^{[photo courtesy of chaojikazu]}

The news about the man infected with a rare form of extremely contagious Tuberculosis (TB!) has been abuzz for a couple of days now - and it got weirder and weirder. I’d wanted to post about it because although he was advised to stay home and not travel, he traveled anyway and was on a flight from Atlanta to Paris and has most possibly infected passengers on that plane (May 12, Air France, Flight 385). The story weirdly continues as he’s later reported to have flown from Paris to Athens (to get married), then Athens to Rome (for his honeymoon), then he and his new wife escaped avoided the Italian health authories who were on their way to his Rome hotel by flying from Rome to Prague. Then, they flew from Prague to Montreal , Canada (because his passport had been redflagged in the U.S. - May 24 Czech Air Flight 104), then they drove from Montreal to New York in a rental car - but then flew from New York back to Atlanta (in a CDC Jet). The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is concerned that he’s infected quite a number of people on those flights, not to mention his WIFE! and the people who were in close proximity to him at any of those locations and everything in between! The CDC recommends that passengers near the infected man receive TB tests as a precaution. (Airlines will be contacting those passengers.)

As an alarmist and paranoid person, I can’t help but realize that he was in Rome the same time as we were!!! Why didn’t he just stay put?! Geez.

UPDATE: It turns out that this guy’s father is a microbiologist specializing in rare TB cases at the CDC! Let’s guess where he contracted the disease … Oh and the guy has apologized. Pff.

Links: TB Patient Passengers Sought in Tuberculosis Probe, US Seeks Fliers Possibly Exposed to Rare TB, AJ

Too cute prints ads “Don’t let smells mix” for Brandt Refrigerators - created by ad agency, DDB, Paris, France - Executive Creative Directors: Sylvain Thirache, Alexandre Hervé, Head of Art: Sophie Mégrous, Art Director: Martin Darfeuille, Copywriter: Edouard Pérarnaud.

“You cheer my heart, who build as if Rome would be eternal.”
- Julius Caesar (63 BC - 14 AD)

I think Rome might possibly be better than Paris. I know. Those are fightin’ words. Maybe I’m still under the magical spell of one of the most amazing cities EVER (Rome, that is), but for the life of me, I can’t help but wonder why the hell on earth Paris is the most visited city in the world, while Rome is in a distant 5th place? That totally baffles the mind. Rome RULEZ - and Paris is totally overrated!!!!!

I hear gasps worldwide coming my direction. Pfff. Bring it on…

This opinion is based on my one week holiday in Rome, which isn’t very long, I realize - while I actually have spent much more time in Paris as a resident. Perhaps if I lived in Rome, I might have the “honeymoon is over” syndrome? Who knows. For now, this is what I think, and I’m sticking to it.

Rome is better than Paris. Why? How?

- Much much more history in Rome.
- Stunning monuments and ancient ruins practically everywhere you go in Rome.
- Friendly locals in Rome. Um, Paris? hahahaha.
- Better coffee in Rome, hands down.
- The weather in Rome kicks Paris’ ass. So very much.
- The Pantheon, The Arch? THE Originals are in Rome!
- Rome has less POO on the sidewalks.
- Rome doesn’t smell like pee probably because guys in Italy use the toilets instead of walls and alleys.
- Michaelangelo.
- Leonardo da Vinci.
- The food in Rome was consistently excellent. Yes, you heard me correctly.
- Happier atmosphere.
- The ocean is nearby.
- Great seafood.
- Beauty is everywhere.
- Italian is prettier than French. hee!
- Rome is more relaxed.
- Cafe waiters are nice! OMG what a concept, right Paris?
- I gotta say this: Rome has less B.O.
- Gelato
- Cars stop for pedestrians in Rome.
- The Slow Food movement was founded in Rome.
- The Coliseum in Rome was built in 8 years. How long would it take in Paris?
- No bisou politics. A simple one kiss on each cheek in Italy ‘cept starting on the left side.
- Oh please. This list would take me years to complete.

In defense of Paris, I’ll offer these things: 1) Paris is quieter; 2) Paris has more wifi access; 3) Paris pastries are better except perhaps a simple panna cotta ai frutti di bosco; 4) transportation is more extensive but so what; 5) Paris’ marketing is better, which is why so many more people around the world have been brainwashed believe it is the most beautiful city on earth; 6) Parisian women dress better than Roman women; 7) Paris has more cheese.

