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so the breaking news is that brad pitt and angelina jolie have moved to paris (see the news)!!!!!!!! i know. big wow. (sorry if you care) i’m only mentioning this because every time the subject of brad pitt comes up, my s.o. robotically blurts out, “BRAS DE PITT!” |
ignoring last month’s announcement by the automobile manufacturer ford that they will be laying off 30,000 workers within the next 6 years, the french ford division decided instead to celebrate, step out of its conservative marketing shell and have a little fun. ford france has launched a hilarious marketing campaign that promotes their cute little economy car called the “KA” with a website featuring “the Kaboys.” on ford’s micro site for KA you will find all kinds of information about the car as well as videos of the Kaboys doing strip-teases a la full monty. phil, one of the Kaboys, is particularly ridiculous. [via le blog du marketing alternatif and adverblog] |
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for weekend dog blogging, i decided to feature our friend’s cute yorkshire terrier named loulou. he lives in carry le rouet, which is located in the south of france, not far from marseille. that’s the second MALE dog named loulou we met so far. if you enlarge the photo, you can see the famous calanques from a distance.
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this is lulu and loulou’s heaping helping of weekend dog blogging #21 generously hosted chez food blogger sweetnicks (thanks, sweetnicks) please visit all the adorable dogs sunday after 9pm eastern standard time u.s.a.
the games festival is an annual event (that i wish i’d known about earlier!) that takes place in cannes, at the very same place where the famous international film festival is held. 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of the festival des jeux so they’re featuring more events than usual. the event and expo are for amateurs, experts and anyone interested in the 100 or so games explored at the festival: cards (bridge, tarot, skat, poker, belote, rami, coinche stephanoise), board games (chess, scrabble, crossword, word search, sudoku, backgammon, mahjong, awele, rummikub, go, shogi, checkers, othello), billiards, math games and video games of all kinds (yay!). not to be missed are the tournaments, contests, japanimation and an award show soiree game night with stars playing “time’s up” as well as announcing the winner of the “as d’or.” if you don’t play, you can still attend the demonstrations, watch the tournaments or meet artists and illustrators in the game industry. but! if you’re good at bridge, scrabble etc. and you win the tournament, you can win as much 20,000 euros. ($23,806) Festival des jeux [related: cannes, ile st. marguerite, mandelieu, frejus] |
remember the famous words of france’s emperor napoleon bonaparte?” ne te laves pas, j’arrive! (don’t wash, i’m coming!) ok, so he wrote that to josephine (and eiuw) but it works here. sort of? maybe not. anyway, napoleon is coming! the podcasting network (tpn) has just released news that napoleon is taking on podcasting. in this podcasted napoleon series, there are 15 episodes featuring all you ever needed to know about the “little corsican,” narrated by historian and Napoleonic scholar J. David Markham. for more info and to download the podcasts: napoleon podcasts [related website: time traveller's guide to napoleon's empire] [some books about napoleon to read: napoleon |
what goes perfectly with a french cheese, say for example, a nice, ripe wedge of brie de meaux? you might be thinking red wine, fruit, crusty nut breads perhaps? well, french cheese producers would disagree. in their case, what they feel goes best with brie de meaux (and some of you would agree) would unmistakably be mademoiselle bérénice.
in preparation for the big day, national cheese day, that is, the association fromage de terroirs (association of regional cheeses) has launched a campaign to promote april 8, the day they’ve dedicated to all things cheesy. i mean cheese. well, cheesy too. you see, with the help from the poster “girls,” the association has made a calendar available for purchase. each month features a mademoiselle [fill in the cheese here], and not only is she posing provocatively with a piece of cheese, but she’s also either butt naked or in lingerie. it cracks me up. it puts a new twist on the slogan, “i love cheese.” i think i saw that somewhere for some american cheese association. of course, i could never in a zillion years imagine anything like this campaign in the u.s. however, this is such a commonplace “strategy” for france. you will see this kind of thing all the time. you know, naked girl with car, naked girl stroking cup of coffee, naked man running for his cologne, naked girl eating yogurt. hey! there are NOT enough naked men, but i digress. |
doesn’t zee mademoiselle bérénice brie above sort of remind you of glenn close in the old movie fatal attraction?? anyway, these calendars are available to purchase for 8 euros ($9.50) – can you hear it now? “get ‘em while their hot!” back to national cheese day, which is april 8. cheese tastings, festivals and contests will be held all over france, so if interested, find out about what’s happening in specific regions here. if you’re more interested in the calendar for whatever reason (i won’t ask), visit: La Journée Nationale du Fromage. at the site, you’ll also find more information. [photos by Christelle VIVIANT] |
we’re experiencing days upon days of grisailles, a damp gray existence that beckons you to crawl under a rock until the sun comes out again. hopefully, that happens before you die of starvation. to add insult to injury, i went into a cafe/tabac to buy some timbre fiscales for my s.o.’s passport renewal and who was there to greet me? none other than 2006′s version of the thenardiers, you know, the evil innkeepers from victor hugo’s les misérables? i seriously thought to myself, kill me now…until the candy caught my attention. luckily i’m easily distracted.
