Le Look: Le Book?
June 19, 2008
I arrive, late as usual, at my friend Marie's luminous apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, for our regular morning working meeting. Opening the door, she instantly apologizes after we trade our bisous. "Je suis desolée, I didn't sleep well last night, " she explains. "I look awful."
The eyes have it
November 30, 2007
All right. If you are my mother or my children or any of my Episcopalian friends and kin, please stop reading now. Right here. Please go into the other room or onto another screen of your computer, back to your Free-Cell, your Facebook, or your New Yorker magazine or whatever ...
Another Day, Another Manifestation
October 17, 2007
Just another ordinary day in Paris. At the intersection on my street, the police were redirecting traffic yesterday afternoon. Cars were backing up, honking. I could see the far end of the street was blocked off by a white police truck. Another day, another manif (demonstration). I recalled my first ...
A small request
September 5, 2007
Dear God, I know that I make a lot of requests. I usually ask You for the big favors in private. But there are some elements in Your hierarchy of What is Right that I need your special help with today. I know that You care deeply about grammar and ...
Unlocking the French 'R'
August 3, 2007
Serrurerie. A locksmith's shop, in French. I can say the word "locksmith" just fine ... in English, that is. En francais, I'm fluent enough that I can even pronounce the word serrure ("lock") using my hard-earned correct French r. But to say serrurerie? Forget it. It is not happening. It ...
The houseguest from hell
July 12, 2007
Living in Paris, I am slowly learning the perils of having all the people who were never nice to you in the U.S. suddenly being your best friend when they think it means a free place to stay. Real estate is very expensive in this city, and so most Paris ...
Shake-It-A-Baby!
June 28, 2007
During my summers as a kid in Tennessee we used to go over to my cousins' house and play with Aunt Betty's Vibrabelt. (Ahem, you wise guys: it's not that kind of vibrating thingy. Get your minds out of the gutter.) It was one of those 1960s contraptions for spot-reducing ...
French women don't get fat, but Americans do
June 20, 2007
Okay, I admit it. Since arriving in Paris a year ago I have experienced the newcomer's equivalent of new college co-ed's "Freshman 15" — gaining the dreaded transitional weight. Fortunately, the "French-man 15" I had gained was calculated in kilos (whew — divide by 2.2, so it seems better!) and ...
Le Look Parisien
May 14, 2007
In a short time living in Paris, she's getting it figured out. Le Look Parisien. After finishing le petit déjeuner, she dons le look. Well-pressed jeans. Check. Suede boots. Check. Long scarf coiled around the neck. Check. Face lightly made up, lips glossed. Check. Hair coiffed. Check. Brown shearling jacket. ...