cheri's blog

Wanted to wish everyone here or on their way here or there in Marseille a happy 4th. I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Democrats Abroad July 4th party yesterday at Pamela's beautiful home in Roucas Blanc. I have no idea how she pulled off hosting a large event feeding/inebriating the expat/local/curious crowd with such grace. I finally had the opportunity to try my baked beans recipe from scratch and test it out. Was definitely pleased to find a few home-cooked recipes that I would like to scavenge from the group.

Simultaneously the grand opening of the American Gallery took place and I was able to chat with one of the artists Patrick Guns, a wide-eyed Belgian whose photography documents the finality of a prisoner's last meal.

Hot, hot, hot Thursday night. In fact, summer has officially kicked in with the heat this week. I thought instead of sitting at my desk I would take a little stroll and cool down around 11. Since I live within walking distance of the Vieux Port I would take a stroll with the aim of the new 24hour mart that just opened up downtown on rue Breteuil (across from the 81 bus stop and Sainte Saens. Well I didn't get that far since I got caught in a game of boule on the Rive Neuve boule park and frittered away two hours hanging out and enjoying the breeze.

This is something I could have told some of my Chelsea friends when they visited last time from NYC. We always went to the Parade in the summer and watched the mayor boogie down in drag (Guilliani, I have never seen Bloomberg). There, the parade is just that for the city, a reason to watch floats, listen to great music and enjoy an overall good attitude...politics are usually left at home. I have been trying to lure my friends back for a summer visit and am pleased to stumble upon the info in L'hebdo this week which discusses the festival's history and the new associations that have sprung up around it. 

I just happened to run into Marseille's Parade for the first time last year while shopping on the Canèbiere (the kids wanted to stay til the end for the free candy thrown into the crowds). It seems like this year's party is going on most of the week leading up to the actual parade...

Terroir 13 ends tomorrow...Sunday 6th of June. I recommend this bellyache since that is what you will have after sampling everything. The Camargue horseshow was today along with sheepherding (the world champion sheepherding dog was steering ducks, kids and sheep around). The kids will have a blast in this farm in the city layout on the ground floor along with games and expositions explaining husbandry and the most used livestock in the Bouche-du-Rhone. Read more to look at some pictures.

Going through some of the lastest upcoming events has been my goal at the beginning of the week, but where to begin? There is so much to do! I could literally be occupied all day long with going here and there, but having a life outside exploring Marseille I am going to have to do some weeding and am "broad stroking" some of the major festivals. Help yourself  and poke around a little bit more on the respective websites. Here so far are some of the big cultural festivals to visit this month of June in Marseille.

Terroir13

hmmm. this is an interesting idea and thought I'd share...breakfast delivered to your door. A service called Le Petit Dejeuner Marseille brings it to your home. It offers the viennoiseries (pastries), coffees/teas, yogurts, cereals and all the thoroughfare. 2 menu plans with very reasonable prices (or excusable for special occasions). They offer some specialty items such as jams, bio products, the daily papers and flowers too. Delivery is free if you live in centre ville (look at the map).

Sitting here this morning trying to shake off a late night with a double expresso I am reading an article on LaProvence about squatters. It makes me think of the homeless in general, sans abri, sans logi, sans domicile fixe or SDF...these are names given to the people without a fixed residence. It reminded me about my mother hosting these "homeless Thanksgivings" and the subject has always been something I have thought about. She would supply her bathroom for cleanups and a feast for the day.

Trying to make a habit out of blogging each morning giving that the site has a section only for blogs now. Thought a place for all ramblings and rants might be better than the front page... fitting into Marseille community was the subject between a friend of mine recently, our neighborhood which we agreed can sometimes be difficult for newcomers and doubly so if you factor in the language barriers that many foreigners wrestle with.

Check out this article from the NYTimes article  from last month. It reviews Éric Zemmour's best-selling book "French Melancholy" on the decline of French within the "French elite".  NYTs points out that it actually is becoming more prevalent in other countries and of the 200 million present -day French speakers, only 65 million are actually French.

So a bit of slacker day since the weather was on again off again and decided to bus it into Aix (I am Le Tholonet now house-sitting) on La Victorine all along Route Cezanne a road with spectacular views of St Victoire. My kids were especially impressed with the ride,  while everyone else leaned out to see this historic mountain featured in so many Impressionistic artworks, they found there interest  being able to close the neatly-pleated blue curtains on the bus windows.