candy always gets noticed but i couldn’t miss these bright pink carambars. carambars are long caramels from france and every french person you will ever meet will know about carambars. carambars are an institution in france. they are shaped like longer, thinner tootsie rolls and are really chewy, the kind of chewy that sticks to your teeth and gives your jaw a workout trying to pry open your mouth after each chomp. there’s usually a joke inside the packaging. carambars were invented in 1954 in Marcq-en-Baroeul, the then small village in the north of france. the rest is history (see their website). Marcq-en-Baroeul is now a lot larger than a small village with 37,000 inhabitants; it’s considered a suburb of the city of lille. this particular carambar stood out because as a non-native speaker of french, the flavor, “barbe à papa” – just sounds gross to me. i know it means “cotton candy” and there’s nothing icky about that (though i don’t think it merits its own flavor) but literally, barbe à papa means grandpa’s beard. that’s the ick factor. i bought it for .15 cents (of a euro, about 18 cents of a dollar). i’ve heard the caramel flavored carambars are the best with a nougat filling. i think i’d be partial to fruity flavors, though after tasting this cotton candy flavored carambar, it’ll take a lot of convincing to get me to try others. YUCK. it didn’t even taste like cotton candy, which is just sugar i guess! but rather, tasted like a crayon (yes, i know how those taste). it was chewy, though, which liked. [the official carambar site (in french)] |
From the Telegraph:
Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s interior minister and presidential hopeful, has unveiled tougher rules on immigration, making it easier to expel foreign workers or those refusing to integrate.
The proposals included in a draft law, which Mr Sarkozy will present to the cabinet on Thursday, aim to change the very nature of immigration into France.
“We no longer want immigration that is inflicted [on us],” he said. “We want selected immigration. The system of integration the French way no longer works,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche in an interview.
…”In the case of a woman kept hostage in her home without learning French, the whole family will be obliged to leave,” Mr Sarkozy said.
…The law also makes it harder for an illegal immigrant to gain residency status by marrying a French person. The new spouse must now wait three years instead of 18 months to apply, then prove that he has made efforts to integrate into his new home.
france suffered lackluster numbers in movie attendance (-11%) last year so the french film industry will attempt to remedy that situation with a total of 110 feature film releases slated for 2006. one of the films, renaissance, an animated film by christian volckman, has been getting a lot of attention after having released two beautiful movie trailers. you can download the trailers below: trailer #1 (mp4) and trailer #2 (quicktime) presented in black and white, the film takes place in the year 2054 in paris, where a beautiful, young scientist named ilona kara is kidnapped. she’s what’s at stake in an occult war and is the key element that is part of some sort of protocol responsible for the future of mankind. renaissance is produced by onyx films, france 2 cinéma, millimages, backup films, Pathé cinéma and timefirm limited, and distributed by Pathé Distribution – and scheduled to open march 15, 2006. the website is definitely worth a visit: the official renaissance website (in french) [via twitch film and related: french cinema more popular abroad than in france] |
for lulu, an open space on a farm usually means unabashed frolicking and running at the speed of light, one of her most favorite activities next to eating. wait. no, i think eating is second on her priority list. we usually would let her have her run time but on the farm in fours, france called, la ferme de la bonne vie (the good life farm) there are free range ducks, geese and sometimes chickens – and lulu LOVES to chase birds. chicken sashimi anyone? obviously, we had to leash her. [enlarge photo]
An unassuming village can have much to offer, if you take a careful look around, and that is exactly the case of Fours, situated in the department of Nievre, in between the towns of Decize and Luzy, just 21 kilometers (13 miles) to each town. originally known for glassworks and porcelain, fours now concentrates on its artisans of crystal, various merchants and recently, has focused on more rustic adventures. while tourists can come to fours to happily soak in the calm serenity of the countryside and nearby forests or go fishing in one of the several nearby rivers or lakes, they may also opt for more dynamic activities such as horseback riding, hiking, canoing, or even mushroom collecting. if you do, however, go foraging for mushrooms during the fall, please take someone along with you who is familiar with distinguishing between the edible, collectible mushrooms and the poisonous varieties. for us, the highlight of fours is la ferme de la bonne vie, a farm that sells organic produce, eggs and meats. however, la ferme de la bonne vie has much more to offer. all year-round they provide courses in sustainable farming and progressive methods of animal husbandry (as well as offering NPTC training that leads to obtaining the Certificate of Competence in Basic Stockmanship and Welfare. (which is issued at the farm upon successful results.) the farm is also the international training center for agriculture and smallholders. (ITCAS) if you’re not a farmer, you can still attend their classes on dog training, or on Self Sufficiency. If you’ve been questioning the quality of the food you buy at the markets, on the farm you will see and learn how to produce healthful food yourself – from growing your own vegetables and fruit to even preparing meats. this is a very unique and unsual way to spend vacation time, and well worth it. you can conveniently stay at the farm as well, since they have a self-catering gite (like a b&b but in this case, more like a separate vacation apartment), which can be used as a base when you’re not in class. during free days you can easily access and visit many sites from the farm, when you’d like to explore the surrounding area. La Ferme de la Bonne Vie /ITCAS |
here’s a photo of a 10-week old lulu taken about 6 years ago. no words necessary here – except this is lulu’s contribution to this week’s wdb #20 generously hosted chez something so clever (thanks, alicat!)
