Thursday, July 1, 2010

Crazy Heat, Tasty Cupcakes.

Summer has finally arrived in Paris and it's hot as hellfire but I'm not complaining, lest I need to eat a whole lotta' crow. I'm routinely griping about how Paris weather blows (literally), and that I want summer to feel like summer and that I shouldn't feel the need to take a cardigan wherever I go. The thing is, Paris is ill equipped for it to be THAT hot, many places (including very public ones) don't have air conditioning or even fans. The heat has brought out some pretty random behavior. A local friend Jennifer just posted a funny foto on Facebook taken outside a post office that read, effectively, "the Post is closed today due to extreme heat and no air-conditioning (but we hope you understand)." Meanwhile, a second note from a passerby was taped up along side it asking if this was going to be a summer-long thing and reminding them about a little thing called fans.

Ah, passive-aggressiveness abounds and the heat has brought about untold levels of rude encounters. I call it a malaise: I saw a man get out of his car, and take the woman driving in her SmartCar behind him to task (while his car remained parked in the middle of the street with a buddy in the passenger seat). She had a baby in a car seat sitting next to her, and no amount of manic horn honking from others could deter him from chewing her out. I looked for signs of damage to the car(s), but I think the damage was only to the dude's ego. He wears black on the outside because black is how he feels on the inside, I suppose. In another instance of the heat driving people a little whack-o: while getting Roman out of his car seat, a woman rams the front end of my car while parallel parking and when I questioned her about it she gave me the Paris Shrug, and said, "excusez-moi, Madame. C'etait la voiture!" (excuse me, mam, it was the car!). huh?

Meanwhile, all of France is on sale for the next month. Can't say as I understand it fully, but essentially there are nationwide rules (ahem, laws) governing the sales or "les soldes", and merchants can only have sales during approved times of year, typically in January and again in July. I hear that given the economic crunchy-crunch the government has loosened up a bit on enforcing them. It feels absurd to buy anything any other time of year. I try to project sizes for the next year for my little ones. I bought 5 dresses for me, including 2 from Bonpoint, which I hadn't known makes clothes for adults.

I wore one of those dresses to Cupcake Camp. Dearest Hubbie and I made 60 mini Rose and Poppyseed Cupcakes, and participated in a fantastic charity event for Rebuilding Haiti Now. Friend Cat of Little Miss Cupcake was a co-organizer and was completely consumed with activity when we arrived that we could only manage a quick bisous and a "where can I put these cupcakes?" Congratulations Cat! They raised over 1200 euros, with over 1600 cupcakes. It was a huge and delicious success- way to put sugar and spice together to help those in need. To boot, it was held on July 4th my favorite holiday, and at Bistrot Vivienne, located in my favorite passage couvert. Camille was dressed in a romper from Gwen, and we took photos of each other, although I think Camille needs to work on her focus:
Camille romping it up in a romper.

I feel a little out of focus.

Franck and Roman working it.


3 comments:

  1. ok, nothing wrong with feeling black on the inside our out. in fact, some people are black on the inside and out. i'm just sayin'.

    diggin the holiday clothes. romper is cool. and i like romie's sandals and socks action with the 4th of july clothes. looks ready to mow a lawn any minute!

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  2. nope, nothing wrong with being black, feeling, or wearing black: just quoting The Smiths' Unlovable: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xldmXca0kvg

    I've got to train Romie early. Can't let him think it's all a free ride. Best to avoid blisters.

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  3. i think everyone is pink inside actually?? ...leigh

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