Back to the future?

Street car conductor in Seattle not allowing passengers aboard without a mask. 1918

Vomit inspired upholstery

These 2 patterns are from Parisian buses. Funnily enough, the pattern on the right (which makes me think of baby food mixed with vomit) is on the brand new buses on my route. The seating configuration is different and the poles in the middle have 3 prongs to give more hand-hold room. There’s even the snazzy ticker tape sign that gives the ETA of the next and final destinations. Nearly everything about the new bus is modern….except the seat patterns. Who is the person who designed this pattern and why were they allowed to spread this ugliness??

Sarko is making frenemies

According to French President Sarkozy, US President Obama is weak and indecisive and German Chancellor Merkel followed Sarko’s lead only after she realized that Germany's economy was in trouble. He also took a swipe at Spain, indicated respect for Berlusconi’s ability to get re-elected several times and to top it off he’s calling people of African descent “suntanned”.

I’m all for free speech, but wtf??! The suntan issue will have to wait for a different post on racism in France. Does Sarko believe that insulting the leaders of other nations is the way to improve international cooperation? Does he think that Obama doesn’t surf the net or won’t find out about Sarko’s comments? Apparently the concept of catching flies with honey instead of vinegar didn’t make it across the pond. Some are saying that Sarko is jealous that another president has taken media attention away from him and Sarkozette and I’m inclined to agree.

Read about Sarko’s comments here.

Tuesday Tune

Swan taxidermy or stylish lighting?

What do you think when you see this lamp? It’s in the window of a home interior store/salon/restaurant near my office. I saw it and had to get a photo because it looks like an IKEA idea of what happens to swans after they die. A chacun son goût, but who is going to buy this?? The kicker is, the next day I took a look at the price tag and had to do a double take....€725! That’s right, seven hundred and twenty five euros. Apparently swan purgatory isn't cheap.

Perfect English

On my way to see the Brit this past weekend, a lady pulling a suitcase saw me walking down the street towards the train station and made a beeline to intercept. She asked if I knew where Boulevard X was and I could barely get three words out before she gave a nervous laugh combined with a sigh and said “Thank God, perfect English”. I don’t know if she realized that I was American or just thought I was a française with an impeccable accent. As we went in different directions I chuckled to myself in sympathy because I understood how she felt and how relieved she must be.