Eurocircus.com ~ Marseille

Looking out the kitchen window, occasionally I spy many men gathered over at Fort St. Nicolas, all standing around inspecting a lone participant as he tosses a silver ball at some place in the middle of their gathered circle. For the longest time, I have watched various communes in and around the south of France with fascination since the game of pétanque or "boule", as it is affectionately called in Marseille, stirs much passion in the south. It is the norm that most villages have a pétanque field near the center of the town square in which many capped elderly men leizurely make a second home, visiting and conversing with others on the benches outlining the lightly-graveled ground...read more.

Thanksgiving is definitely not the same celebrated alone, it being a day to be with the equally enthusiatic...and/or the equally hunger.  There are a couple of options this year to find some turkey around Turkey-day.  On the day itself if you plan to celebrate at home, make sure you order your turkey at least 2-3 weeks ahead of time at your local boucherie (butchers) or possibly charcuterie (deli/meat shop). The earlier in ordering your turkey, the better since it is not a common request and can be quite expensive. Plan on paying around 100 euros for a 6 or 7 kilo bird and make sure you clairify it is to be completely prepared for the oven (i.e. no feathers, feet or head). Read more for list...

Looking to grab something to eat late at night? If you are around Cours de Julien,rue de Lodi off of Place Notre-Dame du Mont offers tons of casual outside tables serving a variety of quick snacks late into the night. Also walking a couple blocks south on Rue Lieutaud off of rue de Trois Mages also has informal small shops to grab sandwichs and small grocery stores open late into the night. Following is a list of mini-marts or mini restos open later than usual.

At times my brain doesn't translate quickly when I am in a stressful situation, so I have created a PDF list of vital phone numbers in english that can be of great use in emergency situations. Click and print Marseille's logo to the right.  I have it printed out and stuck to my refrigerator alongside my french version.  I have included the corresponding french list also and some useful web references if you simply have questions about the services.

Halloween is quickly approaching and I am planning my celebration in Marseille, last year being my first one here. Normally, I and my sister-in-law make a party in Le Tholonet with all the kids and visit the neighbors who know the game plan. Even though the candy is usually of the vintage date and the costumes of the french kids are slap-happily put together with black-facepaint and torn clothes, I get a little nostalgic for the days when pumpkins and ghouls abounded in every neighborhood and the competition for best costume was fierce.
Last year, after Caroline (my sister-in-law) started a big move to Poland, I resorted to putting together something similar in my neighborhood. Pumpkin, check, Ghoulish sweets, check, knocking on my neighbors doors....erhhh....there was the problem.

The De la Scène au Tableau exibition at Museum Cantini is well worth the crowds, probably going during the week would be a better option. Many of you must have seen the John Singer Sargent posters around town with Lady Macbeth. I being more intrigued by the superstar list of painters such as Klimt, Degas and Marseille's hometown hero Daumier decided to check it out this past Sunday.

The show is set up in 4 actes: Neoclassicism, Romanticism, Symbolism, and the last being Realism and Impressionism. The well structured collection depicts historical characters set in theatrical roles.

Afternoon tear gas festivities were at hand in Marseille today and I was informed  that one should always coordinate your strolls around football gamedays. Leaving rather late in seeing the "De La Scene au Tableau" exibition at the Cantini, I walked into the fray on the Vieux Port. I didn't take note, thinking just another protest like many monthly parades across from my apartment at the Palais Pharo.

Logging onto the New York Times account awhile back, I read an article on the Marseille-based and produced soap opera phenomenon Plus Belle La Vie. Yes, I am sure many have while flipping through the stations come across this drama, and I can even say, paid a little attention. What I found so interesting it is a big thing all over France. To read the article, Plus Belle La Vie

This ex-New Yorker has been missing her bagels since she moved to Marseille. I even contemplated trying to make some, but after much research found that my laziness won over my stomach, that being on the assumption that I could even make them. Aix has had them for awhile and another Amercian-expat I spoke to drives each weekend there just to pick them up. Well tummies growl no longer...you can pick them up from a new deli that opened recently called Oscar's. The place has the authentic feel of a NY deli with brick walls and back-counter comradery of the staff members all dressed in white-tees with the bagel logo on them.

Oscar's uses only genuine H&H bagels, flown in from the famed NY bagelerie* (can I make my own french word for this?) They have all the essentials on hand: plain, onion, sesame, cinnamon and some I haven't even tried yet. Of course, what would a bagel be without cream cheese... and that too is real... I have been getting by with my kiri cheese substitute up until now. I had my initiation with a onion bagel, cream cheese and locks...yummmm.

Over the years I have accumulated a pile of publications on Marseille entertainment, culture and general happenings in the city. Finally I am getting it all together and putting them up on the site...also cleaning out all the dust-bunnies that have accumulated around them. I stayed up til 2 checking on all the pubs making sure they were current and confirming their websites. Most of them can be found easily in and around the city, others you can telecharge from the site themselves...geeez wish I had figured that out before I wasted my shoe leather on tracking the hard copies down.