France 2022
Old Town Nice, France
16 June 2015
21 April 2015
Paris in 3 minutes
Bonjour tout le monde,
It's been awhile since I've posted. Nothing wrong or major, just busy - but I must get my prioritites straight. So, I will have a longer post very soon (like this week soon) but in the meantime, enjoy 3 minutes of Paris. I know I did.
Paris in 3 minutes
It's been awhile since I've posted. Nothing wrong or major, just busy - but I must get my prioritites straight. So, I will have a longer post very soon (like this week soon) but in the meantime, enjoy 3 minutes of Paris. I know I did.
Paris in 3 minutes
13 February 2015
Staying like a native in Paris
Bonjour tout le monde!
I was given the wonderful opportunity to visit Paris and to stay in an apartment. The last time I was in Paris and lived "like a native", I was 20 and a junior at Stanford. Then, I lived in a boarding house in the 7th arrondissement with some of my Stanford classmates. We had a great time, and I felt like a Parisienne.
This time, our apartment was in the Auteuil village area of Paris, in the 16th arrondissement. My husband and I had the opportunity to stay in this apartment for a special birthday week in Paris, because I did some work for the owner. She lives there part time, and does indeed rent it out. It is a spacious place, beautifully and thoughtfully furnished, with living room, a small study with a desk, a wonderfully huge bedroom with lots of storage and a queen sized bed. The kitchen is big and has all that you need to make dinner if you don’t want to eat out. We might not have used the stove often, but it was lovely to relax every morning with coffee and baguette in our own space. There is also a washing machine, separate dryer, and dishwasher, just in case you need them!
I was given the wonderful opportunity to visit Paris and to stay in an apartment. The last time I was in Paris and lived "like a native", I was 20 and a junior at Stanford. Then, I lived in a boarding house in the 7th arrondissement with some of my Stanford classmates. We had a great time, and I felt like a Parisienne.
This time, our apartment was in the Auteuil village area of Paris, in the 16th arrondissement. My husband and I had the opportunity to stay in this apartment for a special birthday week in Paris, because I did some work for the owner. She lives there part time, and does indeed rent it out. It is a spacious place, beautifully and thoughtfully furnished, with living room, a small study with a desk, a wonderfully huge bedroom with lots of storage and a queen sized bed. The kitchen is big and has all that you need to make dinner if you don’t want to eat out. We might not have used the stove often, but it was lovely to relax every morning with coffee and baguette in our own space. There is also a washing machine, separate dryer, and dishwasher, just in case you need them!
Speaking of need, there is all that you need to live just
like a native. If you want to go food
shopping, there is a rolling shopping cart that will make you feel oh so
Parisian when you venture out to one of the two grocery stores that are close
by. Having that shopping cart made it
much easier to transport the big bottles of water and all the provisions that
we got! You will also need it to check out the local open air market that occurs
twice a week.
One of the coolest things about the apartment is that it is
so close to transportation, both the Metro and the bus. A quick 5 minute walk gets you to either stop
or station, and it was easy to get into the center of Paris! If you need anything to help you navigate
public transportation, you can find it in the apartment – maps, tourist guides,
wifi for downloading the Paris Metro map onto your smartphone before leaving.
Valerie has provided all that you need to have a wonderful experience in Paris,
whether this is your first time, or you’re a veteran Parisian visitor.
What my husband and I really loved was that the apartment
felt homey and cozy, but that there is enough room that keeps you from feeling
crowded. The Auteuil neighborhood feels
just like the village that it used to be; when you stay here, please take the
time to explore that area, too!
We loved this place
and hope to make it our “home away from home” next time we visit. You should check it out, also.
If you are visiting the south of France, she also has a place right in the middle of Aix-en-Provence!
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| Watching the Super Bowl - in the apartment! |
10 February 2015
Le Super Bowl - French Style
Bonjour tout le monde!
There are many things that we American sports fans take for granted. Baseball, basketball, football on television, with the commentator teams that we know and love. So, what happens when we watch an American sport outside the US?
I had the pleasure of watching Super Bowl XLIX on French television. The first thing is that the game came on at midnight in most of Europe, thanks to a six hour time difference. The commentator crew were French, so included in all the usual commentary, these guys also explained the game of American football in between plays. Things like "There are 52 or 53 players on each team, although only 11 are on the field at the same time." They had to talk about how the game was played, and the different positions the players had. About the only position that didn't have to be explained was the quarterback, or perhaps I wasn't paying attention. The fun was when the play was bad. The commentary was usually started with "Oh la la la la la..." (it isn't what most Americans think of, this one is expressed with a tone of disapproval; it's great).
Missng the US feed also meant that we missed the commercials that were shown in the States. But of course now we can get those online, so it was good. We did get the half time extravaganza, and we wondered about those sharks dancing with Katy Perry just like many of you did back here.
By the time the game was over, it was 4 am, and naturally we were pretty bowled over by the last play. The commentators were also flummoxed by that last Seattle play and plenty of "oh la la la la's" were said by the guys. However, we were very very, very tired, so went to bed.
Quel Super Bowl...
There are many things that we American sports fans take for granted. Baseball, basketball, football on television, with the commentator teams that we know and love. So, what happens when we watch an American sport outside the US?
