the great Polly Platt has left us

Sometime between 1994 and 1996 I heard a short segment on NPR that made a big impact on my life. The segment featured a book called "French or Foe" which was about French culture and everyday practical French etiquette. The author was an American named Polly Platt. The NPR correspondent (Michael something?) was in Paris testing Platt's recommendations such as: When asking for help don't smile, use your eyes, phrase the question in a certain way, etc. It worked like a charm and for some reason this completely caught my attention and I had to have the book.

I had studied French in high school and college but I was NEVER a good student and could barely Bon Jour my way out of a wet paper bag. Up to that point, I never had any strong feelings for Paris, France, the French language or the culture. But that NPR piece really flipped my French switch. I bought the book the next day and spent the next few days reading "French or Foe" as though my life depended on it. Francophilia had settled in my brain for good and it was all due to that funny little book.

I'm writing this because I just found out Polly Platt passed away in December.

http://www.pollyplatt.com/

What a terrible loss for American francophiles! I know "French or Foe" wasn't perfect. I'm aware of some of the criticism it has received (thank you Amazon comments section) but any American French-nut owes a great deal to Platt's research and insight into the nearly impenetrable world of Frenchness. Because of her, I know the phrase "Excusez-moi de vous deranger, mais j'ai un problème." and I owe my good experiences in Paris to her. Well, I wouldn't even have considered going to Paris at all if it weren't for her.

Anyway, here's the book on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/French-Foe-Getting-Visiting-Working/dp/0964668424/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233428252&sr=8-1

Au revoir Mme Platt.

oh my god

I'm actually posting something. Stop. The. Presses.

April 16th

April 16th 2008... Eiffel Tower, cheese sandwiches in Les Deux Magots, and bridges bridges bridges.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreenworld/sets/72157604718045273/

more stuff

Check out what we did on April 15th!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreenworld/sets/72157604700114553/

photos on flickr

Photos and a couple videos from Monday April 14th!!! OMG
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doreenworld/sets/72157604695445646/

Leaving the France

So yesterday our airport shuttle picked us up at about 6:10am, a few minutes late. Standing on rue Chapon in the darkness, we had some time to comtemplate what we would do if the shuttle didn't come. First, panic. Second, one of us would run up and down rue Beauborg looking for a France Telecom phone to call the shuttle company. Another option would be just to stay in Paris and live in Montmartre and teach English at the Wall Street Institute. I liked that idea but then the shuttle showed and now we're back home.

Our flight home took us over Greenland (we think it was Greenland. Let's just say it was Greenland.). We didn't have video screens (with live geo mapping and games and movies) so we nearly lost our minds but the flight did land early.

Anyhoo... There will be more posts and photos as I learn to blog better (garsh darn blogger html). Yes, it's late and we're home from Paris and no one cares anymore. Yes, I missed the blogging window of freshness. But dammit, there will be more.

Thank you Paris France!

We had a great time. Thanks for letting us visit and having good bread and statues. We will be back!