5. For the first three to five days of the diet, don’t exercise.
This are five suggestions included in Dr. Dukan’s bestseller diet book Je ne sais Pas Maigrir (I don’t Know How to Get Thin)
(Sounds like the perfect diet for Amsterdam’s Red Light district denizens!)
Summer is over and it’s time to do damage assessment: Far too many aperos - wasn’t that Loupiac tasty with the foie gras de canard? Mmnnn, Christina’s sponge cake recipe for Jean-Pierre’s birthday, Daniel and Francoise’s imported rum for poolside rum & Cokes.
For any of you who’ve spent a little time in France, you may have developed a sentimental attachment to France’s weather reporters, but no real-life weather reporter can stand up to the typhoon that Louise Bougoin stirs up as an ambitious ‘Miss Meteo’ in Anne Fontaine’s recently released film ‘The Girl From Monaco’.
This long-legged bronzed blonde goddess wouldn’t need an extraordinary plot line to keep a film in motion. She exudes enough ‘it’ to mesmerize her co-actors into what one French magazine describes as a ‘jaw-gaping’ Luchini. Nevertheless, Fabrice Luchini snaps out of it long enough to match her charm with the self-searching, and self-conscious attentions of a high-power Parisian lawyer, Bertrand Beauvois, newly arrived in Monaco to try a big case.
Louise Bourgoin may be France’s new ‘Brigitte Bardot’ but I don’t think it’s fair to make comparisons. Two different women - two different eras. In La Fille de Monaco, Bourgoin takes the role of Audrey, an opportunistic gorgeous local girl, who’s perfectly happy to use her body in any means to justify her ends. (That doesn’t seem to need any justification at all). Her icon is Princess Diana (which sets the tone for the potential outcome).
Audrey is admirably well flanked by Fabrice Luchini and Roschdy Zem (who appears as Christophe, Bertrand’s (Fabrice Luchini) bodyguard. In spite of the excellent acting and script - you’ll love some of Bertrand’s rationalizations about seduction and love - all of which crumble into dust when confronted with Audrey, in spite of all this, the film’s plot ends up being a sort of rehashed ‘Flesh and the Devil’ moralistic story. This is hardly the ‘female empowering kind of film you’d like to see from a female director’, but hopefully we haven’t seen the last of Louise Bougoin. Movie script writers, start sharpening your pencils!
One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered this past Thursday night, swearing during station breaks can be embarassing when you discover your heated response to a colleague is caught live on prime time TV. Her remark, “Pourquoi vous m’avez pas dit, putain?” i.e. “Why didn’t you tell me, damnit?” was shocking enough for the newscaster to offer the public an apology at the end of the emission.
She’s not alone. Even France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy’s swearing incident at the Salon d’Agriculture this past February engendered dozens of video reproductions - and embellishments of his snap response ‘Casse-toi, pauvre con!’ when a visitor at the Salon d’Agriculture refused to shake his hand.
Sometimes the media responds with it’s own expletives such Marianne journal’s ‘Putain! Encore 4 ans. (Very interesting commentary comparing the Sarkozy Era to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Era!!!)
Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in a situation, where you’ll find it necessary to swear. On the other hand, here are some basic terms that you’ll encounter in newspapers, on television (even, if by accident), or in conversations overheard while walking down the street. Not heads of state, nor, believe it or not, even men of the cloth are immune. (A Norman priest was reprimanded last year for using one of these naughty words - for which he apologized like the newscaster). Read the rest of this entry »
One of the great conundrums of the French language is trying to determine when swearing is okay - and when it isn’t. As France 2 television newscaster, Francoise Laborde discovered this past Thursday night, swearing during station breaks can be embarassing when you discover your heated response to a colleague is caught live on prime time TV. Her remark, “Pourquoi vous m’avez pas dit, putain?” i.e. “Why didn’t you tell me, damnit?” was shocking enough for the newscaster to offer the public an apology at the end of the emission.
She’s not alone. Even France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy’s swearing incident at the Salon d’Agriculture this past February engendered dozens of video reproductions - and embellishments of his snap response ‘Casse-toi, pauvre con!’ when a visitor at the Salon d’Agriculture refused to shake his hand.
Sometimes the media responds with it’s own expletives such Marianne journal’s ‘Putain! Encore 4 ans. (Very interesting commentary comparing the Sarkozy Era to Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Era!!!)
Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in a situation, where you’ll find it necessary to swear. On the other hand, here are some basic terms that you’ll encounter in newspapers, on television (even, if by accident), or in conversations overheard while walking down the street. Not heads of state, nor, believe it or not, even men of the cloth are immune. (A Norman priest was reprimanded last year for using one of these naughty words - for which he apologized like the newscaster). Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re bringing home clothes for kids in the family, there’s no place like Paris for finding cool kids clothes - especially in September for ‘Back to School’ or ‘La Rentree’ as we call it here.
Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear dresses sometimes. Yes, even in Paris parks.
