Musique a la Francaise

Working this summer at an old summer camp of mine, I got the opportunity to interact with some real-life Parisiens, albeit 15 year-old ones. To be perfectly honest, I was ecstatic. The four of them helped me with my French, taught me the best naughty words, and educated me on the best aspects of French culture. 

According to my new French friends, the top music in France are the remixes. The French have taken the art of the remix to a whole new level, twisting American and British songs into entirely new creatures. P!nk's original "So What," written after her messy, and very public divorce, acts like an angry breakup song, good for belting out after your own, equally messy breakup. But in the hands of the French, "So What" becomes a poppy, sexy, dance song, worthy of Lady Gaga dance floor status. 

So, if you are looking for a new take on an old favorite song, try looking for one of the many French music remixes. Whether its a Euro-trance dance version of "So What" or a new hip-hop backbone to Michelle Branch, try musique a la francaise. Really.

Leaving Soon on a Jet Plane

As I sat looking at my Moleskine calendar this morning, I realized the horrible truth; I leave for France in less than three weeks! Oh dear. In a frantic panic I attempted to make a list of all of the things I need to bring to France. It goes vaguely like this:

sweaters

a jacket

shoes

shirts

And so on.

I have no idea what kinds of things to bring. Being an overachiever of sorts, I decided to research French street style online. What I discovered: wear lots of layers, mainly in neutral colors, look fabulous. Simple. Yeah, right... What is it about the French? They manage, when they try the least, to completely blow the rest of the world away. (When they try, thats another matter.) They are the undoubted kings and queens of the fashion world, leaving the rest of us with nothing to do but to marvel at their greatness. Above are a few wonderful photos of French style. Ah, to be French...