Virgin Year in Paris

 

So, it’s official. I have lived in France for a solid year. We decided to move to France for a few reasons. The primary reason we moved is because my husband is French and his family is here. Secondly, his father was very ill and my husband wanted to be with him before he passed away. (Sadly, mission accomplished.) Thirdly, my daughter was accepted to The American University of Paris. So, off we went. We originally moved to Annecy, France and moved into my husband’s parent’s house. That, uhh, didn’t go so well, so we are now living in Paris. Before I moved to Paris in September 2013, I spent the entire month of August reading books on Paris. What I discovered before moving into Paris and have now realized is true, is that it takes a sense a humor to live in Paris.

Nothing will “go smoothly” in Paris. At least not on the first go around, that is. To get something accomplished in Paris it takes three or four attempts… Even for French people. Something is always closed, someone you need to speak with is always on a two hour lunch break, you don’t have the right paperwork, something was lost in translation, you didn’t provide enough information, you’re doing something the “wrong” way, you’re expecting too much, you’re in the wrong neighborhood, blah blah blah. I shouldn’t complain about living in the most beautiful city in the world because the good outweighs the bad. However, I thought it would be fun to detail the good versus the bad about living in Paris. It’s not all macaroons and roses.

 Let’s start with the good…

Good: If you buy something in Paris… A lipstick, a cake, a T-shirt, a perfume… It is always always always delicately wrapped to perfection. Even if it is not a gift, it is now. Don’t expect the salesperson to quickly throw something in a bag and you can be on your way. Not going to happen. (You’re not at Walmart.) Dedicate an extra five minutes to everything because your purchase is busy being "coiffed"… including your sandwich. Love this.

Bad: Parisian cafés apparently have a hard time with the concept of ice. If you order a drink, you will get no ice. If you “rudely” ask for ice, you are going to get two miniscule cubes that melt within seconds. Hate this.

Good: Parisian gardens are not for drug dealers. Parisian gardens are for mothers with their children, elderly people, chic hobos, dogs, workers on a break from their jobs, lovers, rich people relaxing and families. I never feel like I have to “watch my back” in Parisian gardens. And everyone throws away their trash. Love this.

Bad: I don’t like when Paris tries to Americanize itself. I don’t like seeing Starbucks, food trucks, juice bars or Chipotle in Paris. I do, however, go to every one of those examples on a weekly basis. Hate this.

Good: Museums are crowded. Why is this good? It’s good because it proves that culture, art and history are still respected and appreciated in Paris. I should also point out that crowds do not bother me at museums, because I get in first and free. First and free! Thank you ALS. Love this.

Bad: There is no Target, J.Crew, Whole Foods, Home Depot or Staples in Paris. Sometimes you just want to go to one shop for everything. There is an IKEA by the airport, but who goes to IKEA? (I do.) I want to choose to go to a boutique, not be forced to. Hate this.

Good: Gas station food. Swear to God, my husband actually looks forward to his “favorite carrot salad” at the gas station. French gas stations have toubouli salad, ham and cheese baguettes, café au lait, fresh croissants, gâteau au chocolat and fruit. Love this.

Bad: Gas station food. One time my husband was running into a French gas station and he asked me what I wanted. My response was, “A cherry Slurpie, nachos and a sweaty hot dog.” The look he gave me was priceless. Unfortunately, you’re not going to get any of that deliciousness in French gas stations. They don’t even have Doritos! How am I supposed to enjoy my road trip to Normandy without my Cool Ranch Doritos? Hate this.

Good: Parisian men dress well. Even Parisian teenagers. No one wears jeans so low that you can see their privates. No flip-flops. No baseball hats. No golf shirts. No printed tees. No tank tops. No gold chains. No board shorts. Parisian men seem to make an effort here… An effort all on their own. Fitted trousers, baby blue button-down shirts, scarves, respectable shoes, colorful blazers, chic shades, cool hair, no socks or colorful socks, suits and ties. Love this.

Bad: Everything is closed on Sundays. What the f*ck! Hate this.

Good: Everything is closed on Sundays. Parisians definitely enjoy their Sundays. Take Luxemburg Garden for example… Children are sailing their little boats in the pond, families are having a picnic on the lawn, the tennis courts are used, teenagers are making out and smoking cigarettes politely, boule is played with wine in hand, children’s playgrounds are packed, ice cream cones are licked, books are read leisurely in a perfect green garden chair, strolls are taken hand-in-hand, and the pace of Paris slows. Parisians even enjoy their Sundays in the winter…They just add hot chocolate. Love this.

Bad: I hate when French people take an American word and try to make it French. For example, le shopping, le week-end, le picnic, le jogging, le smoking. Hate this.

Good: No one tries to rush you out of a café. You can sit at a Parisian café nursing a cappuccino for four hours smoking 900 cigarettes if you want to. Love this.

