Cassis and Calanques

Bonjour tout le monde!
Spring starts tomorrow, and for some of you in the eastern part of the US, it can't come too soon.  We have been very dry out here in California, and have missed the rains that usually come in January and February, even March.  It is enough to drive some to drink, maybe something like a kir, which is white wine and cassis, a liqueur.  The red syrup is made from blackcurrants (cassis), and comes from either Dijon or Bordeaux, but not from Cassis, en Provence.

"Qu'a visit Paris, se noun a visit Cassis, pou dire: n'ai ren vist" - He who has seen Paris and who has not seen Cassis can say...I have seen nothing."

These words by Frederic Mistral (Nobel prize winner, literature, 1904), talk about the lovely town of  Cassis.  Cassis is located east of Marseilles in the Provence region.  It has been inhabited since 500 BC and is a fishing port. Rebuilt for the most part in the 18th century, the town is well known for its beautiful architecture and winemaking (but not the liqueur).  It is also celebrated for its calanques, steep walled inlets and bays that dot the region.  The most popular way to visit these beautiful inlets is by boat in the spring and the fall. 

Cassis is one of the towns that we will visit on our tour of Paris, Provence and the Riviera.  We will spend a beautiful part of the day walking through the town and then taking a ride through the calanques.  Although we might not have a kir, we will be able to buy the regional wine (an appellation known for its whites, along with reds and roses) and perhaps buy a tablecloth or two!

There is time, but not much, to reserve your spot on an awesome trip this fall to the south of France and Paris.  You are also invited to bring a friend; they don't have to live in the LA area.  

Visit jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com to see the entire itinerary.  There is still time to make payments, but don't wait much longer!  Space is limited.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to contact me: jacki.williamsjones@gmail.com.  
See you in Nice in September!

the beautiful waters of a calanque

The port 

Back at Stanford. All Right Now.

Bonjour tout le monde,
This past weekend I was back at Stanford for a meeting of class correspondents. One of the things we did during the meeting was come up with  6 word stories; hence the title of this post.  What about your 6 word story?  Try yours on for size in the comment section!
Most of the time when I'm on campus, I am only around the football stadium, the parking lot field, the Band Shak  and alumni building. This time I got to see more of the campus.  Man, there is pretty much an entire new school!  But it's all good. Things have changed so much since I was a student - there is the Engineering Quad right behind the original, the Bing performance hall, plus a beautiful Cantor Museum with the Rodin Garden (ah, the Gates of Hell). But while the outside might continue to change, what doesn't change is the student body and alumni that really make Stanford a special place to be and to be from.  So, my batteries are charged for a little while more, and I continue to be a proud Cardinal.

part of the Gates of Hell in Rodin Garden

D school wagon - so cool

nothing need be said here, love the perspective

Paris is for lovers all year round!

Bonjour tout le monde,

I am just a little late to celebrate Valentine's Day, but many believe that honoring one’s love should be a daily event.  With that in mind, I thought that I would highlight a few places in Paris that will help anyone “fête l’amour” in the City of Lights (and love).

Not a lot of money?  That is easy – just go to any small grocery store to buy a bottle of wine, a baguette, plus some really cool cheese.  Fruit would be good, also.  Then take a walk along either side of the Seine, find a cool place to stop, and have a picnic!  If you do this between the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, then you can also wave to the sightseeing boats that cruise up and down that part of the river. 

While walking along the river, be sure to stop at the Pont des Arts.  This is a pedestrian bridge that was first built in 1804, closed in 1970, then reengineered and reopened in the 1980s.  Since then, this bridge is a magnet for lovers who wish to seal their love with a lock.  Amorous couples bring a lock to the bridge, write their initials and perhaps a little saying, secure the lock on the bridge and throw the key into the Seine.   If you weren’t prepared with a lock, the bouquinistes who sell second hand books now also sell locks and have Sharpies at hand for writing!

Montmartre has exceptional views of Paris, as well as one of the most beautiful churches, Sacre Coeur.  Take the metro, then walk up all the steps to see Paris laid out before you in all its beautiful splendor.  Too lazy or not able to climb all 250+ stairs?  There is a funicular nearby that can take you to the top for just one metro ticket.  After enjoying the view, wander around the Place du Tertre, which is where all the aspiring artists congregate to paint a picture of you.  There are also some really cool cafés and restaurants in the square – our favorite café is Chez Eugène; when Michael and I are there, we always stop for a beer or a glass of wine.

