“The Silver Shimmer Of “”Gray Paree”””

Just stepping out the door, even in the foulest of weather in Paris,
is exhilarating. This past weekend was what I affectionately call
"Gray Paree"–cool, gray, rainy.

If you’re dressed properly and sport a reasonable umbrella, you can
actually revel in its normalcy and take note of the translucent
lighting so particular to Paris…no bright spots, no dark
shadows…just an even silvery tone that exaggerates the symmetry of
its architectural forms. The impressionists captured it a hundred
years ago. Now the digital cameras do. So you see, little has really
changed about the weather–maybe only how we perceive it.

The point is, the weather didn’t stop me from taking in a visual
feast and it didn’t seem to hinder the rest of the Parisians,
either.

Saturday, after the morning session of Parler Parlor at Eurocentres
in the beautiful Passage Dauphine just next door to International
Living’s pied-à-terre on rue Mazarine, there was an excitement in the
air of the sixth arrondissement. The ashes of the author of "The
Three Musketeers," Alexandre Dumas, were being transferred to the
Panthéon, France’s most famous mausoleum, in grand scale. (His
remains were previously in his home village of Villers-Cotterets.)
This is yet another example of France’s respect for her illustrious
literary accomplishments–Dumas is the sixth writer to be entombed
and honored at the Panthéon, following Victor Hugo earlier this
year.

In spirit, a visit to The Village Voice Bookshop on rue Princesse
seemed appropriate. The two-level tiny space that regularly hosts
poetry readings was book-to-book and wall-to-wall with avid readers
and customers. Owner Odile Hellier amicably works with her customers
to find just what they’re looking for and order it up if it’s not on
the shelf. (Scroll down for a list of the upcoming readings she’s
hosting.) Just down the street is one of my favorite good-value
restaurants–Le Bistro d’Henri, where we often have dinner after a
reading at the "Voice."

Walking home past the Hôtel de Ville, tents were being erected for
yet another book fair on the "place," and erected high on the facade
of the magnificent structure were huge signs of the AIDS red ribbon
promoting World AIDS Day. Leaders of about 40 nations have gathered
here for the first-ever international summit meeting on AIDS.
According to the organizers–the French government, and the World
Health Organization–this is the first time in world history that
heads of government will be considering a health problem!

The walk home is a healthy one–about 45 minutes at a brisk pace, but
impossible in so short a time with all there is to encounter along
the way, even in spite of the miserable weather. All along rue de
Bretagne, rue Eugène Spuller and at Place Turenne, dozens of stands
were set up for the annual "Brocante de Nöel" (rummage sale) of the
3rd arrondissement. The rain didn’t seem to stop anyone from trying
on second-hand clothing, flipping though antique post cards or buying
up a Bonsai. Traffic was a mess, of course, and even the shops along
the street were busy.

Sunday was no different. The rain continued. On rue des Francs
Bourgeois, shoppers were not deterred. Cars slowly worked their way
down the narrow street–one of which had attached a huge Chanukah
Menorah on its hood and played Israeli folk songs quite loudly. L’As
du Falafel on rue des Rosiers had its usual line out the door for the
best Falafel sandwiches (and schawarma) this side of the Nile. All
the kosher bakeries had big crispy Chanukah potato "latkes" in their
display cases. My favorite café on rue Vieille du Temple, L’Etoile
Manquante," had few tables available.

By 9 p.m. when I emerged from a cinema at Place de la Bastille, the
rain had stopped, the sidewalks and streets were clean and shimmery
reflecting the lights from the buildings, and the holiday decorations
and the people had mostly all gone home to their cozy apartments. The
brocante merchants had packed up their goods and driven away leaving
the baracades from the brocante along the curb for pick up
overnight.

A la prochaine fois,

Adrian

P.S. Both Schuyler Hoffman and I want to thank all of you who write
us with words of praise or questions or criticism…and we want you
to know that we read every letter we receive! Unfortunately we can’t
fully respond to each and every one. So, please forgive us if you
don’t have an immediate response, but please don’t stop sending
them!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Issue Number 67, December 2, 2002

In this issue:

