Fragments

A few weeks ago, I went to a delightful jazz concert at a winery in the countryside outside of Carcassonne. I’ve been to concerts there before, since we first moved here. This concert was by the Marc Deschamps trio, who embodied 1950s cool cats of jazz and who played a mix of beloved standards and lesser-known pieces by such pillars of jazz as Dave Brubeck. As lovely as the music was, the concert room, as always, was the star of the show.

Christmas in Colmar

If Strasbourg is the capital of Christmas, then Colmar is … the Vatican? I’m not sure about the best analogy, but Colmar is intensely Christmasy in December, even more so than Strasbourg.

Sobriety

The word on everyone’s lips in France these days is sobriété–sobriety. Not regarding consumption of alcoholic beverages but regarding consumption of energy. It all just makes sense, but as usual, it takes a crisis to kick people into action.

Tinsel Town

A couple of days ago, I noticed that reindeer had landed in the square, the first ride of the “Magie de Noël” (Christmas Magic–not Magi like the three guys who followed a star with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh). And today, I shared a laugh with a municipal worker who was rolling giant “snowballs” down rue Trivalle on their way to being hung up.

The sign says “Strasbourg Capital of Christmas”

Overheard

Sticking with last week’s theme of sounds floating into one’s ears. First, let’s be clear that overhearing is not the same as eavesdropping. It’s like the difference between hearing and listening. One just happens, as sound waves travel through the ear canal to the tympanic membrane. You can’t decide for it not to happen. Listening (or eavesdropping), is intentional–you’re making an effort.

A few random shots of Carcassonne, where the extended summer has snapped to seasonal norm.

Overhearing is like clicking through channels and catching out-of-context snippets that sometimes make your eyebrows jump up to your hairline. Like the time I was in Paris with a friend and we overheard two young women ahead of us talking about being held up. My friend and I quickly shifted from overhearing to eavesdropping. This was too interesting to not follow. So we followed them, just far enough behind to not freak them out yet hear their tales. “I put my phone in my underwear now,” one said. “The worst part is losing your photos,” the other lamented. Paris is extremely safe as big cities go, but things can still happen. Mostly it’s pickpocketing–a pain, a hassle, a financial hit, but not violent. In fact, the point of pickpocketing is for the victim to not notice. But sometimes things escalate.

The New Yorker has run a few features in which one or another of their cartoonists goes out into the city to sketch overheard conversations. They are hilarious. In that vein, use your imagination around some of these random street quotes that I’ve been collecting. Much of the time, my reaction is just: So. Many. Questions.

“I work with children. I get coughed on on a daily.”

“Nobody wants to hear that word.” !!!!!!! what word??????

“I don’t think I can dye my hair pink.”

Three twenty-ish guys in a hot argument….about Keith Haring. New York.

One burly, bearded millennial to another: “Then my ACTUAL girlfriend is going to come and she’s going to f***ing say WTF your ex is still f***ing here!”

“C’est interminable!” (“It never ends!”) French woman looking for the street exit after seeing the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

“Bon anniversaire! C’est la moindre des choses! Oh la la!” Woman on the phone.

“I want an apology first off.” Different woman on the phone.

At Zaytina, José Andrés’s restaurant in Washington, a child has a screaming fit. A nearby diner observes, “They’re definitely LA.”

“C’est qui, Richard Nixon?” (“Who’s Richard Nixon?”) French woman in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. Her middle-school-age son explained.

Man: “I really regret it.” Woman: “I know.”

“He was like a sharpshooter.”

“I don’t know…I flew too close to the sun last night.”

“My bedroom is SUPERCOOL!” Three-year-old.

“You wasted the $200 you got paid?!?!” kid to parent in a mall.

“That’s why I appreciate you, man. You’re really rooting for me.” Man in Bed, Bath and Beyond.

“Well, to be real, it’s been Covid.”

“I’ve got to do something. I don’t know, you know?”

Two guys in suits, looking like escapees from the movie “Hidden Figures.” One says: “In an era of ripped jeans and yoga pants, I feel like I’m the only one who wears a tie.”

Man yelling at woman: “I’m not yelling at you!”

“Is it controversial? Yes. Will the city do it? Probably.”

“I’m not ravenous but I’m eating.”

“Whaddaya want? I can hear you.” Bartender at airport motel bar (there are dives, and then there are dives at airport motels, where, by dint of isolated location, one has a choice between taking a chance and going in or waiting until the promised rebooked flight the next day and finding something in the actual airport–marginally better ambiance but perhaps not better food. In this particular establishment, table drinks were served in flimsy to-go plastic cups because of “incidents of beer-throwing.”)

