Basic French Bebe Training

 Yesterday's post on 'Stripe Training' got me thinking about Basic French Training in general. Most French cultural ways are instilled in infancy if not sooner IMHO. Like the essential wearing of trench coats for example.

 The bow too is a key to unlock the secrets of French je ne sait quoi

 The fine tuning of the famous French taste buds begins with a vast variety of penny candy. Wearing it on your Anne Maisonneuve T-shirt doesn't hurt a bit in developing one's connoisseurship from the get-go. It's never too early to start. Haribo here I come!

 The fine arts of pastry indoctrination begins as soon as little hands can grasp a crayon.

 As explained in Bringing Up Bebe, French children bake every weekend. I tried this in hopes of a bit of regression therapy, but my cake was a mess and I did NOT wait to eat it at 'gouter'/snack time (4:30 PM). So both the arte of waiting and baking were completely lost on moi. 'You can't go home again' as Thomas Wolfe said, especially if France wasn't your home to begin with.

Lecon learned - no more weekend baking for me.

 Let's hope I do a better job of it and can catch up to this savvy kidlets.

 On to more serious training like the wearing of the French scarf. You can pick up a lot about what makes the French tick if you just lower your eyes to 3-foot level in my opinion.

 Since everyone desperately wants to be French (or at least 95% of us) consider looking down at the French kiddies instead of running off to Ave. Montagne and Dior.

 Why Don't French Women get fat?
They start wearing horizontal stripes early.

 VERY early.

 Even French dogs get stripe training.

 If you want your babr girl painted in stripes instead of a floral pattern just ask straight away - pas de problem.

 Developing the senses early is de rigueur.

At a recent book fair an editor told me she'd just spent 6 months in Paris and French moms did NOT participate in sandbox activities at all. Instead they were off on a bench chatting. Clearly she had not read Bringing Up Bebe nor had her child had 'sand training' to develope the sense of touch and taste.

Clearly I won't be getting any review copies from her in the near future either, ahem.

 May I suggest a visit to Il Etait Une Fois..5, rue Casette 75006 or any other any other kid's toy or clothing store. Rue Vavin is another good place to get your Basic French Training.

Bear, being French, agrees completely!

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Thin for Paris

 Do you try to get thin for Paris or wherever you're headed on a trip?

 Usually I have a 3-month window to yo-yo, procrastinate, dream without actually doing it. This time I just have 2 weeks to move mountains. Not happening.

 I don't like feeling like a hippo in Paris. I did see lots of them on book jackets, sculpture in front of musee d'Orsay, on this doormat where I'm staying - a constant reminder, ahem.

 It's not as if Paris cares a hoot whether we're thin. Though it would be nice to think we could wolf down lots more pastries knowing they would do less damage

 Last trip was the 1st one where I didn't gain any weight. I changed some eating habits thanks to The Power of Habit combined with Bringing Up Bebe.

 I ate fruit compote instead of pastries. Fr Girl had a fit when she heard I was buying it,

'It's so easy to make!

How could you do that?'

There are tons of compote recipes at Clotilde's Chocolate and Zucchini.

 The Power of Habit tells you how to replace a troubling habit with a new more beneficial habit if you set up the cue-reward-routine.

 I found I could resist the siren call of meringues,

 If there was compote de pomme nearby. There often is in Parisian patisseries.

 I could be satisfied with no afternoon sugar lows in the process.

 Page 64 of Pamela's book spells it out regarding my baking traumas.

'All this (weekend) baking doesn't just yield lots of cakes. It also teaches kids how to control themselves. With its orderly measuring and sequencing of ingredients, baking is the perfect lesson in patience. So is the fact that French families don't devour the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, as I would. They typically bake in the morning or early afternoon, then wait and eat the cake or muffins as a gouter(pronounced goo-tay)-the French afternoon snack'.

 I had a chance to test this out. Someone suggested putting the leftover madeleine batter in the pan and FREEZING IT! Then simply defrost and put in the oven 8-10 minutes.

 The 2nd batch of madeleines came out better than the 1st batch. But how NOT to eat them in one fell swoop?