*** See You There Next Tuesday Après-Midi
*** Insider Information is an Even Bigger Bargain this Christmas
*** You Can Send Your Child to School Without a Visa in France!
*** If You Missed the Conference, the Tapes will Tap You In
*** Americans in Paris Offer Their Literary Works
*** Our Little Village Has

a Big Voice–Upcoming Readings
*** Come to Paris This March to Learn Poetry and Prose
*** Parler Parlor Seeks French Speakers for Hot Wine an
d Cool
Conversation
*** Kathy Burke Paints a Pleasant Portrait–Live!
*** It’s the Gospel Truth–Two Performances
*** Improve Your Improv Over Dinner
*** Four Short Plays to Catch Before the End of the Year
*** Sing Along with the Paris Choral Society

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY AT PARLER PARIS APRES-MIDI

We’re looking forward to meeting you next Tuesday, December 10th, 3
p.m. to 5 p.m. and every SECOND TUESDAY of the month from now on fat
LE WEB BAR, 32 Rue de Picardie, 75003 Paris, Métro Temple or
République, for coffee (or whatever your heart desires) and
conversation with Parler Paris writers and editors and Parler Paris
readers.

Everyone is invited to join us and it’s sure to be a great way of
meeting new people, putting faces to their e-mails and enjoying Paris
all the more!

For the year’s calendar and more information, click on
/parlerparis/apresmidi.html

Adrian

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** INSIDER PARIS GUIDES JUST BECAME AN EVEN BETTER HOLIDAY VALUE!

Know someone going to Paris this holiday season or about to land here
yourself? Then this is the perfect opportunity to take advantage of
the special price promotion on all the electronic up-to-date Insider
Paris Guides! Insider Paris Guides are a series of electronically
published guides about Paris and France written by Paris-based
American journalists and writers. Now as little as $13.95, you can be
reading the inside scoop on Paris by authors who live and work here.

Key Club Members enjoy an even better price on all guides, and when
you buy two or more, you save an additional 15%!

SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICES

* Leeds Good Value Guide to Paris Restaurants $19.95
* Insider Guide to Good Value Paris Hotels $19.95
* Working and Living in France $24.95
* Writers Insider Guide to Paris $24.95
* Insider Guide to Practical Answers for Living in France $34.95
* Insider Guide to Gay Paris $19.95
* Insider Guide to Black Paris $19.95
* Bojangles Book of Gumbo $13.95
* Insiders Guide to Biking in Paris $19.95

For more information and to order your guides, visit:
http://www.insiderparisguides.com/index.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** YOU DON’T NEED RESIDENCY TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL IN FRANCE

JEAN TAQUET’S PRACTICAL ANSWERS
December 1, 2002
/parlerparis/practicalanswers.htmlJean,

QUESTION
I am British with a Japanese wife. Can I work in France legally doing
odd jobs to start until I set up an export business to Japan? Can my
wife work? Can my son go to school?

ANSWER
In many ways the EU works as a United States of Europe when it comes
to citizens’ rights to live and work in other member countries. As a
British citizen, you have the right to live and work in France.
Because of the way France operates, you must identify yourself in
such a way that the French authorities know how to deal with you. If
you get an employee position, or even several, then once you have
three months’ worth of pay slips you should apply for a carte de
séjour at the préfecture. When you start your business, you must
inform the préfecture of this change once everything is set up.

Anyone married to an EU citizen also has the right to live and work
in France. The easiest way to secure this right for your wife is for
you establish full residency rights, then pass them on to your wife.

The préfecture may raise some objections at first (this happens
sometimes), but you can count on the outcome of this request.

Your son has full rights to be in France and, if he is between the
ages of 6 and 16, he must go to school. Therefore, the French
authorities must accept him into the school system even if you do not
have residency status in France. Your son should have no problem in
attending a French school provided you go and register him, making
clear what your citi

zenship is.

EDITOR’S NOTES:

Jean Taquet is a French jurist and associate member of the Delaware
Bar Association. He frequently gives courses about practical matters
that deals with French law and culture, as he did recently at the
Working and Living in France Conference here in Paris. He helps many
in their personal and business legal issues with individual
consultation, has been well-known in Paris for his past eight years
of informative Q and A columns and is the author of THE INSIDER GUIDE
TO PRACTICAL ANSWERS FOR LIVING IN FRANCE. The guide is updated at
least quarterly. For more information, visit:
http://www.insiderparisguides.com/answers

Every month, Jean addresses your real-life questions in his e-mail
advice column, Practical Answers. The above excerpt is from the
November column, which YOU CAN READ IN ITS ENTIRETY HERE:
/parlerparis/practicalanswers.html

To subscribe to Jean Taquet’s monthly column or to contact Jean
Taquet, e-mail mailto:[email protected]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** TAP INTO THE CONFERENCE TAPES–BETTER THAN MISSING IT

If you couldn’t attend the Working and Living in France Conference
here in Paris October 18 – 21, you haven’t TOTALLY missed out. Both a
two-hour events souvenir video and a ten-hour multi-cassette set of
the ENTIRE CONFERENCE LIVE ON VIDEO are available from International
Living and Prime Cut Productions in both U.S. format (NTSC) and
European format (PAL).