click here to enlarge the photo. while wandering around aimlessly one day, something we like to do occasionally, we ran into this french cat with a funny white mustache. he looked strangely human (in a way). this photo was taken in a village called cercy la tour, located in burgundy, france.
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see more cats for weekend cat blogging #35 kindly hosted this week chez eat stuff (thanks!)
Mickaël Rémond from 3pblog was annoyed each time he did searches and found unnecessary (unwanted) listings of the 2007 presidential candidate, nicolas sarkozy, so he developped “SarkRemove” which appears to be the first political plugin for firefox. once installed, sarkremove basically removes all links and references of nicolas sarkozy and the ump, as well as some photos. *poof!* all the unwanted items magically disappear! sarkremove is free to download and licensed under a GPL (general public license) agreement. read more about sarkremove and download the plugin at 3pblog [see related: sarkozy gets the google bomb paris riots sarko spam] |
canadian artist based in montreal, yee creates what he calls “origamic architecture.” his latest work is a new version of point-zero‘s paris cathedral notre dame. with a white paper construction and intricately cut patterns representing the stain-glassed and turret windows, the beauty of notre dame shines through by imposing various lights at different angles. a DIY kit to make notre dame into your own origamic architectural work at home, is available from the artist. (related: papercraft 3d mont st. michel) [via neatorama] |
i don’t find this particularly romantic to be in what is considered one of the most romantic cities on earth, but it’s fun, anyway. the city of paris is allowing people to contribute messages to be displayed on the traffic panels on the highways for valentine’s day. until february 10th, you can submit your message to the city via internet or dictate your message by phone by calling 08 2000 75 75 (.13 euros). you can even select which paris arrondissement (district) where you’d like your message posted. there are 170 panels around the city of paris that will be showing declarations of love and even marriage proposals. if possible, please take pictures of funny messages if you see any (to post them online) but don’t cause any accidents. |
when superbowl time rolls around in france, it’s one of the few times during the year i miss living in the u.s. well, i actually hate football, in fact, i don’t even know who is playing and where they’re playing. i’m not even sure why they’re playing. i’m talking about not being able to participate in any superbowl parties, specifically, the mega-blowout, no hands barred superbowl eat fest my brother throws every year on superbowl sunday. most people go there to actually watch the game and snack (drink) a bit, but i like going to see family and friends and to EAT. superbowl chez my brother involves some serious advanced preparation of fasting a day in order to sample all of the goodies that await the guests. there’s nothing too fancy, afterall, it’s football – but it’s all good. it’s not all the standards since he’s in california, so you will find and expect some japanese, mexican, korean and basically an international mix of food, sort of like what i’ve seen on slashfood lately. (not just potato skins and hotdogs). superbowl sunday is a tradition. me a mi esposo francés: “hey, when people get together to watch a big soccer match in france, do they have parties?” him: “yeah. sure.” me: “do they have beer and prepare lots of snacks like nachos, chili, sandwiches, dip and stuff like that?” him: “uh. no.” him. “wait. they’ll sometimes have beer.” me: “no snacks?” him: ” maybe some chips but not much. they’ll usually have a meal at the table before the game or after but not really eat a lot during the game.” him: “they’re there for the game, not really for food.” me: “why can’t they be there for the game AND the food?” yes, i know. i’m a brat. sometimes i feel that europeans just do not know how to snack. hmmmmm. i wonder. will it always just be a coffee table covered with bowls filled with peanuts, chipsters, smoked ham-flavored bugles, potato chips, cheese twists…you know, some very, very, basic snack food? i need more from snacks on superbowl sunday!! the french don’t pig out quite the same. yet. |
as you approach mont saint michel along a long, winding road, the sight of the jagged, magnificent islet 150 meters above the sea and jutting drastically as if reaching toward the sky, will live in your memory forever. it is a masterpiece that should not be missed when you come to france. there’s a reason why mont saint michel remains the second most visited place in france, next to paris. situated in the gulf of saint-malo, on the northwestern coast of france, it is known as la merveille (the marvel or wonder) and was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. boldly perched atop a rocky granite islet amidst endless sand banks that stretch farther than the eye can see, is a gothic-style benedictine abbey that is consecrated to the archangel, st. michel. the mont is surrounded by water brought in by high tides only twice a year. built from 1020 all the way through the 16th century, mont saint michel is a true and exquisite tour de force, having had to adapt to the technical and natural challenges imposed upon it over such a long period of time. [details about mont saint michel at wikipedia] at the lower levels you’ll find the village with several shops that highly cater to the droves of japanese tourists pouring in by the bus loads. there are actually some fun souvenirs if you look carefully. we showed my mum around france and mont saint michel was one of our stops. it’s a good thing my mum is in good shape because to get to the abbey, you have to climb straight up the mount. it is a great work out. wear good shoes. |
