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Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Parler Comme un Politicien

 Today's post is a 'shaggy dog' story with much meandering. I was in the 16th arr./Passy dragging poor Peter's Paris around to patisseries
 And lunette shops - not at all his usual route since he's into history and architecture. I fell deeply in love with these red glasses(240€). Peter quickly reminded me I would look like...
 French presidential candidate, Eva Joly of the Green party if I got them.
 Which brings me round to how to improve your Fr. I read somewhere listening to French politiciens can have language benefits. They must enunciate and speak slowly so everyone can understand them. If you're lucky, when tuning into Fr2 News, you'll hear a slew of candidates enunciating endlessly. They even provide subtitles!
 Elaine Scholino provides another source of French bla bla bla with her article on TV talk shows in the Times. The French take “le talk show” very seriously. The clash of ideas has been part of France’s national identity for centuries, and the intellectual — almost anyone with an air of gravitas and the confidence to opine on any subject in three points — enjoys a special status in society and a place of prominence on television. Days before France’s presidential election, the country has gone into talk overload, with both serious debates and silly posturing.
 Her link to 'In The Air'/Dans l'Air will provide you with an hours worth of election bla bla to keep your Fr brain stimulated
 Drawing from Dico des Betises
Or finally exhausted with all the bavarder/blab blab blab
 Time to return to the more interesting subject of glasses/lunettes and dogs.
Last October at Cote Vue, 97 rue du bac, on impulse I bought 2 pair of adorb round glasses in scarlette and tortoise for a mere 50. I felt quite pleased with myself but I never wore the tortoise pair. I wondered if I might exchange them for another red pair. The reputation of the French regarding store returns and exchanges preceeds them and it's not good. Just read David Lebovitz and you'll get it.
  Cote Vue could not have be nicer about the exchange, even though I was 5 months late (!) Walking down rue du Bac I felt like I'd climbed Mount Everest. I happened to look in the latest issue of Elle, saw these round sunglasses and made a rdash back to the shop to have a copycat made. Yahoo
 Two major victories in one day surely deserves one madeleine from Patisserie des Reves just next door.
 The same little guard dog was out on rue du Bac comme d'habitude.
 Did you know you can get protective sunglasses (Doggles) for your pet at Chacabo 17 boulevard des Filles du Calvaire, 75003
 Back to the election - in today's Washington Post there's a fun story on the stylish changes the French candidates are putting themselves through with pointers from various Parisian fashion experts. A pair of red specs couldn't hurt M. Sarkozy IMHO.
 Getting back to immersing yourself in Fr, it seems the best route is to drink Alice's potion and get very small.
Here's a touching story by American mom in Paris, Paige Bradley Frost of how her bilingual tots speak better French than she does. Some clever enterpreneur should open a 'Maternelle'/nursery school for us grownups. Sign me up!

20 comments:

  1. What a fun follow-Carol's-stream-of-consciousness post this was!

    I'm off to order Harry a pair of shades...

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  2. I hope that Maternalle for grownups will include those yummy 3-course lunches!
    sign me up too!

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  3. Yours must be one of the hottest and most entertaining "Almost all Politics" blog post around. I vote for Mr. Bruni's red glasses! ;-)

    Being a mother of bilingual kids myself, I have a bagful of "Mom, you'll never learn" stories (started when the eldest was three). And don't let me even thing of the many humiliating moments my kids put me through when asking "Mom, say vegetables!".

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  4. P.S.: My kids surely would not make as many typing errors either!

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  5. What fun! Don't you just adore Passy...so many BP's - beautiful people.

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  6. Lucinda4:00 PM

    Mary Janes...ballerinas..will the French ever grow up?
    Very playful indeed

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  7. Great opening shot, and then the sticker shock! 240 Euros for glasses? Wow!
    Love the guard dog.

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  8. Fantastic post, and I spent ages exploring the links too - thanks for great French-improving ideas. Sarko is immeasurably improved by the red specs - but then he really does need some help, doesn't he. Loved yesterday's YSL studio post too, and most especially your Moujik sketches.

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  9. hahahaha... not sure if listening to politicians is worth my learning French or would it just make me mad?? ((: and you look great with red glasses...ciao Z

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  10. I am an extreme fan of the round glasses - but they do not like me. However, I have recently found that the old cats-eye shape is just the ticket! Must go shopping!

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  11. The politicians may enunciate, but it is almost impossible to tell because the interviewers and others on set have a lovely habit of talking over them. I do believe that they saying "he who speaks loudest wins" is taken literally here! I will say that listening to French television has improved my skill though....:)

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    1. 'I will say that listening to French television has improved my skill though....:)'

      A Ha!
      now this gives me great hope Fleaing!!
      I use these Fr programs as background noise, hoping something will sink into my noggin by osmosis...perhaps it will.
      Enunciation is tres important in France.

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  12. I find your blog very interesting and extremely eye catching with all the photos.. so unique!!! I am glad I stumbled upon it and I have been on my blog more these days so hopefully I can follow you more.. Water colors is one art I have never tried and one that I have always wanted to learn. that is just a side note!!!

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  13. Red is your color. What a good day you were having, but you only had one madeleine to celebrate?? :) I think Annie needs a pair of those red Doggles don't you? I mean after all she IS a Red dog. :))

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    1. Believe me ONE madeleine at Patisserie des Reves equals to about 3-4...very big.
      what size glasses does Annie wear?
      She deserves the best!

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  14. Kim S.6:03 AM

    Thank you for your wonderful Blog
    Always a hoot!!

    Kim S.

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  15. So glad you met Buster! He doesn't speak French (only Dog) ut would pretty much get it if I put on a mean face and yelled "Tu mechant mechant petit chien," or something similar.......
    Your eye glasses post made me smile and remember 1971 when I had perfect eyesight but was so besotted with some charming metal framed lunettes (spied in Paris) that I had them made up for me in plain glass so I could look intellectual......
    now I need to go to Paris again....

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    1. Why do we remember every pair of eyeglasses we ever bought yet forget the important things in Life?

      Buster is the Best. He would be hot hot hot in Paris I know...

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  16. Hi there, just to let you know I've nominated you for a Versatile Blogger award, congratulations xx

    http://ritualsbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/versatile-blogger.html

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  17. The first picture looks yummy! hmmm.

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