You’ll have the opportunity to see and hear for yourself the essence
of all the professionals speaking at the Conference–almost as good
as having been there!

TO ORDER YOUR VIDEOS, you may go directly to our online secure
payment order form at
http://www.insiderparisguides.com/order/videosorder.html or e-mail:
mailto:[email protected]

EDITOR’S NOTE: You may also come to the next WORKING AND LIVING IN
FRANCE CONFERENCE here in Paris scheduled for June 2003. To be placed
on a special mailing list to be notified about the June conference,
please send an email to:
mailto:[email protected]?subject=WorkandLiveJune2003

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** BOOKS BY AMERICAN AUTHORS IN PARIS

We’ve added a new category to our book pages…Books by American
Authors. Specifically, these are works by American authors living in
Paris whose Paris and France experiences influence their works.

/parlerparis/books/byamericanauthors.html

Our new additions include:

* PROJECT GIRL By Janet McDonald

Selected by The Los Angeles Times Book Review as one of the best
books of the year, Project Girl is the powerful account of a young
woman’s struggle to realize her dreams while remaining true to who
she was before attending Ivy League schools and receiving impressive
diplomas. It tells of the spectacular failures and unlikely comebacks
of a ghetto kid whose academic talent opens doors onto a world of
private schools, rich classmates, and plum jobs but who back home
confronts a neighborhood of growing poverty, drug abuse, and crime.
Project Girl is McDonald’s story of her divided life and terrible
battle to reconcile opposing worlds.

* WITHOUT RESERVATIONS: THE TRAVELS OF AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN
by Alice Steinbach

In this engaging travelogue, Steinbach, a Pulitzer Prize-winning
writer reeling with empty-nest syndrome, travels to Europe to "find
herself" and assert her long-dormant independence. The search for
self notwithstanding, she seems to spend a lot of time in Europe
developing relationships and finding other people to pal around with,
which makes for an interesting tale but seems to defeat her purpose.
In France she begins a romance with another tourist; in London she
takes up with a merry band of middle-class matrons; at Oxford she
takes a course on the history of the English village; and in Milan
she befriends a young American. Eventually, she does spend some time
alone pondering the big questions and sending herself postcards (to
record her impressions of places and events), and by the trip’s
conclusion she seems to have gained some badly needed perspective on
her life. Steinbach doesn’t take herself too seriously, though, and
the light-hearted rendering of her misadventures makes the story both
lively and entertaining.

*** THE FEARLESS SHOPPER IS IN PARIS

* THE FEARLESS SHOPPER: HOW TO GET THE BEST DEALS ON THE PLANET
(TRAVELERS’ TALES)
By Kathy Borrus

Kathy Borrus is not only in Paris these days working on a new tome
about Paris, but is also one of the past "graduates" of the Ultimate
Travel Writers Workshop held here in Paris last Spring.

We highlight her savvy book of tips and wisdom that will help show
you the best ways to shop, whether you’re in your hometown or
traveling the world. As a buyer for the Smithsonian, Kathy roamed the
planet looking for treasures and striking great bargains. Here, she
shares her shopping secrets. Learn how to haggle in an open-air
market in a language you don’t even speak. Learn how to spot scams
and a

void rip-offs. Learn when to buy and when to walk away. Borrus
believes that "great shopping is not about acquiring things. It’s
about expl
oring culture and preserving the sights, sounds, and touch
of a place. And whether you buy anything or not, shopping is about
the enjoying the experience.

/parlerparis/books/shopping.html

* REMINDER: THIRZA VALLOIS IN PERSON THURSday, DECEMBER 5TH

Accomplished historian and author of Around and About Paris Volumes
1, 2 and 3 and now ROMANTIC PARIS–will be speaking at WH Smith, 248
rue de Rivoli, 8th Arrondissement (Métro Concorde)on the 5th of
December 2002, 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss her fascinating lecture and get
signed copies of her books while you’re there.