Elderly guy in Washington Square Park to another elderly guy at the end of our park bench: “Jim! Where the hell you been for two days? You been missin’ for two days!”

Jim: “I have no cash. I have income but it ain’t comin’ in. Not ’til the 20th!”

You just can’t beat New Yorkers for witty repartee. And I don’t think Jim was even trying.

Do share your wacky overheard snippets with us!

Do You Hear What I Hear

Sometimes unexpected sounds float through my open window. Waking in the middle of the night, the city is so silent, I can hear my own heartbeat. And then….

Picturesque Pézenas

The ancient hearts of French towns hold surprises on their narrow, rarely straight streets. Among all these pretty, old towns, Pézenas, in the Hérault department in southern France, is exceptionally lovely.

The Big Unboxing

It’s been a while. This blog has always focused on the good life in France, and not about my life, which is pretty boring, and, of late, hit by unhappy changes. But I finally got out and did something very French–I went to an antique fair.

Truffles!

Today was the truffle market at Moussoulens, just northwest of Carcassonne. The beauty above is the one that came home with me, ringing in at 25€ (the going price is 800€ per kilogram). It will perfume my meals for a week, and that includes a truffled risotto dinner I plan to have with a few friends.

Winter Style

Here’s a little look at some stylish people I’ve noticed lately. It’s more of a challenge in winter, when being warm and waterproof are an integral part of looking good. As always, my eye goes to colors, shape and flair, regardless of the particularities of the body wearing the clothes. Lots of coats, because it’s winter and we’re mostly sitting at outdoor cafés or shopping at outdoor markets and Christmas markets.

For example, this woman wasn’t young, but I thought she looked great. Her coat swung dramatically in the breeze. She had a cool scarf, which I didn’t get in the shot. With her bad-ass boots, she walked like she was on her way to chair a meeting of the Board to Run the World.

Quite another bad-ass. Partly shaved head, and the longer bit is dyed a pastel rainbow. Tartan shawl flapping long out of the coat. Jeans tucked into boots. Not my look, but she gets points for having A Look, call it My Little Punk Pony. Life would be boring if everybody wore classic, dark suits.

More classic, more typically French. The big paisley shawl adds a lot to an otherwise undaring look. How easy is that? Toss a shawl around your shoulders, and voilà! Instant flair. It’s attainable.

This one is interesting. Classic haircut and business suit meet patterned tights and combat boots. I haven’t found any combat boots that fit my wide feet, but they LOOK comfortable. They certainly change the attitude on an outfit. I bet her co-workers answer “how high?” when she says “jump.” Good for her.

More boots. Zebra print with leather jacket to move beyond your usual black-and-white outfit.

I think this is the same woman–red coat, hat. Both times she has red footwear–boots at the top and escarpins (pumps) at the bottom. And why not–with a pretty red coat, why not continue with a red accessory–but just one, not too many. She could have gone too far with a red hat, red bag, etc.

Speaking of colorful coats, I was at a café when a woman left wearing a canary-yellow single-breasted reefer coat. Around her neck, she had a multicolored silk scarf that had a hint of yellow in the design. White jeans with a frayed hem, and camel boots. I told her she looked great. I saw her again a few days later–hard to forget the yellow coat–and she was wearing it with black trousers and trainers. Looked great. Sorry I didn’t get her photo.

A few photos of what the younger ones are wearing. Monochrome is popular. Big shoulders are back! Also the kids seem to be dressing up–fewer ripped jeans, or, if they wear them, it’s with something “fancy.” High/low combos.

Buffalo check coats are everywhere, not just in these colors but also lots of black and white and even other colors. Notice: a French woman wearing a beret. They really do! She’s pretty monochrome, too–cream beret, cross-body bag and shoes, and the coat is in neutral tones.

I thought these two were cute, too. The flowing skirt with trainers, and the fuchsia sweater. The classic camel coat with trainers. There seems to be a shift toward wool coats and away from duvet or puffer jackets. You still see them–sometimes I count a dozen within a block–and they are undeniably practical, not weighing a ton yet being warm. But they fall down in the looks department.

As for me, my two main coats are each decades (yes, plural) old. And they still look good. In fact, I got compliments just last week on my 25-year-old long, gray Russian-style coat with frog closures and black “fur” trim at the cuffs and the stand-up collar. It could be vintage, except I’ve had it since it was new. One of the best cost-per-wear purchases I’ve ever made.

How do you style up your coat game? What trends are you seeing?

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!