Salve, Roma!

[A BIG thank you to our friends at Rome Apartment Rentals - Hi Fabrizio!]

He wears a feathered Chief’s headdress (commonly worn by Native American Indian Chiefs), lives in a teepee without running water or electricity in The Vosges, and goes by the name, “Loup Solitaire” (Lone Wolf) but his real name is François Grossi - and he’s running for a seat in France’s National Assembly.

He seems kind enough, being quoted as saying that if he was elected, he’d fight against injustice, he won’t doing anything evil, and he’d sit in the last row inside the National Assembly so as not to have his feathers bother other members. Nice.

Read the article (in French)

^{[merci, solitaire friends!]}

Festivals in France start to heat up in May then continue throughout the summer, but I’ve been on vacation (in Rome, which is no less than fabulissima, if that is a word. I don’t think it is but you get what I mean.) so I’m a bit behind in my search for food for the soul divertissements in France.

When I hear the words, “France” and “Country Music” in the same sentence, I’m convinced that this combination of words is a mistake. But just because country music is surely not food for MY soul, I do (I really do!) appreciate that millions of others find rapture and bliss in it.

And so (yes, this is going somewhere I swear.) I found something quite unusual, thanks to a conversation.

Recently, I asked my dad-in-law if he wanted me to get him something while I’m in New York next month. After a minute of thinking, he asked me to get him a hat from Dallas.

Me: “But. I’m going to New York. You’d like a hat from Dallas that I can buy in New York? Should I simply order online from a hat store in Texas and have it delivered?”

Dad-in-law: “Not the city of Dallas, la serie!”

Me: “OH! That show from the 90s?” (I’m not really sure when that aired but it had to air in France later after some dubbing time.)

Him: “I want a hat like JR.”

Long silence.

Me: “oooooOOOOoooo K…..”

I’d actually never watched that show but it was apparently La Serie (capital L capital S!) en France - so I had to do a little searchy to see what kind of hat ole JR wore - which brings me to this weird festival in France.

The Festival de Country Music in Mirande, France is a 5-day long celebration of all things country, including but not limited to special appearances by the cast of Dallas (Patrick Duffy, Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Steve Kanaly and Charlene Tilton), lots and lots and LOTS of country music (16 hours per day, 73 concerts), dancing, hot air ballooning and more. Yeeeehawww! It’s the biggest country music festival in Europe and last year alone, 160,000 people attended. That’s really big for Mirande, which is a tiny village in southwest France (in Gascony between Pau and Toulouse) of 4,000 inhabitants.

Ready for the event? Then, saddle up and saunter over to southwest France. Don’t forget your cowboy boots, spurs, hat, (of course) and fuzzy chaps!

Festival de Country Music
Mirande, France (Gascogne)
July 11 - 15, 2007
Website: Mirande Country Music Festival

I only ask because I now know a lot of farmers and “gentlemen” doesn’t really come to mind…

Mother of 7 children throws herself under a train because her youngest daughter (19 years old) wanted to marry an American marine.

God forbid! Her daughter marry an American!? NON!

I wonder if her daughter married the guy…

It’s La Nuit des Musées (Museum Night) tonight, which means many museums and events all over France and Europe will be free of charge. The events also include theater and dance performances, concerts, workshops, expositions, food tasting, lectures and special screenings. There are over 1500 events tonight in France alone! Check your local listings to find out who is participating in this event.

Find some events now

Moulins, France

[from Mike Collett-White at Reuters]
“As far as opening films to the Cannes Film Festival go, Chinese director Wong Kar Wai’s “My Blueberry Nights” was a risky business all round. Wong was directing in English for the first time, and set his story in the United States, unfamiliar territory. He also cast singer Norah Jones as the central character, an ambitious screen debut if ever I saw one. She took the plunge having seen only his acclaimed “In The Mood For Love”, and ….”

Read the full entry

Having nothing to do with travel but everything to do with France (albeit a France from the 50s), I thought this merited at least one blog post.

While some would find it to be just trash, we thought this old newspaper was a little treasure from the past, a peek into French life 50 or so years ago - and well, who doesn’t think that some found objects rule? I absolutely adore finding old newspapers (unless there’s something vile on it like poo or vomit). It doesn’t have a date on it but I think it’s from the 50’s based on the content. I’ll be posting little bits and pieces of it in the next few days.