/parlerparis/books/booksaboutfrance.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** THE VOICE IN OUR VILLAGE

Going through a list of all the authors who have read at THE VILLAGE
VOICE BOOKSHOP is like leafing through a huge anthology of American
and British literature at the close of the 20th century.

As an avid supporter of poetry in the Paris community, The Village
Voice is co-hosting a reading as part of the PARIS POETRY WORKSHOP,
open to anyone who wants to attend, Wednesday, March 19, 2003, 7:00
p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information about the reading or the
workshop, visit: /parlerparis/poetry/villagevoice.html

RECENT UPCOMING READINGS INCLUDE:

* Thursday, December 5, 2002 at 7 p.m.

An evening with JEANETTE LITMAN-DEMEESTÈRE OF SELECTED POEMS BY ESE
LASKER-SCHULER, translated from the German by Jeanette
Litman-Demeestère and Audri Durchslag with an introduction and notes
by the translators and a preface by Yehuda Amichai. Reading in the
original German by Karin Biro and in English by Jeanette
Litman-Demeestère.

* Monday, December 9th at 7 p.m.

An evening with GARY SNYDER…Gary Snyder has published sixteen books
of poetry and prose, including The Gary Snyder Reader (1952-1998)
(Counterpoint Press, 1999); Mountains and Rivers Without End (1997);
No Nature: New and Selected Poems (1993), which was a finalist for
the National Book Award; The Practice of the Wild (1990); Left Out in
the Rain, New Poems 1947-1985; Axe Handles (1983), for which he
received an American Book Award; Turtle Island (1974), which won the
Pulitzer Prize for poetry; Regarding Wave (1970); and Myths & Texts
(1960). He has received an American Academy of Arts and Letters
award, the Bollingen Prize, a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship, the
Bess Hokin Prize and the Levinson Prize from Poetry, the Robert
Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award from the Los Angeles Times, and the
Shelley Memorial Award. He is a professor of English at the
University of California, Davis.

The Village Voice
6 rue Princesse, 6th
01.46.33.36.47
Email: mailto:[email protected]

*** PARIS FOR POETRY AND PROSE THIS MARCH!

If you are seriously interested in writing poetry, whether you’re a
beginner or a "closet poet" or an experienced writer who wishes to
grow in your craft and discipline…then seriously consider coming to
Paris to learn from the best!

PARIS POETRY WORKSHOP /parlerparis/poetry/index.html

The International Living PARIS POETRY WORKSHOP is an intensive
four-days with master instructor and published American poet, and
Workshop Director CECILIA WOLOCH, and guest instructors and speakers
such as JEFFREY GREENE and ELIZABETH REICHERT and many more (to be
announced).

There are only 12 spaces available for those who wish to take the
complete workshop (morning, afternoon and evening sessions).

There are only 6 spaces available for those who wish to take only the
part-time workshop (afternoon and evening sessions).

Visit: /parlerparis/poetry/index.html for all the
details!

There’s more…

WORLD POETRY DAYS
/parlerparis/poetry/worldpoetryday.html

THE LITERARY LEFT BANK TOUR
/parlerparis/poetry/literarytour.html

SURVIVAL FRENCH
/parlerparis/poetry/survivalfrench.html

FAREWELL DINNER
/parlerparis/poetry/dinnerreading.html

Paris Poetry Workshop: /parlerparis/poetry/index.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR ACCOMMODATIONS CONTACT: Schuyler Hoffman,
Assistant Director International Living Paris Office Phone: +33 (0) 1
40 27 97 59 Fax: +1 (801) 640-2485 E-mail:
mailto:france@internationalliving

TO REGISTER FOR THE WORKSHOP CONTACT: In the U.S. or Canada Barbara
Perriello, Agora Travel 235 NE 4th Avenue, Suite 102 Delray Beach, FL
33483 Tel: 1-800-926-6575 or 1-561-243-6276 Fax: 1-561-278-8765
E-mail mailto:tours@internati

onalliving.com

*** INVITE YOUR FRENCH SPEAKING FRIENDS!

Parler Parlor has an odd problem…not enough French speakers! It’s
the first time in its 5-year history that the Anglophones out number
the Francophones in a city that is 95% Francophone.

So all you English Speakers–come for conversation and don’t miss the
VIN DE NOEL PARTY December 14th–but be sure to bring your French
Speaking friends to practice their English with us, too.