This hotel is located in a passage 

Paris in the rain can be quite lovely, but what if wandering around wet isn't your thinng?  Try strolling through the covered passages that traverse sections of Paris.  These passages are lined with stores, shops restaurants, and sometimes hotels.  Even if it isn't raining, these passages are ideal spots for visiting some unique boutiques and for feeling that you two are alone in such a busy city.  Our favorite passage is the Passage Panoramas: entrances 11/13, boulevard Montmartre/38, rue Vivienne/151, rue Montmartre.  It's about 400 feet long.
What is your romantic Parisian spot?  You can find it when you travel with me September 18-27 to Paris, Provence and the Riviera.  Check out the itinerasry at jackiwilliams-jones.grouptoursite.com.  If you are unable to travel with me this year, please forward this to those who might be interested.  Merci beaucoup!

I love LA! (key music here!)

Bonjour tout le monde!
This morning, my husband and I took our dog for a walk.  We left rather late, well, in my mind we did.  As we walked up the hill, we encountered others who were out walking also, we exchanged "Morning"s, and even had a conversation with a neighbor who was taking a friend to the airport.  It was a good thing we were there, those suitcases were rather large and heavy!  Michael was a big help to the ladies.
When we got to the top of the hill, we decided to cross La Brea and go up into Kenneth Hahn Park.  As you can see from the cheesy selfie that we took that we have an awesome vantage point from which to see almost all of LA.  If we had turned the other way, you would have seen the ocean.
I love where I live.  When I look out of the window, I see not only the house across the street, but trees, hillside, and tons of birds.  We even have a pair of hawks who fly in circles over the palm trees with their piercing cries.  We are so blessed to have caring neighbors, gorgeous views (well, OK, just so so views from the top of our backyard), and we are 20 minutes away from many places in Los Angeles.
And I know that it looks very nice, but we could use some rain and snow in the mountains.  That said, stay warm my Eastern friends and family.

Sunset in Marina del Rey

See downtown in the background?

The Hollywood sign on the left - Griffith Park Observatory on the right

Cheesy selfie - Coffee was not happy

she is only mildly happier here

Steps into the Park; now there is an exercise track!

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...

Thanksgiving

Bonjour tout le monde,
My October was pretty special; the Band's 50th Anniversary during Reunion Homecoming Weekend was full of fun and family.  Being a part of an historical panel was awesome, and you would think that nothing could surpass that honor.  Wrong!
In my November, there was a lot happening.  Our daughter Charisse got married to a wonderful young man. So, as soon as we got back from Stanford, I was plunged into final wedding planning and a lot of driving around the Los Angeles area.  Since the bridal couple and his family live outside the area, we had lots to do! Pick up stuff here, last minute runs there, making welcome bags for the hotel guests, dinner with the soon to be in-laws, getting the dress after it was delivered to my dad's house!  Our living room was awash in wine bottles (yum), delivery boxes, one very cute chalkboard, and lots of stuff from Costco. The ladies got together for mani-pedis and had lunch in Venice. It was a wonderful time.
The wedding morning was great.  I got up and showered before heading out to the hotel, where all the ladies got their hair and makeup done.  We then piled into cars to head out to the wedding venue.  Charisse's dress took up its own seat in my SUV, as well as part of the back deck area, and I made my way out to the Pacific Palisades with it, Charisse, plus Dave's mother, sister and nephew.  The day was beautiful and sunny, just as we had predicted and hoped.
A couple of glitches, which included a stuck passenger coach on a speed bump, made for a bit of stress, but all turned out well.  The most fun?  The flower girl.  She and the ring bearer managed to look adorable coming down the stairs, and then she just took off running.  But isn't that the job of the flower girl?
It has taken a few weeks to come down from the wedding high.  My office is full of wedding left overs, and even my dad is housing a few of the decorations that were at the reception.  The kids had a wonderful honeymoon and are now back in NYC trying to fit all the new stuff into a small space.  Yep, the wedding was perfect.

The flower girl photobombs the picture - thanks to Jeff Newsom (www.voltronofawesomness.com) for this awesome scene

Help me fill out my tutoring schedule!