YAY! I was SO HAPPY that the comics page was intact (click on the photo to enlarge it). Here’s a comic strip that was actually adapted from a book by the short story writer, Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) called, Notre Coeur. I guess France back then (at least in the comic strip world) was pretty literary; I mean, there’s a lot of text and it’s hard to compare it to contemporary comic strips of today. I wonder if kids back then even liked this comic strip. It’s not as fun as Calvin and Hobbs, afterall. Anyway. The actual book, Notre Coeur was published in 1890 and was Maupassant’s last book published while he was still alive. It’s a love story. But of course!

To read the free ebook of Notre Coeur by Guy de Maupassant, download it here. (from La Bibliothèque électronique du Québec)

Francis Cabrel‘ (one of my faves) is consolidating 30 years of his music career into 37 songs, 2 of which are newly recorded and have never been heard before. The new CD plus bonus DVD (limited edition) will be available next month (June 4) at Fnac, Virgin Megastore, and for those not afraid of DRM, you can purchase and download it online at iTunes.

Related links:
French Music for Francophiles
Les Beaux Dessins
Francis Cabrel, The “Bob Dylan of France”

Will you be traveling to Paris but don’t want to be bothered with taking the requisite souvenir “money shot” photos of our lovely City of Light? Ne t’en fais pas. Don’t worry about it and let an up and coming artist do the dirty work for you. Buy this $85 disposible camera already loaded with 27 photos of Paris. (Each photo costs about $3) You just need to develop them. Who are these up and coming artists? I don’t know. What are the photos of? When were they taken? Not very many details are revealed on the web site, but that is the beauty of this project. Every camera is uniquely different. Will you have that feeling of childlike anticipation upon opening the envelope with your just developed treasures of Paris? Nevermind that you may not have gone to some of the places on the photos. I think the idea is perfectly novel. (I might not even mention that disposible cameras are not ideal for the environment.)

From Up To You Toronto

A Parisian pastry chef etoilé (he won the “Best Artisan Patissier in France” award) transplanted himself to Burgundy and just recently opened up shop! (more about him later when I have more info :))

He created this lovely and delicious pastry, chou à la vanille, a pastry puff filled with vanilla cream (you can see the vanilla beans inside) and topped with a glaze. The colorful, chocolate-covered rice puffs sprinkled on top adds further visual and textural dimensions to the whole pastry. C’est a dire, it’s pretty and yummy.

Related: More French Pastries

It all started chez Mr. Pott, the Potter. (Yes, that is his real name.) We were being led to the kiln where all his creations cook down to their glorious art forms. As we wandered along the winding path, a putrid cloud of fumes wafted toward me and overwhelmingly assaulted my nose. I was certain I was going to puke. It was nauseating. If you can imagine an effluvious melding rotten cat vomit with sewage after a 5-week long, city-wide bout of extreme irritable bowel syndrome, (aka The Runs) then that is what it smelled like.

Ahead of us, Mr. Pott turned around abruptly to warn us of the smell. “Thanks for the warning,” I said, as I repressed projectile vomiting a gag. He apologized and told us it was his purin d’orties. (nettles “manure” or fertilizer. It’s nettles soaked in rainwater.). I’d never heard about it. He mentioned that it not only was a natural insecticide that works but it was also a nutritious fertilizer “tea” for garden vegetables.

Upon further research, I found out that nettles is somewhat of universal super miracle ingredient being beneficial (even curative) to allergies and health problems, as well as serving as sort of a magical elixer in the garden. You can also cook it like spinach for a vitamin rich delish potage or other dish. There are undoubtedly endless uses for this undeservedly maligned weed.

I decided to try to make some purin d’orties too. Here’s my batch. It doesn’t stink yet as it needs to brew for a few more weeks. I’ll probably cover it when we start to smell something funky.

The shocking information that I stumbled on, however, was that selling purin d’orties is strictly prohibited in France. Um. You can’t sell water soaked in nettles? That is weird. In addition to that, it is now illegal to publish information on purin d’orties in France. But! It is ok to use purin d’orties that you make at home. (This proves that it is safe to use, but how the heck can you get info if it’s illegal to publish details about it??!) Strange Strange Strange. Not to mention RIDICULOUS. While we’re on the subject of ridiculousness, I also found out that it is illegal in France to publish that hot water kills weeds in alleys. I’m not kidding. It’s a good thing my blog lives on a U.S. server.