 Illustration by Katy Couprie

How to space them out, eating ONE-a-day at afternoon snacktime/gouter and not feel deprived? After all, 'French kids snack only once a day' says Karen Le Billon.

 I found I could do it!  Big Merci to Power of Habits + Bringing Up Bebe. I now have a tin full of madeleines waiting for gouter time.

That was before Ooh La La Confectionary sent us a box of candies from CapeTown yesterday. The delish calissons are gone. I ate all 12 of them in one fell swoop. The best laid plans of 'bears' and men oft go astray.

*update: Sat afternoon I made a 'betise'. In a weak moment I downed THREE madeleines, then fell into a comatose sleep. We will not even discuss the delicious nougat from S.Africa :( 

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French Dogs Drink Champagne

 French dogs drink Champagne.

Who knew?

 'Shanghai' drinks Perrier on a hot day in the park.

 There are water fountains for French dogs at the marche.

 They have their own celebrity mugs decorated with Tintin's Milou/Snowy.

 French dogs on occasion ride in a pousette with an umbrella!

French dogs get 'prioritaire' seating on the Metro.

 Yet it's not unusual for French dogs to make betises/be naughty and eat food off the street (even after it's been on the ground more than 3 seconds).

 It's perfectly OK for French dogs to jump up on strangers.

 Bringing Up Bebe is my guide to understanding French behavior and I've come to the conclusion French children are far better behaved than French dogs.

In fact French dogs are spoiled rotten.

Even American dogs are better behaved.

 I bought this book because I liked the pictures. It's table manners for princesses-to-be. I can use this.

 For example, one does NOT say,

'GO TO THE TABLE!' or shout, 'DINNER!'

Instead say gently/doucement,

'We will now go to the table'

One should NEVER say,

'EAT!' either.

 I bought this plate illustrated by French artist Soledad Bravi because it was cute. But it's a 'message' plate telling a child,

'I eat with my mouth closed'

 French kid's plates don't say,

'Good Job' or 'All Gone!'

but instill good manners from the getgo.

I sat next to a 4-year old boy on the bus.

His maman/mom was nearby with a younger child in a pousette.

I overheard them whispering, including a 'pardon, Madame'.

(BTW listening to little kids is a great way to learn French)

When his mom said, 'Now we will get off the bus'

The little boy said to me in a loud voice,

'PARDON, MADAME'.

I wanted to reply, 'Merci, Monsieur' :)

French cats are better behaved than French dogs BTW. Should someone write manners book for dogs?
'Bringing Up Toutou/doggie'

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Salon du Livre 2012

 Bear went to Salon du Livre 2012 yesterday at Porte du Versailles.

 So did a lot of other people!

 A lot of authors showed up.

 To sign many books...

 And make watercolors/drawings in the books...

 Tristan Banon signing her Le Bal des Hypocrites...

 I hung out at the kid's books/des jeuness

 It was a reading free-for-all.

 Just sit on the floor and read!

 Or read a sac/bag.

 JUST READ!

 If you believe you are beautiful (kiss the frog!).

 French cursive all over the place!

 Not all French kids are angels.

Dico des Betises/dictionary of naughtinesses tells all. I brought along Bringing Up Bebe on my Kindle to keep well-informed on Fr kiddies. When you say, 'you made une betise' it's not the same as saying 'you are bad' - a subtle difference. This book is full of funny betises.

 Some French kids don't love spinach, but they all love chocolat.

 French children don't throw food, but they might throw paper airplanes at la maitress/the teacher, ahem.

 In Peluches A Paris/Teddybears in Paris, a giant dog makes a giant crotte/poop at La Madeleine, AHEM

 A serious chocolate book with no pictures written by Jacques Pessis, président du Club des Croqueurs de Chocolat (for les adults).

 I ate Haribo gummies at the Salon...

 

 Am I glad I climbed those stairs pre-trip

 On the way home I saw a baker making bread at Boulangerie Charlot...

Enfin chez moi in Bobo 11th
The view from my tiny balcon. A tres mignon et tres practique chambre de bonne on the 6th floor (but there is an elevator Dieu merci).

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