I had the pleasure of watching Super Bowl XLIX on French television. The first thing is that the game came on at midnight in most of Europe, thanks to a six hour time difference. The commentator crew were French, so included in all the usual commentary, these guys also explained the game of American football in between plays. Things like "There are 52 or 53 players on each team, although only 11 are on the field at the same time." They had to talk about how the game was played, and the different positions the players had. About the only position that didn't have to be explained was the quarterback, or perhaps I wasn't paying attention. The fun was when the play was bad. The commentary was usually started with "Oh la la la la la..." (it isn't what most Americans think of, this one is expressed with a tone of disapproval; it's great).
Missng the US feed also meant that we missed the commercials that were shown in the States. But of course now we can get those online, so it was good. We did get the half time extravaganza, and we wondered about those sharks dancing with Katy Perry just like many of you did back here.
By the time the game was over, it was 4 am, and naturally we were pretty bowled over by the last play. The commentators were also flummoxed by that last Seattle play and plenty of "oh la la la la's" were said by the guys. However, we were very very, very tired, so went to bed.
Quel Super Bowl...
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| The snacks were a bit different, too. I tried to record the commentary, but didn' t do a very good job. Just think of French guys talking about our American sport... |
30 December 2014
What you learn when you go to Paris
Bonjour tout le monde!
While I was looking over Facebook, I found this little article (there are others lilke this - perhaps you can create your own, or we can do it together!) about what Americans learn while in Paris...
http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/19-things-americans-learn-come-paris/
I like the one about gerunds - never thought about it before! Le parking and le footing are great examples.
When I was last in Paris, I learned that Parisians do like Starbucks. However, they tend to sit and drink, just like in a regular cafe. I think that only we Americans walk around with the cups. Yes, I have bought a Starbucks cup from Paris; I'm going to get another one, too, the next time I'm there! And remember, go to the bathroom before you leave the store! (If you are really stuck and are around the Opera district, go to the Galeries Lafayette, their bathrooms are clean and cheap)
What is the most interesting thing that you have learned about being in Paris? Respond in the comments below.
Happy New Year!
While I was looking over Facebook, I found this little article (there are others lilke this - perhaps you can create your own, or we can do it together!) about what Americans learn while in Paris...
http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/19-things-americans-learn-come-paris/
I like the one about gerunds - never thought about it before! Le parking and le footing are great examples.
When I was last in Paris, I learned that Parisians do like Starbucks. However, they tend to sit and drink, just like in a regular cafe. I think that only we Americans walk around with the cups. Yes, I have bought a Starbucks cup from Paris; I'm going to get another one, too, the next time I'm there! And remember, go to the bathroom before you leave the store! (If you are really stuck and are around the Opera district, go to the Galeries Lafayette, their bathrooms are clean and cheap)
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| I am always in a Paris frame of mind... |
What is the most interesting thing that you have learned about being in Paris? Respond in the comments below.
Happy New Year!
22 December 2014
A year in review
And a very Merry Christmas to you (as well as Meilleurs Voeux).
At this time of year, there is always something that appears on Facebook which allows the user to have a few photos that fit into their template. I decided this year to do my own thing here - no template for me!
2014 started out with friends and family all here to celebrate Stanford's football team in the very last Rose Bowl as it was known. Stanford was in the very first and the last - losing each time. That stung, but having my dad, husband, daughter and son in law, plus my Stanford family including nieces and significant others; well, that is priceless. We also made a couple of trips to the Bay Area to visit, attend games, and otherwise spend time with my "twin" sisters Jan, and Teri (when she comes down from Oregon).
Tutoring is fun - I really enjoy working with my students. Right now, I have some weekly clients, which makes life really fun as I can see them make progress in French, and get to know the students well. I had to say goodbye to a couple of my steady students as they finished their high school French careers. After all, we saw each other every week for almost a year and a half, summers excepted. Some students decide that they have had enough, and drop the class; me, too. Ah, the life of a tutor...
I have not traveled enough this year, although I did make it to France once, with a wonderful group of women. We went to Nice, Avignon, stayed in Aix-en-Provence (where I had dinner with a former student), and finished up in Paris. I have been to the City of Lights innumerable times, but this time I took one of those "Hop on, Hop Off" buses. It was tons of fun, even for this experienced "Parisian"! Hopefully in 2015, there will be more travel to see both new and old friends, places and things.
I also got to help a very wonderful and awesome woman plan her 3 week trip to France - next time I go with Michael, we are going to try some of the things that I helped her do - dinner on the Seine, new and different museums, a couple of tours, plus walking the Parisian equivalent of the High Line.
Well, this isn't everything, but it's good enough for right now. I want to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, filled with love, fun, friends and family. Whatever you wish for, may you recieve it in abundance.
Happy New Year!
PS - if you need tutoring in French, help with grammar and proofreading in English, or help planning that perfect trip to France, I'm available ! (see the pages on this blog)
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| With my fabulous husband and favorite travel partner |
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| With Stanford Head football Coach David Shaw at Stanford Connects in Pasadena, CA |
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| The girls of Thanksgiving |
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| Christmas 2013 |
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| Celebrating Daddy's 96th birthday |
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| The window of my favorite ballet shoe store in Aix-en-Provence. |
01 December 2014
It's Cyber Monday, and I have some specials!
Bonjour tout le monde!
I am jumping on the Cyber Monday bandwagon with a couple of specials from Bonjour Jacki!
I am jumping on the Cyber Monday bandwagon with a couple of specials from Bonjour Jacki!
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