Khaki and camouflage green with a hint of orange are very big this fall in shop windows. You’ll find that French kids’ clothes tend to appear in more muted and sophisticated colors.
Here’s a rundown on the well - known kids shops you’ll find in Paris, starting with some of the chic spots to shop:
If you’re bringing home clothes for kids in the family, there’s no place like Paris for finding cool kids clothes - especially in September for ‘Back to School’ or ‘La Rentree’ as we call it here.
Just like their Parisian parents, kids are going to school a lot more casual these days, but little girls - and their moms still like to wear dresses sometimes. Yes, even in Paris parks.
Khaki and camouflage green with a hint of orange are very big this fall in shop windows. You’ll find that French kids’ clothes tend to appear in more muted and sophisticated colors.
Here’s a rundown on the well - known kids shops you’ll find in Paris, starting with some of the chic spots to shop:
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Haus der Musik, Vienna
While a lot of travellers seem to be shying away from museums these days - someone seems to have told them you don’t “have to” visit museums to see a city - one that I highly recommend in Vienna is the Haus der Musik (House of Music), also known as the Sound Museum.
While anyone visiting Paris would notice immediately what an important role the Seine river plays in the city’s geography, it’s actually quite possible to wander through the historic section of Paris and not realize that some of the sights you’re enjoying are actually on islands. I know the first time I visited Paris it wasn’t until much later that I realized the amazing Notre Dame cathedral was on an island - somehow the fact that I’d walked across a bridge to reach it didn’t occur to me. Yes, I’m a bit dense - but I know I’m not alone.
There are two natural islands on the Seine river right in the center of Paris, and they’re right next to each other. They’re not only great places to visit, they’re also key to understanding the city’s history.
Оle de la Citй
This island is the larger of the two and is where the first settlements which later became the city of Paris were built. There have been people living on the island for more than 2,000 years, and it’s still considered the center of the modern-day city. The primary tourist attractions on the Оle de la Citй include the magnificent Notre Dame de Paris, Saint-Chapelle, and the excavated Gallo-Roman ruins underneath the square in front of Notre Dame.
>> Read more about what to do and see on the Оle de la Citй
Paris Plage may be great in many ways - it’s a free man-made beach - available to Parisians who can’t get out of town for part of the summer - but still, you can’t swim in the Seine - and if you’re looking for topless sunbathers - you’re out of luck.
Contrary to popular belief, nude or clothing optional sunbathing and swimming isn’t ‘exactly’ legal in France. But this is the beauty of France. You’ll find that topless sunbathing is quite common at many seaside resorts. Voila the eternal paradox. A large number of clothing optional beaches and resorts are also easy to find - and to date, I haven’t ever hear of anyone getting arrested for topless sunbathing. >> See Laws
You’ll want to make sure that when you do find that perfect beach to commune with nature that the local community tolerates nudism. In French, the expression for the nudist lifestyle is ‘naturisme’. The best way to do this is to check out some of the ‘official’ or ‘tolerated’ nudist beaches.
Topless sunbathing began as a fad way back in the 1950s when French actress Brigitte Bardot bared her breasts and shocked the world, but according to my Parisian friends who lived in Cannes during the 60s, topless sunbathing really took off in the early sixties for one simple reason.
Gourmet Glasgow launches tomorrow Monday 4 August 2008 and runs until 31 August. During this period you can enjoy ВЈ15 per head dining deals at some of Glasgow’s best restaurants. If you book online you’ll also receive a free dram of Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch Whisky. There are also event nights such as the Buccleuch Beef Night, Shellfish Evening and Dine around France.
Deep fried Mars Bar
Glasgow is keen to ditch the image of fish suppers and deep fried Mars Bars washed down with Irn Bru to project a more sophisticated culinary image.
1. Stand around a lot.
For any of you who’ve spent a little time in France, you may have developed a sentimental attachment to France’s weather reporters, but no real-life weather reporter can stand up to the typhoon that Louise Bougoin stirs up as an ambitious ‘Miss Meteo’ in Anne Fontaine’s recently released film ‘The Girl From Monaco’.
If you’re bringing home clothes for kids in the family, there’s no place like Paris for finding cool kids clothes - especially in September for ‘Back to School’ or ‘La Rentree’ as we call it here.
While anyone visiting Paris would notice immediately what an important role the Seine river plays in the city’s geography, it’s actually quite possible to wander through the historic section of Paris and not realize that some of the sights you’re enjoying are actually on islands. I know the first time I visited Paris it wasn’t until much later that I realized the amazing Notre Dame cathedral was on an island - somehow the fact that I’d walked across a bridge to reach it didn’t occur to me. Yes, I’m a bit dense - but I know I’m not alone.
Paris Plage may be great in many ways - it’s a free man-made beach - available to Parisians who can’t get out of town for part of the summer - but still, you can’t swim in the Seine - and if you’re looking for topless sunbathers - you’re out of luck. 