for those people that can’t see the real le mont saint michel, here’s something that will give you an idea of what it (sort of) looks like while providing a craft project. it’s a 3D paper model of mont saint michel! (you can download a guide to make your own model, and there are other french landmarks (arc de triomple, eiffel tower, notre dame) you can also make.) check it out here: canon 3d papercraft mont saint michel mont saint michel trivia: [related links: great buildings asteria the abbey of mont saint michel] |
sig, a norwegian corporate blogger living in the south of france (antibes) posted about how his bank put this gadget out to gauge customer satisfaction. (it asks, “satisfied with our service?”). he admittedly pressed the grumpy face repeatedly, though he still did not have hope for improvement, however. when we lived in the south of france, i have to say that we received similar (grumpy face) service too and if we’d seen this thing, we’d press |
there are so many british people living in the region of dordogne, that french authorities have opened an english-speaking tax office! i find that amazing.
read the article here: how to pay tax in french without tears (financial times)
thought today would be a good day to post a photo of graffiti i saw in nevers, france. i think it was a storage garage for an art studio just in front of it. france is not in short supply of talented street artists and graffiti artists that oftentimes get hired by shop owners in villages and larger cities to design their store fronts. (see graffiti as store facade #1) and graffiti as store facade #2). more to come!
click here to see a larger view
oops. i neglected to mention the other french films nominated for oscars:
in addition to the oscar nomination of march of the penguins, Joyeux Noël (merry christmas) by christian carion was nominated for best foreign film. merry christmas takes place on christmas eve in 1914 during WWI. in an effort to make peace, the french, germans and scottish bury their dead then play football. during this time, four characters meet (a scottish vicar, a french lieutenant, a german star tenor and a danish soprano) which changes their lives forever.
Paradise Now by palestinian Hany Abu-Assad is nominated for best foreign film. it was co-produced by lumen films and arte france cinéma. filmed exclusively in palestinian territories, the film focuses on two young palestinian men who have been friends since childhood. they are both recruited to carry out a suicide bombing in tel aviv. but the operation does not go according to plan and the two friends lose sight of each other. separated from each other and left to their own devices, it’s up to them to face their destiny and stand up for their convictions.
and i do mean that literally. you see, these SUVs from china called, “landwinds” manufactured by Jiangling Motors, have not been able to pass any european crash tests. based on evaluations of the landwind at the frankfurt auto show last september, experts noted that the landwind was poorly assembled, used bottom-of-the-line plastics, had exposed cables – basically a low quality vehicle that is extremely dangerous to drive. the most important factor, however, should be the crash test results. the landwind failed european crash tests but miraculously passes chinese crash tests. (with flying colors of course) the landwind company, however, has declared that they are determined to remedy some of those faults by the time it premieres in france this october. i certainly hope so. |
the models coming to france will be fully equipped: electronic air-conditioning, leather interior, car radio/CD, power-steering, electric sliding sunroof, backup sensor and alloy rims — priced at 15,500 to 20,600 euros ($18,752 to $24,922). Compared to other SUVs, that’s dirt cheap but considering the craftsmanship, cheap materials and labor, but most importantly the CRASH TEST RESULTS — remember: you get what you pay for – and you may end up paying with your life. i hope that consumers can put price tag aside to seriously consider how unsafe this car really is. Please think about the safety of your friends and family. from the words of Ad Vonk, the spokesperson for the Dutch Drivers’s Union (ANWB)… “I have never seen such a dangerous car!” the landwinds are already available for purchase in germany and the netherlands. [via le monde, autoactu and le blog auto] |
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