Just next to Madonna in Paris, is this adorable rendition of Einstein, carrying a sign, “Love is the answer.”

I saw this street art of an Andy Warholesque hommage to Madonna, and thought I’d share. Photo taken in the Latin Quarter, Paris.

From the telegraph:

France’s reputation for culinary genius has traditionally set the standard to which all other countries aspire. It has always been synonymous with outstanding cooking, with its kitchens as important a part of Gallic culture as its art and language.

Not any more, according to a devastating investigation behind the kitchen doors of restaurants in Paris.

Rather than master chefs and fresh ingredients, restaurants in the world capital of haute cuisine are increasingly relying on microwave ovens and deep freezers to feed their customers, it found.

Industrially produced ready-meals, “flavour sprays” and untrained catering staff are all part of an unsavoury mix which is dragging down standards in French cooking, according to a documentary shown on France’s Canal+ station at the weekend.

It sought to prove that such deception is becoming increasingly common. Using hidden cameras and even searching dustbins, investigators found numerous restaurants trying to pass off third-rate food as the real thing.

Read the full article

Tagline: To smoke is to be a slave of tobacco.

It’s clear that who ever was responsible for this anti-smoking ad for teens in France was in search of shock value. The article from the telegraph says it shocked France, but I doubt that. It’s definitely in poor taste and has a lame sexual innuendo but I believe people here would just do their Gallic shrug and unexcitedly say, “Pffff.” I’m sure these anti-smoking ads will not in the slightest deter teens from smoking, in any case.

Here’s an excerpt from the telegraph:

The adverts, presented earlier this week, show an older man in a suit pushing down on the head of a teenager with a cigarette in her mouth, in a position that suggests oral sex. Another version of the advert shows a teenage boy in a similar position. The accompanying slogan reads: “Smoking means being a slave to tobacco”.

“The campaign trivialises sexual abuse – worse, it implies guilt on the part of the abused,” read one angry comment on the website of “Droits des Non-Fumeurs” (“Non-smokers’ Rights), the organisation behind the campaign.

Droits des Non-Fumeurs said the posters showed neither rape nor abuse, but were meant to shock.
The adverts, which will be published in newspapers and bars, are designed to target young people in France, who are beginning to smoke in increasing numbers despite a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.

Read the full article

Velib bikes are fine and all but ever since trying out a bunch of different kinds of vélo électrique (electric bikes) at an expo a couple of years ago, I can’t go back to regular bikes. It’s not that I’m lazy (ok, maybe I’m lazy at times), it just seems like an obvious choice to have options in life: to pedal or not to pedal, that is the question. The ideal situation for me is to be able to both pedal when I want, then to switch to electric power when I need! Those latter situations being up a hill, on a long, straight stretch of road or when I’m tired. Or perhaps when dire consequences call for it, like being chased by a rabid French poodle. You never know.

This bike folds up all nice and neat so you can just bring your bike “package” with you instead of leaving it outside.

There’s a shop in the 13th arrondissement of Paris that is worth a looksee. Buzibi offers the quintessential vélo électrique for people who might share the same sentiments as I do about riding bikes in general. Purchase one or better yet, rent one at reasonable prices: 5 euros an hour or 49 euros for the weekend. (See the rates for exact pricing and long term rental information.) Or! Go to the vélo électrique store yourself to see all the models and to test drive one and see what you think. I can say with confidence that you will not ever want to go back to the old fashion versions. Vive le vélo électrique!

Buzibi
67 rue, Croulebarbe
75013 Paris France
e-mail: buzibi@buzibi.fr
Telephone: +33 (0)1 47 07 16 75
Metro: Corvisart (13th arrondissement)
Map

The French had to do SOMETHING with all that surplus wine, I guess.

From AFP:

A French court on Wednesday handed out suspended jail terms and hefty fines to 12 wine industry figures for selling millions of bottles of fake Pinot Noir to US wine giant E&J Gallo.

The defendants, including executives from wine estates, cooperatives, a broker, wine merchant Ducasse and conglomerate Sieur d’Arques, were convicted of selling 18 million bottles (135,334 hectolitres) of falsely labelled wine.

The wine was sold under Gallo’s popular “Red Bicyclette” Pinot Noir label, though made from far less expensive grape varieties.

The court in Carcassonne in southwest France, which heard that the accused made seven million euros in profit from the scam, gave them suspended jail sentences of between one and six months and fines from 3,000 to 180,000 euros.

The judge said that “the scale of the fraud caused severe prejudice to the wines of Languedoc in the United States.”

The scandal broke in March 2008 when France’s fraud squad became suspicious during an audit at wine merchant Ducasse.

Ducasse had been buying Pinot Noir at 58 euros per hectolitre when the official market price was 97 euros, and generic local grape varieties were selling for 45 euros.

Meanwhile, the volume of wine from the renowned Pinot Noir grape being sold to Gallo far exceeded the possible supply from the region.

After a year-long judicial investigation, the defendants were accused of substituting wine made from less expensive local grape varieties for the Pinot Noir, which is popular on the American market.

The industry fears that the swindle, which began in 2006 and ended in 2008, could undermine the credibility of fellow French winegrowers.

“If Americans lose confidence in French wine production, particularly the Languedoc region, which is already going through a serious crisis, the consequences could be terrible,” prosecutor Francis Battut told AFP.

Here’s the context from which this dialogue was taken: Dominique de Villepin en visite à la ferme (article in French).

Click here to see more “Dialogues entre…”!

Right about now, when people look out their windows in most of France (and other parts of the world), they’re seeing snow covered trees, houses, streets…well snow covered everything. It’s February, so that kind of weather is not surprising but it’s fairly depressing after a while. So, to cheer some of you up, maybe it’ll be a good time plan a trip to somewhere warm. How about Cannes? It’s not exactly warm there at the moment but in a a short month or two, it should start heating up. This year, will you decide to go the the Cannes International Film Festival in May? How about attending any number of the conferences, trade shows and exhibitions coming up in Cannes like MIPTV or IDEF to name just a few?

It’s probably not too early to reserve a place to stay in Cannes, and if you’re going to the Cannes Film Fest, there’s a very cool accommodation in Cannes, perfect for the celebrity lookiloos. This fully furnished, two-bedroom, luxury apartment for up to three people, not only has gorgeous views of the sea but there’s a terrace with a direct view of the Croisette and the red carpet right in front of the Palais, where the stars line for their close ups! This is ideal for the celebrity star gazers and worshippers.

Back to finding accommodations in Cannes. Born to Host has a long listing of various luxury villas, apartments and yachts to rent while you’re in the City of Luxury whether you’re going to the film festival or not. They will find places for you to stay any time of year, although the best time to visit Cannes, of course, is during warm months.

Born to Host
Email: info@borntohost.net
Telephone: +33 6 37 44 07 44 (Marine) or +33 6 03 44 28 77 (Maurice)
Website: accommodation cannes