 

Even if you don’t live in Paris or plan to visit Paris, it’s fun to see how Paris operates. It’s bizarre. There are a lot of entertaining books about this subject that I can recommend because I’ve read every single one of them… Here they are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I read all of those books… in a month and a half (except three of them I read later). Clearly, I had a lot of time on my hands…on account of my retirement (hint: ALS). They are all utterly entertaining and give you an unabashedly true slice of life in Paris. Guess what? You can purchase all of them in my Have Some Decorum Bookstore HERE.

Merci, Paris for a beautiful and interesting first year.

A toute!

People I Want to Be Friends With: Les Sapeurs

Chic as shit. That’s really the only way to describe this group. They are known as La Sape. Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes. The Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People. Yeah, it’s not gonna get chicer than that... Ever. To be a member of La Sape , one would be referred to as a “sapeur.”

But it gets deeper than that. La Sape is a social movement among particular people of the Republic of Congo. Didier Gondola, Assistant Professor of History at Indiana University, writes a brilliant essay titled, Dream And Drama: The Search for Elegance Among Congolese Youth. He explains that his essay: “Deals with fashion  (La Sape) and its use among Congolese youth as a vehicle to borrow new identities. La Sape is an ambiguous adventure, a sort of Baudelairian voyage, that leads Congolese youth, Sapeurs, not only from a third world to Paris and Brussels, but also from social dereliction to psychological redemption. It authenticates and validates their quest for a new social identity which the African city has failed to provide its overwhelming population of youth. It is, above all, a study of the interactions between clothing and social and cultural identities and the transfer of meaning from one to the other, and vice versa. La Sape allows the Sapeur to define the boundaries that separate him from the Other, but also serves as a defined social territory which distinguishes the Sapeurs from the rest of society.”

What I find so interesting is the juxtaposition of the clothing to the environment. Here they are, Les Saveurs, standing out in their brightly colored suits and their elegant mannerisms against a backdrop of abject poverty.

In a moving documentary titled, Sapeurs, we are educated to the pacifist ways of the Le Sape. You can watch it HERE. Amongst all of the turmoil and fighting, it explains that they have a simple philosophy … To defy circumstances and live with a joie de vivre. They never support violence and are always polite, never vulgar. The documentary explains, “That life is not defined by occupation or wealth but by respect, a moral code and an inspirational display of flair and creativity.” Les Sapeurs motto is: It’s not the cost of the suit that counts. It’s the worth of the man inside it.”

I first discovered these extraordinary men, believe it or not, in a remarkable video by Solange Knowles titled, Losing You. Watch it HERE. If you don’t think it’s the most fabulous video ever I literally don’t want to be friends with you.

Lastly, it is an absolute must to have this book in your library. It is called Gentlemen of Bacongo by Daniele Tamagni. You can purchase it HERE. It is an exuberant photographic journal of Les Saveurs. Amazon.com quotes “The author is an Italian photographer and art historian, with a particular fascination and focus on African culture and society. He moved into photography after working as a researcher in museums, galleries and churches. In 2007, he won the best portfolio in the Canon Young Photographer award for Italy with his images of Congolese dandies.” A little très chèr at $200 but well worth the price to look educated, non?

 

 A tout á l’heure!

I Don't Do Flip-Flops and Neither Should You.

As spring and summer start to roll around, I always get excited because it’s time to bring out the espadrilles again. These are my “go to” shoe for warm weather. I would never be caught dead in flip-flops these days. The only only only place that I can see flip-flops working is if you are a lifeguard or if you live on the beach, which I did so I’m partially excused. That’s it. Flip-flops do not belong anywhere else, especially not with a Juicy sweatsuit for God’s sake. Espadrilles are classic, fun and you can wear them to a summer afternoon lunch without looking trashy. They work with shorts, jeans, a skirt or dress and even a pareo. Chic women wear espadrilles. Chic men wear espadrilles. Chic kids wear espadrilles.

According to espadrilles.com,"The espadrille has been around for centuries maybe even thousands of years. The Archaeological museum of Granada owns a pair of espadrilles that were found on human remains inside the “cueva de los murielagos” (the bat-cave). It is estimated that these shoes are around 4000 years old.
This light sandal, made with jute rope or braided hemp and with linen fabric, comes from Spain, where, already, they were being worn around the XIII century by the King of Aragons’ infantry men. Its name is derived from “esparto” which is a kind of plant that was originally burned then braided to make the soles.
It was during the XIII century that the production of these shoes truly spread. Since it is a handcrafted shoe, making the treads employs many workers. The alpargatero’s (or espadrille maker) only job was to make the rope soles, while the seamstresses sewed the fabric and the band. At the beginning of the XIX century, Mauléon (a French city located in the Atlantic Pyrenees) began selling them in vast quantities. The first people to wear them were the catalano-aragonese military soldiers then subsequently by the priests. Around 1880, most espadrilles were sold to mine workers, but they were also exported to South America. It was the time of the “hirondelles”, which were young girls from the aragonese valleys who came to work in the espadrille factories between the fall and winter seasons."

 

 

 

 

 

Right?