le Nouvel An!

Bonjour tout le monde,
Et un joyeux Jour de l'An.  New Year's Eve is big in Paris.  Michael and I were able to experience the evening about 4 years ago.  We were part of a group of teachers who normally are out of the country with students and chaperones.  However, this time, it was just adults, which made things so much easier (no need to count heads, for one).
Dinner was at the traditional and fun Bouillon-Chartier restaurant.  Normally you have to wait in line to be seated, but we had a reservation.  SO much food, great service, and fun friends made it even better.  Then it was off to "une boite de nuit", a nightclub, where we wore those really funny glasses, counted down to the new year, and kissed our favorite people.  The next morning, seeing as how there are no American football games, the city of Paris was quite quiet and subdued as most folks weren't up yet. While in Paris this summer,we can definitely have a meal at this wonderfully awesome very French restaurant - prices are quite reasonable, aussi!
This time of year in France, as in many European countries, is magical.  The streets are  lined with twinkling lights, the streets are full of families strolling through the still open Christmas markets, and the wonderful odors of chestnuts roasting on kettle drums everywhere you go.
Paris is fun anytime of year, almost like the song "I Love Paris".  Thanks to my travels, I have had the chance to experience the City of Lights in all four seasons.  I think that the fall is pretty good, followed by winter (because I love to wear coats), then the spring and summer in a tie.
Here is a link to an article about all the cool things that are going on in France in 2016.  If you wish to take advantage of some of these suggestions, come with me in June 2016 to Paris and Barcelona.  We will miss the soccer frenzy, but might be able to stroll through the soon to reopen Ritz Hotel.  Then we will go on to Barcelona to enjoy all things Gaudi, experience the Ramblas, taste the sangria and devour all sorts of tapas.

Why visit France in 2016: http://www.thelocal.fr/20151229/why-you-should-visit-france-in-2016
Restaurant Bouillon-Chartier: http://www.bouillon-chartier.com/en/
youtube video - "I Love Paris' sung by Ella Fitzgerald and with beautiful shots of Paris
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGIDwVUbFy4
Information on Paris and Barcelona 2016: http://jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com/

Guess who, Paris , Dec 2012

 Yes, those are the glasses!  The following photo is of a statue of the infamous head butt of Zenadine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup.  The statue was over the top huge, see how small people are.  The statue was in front of the Pompidou Modern Art museum.  Last photo is the Champs-Elysees.

Happy Saint Nicolas Day!

Bonjour tout le monde!
Today is the 6th December, in France that is Saint Nicolas Day.  Primarily celebrated in the eastern part of France, the day is for the children. Often they will put a shoe out by the fireplace, where it will either be filled with candies for the good children, or coal for the bad ones.  In Alsace and Lorraine, Saint Nicolas is often accompanied by the Père Fouettard, who has a whip for the bad kiddies.
I loved to celebrate this day when I was in the classroom, although I must admit that it would often sneak up on me.  I usually reserved the tradition for my upper division classes, in the vain hope that the students would take French 4 just for the food, but of course that wasn't it.  One year, I had a small Christmas tree thanks to my good math teacher friend, Mr. Hagopian.  I told my AP class to make sure to bring a shoe to put by the tree.  Naturally a couple of them forgot a shoe, so I had my "emergency car tennis shoes" on hand and that made it just perfect!  While they took a test (hey, Saint Nicolas day only goes so far on the test calendar), I filled the shoes with a bag of candy that I had put together the night before.  It was pretty fun.
The Christmas holidays last a long time in France, and the 6th of December is just the start.  The different dates include Christmas Eve, celebrated with a midnight mass followed by a meal (Reveillon or Gros Souper) and the adults exchange small presents.  The 25th is a quiet day, after all, there is no Christmas Day football on the television!
December 31 is the Saint Sylvestre, a time to thank those who perform services for you.  Little envelopes containing a small cash gift are given to the butcher, baker, even sometimes the firemen!  Of course there is a party with champagne to bring in the New Year.
Last year, my husband and I were fortunate enough to spend time in Paris between Christmas and New Years.  We had a great time wandering around the city, which was decorated with lights and even Christmas trees in seemingly random spots.  It was crisp, cool, and wonderful.  Down the Champs-Elysées there was a Christmas Fair selling all sorts of cool things that couldn't fit into my suitcase, plus lots and lots of fun stuff to eat, including "barbe a papa", or cotton candy. The streets were filled with families out to see the sights; it was so very nice.  On New Year's Eve, our group went to Bouillon-Chartier, a traditional restaurant, for a fun and very delicious meal.  You should try this place (http://www.bouillon-chartier.com) but if you're a vegetarian, it is not the place for you.
So, enjoy the start to the holiday season!  There is still time to put your shoes next to the fireplace for Saint Nicolas; fill them with candy and enjoy the small pleasures.  Make gingerbread houses, or perhaps just eat the cookies and pretend that you made the house.  Have friends over to help you decorate the tree, or maybe just have them over for some wine while you admire the tree.  Whatever you do for this holiday, have a great time with friends and family.  And don't forget football :)
Joyeux Noel.

The streets at night

Ringing in 2013

In front of the Arc de Triomphe

gift baskets of cheese and goodies

The Champs-Elysees all light up

Baba au rhum - emphasis on the rum...