This is, hands down, the best analysis of the French presidential elections I have seen so far ;-) Enjoy! [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Eem3KJc4Y] ...
France
Election 2012 – French Edition (Part Une)
When I head out to the French Embassy in Georgetown, it’s typically for a cultural event or a reception. But tomorrow, I will join some 10,349* washingtoniens and washingtontoniennes on Reservoir Road to do my civic duty and vote in round one of the French Presidential elections. Unlike other French voters, expats on the American continent cast their ballots on Saturday, May 5 instead of Sunday May 6. If none of the candidates receive a majority of the votes in round one, we will have a round two between the top 2 candidates of the first round on April 21 in the US and April 22 everywhere else. My options tomorrow? 10 candidates, whose official platform I just received. Yes, 10. And yes, I ...
S’il Vous Plait… Dessine Moi Un Ispahan
There are many reasons you should visit the Galeries Lafayette on boulevard Haussmann during your visit in the city of light. First, of course, there's the shopping. You can find anything you want at the Galeries, from a bedskirt to books, cartier watches, chanel bag or kookai skirts, gourmet food, books and Paris souvenirs. You can even buy macarons from Pierre Hermé's not so secret boutique: Pierre Herme has a store inside the Galeries Lafayette in l'espace createurs Then of course, there's the building itself. You'll never look at your local mall the same way after seeing the Galeries' stunning ceiling: The current store opened in 1912 and is an elegant setting for your ...
Macarons Available at Starbucks…What Next? (Part Deux)
I have lived in Washington, D.C for 7 years now. Residing in a country that doesn't share my homeland's philosophy on vacation days means that I don't get to go back to Paris nearly as often as I would like. When I do go back home, eating at McDonald's isn't typically on my to-do list so I've been pretty oblivious to the changes that have taken place in French McDonald's over recent years. So much so that when Starbucks started selling (boxed) macarons in some of its U.S. stores last Christmas, I was outraged and wondered if McDonald's would be the next outlet to vulgerize the delicate pastry. Little did I know that McDonald's had actually been selling macarons in its McCafés since ...
Postcard from France: Metz-merized by Pompidou-Metz!
Like many Parisians, I suffer from a bit of a superiority complex. Growing up in the most beautiful city in the world, I sometime forget that there is more to France than its capital. What we Parisians typically lump together as "la Province" (ie. everywhere outside of Paris) is actually comprised of 21 independent regions, each with its own history, traditions, gastronomy and tourist attractions. Lorraine, in the North East of France, is one of these regions. Until recently it was mainly ignored by pretty much everyone but die-hard quiche lovers. Today, however, even the snobbiest Parisians are planning weekend or day trips to the capital city of Lorraine: Metz And yes, that includes ...