar patrons and cafe goers. for them, there’s not a bigger pleasure than having a drink or coffee and a smoke. i wonder what would happen to these busineses if the ban took place? cafes are just a major part of the culture and – hell, they SELL CIGARETTES at cafes, bars and even restaurants.

france probably imposes the highest tax (64%) on cigarettes compared to other european countries so cigarettes in france are extremely expensive. (money to the state!) many smokers have been crossing borders to buy outside of france to save on their cigarette budgets. but now there’s a french law that says you can only buy ONE carton of cigarettes across the border. police have been making random searches at borders. so if you’re caught with cartons of cigarettes, you better have a receipt! (that says you bought them in france!)

this whole cigarette equation will only brew into something criminal. in fact, there are “companies” constantly smuggling or trying to smuggle cigarettes here.

well, it’s a government effort to reduce smokers, which is good because there’d be less lung cancer and smoking-related illnesses. but there are so many government officials that SMOKE!! – which might have something to do with the vetoed ban. but also, the tobacco companies must have some “influence” on officials with their pimped lobbyist power.

i wonder if they REALLY care about the health of people. could it be that the REAL REASON is: this will lower the social security’s bills in health care? more money to the state!

[via todayonline]

the french soccer team, LOSC (from lille, france), has been “homeless” since recent renovations to their stadium (Stade Grimonprez-Jooris) unearthed a 17th century citadel! they’ve been displaced temporarily and will play at the racing lens stadium (in nearby lens) and other sports venues. last night’s match put them in the stade de france in paris – against manchester united. for what it’s worth, lille won 1-0.

by the way, lille’s team name, “LOSC” stands for “lille olympic sporting club.” (nice french!)

[via united rant] [thanks to patrox and jack norton for the
soccergames (soccer ball) graphic]

tags: france soccer losc citadel manchester united

tagger neo thought it was cool to tag a beautiful mountain with an ugly face. in vence.

i personally think this is crazy but napoleon’s tooth will go up for auction on november 10. can’t wait to bid!!?? do they do a dna test on it? how can we believe that it is REALLY napoleon’s tooth??!

anyway, it’s expected to sell for up to 11,800 euros ($14,100). seriously. is it just me, or is this INSANE?

the whole thing is so suspect especially because last night i saw a documentary (on arte, which is like the equivalent of pbs or the beeb) about how scientists, archeologists, researchers, etc., have falsified their findings for money (of course) and to continue their grants.

all i gotta say is that if you spend 14 thousand bucks on a rotten tooth, you have some serious cash to burn.

[via sify]

(while we’re on the subject of napoleon, there’s some excellent info on napoleon and his empire)

getting all frustrated about missing halloween in france made me almost forget today’s holiday. it’s all saint’s day, celebrated in europe and deemed a national holiday. this year the french got lucky with “toussaint” falling on a tuesday – so monday was also a nonworking day i was told.

toussaint, also known as the day of the dead, is when many people go to cemeteries to offer flowers to dead relatives. (i now realize why my neighbor said he was going to the cemetery today.) in paris, the cemetery, pere lachaise, is known to have an extra load of traffic on toussaint. not just to see jim morrison but the thousands of other people buried there.

it’s funny because long ago, “the day of the dead” in europe was celebrated on october 31 (halloween!). the spirits of the dead were believed to be roaming freely. so, surviving relatives were to help these spirits complete their journey to the afterlife. people would dress up in frightening costumes and decorate gourds and other vegetables with scary faces to scare away the evil spirits, also known to be roaming around the earth. then…believing this practice to be evil pagan rituals, the catholic church promptly squashed it in the bud. they then declared a new religious festival and called it “toussaint,” a day to pay tribute to all the saints. party crashers.

cafe signes, located on the left bank is clearly the quietest bistro in paris. the silence is not due to the lack of clientele, rather, it could be filled to the gills with customers and yet you won’t hear one word from anybody.

this is france’s first silent cafe/restaurant, though oftentimes the loudest sound you will hear is the sound of laughter. initially funded by the government to employ people with disabilities, the cafe is staffed with 45 people mostly all deaf or hard of hearing. the exception is the cook, that has full hearing, in the event that there is some sort of communication breakdown with hearing customers who aren’t very familiar with signing.

the cafe is open to everyone (hearing and non-hearing) and there are charts all around for hearing people to consult when they need to order something on the menu. also, when waiters have a bit of free time, they will often give signing lessons and teach some basic requests. it is a wonderful opportunity for hearing people to experience part of a deaf person’s world.

how do you order fries??! look at the waiter and smile while interlocking your (straight) fingers forming a steeple.

Café Signes – 33, avenue Jean Moulin – 75014 Paris (Métro Alésia Ligne #4). Bus : 62, 28, 38, PC. Périphérique : Porte de Châtillon ou Porte d’Orléans – Tél. 01 45 39 37 40. Web : www.cafesignes.com

[via europeonwheels and Entraide Universit�]

tags: france cafe signes accessibility paris disabilities