PARIS SITUATION IN PERSPECTIVE: I was very surprised to receive some emails recently, once again questioning the safety of Paris and the situation here. I can only tell you that we who live in Central Paris, are not worried about our safety. At all. It’s only a topic that even gets discussed because of the magnified and sensationalized news coverage. I am not saying that there aren’t problems. France’s government recognizes that it must start and is starting, to make labour and social program concessions, that in the face of globalization, the country can no longer afford. Of course, these decisions are not popular with the people.

This is a country that has built gigantic triumphal monuments and huge avenues to march down. And so the passionate students and people demonstrate. They go on strike. They always have and probably always will. C’est la vie.

From Expatica.com. “While the world expresses amazement at the past two weeks of protests over the First Employment Contract, French students and labour unions have demonstrated their exceptional ability for public ranting time and time again.” Read full article here.

Taken Wed. March 29, 2006 from a New Times article, “Strikes and demonstrations are part of the fabric of French society. But this protest movement, which began three weeks ago, has been crucial for two reasons. The political stakes are high; Mr. de Villepin’s presidential hopes hang in the balance, as do the current government’s ability to make serious changes to a social welfare system that the country cannot afford. It was [Tuesday's strike] one of half-measures. In Paris, 70 percent of the subways and buses were running normally. So were two-thirds of the high-speed TGV trains and half the other train services throughout the country. A third of the flights from French airports were canceled, but most were domestic routes.

Read Bonjour Paris Publisher and long-time Paris resident Karen Fawcett’s article here.

MEDIA UPDATE/NEW ARTICLES: Check the website for new February articles in BC Business Magazine and BonjourParis, titled Expat Vive Paris! and Finding Love In The City Of Light: Top 6 Picks. We have two journalists visiting us in April so stay tuned for more to come…

ZOOM OVER TO PARIS FROM VANCOUVER: My fav low-cost-that-gives-great-service airline, Zoom Airlines, in June is starting flights between Vancouver and Paris, with just one stop in between! This ‘WestJet of international airlines’ can get you to Europe cheaper and better than any other airline, for as much as it would cost to fly within your own province or country!

WOMEN TO ADMIRE: This winter, back I went to the Cote D’Azur to my friend of a friend’s gorgeous place (thanks Elena and Robin!). We visited other friends of friends, two gals who are making their mark on the world in big ways in the tough movie business. These 30-something expat dynamos are living in a small, picturesque French village, near a fantastic fortress perched perilously high on a mountain top. One is a screenwriter who has recently sold two of her scripts to Hollywood producers, with big-name stars being screened. The other is a producer set to make a blockbuster movie. The screenwriting gal humbly described her success as, ‘oh, it was all serendipitious and I got lucky.’

Well, maybe there was a certain amount of serendipity involved, BUT, I believe that you make luck happen by first actually doing something instead of just talking about it, then forging ahead no matter what, networking and ‘working’ it. Then because you’ve let it be known what you are doing, someone introduces you to someone and doors swing open…as I reminded her on another night at a dinner, a top producer didn’t just fly out of the sky, swoop down on her and say, hey, are you writing a screenplay, because if so, we’d like to make your movie!

I’LL HAVE A MONA LISA PLEASE: I met another interesting woman recently in Paris. Jane said she is a copyist. A what, I asked? She explained her fascinating occupation. She is an artist who copies–practically perfectly from what I later saw at her atelier–paintings from the Masters that are hanging in the Musée du Louvre. She then sells her original works to individuals or corporations, at very reasonable prices. She is one of 160+ super talented artists who have applied for and been granted certification from the Louvre to reproduce the masters, and sell their copies, complete with a Certified Louvre Copy stamp. That means that she is good, yet she talks about what she does as though she were finger painting in grade 2. The most amazing thing of all is that she just started painting 6 years ago! Hmmm, now which Master will I be saving my centimes for…?

HOW I KNOW I’M IN PARIS: Because I have learned these past winter months from observing fashionable Parisians that you can indeed mix black and brown and even grey, all together in one outfit, and it can look great. And because I ice-skated at winter rinks set up at the Eiffel Tower and Hotel de Ville, so cool! And because I know that I can cook anything, add crème fraîche to the mix, and it will taste amazing!

Yes, it’s really true, healthy fat in the diet is a good thing and can satisfy you like two dozen fat-reduced cookies never could. I’ve known this for a long time. The French do too. They never deprive themselves, feel guilty or obsess about eating desserts or rich sauces, but eat them in moderation and have smaller portions. The opposite of over-eating and pigging out. They take their time and celebrate food as the pleasure and gift it should be. They set a beautiful table. And they eat lots of veggies and fruits. How can so many ideally-proportioned people be wrong about these things? Oh…and don’t forget the red wine to go along with your fat (wink).

GOD AND GODDESSES OF THE LENS: Check under About Us for pics of our contributing photographers, Diane, Natalie and Jean-Michel. These talented photogs have answered harried calls for meeting harsh deadlines and strict magazine guidelines, and have gone boldly where few would tread. In Paris, stores, some cafes, markets and even vendors in the least glamourous of stalls on the street will NOT allow you to photograph yourself or anyone or anything else in the vicinity of their merchandise. So we’ve been chased away from more places than we can count, but not before getting those great shots in the can!! Thank you, fearless snappers!

BISOUS! Karen.