In any case, as we all know, evil takes on many forms. Evil can be ridiculous and quite often is, as we’re witness to today. Evil can look at you straight in the eye, lie with a smile and you wouldn’t even know it was lying. Evil can be a weed killer company, a pesticides/fertilizer company, a seed company. Maybe they’re all the same company?

As we might be able to surmise by now, there are only a few usual suspects responsible for this kind of heinous legislation: government (Le ministère de l’Agriculture) and the fertilizer industry (which includes the pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical, pesticides, seeds and GMO industries). And for good measure we might as well throw in the other evil industries: the oil industry, which is the same as the plastics industry and the food industry. They are all bad, bad, bad to the core. This is no exception. It looks as though the industry has lobbied the government (in other words: paid dubious amounts of cash to the agriculture minister and other officials) to pass this most subversive of laws for the benefit of the company whilst being detrimental to the earth and consumers. Anyway. As one of the most destructive industries, they are endangering the health of this planet, and its inhabitants. How much more unscrupulous and unethical can they get? I’m sure they’ll never fail to have something else up their sleeves.

Back to the case of nettles. Nettles fertilizer is so effective that it’s probably better than anything you can buy at the garden store. But it has so many more uses. How do people love nettles? Let them count the ways: 1) Dilute your nettles fertilizer “tea” and spray it on your plants for a safe insecticide that knows how to get rid of the bad bugs and keep the good ones (especially good for veggies like tomatoes); 2) If sprayed, it will also be a foliar fertilizer rich in iron, vitamin C, nitrogen, beta-carotene, B complex vitamins, phosphorous potassium, oligoelements, enzymes, chlorophyll, magnesium, calcium, silica, iodine, and amino acids. You can also enrich the soil by directly watering the ground around your plants; 3) The diluted fertilizer is known to stimulate your plants immune system, building their resilience to diseases and insects; 4) Undiluted nettles tea is a very impressive natural weed killer that will not harm your health, the soil or the environment; 4) Nettles leaves are also a great addition to the compost heap being rich in nitrogen they provide the fuel for the bacteria to accelerate the break down of the more “brown” compost; 5) Dry the nettles leaves to make an infusion tea that will give you an iron boost if you’re feeling run down. This tea is also a safe, gentle diuretic—considered restorative for the kidneys and bladder, and used for cystitis and nephritis. 6) As an expectorant, it’s recommended for asthma, mucus conditions of the lungs, and chronic coughs. Nettle tincture is also used for flu, colds, bronchitis and pneumonia; 7) Nettles are a traditional food for people with allergies as they are filled with formic acid, histamine, acetylcholine, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine), plus unknown compounds; 8.) Nettle tea compress or finely powdered dried nettles are also good for wounds, cuts, stings, and burns; 9) Other uses include treating gout, glandular diseases, poor circulation, enlarged spleen, diarrhea, and dysentery, worms, intestinal and colon disorders, and hemorrhoids. 10) Eating nettles or drinking the tea makes your hair brighter, thicker and shinier, and makes your skin clearer and healthier—good for eczema and other skin conditions.

Last Note: Strangely, there is no mention of the garden uses of Nettles in Wikipedia. Hmmm.

Sources and Related Links:

Round-up is a descendent of Agent Orange
Ex Monsanto Executives now in the Bush Administration
Interdiction d’informer sur les phytosanitaires naturels non-homologués
Nettles
How to Make Nettles Fertilizer Tea/Insecticide

The French are notorious for known to lean toward consuming beef on the raw side, if not entirely raw (steak tartare), and if you’d like your steak um, cooked, you’ll be out of luck in France. Sometimes I ask for something bien cuit (well done) much to the cringing embarrassment of my French company and to the chagrin of the waiter, who, without fail, will roll zee eyes. (Puh-lease tell me why bien cuit even exists as a choice if people aren’t supposed to ask for it??!) I actually don’t like my steak well done, I like it medium rare, but the scales tip a whole ‘nother way in France (like, everything is RAW) and so if I order something well done, if I’m lucky, I’ll get something to my liking: medium rare.

