I woke up this morning with a headache (too much fun at the Chardonnay wine tasting last night) and to dreary skies. Ah, not everything is always roses and rainbows here in Paris. My headache was compounded when I checked my email to find an email from a man who wrote to tell me he doesn’t want to see me again and then another email from a man who wants to fly me to Beirut or the southern Italian Coast for the weekend. Really? Apparently I provoke extremes in men :). Is that an attribute or a fault? *sigh* I do enjoy life being full “of bold colors, no pale pastels””…but, geez, in the amour department some muted hues would be appreciated from time to time (and yes, I purposefully quoted one of our great US Presidents on this eve of France’s very important Presidential election :P). Hmmmm, although Beirut? I do hear it is beautiful…
The weather (and perhaps my current spirit) has thwarted my original plan for today’s scribblings. So instead I think I will do a little parade of pictures from the last 2 weeks that highlight some of my recent activities. Who doesn’t love a parade, right?
Socialist Rally – April 22
The night that the first round of votes came in for the French Presidential election, a friend and I headed to Rue Solferino to join the party outside of the “Parti Socialiste” office. My friend gave me a Hollande campaign button to don, a friendly Socialist youth gave me a green flag with the emblem of of the movement for “Les Jeunes Socialistes” to wave and I bought us 2 French flags for 1Euro each….had our French accent been better no one would have ever guessed we were two free market loving Americans :).
Hollande looking remarkably impassioned.
Hollande didn’t attend our event in Paris as he wanted to receive the results down in south central France in the town of Corrèze where he is President of their General Council. In his stead there was a gigantic screen broadcasting the election news, campaign commercials and candidate speeches. Our favorite chant with the hundreds of other excited folks, “Francios! Presidente!” Imaging me then wildly waving the socialist and republic flags. Oh, we were a spectacle.
News broadcasters from around France and the globe lined up right next to us. We happened to pick a spot right next to CNN’s Paris correspondent, Jim Bitterman. I have actually met him here in Paris before…and now kick myself for not going up to him to re-introduce myself (and of course, now I see him on CNN every 5 minutes!). However, we did accept the interview with the Portuguese radio station. 🙂
If you have 24 spare seconds you can watch the below video I took right after the election results came in. Hollande made history that night being the first non-incumbent to take the majority of votes in the first round of elections.
We concluded the night with a bottle of champagne back at my apartment. The original plan was to uncork it at the assembly and toast the victor…but the idea of a warm living room while watching election coverage in English trumped cold hands and plastic cups among crowds of frenzied socialists. We made the right call.
Tomorrow is the next big night. Sarkozy versus Hollande. The President of the Republic will be decided and my flags are primed for the occasion. Can’t wait! Vive la République! Vive la France!
Antibes avec Les Filles
I was lucky enough to be invited to the Côte d’Azur town of Antibes with 4 French girlfriends this last weekend. The weather may not have been as warm as I would have hoped or packed for, but what the sun rays failed to provide was made up in spades by the warm hearts of my beautiful French friends who welcomed and included me and my feeble French into their lives and vacation. It was really remarkable. Here is just a few pictures of our time together.
Antibes.
We stayed in an apartment that is owned by the parents of Laurie’s fiance. It was steps away from the beach and had a big terrace where we could dine and listen to the cacophony of frogs croaking in the evening.
The water was so clear and blue. Breathtaking.
Me!
The markets in the south were so much more full of great veggies and fruits than what we have here in Paris right now. It was a treat to see.
I didn’t fall in love with this saussison, but I did with some we bought made from sanglier (wild bore!). I have 2 in the fridge right now waiting for my next apero :).
A corner in Old Antibe.
Taking in a little sun…and wine on the beach! Savior-vivre!
L to R: Franciose, Nathalie, Laurie, Tina
From Gauche (Hollande) to Droite (Sarkozy): Jen, Nathalie, Laurie and Franciose. Tina is taking the picture.
Each night we prepared dinner together. We would always start with an apero in the living room or on the terrace (depending on weather) and then move to the dinner table. Each meal was hours long…and just wonderful. I can’t say I was the most verbose of the group…but I did okay:).
My langostine colored skin is a bit detectable in this picture of me next to the sea in the little town of Juan Les Pins. I forgot my sunscreen. Rookie mistake…but understandable the first outing of the year.
La Ville de Nice from the Promenade des Anglais! The sky and sea were exactly what you dream of when you think of the south of France.
Lunch in Nice! We all had fresh seafood dishes.
The amazing Mediterranean Sea!
Last day in Antibes with the storm clouds rolling in. I took this picture as Tina and I were in route to the marché for some final purchases before taking the 5 hour train ride back to Paris .
Dramatic and wonderful colors of the sea before the storm.
During the weekend, Laurie bought a blank message in a bottle for us to throw out to see at the end of the trip. Each us got a little bout to write a voeux (wish) and our email address. In the above picture we are all capturing images of the petit bouteille before it landed itself in its next, much wetter, destination.
So cute! And I did write my voeux in French!
I was asked to lancer the bottle into the sea. The logic was since I was the only one from a foreign land, perhaps if I cast the bottle it would more likely show-up again outside of France.
Only problem…I think we should have removed the sand and seashells from the bottle before the great launch cuz I wasn’t able to see the bottle after it hit the water. I am pretty sure all our voeux are sitting at the bottom of the sea about 10 meters from the platform you see me on above. I guess I won’t be holding my breath for an email from an exotic stranger. It was a little traumatic for us all. Oh well, it didn’t subtract anything from the magic of our time together.
Our next event avec les filles!? Picnic next to the Seine river!
2 Random Pictures
Yes, this is a picture of me…taken by one of my Facebook friends that I have never met outside the virtual world! Lordy!
I knew the guy two tables down looked familiar…and he thought the same of me. So apparently he took this photo to confirm with my photos back on FB :)…et voila! It was a match. He he. So funny…but even more so is my face in this picture as I sit listening to my date wax on about something. It looks a little like I was thinking, “Okay, when is that second glass of rosé going to get here?” 🙂 Ah, no I jest. I am sure I was riveted and highly engaged. I enjoy each new person I meet here…and grateful for their time they share with me. C’est vrai.
I still haven’t really met/talked to the FB friend who took the picture…but, not to worry, we are still friends and have exchanged some really meaningful emails. That counts, right?:).
This little, old Fiat is always parked outside of my apartment, and every time I walk by it I think, “I need a picture of this cute little car with me in my orange coat!” Well, here it is…although next photo opp I am draping myself across the hood.
Time to hit the showers and get ready for dinner at a little bistro in the 20th called Le Baratin. It has been described by Alexander Lobrano in his book Hungry for Paris as a ” type of place that Parisians guardedly share with friends.” I am meeting a girlfriend there who just started online dating in Paris. She will be meeting me after one of these said dates. Ah, good food and good conversation awaits! That will enliven my spirits!
Plan YOUR Adventure: Antibes – Tourism Website Le BaratinParis, 75020, France