Vin de Nöel at the Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group
Saturday, December 14th At Eurocentres, 13 passage Dauphine in the
6th Come for the conversation group at 11 a.m. and stay for Vin de
Nöel and hors d’oeuvres!

Five euro per person…plus take an additional 10% discount off any
membership registration that day!

For more information, visit: http://www.parlerparlor.com/

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** KATHY PAINTS A PORTRAIT BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES

If you’ve never witnessed Kathy Burke painting a portrait before your
very eyes in her beautiful atelier in Le Marais, then this is your
chance!

Paris Portraits Live with Kathy Burke

Thursday, December 12th
6 p.m.
55 rue Meslay
75003 Paris
Interphone A27+ "appel"
Information +33 (0) 1. 42.71.11.75

Learn more about Kathy’s work on Parler Paris:
/parlerparis/art/burke.html and on her own site:
http://www.parisportraits.com/events.html

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** IT’S THE GOSPEL TRUTH

It’s a ONE WORLD ACTORS Production (http://www.oneworldactors.com)
and MOVING PARTS joint venture…

"GOSPEL TRUTH" by Manda DJINN

A Joyful Juicy Musical Mystery staged reading co-presented by MOVING
PARTS in English

Starring: Ciara ARNETTE, Leo HYPPOLITE, Malou BEAUVOIR, Melissa
JAMES, Flora DJIEN, Bruce JOHNSON, Manda DJINN, John JOHNSON and Ben
HARRISON

Accompanied by Stefano COLASANTE
Directed by Madeleine Barchevska
Choreography: Shelly De Vito, Vocal Coach: Michele Troise

DATE: Mondays 2 and 16 DECEMBER 2002
TIME: 8:15 p.m.
PLACE: Théâtre Espace Cardin, Salle Cinéma, 3 avenue Gabriel 75008
Paris
Métro: Place de La Concorde

RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY: Tel: Paris 01 48 28 00 46 or
mailto:[email protected]?subject=ParlerParisReaderReservation
http://www.oneworldactors.com

Instant One-Night Membership: ENTRANCE: 15Euros T.R.10E

*** IMPROVE YOUR IMPROV OVER DINNER, NEW IN PARIS!

Thursday, December 5th, 2002, 10:30 p.m.

Où est le "Sourire" dans votre vie?

IMPROViser encourages the "Connoisseurs" of "Full Self Expression" in
each of us to come out & say, "Cheese!" Through the use of play,
creativity & the "ARTS," IMPROV est l`ambiance pour faire la foire!

Master the Art of Fun, Variety & Spontaneity in your Life! Stimulate
Mind & Senses in the Playground of Experiential Learning! Network
your Talents & Meet Interesting, Multicultural People!

Enjoy Multilingual Conversation & Make New Friends! Faire un bon
Repas Multiculturel!

IMPROV Dinner/Workshops are held in private homes throughout the
world, and are centered around spirituality, the arts and guest
participation! Arno Collery is keeping the tradition alive in
Paris…

Bring a bottle of wine per person to 4 rue Charles Lafitte in
Neuilly, Métro Porte Maillot (100M) Thursday, December 5th, 2002

For information, visit http://www.IMPROVdinners.org or email:
mailto:[email protected]?subject=ParlerParisRequest
or
call Arnaud at 01 44 51 66 81 or 06 12 56 52 62

*** FOUR SHORT PLAYS TO END THE YEAR FOR MOVING PARTS

This is the last reading of the year by Moving Parts…

Sunday, 8th December at 7:30 p.m.

Four Short Plays by Lance Tait based on the works of Edgar Allan
Poe:

THE IMP OF THE PERVERSE, THE OVAL PORTRAIT, THE POWER OF WORDS and
SOME WORDS WITH A MUMMY

With GEOFFREY BATEMAN, JOHN DAWKINS, CAREY DOWNER, BILL DUNN, NEOMAL
SILVA and SHELLY DE VITO

At Carr’s Restaurant
1 rue du Mont Thabor, 75001 Paris
Métro: Tuileries

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*** SING ALONG WITH THE PARIS CHORAL SOCIETY

The MESSIAH by Haendel.

Conductor Edward Tipton, Soprano Elisa Doughty, Alto Andrea Leap,
Tenor Michael Bennett, Bass Laurence Albert.

Paris Choral Society
Sunday December 8, 2003 at 5 p.m.
American Cathedral of Paris
23 avenue George V, Paris 8th
Tickets 15 Euro at door just before the concert or in advance at Fnac
and Virgin Records.