A couple of days ago at a restaurant when my sweetie ordered a steak with pepper sauce (there’s no shortage of the omnipresent steak with pepper sauce in France), he expected the waiter to ask how he wanted it cooked. Instead the waiter, strangely giving him only 2 choices asks, “Bleu ou Saignant?” (Bleu means practically raw after having been faintly cooked for literally 2 seconds in a pan, saignant is cooked ever so slightly longer than bleu but is still bloody rare) Pause. As I murmur under my breath ewwww, he answers, “Neither.”

Standing back, the waiter’s eyes widen, as if gasps were coming from his eyelids.

He completes his statement and adds that he wants his steak, “à point.” (this is “rare” to me but medium rare to French people.)

The waiter exhaled as if relieved.

***

While we’re on the subject here are some translations of beef parts to help you while ordering steak in French restaurants:

bavette d’aloyau - London broil, skirt, hanger
bavette de flanchet - flank steak
châteaubriand (or cœur de filet) - chateaubriand
entrecôte - rib-eye steak or rib steak
faux-filet (or contre-filet) - sirloin strip, sirloin, New York steak
filet (or tournedo) - filet, tournedo, filet mignon
filet mignon - filet mignon
rumsteck (or pavé) - top round, top sirloin, London broil

[photo courtesy of Tom Harpel]

As many have mentioned before, the “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (The Most Beautiful Villages in France) should be on the To-Visit List. However, off the beaten track, apparently, and not to be missed are also Les Plus beaux Panneaux de France. These are the most beautiful signs and village names in France according to a kooky blog called Le Voyage de Jénorme. Some very funny signs, indeed.

Les Plus beaux Panneaux de France

Somebody give the president of France a box to stand on!!

The first round of the presidential elections annihilated took away much of my enthusiasm for France, unfortunately - and now after the 2nd round, well, everyone knows that Sarkozy has been elected the president of France. This is history. This is remarkable. This is scary.

Of course, I’d still be complaining if Segolene was elected. She quite possibly would’ve been scarier than Sarko. Oh well.

The weird thing is that Sarko has already declared his first fight: Global Warming. That’s his first priority. Where did THAT come from? Left field? Isn’t that bizarre? I’m not complaining as a person very concerned about the environment. Ok, yes I’m complaining here only because his statement makes little sense to me given his previous dialogue on NUCLEAR energy. He is very much for the 3rd generation nuclear power plants. He says they are “CLEAN” but that could not be farther from the truth. What the hell is he thinking? They are not clean at all. They produce nuclear WASTE, which needs to be “treated.” He says they “recycle” the waste, but that is a lie. They actually reprocess it, which is not a CLEAN process, whatsover - even if they can produce renewable energy with it.

The other thing (though there are many more things) is that he is very much pro-OGM (Genetically Modified Organisms). Maybe he thinks it might be good if France grows lots of OGM colza or corn or whatever - to produce cheaper local food and/or biofuel or ethanol. That will be seemingly a good thing. Admittedly, biofuels could help the quality of air, as well as reduce France’s dependence on imported oil (gasoline), but at the same time cause extreme, irreparable harm to the soil on which these crops are planted - not to mention as well, being completely dependent on the companies providing the OGM seeds. You see, unlike regular unmodified seeds, OGM seeds need to be bought every year or every time during planting season. Unmodified seeds, if any exist anymore, don’t make farmers dependent on OGM companies like Monsanto, because they can use their crops to produce their own seeds for their next season. You know, like nature intended. OGM is lightyears away from “natural” and doesn’t work that way, AND it completely alters the soil and biodiversity in detrimental ways. I wonder, does Sarko realize that OGM is directly related to harming the environment (as well as endangering the food supply and causing fatal diseases in animals and humans)? Do you also wonder: has Sarko already made a deal with the devil Monsanto?

Someone please get Sarko a copy of Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma - and fast before it’s too late!

Someone must have read my blog post (or at least the comments from that post) exactly one year ago when I wrote about France’s Labor Day, a non-working national holiday, La Fête du Travail. I got these cute muguets / Lilly of the Valley flowers this morning and like the sticker says, they should bring me good luck. I actually planted some in the garden last November so we do have some of the muguets nearby but only some of them have blossomed.

If you haven’t yet gotten your sweetie some muguets and you’re in France, you won’t have any difficulty finding these delicate, fragrant blossoms; people are selling them everywhere. However, what I recommend is getting flowers that still have their bulbs, just like the one I received this year. That way, you can plant them in your garden or in a pot and they will come back next year.