La Table de Mindy

Into cooking or not, once you've met dynamic Chef Mindy Horiuchi: mindy.horiuchi.free.fr you'll be tempted to take one of her cooking courses. Chef Mindy specializes in both French and Japanese cuisine. Don't scream when you check out her site 'cause for the moment it's only in Japanese, just check back with me: http://mandadjinn.free.fr  or Bernadette Martin, branding expert at: www.visibilitybranding.com . Bernadette and daughter, Natalie, took a sushi class with the chef who invited me to taste the results of their efforts. Even if I don't eat sushi (I'm a sashimi fan) I benifitted from the homestyle Japanese dinner of squid salad,  broccoli florets with a delicious sauce and  squid lightly sauteed. Hubby, Raphael, joined us for dessert of fruit sherbet and mixed berries cocktail. As an added attraction, we tried on wigs I brought along sparking laughs aplenty. Hey, guys, that was fun. We should do it again sometime.

Escapade Américaine

Champagne, live music and jamm session, in which I participated, made the vernissage a "happening event" Wednesday, August 18th at Le 59 Rivoli in Paris. Natalie, student and fan, asked me how does one jamm with musicians just met? The answer is in my book of top tips for singers now in the works.  
See vernissage info below:   

“Escapade Américaine”

Kristin Eager KILLION l Françoise EVRARD l Michel de MARMONT

Exposition du 17 Août au 5 Septembre 2010

Vernissage-Cocktails

le vendredi 3 septembre 2010 à partir de 18 heures

Le 59 RIVOLI http://www.59rivoli.org/

59, rue de Rivoli 75001 Paris

Ouvert du mardi au dimanche de 13h à 20h, le samedi de 11h à 20h (fermé le lundi)


If you miss the exposition, catch up with Kristin Eager Killion of Keager Design-sustainable art: at www.keagerdesign.us.tt and check out Kristen's  recycled art creations like earrings from champagne bottle caps.
 

For a laugh

Laughter is good for your soul, your relationship, your business, your life. If you find you're not laughing a lot then try laughing on cue.

It's true, I know it works. You can try out laughter yoga, now all the rage in the States. Go ahead, just for a laugh...:
http://www.laughteryoga.org

Where did you spend the night that made election history?

On election night, the Democrats Abroad threw a "worthy of the event" bash at Ciné Aqua located in the park at Trocadero.

Filmmaker and longtime member of Democrats Abroad as well as the minority caucaus of said organization, Zachary Miller, called on jazz, gospel, blues and funk artists, mostly American, living in and around Paris to each add their special talents in aid of the celebration, all expressing hope for a new day in America when the dreams of a minority child, in America, could include being a president.

Singer, Brigitte; blues singer and quitarist, Juju Childs; Jazz stylist, Manda Djinn; Linda Lee Hopkins; singer/composer, Joe Langley; Jonice; Nathalie, aged 11, her first time singing on mic and Les Skylarks among others. Bassist, Alex Sanders and extraordinary pianist, Valerie Benzaquine, showed their love and professionalism as they accompanied the many artists. Valerie will soon be a mom and her child will surely be musical; saxophonist, David Johnson and trumpetist Ronald Baker sat in, and the entertainment kept the room live while people roamed through Ciné Aqua or sat watching the election process on one of the many TV screens along the alleys or wide screens in several screening rooms.

Shouts of joy rang through the halls when each state was tallied until at last the great cry, "We won! Oh Happy Day!" That last bit was Linda Lee. Meanwhile, lazily swimming fish, we were in their home after all, ignored the ruminations of man and never even gave the fisheye to passersby.

Let's associate

September is the month of Associations here. In case you don't know it yet, France is the home of associations. Being involved in or having one gives you legitimacy and credibility, two states one needs to be in when dealing with life in bureaucratic France and especially in outlying suburbs. Knowing this, I duly attended the Forum des Associations in Clichy.

As always, the speaker system blared at a volume so intense that I entered holding both hands over my ears. Even so, stoic men and women sat in booths promoting their programs without so much as a wince. A tour of the room reminds me that I should belong to one of these organizations if I want to meet any Clichois much less get friendly with a few.

The associations offer courses in dance, music, song, languages etc. Get the picture? Perhaps if you or I wanted to give lessons, we'd just put an ad in the paper and let it go at that but if you're really smart, you'll go through the trouble of founding an association that covers any activity you're interested in first, bearing in mind that it has to be non-profit.

I didn't find anything interesting that I couldn't teach myself but then I arrived at a booth with friendly people that turned out to be an association for foreigners living in Clichy. I should have known. I almost arrived late at my lpm date with Raphael at the bus stop because of the excited conversations with other foreigners. Well, this could be the start of something big...

A song for Obama

Check out this youtube entry, a clever parody of Chu Chu Ch' Boogie, a tune played by Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five (1946).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJW67YfLWgs

A sad day in Clichy

Several weeks ago, three to be exact, a 26 year old black Clichy resident was found dead in a parked car in Clichy. Since suspicious deaths must be investigated, his body could not be released until today.

Late morning, close to mid-day, returning from my daily shopping routine at Casino, the sight of hundreds of silent marchers heading toward my street stopped me cold. Bus drivers stood chatting - their buses idled, as the crowd snaked around the corner of Victor Hugo and rue Villeneuve. People of all colors, shapes and pursuasions silently marching. Not wanting to seem rude, I hesitated to ask but finally joined the parade at several different points and managed to gleen some info. The marchers were on their way to the cemetery. I asked if he'd been beaten but the woman marching beside me said no, he was just found dead.

No one voiced a supposition as to the cause, they were only sad at the untimely death of another young black man.