Category: Fourre-tout

Once in a while I feel the need for a cultural bath and that’s why last Thursday morning I drove to the Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco to immerse myself in an exhibition called Impressionists on the Water.
We are talking of course about that old gang: Monet, Caillebotte, Renoir, Pissarro, etc.

Most of the people are familiar with these artists but far fewer know about Gustave Caillebotte, and he just happens to be one of my favorite Impressionists.
His lesser fame might due to the fact that besides painting, Caillebote had another consuming passion: sailing.
He ceased painting in his mid-thirties and devoted himself almost exclusively to gardening, building and racing yachts.
He unfortunately died at 45 of a pulmonary congestion and that might explain his relative obscurity.
Nevertheless, I love his paintings and I particularly like “Paris Street, Rainy Day” that renders especially well the gloomy atmosphere of the French capital on a wet winter day.

After our cultural interlude we felt the need for a more down to earth kind of pleasure and we drove to the Baker Street Bistro for a little nourishment.
I had not been there since it was sold a few years ago and I didn’t know what to expect.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

First of all, we managed to secure a table outside in front of the establishment, and on this sunny autumn day it felt particularly pleasant.
The food proved to be above expectations.

Since I am fond of « cochonnaille » I started with a « Assiette Charcutière » (pâté de campagne, dry saucisson, smoked duck breast, garlic sausage, cornichons & onions) and it proved an excellent choice. I particularly appreciated the “pâté de champagne”.

Next, I went for the Moules Provençale (mussels, white wine, shallots, parsley, tomato and pesto).
The mussels were plump and juicy but what made this classic dish particularly tasty was the addition of some pesto.
Next time you prepare some “moules” at home, try to add a little pesto to the broth; you will be pleasantly surprised.

Tamara picked the Navarin d’Agneau Printanier (lamb stew with zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, carrots) and by the way it disappeared from her plate I could tell that it was to her liking.

Our French-speaking waitress whose name was Chantal did an excellent job despite the fact that she was shorthanded.
Service could have been a little speedier, but this is the only hiccup to an otherwise perfect lunch.
I am pretty sure that if you go there for dinner you won’t have this problem.

If you are in San Francisco and you start feeling some hunger pangs, head for the Baker Street Bistro (2953 Baker Street) and give it a try.
You will like it.

Alain La Foudre

 

I have often been amazed (and disturbed I must say) by the amount of noise generated by a brood of cackling women.

I don’t know if it is only me, but it seems that the “weaker sex” grows stronger (and louder) when assembling with their sorority sisters.
We once came across such group in a restaurant, and they were so noisy that I mentioned it to my wife.
Those must be single women, my wife remarked.
Why, did I ask?
After they marry they don’t laugh anymore.

Is that so? Interesting remark… but not necessarily true.

I have seen and heard women of different ages and social statuses generate as much noise as a pack of rowdy teenagers.
What prompts these (normally demure?) women to behave like frat boys on Spring Break?
Is it the exhilaration generated by the absence of a male figure?
Or the sense of entitlement brought to the fore by the “bra burning” movement?
Is it some kind of exhibitionistic display?

Je ne sais pas… but I would like to know.

Men are naturally loud (and obnoxious) but why would ladies behave like drunken sailors when in a group?
And what could be done to tone down those noisy gatherings?

When dealing with “the gentler sex” you have to be extremely careful because as the Bard said:
“Hell hath no fury like an angered woman”

But, would garlic and a crucifix help?
Should Animal Control be summoned?
Could Mace be used?

I understand that there are more pressing problems than this kind of environmental pollution, but a remedy for this type of nuisance would be welcome and would sell extremely well.

Alain La Foudre

 

Yeah, I confess… like a pimple-faced nerd I got the latest iPhone… but before you start jeering, hear me out.

Two weeks ago I dropped my older iPhone4 to the ground.
After I picked it up everything seemed to work properly but I soon realized that something was amiss.
When somebody called me I could hear the ringtone and I could faintly hear the voice of the person calling me, but he/she couldn’t hear me. Bummer!
After a few unsuccessful problem-solving attempts I went to Apple and asked the Geniuses if they could bring back my device to life.

They tested my phone and they said that they couldn’t fix it.
They gave me two options: replace my baby with a similar model (at a cost of $150.00) or get a newer iPhone5 (not the S model) for $200.00.
It was a no-brainer; I went for the iPhone5.

I was aware that the iPhone5/S was coming, but nobody knew how much it would cost.
The experts expected it to be priced around $400.00.
I thought that this was a little bit too pricey, and I decided to buy the iPhone5 for $200.00 (and a renewed commitment to stay with ATT for another 2 years).

Two weeks after I purchased that phone, Apple introduced their much-touted new device and low and behold, it was priced at $200.00, well below the expected price.
I rushed back to Apple and asked them if I could exchange my newly purchased phone for their latest model.
OK they said, but you must do it within a 30-day window of your original purchase date.

So it is why last Friday afternoon I trekked to the Corte Madera Apple store to exchange my newly purchased phone for their latest wonder.

When I arrived, there was a line all right, but it was not excessive. Maybe 30 feet long. And it moved fairly fast. One more time I credit Apple for its organization.
They were plenty of blue-shirted, bluetoothed Apple surrogates, and they did an excellent job of controlling the queue and keeping people abreast of what was happening inside the temple.
What model do you want, what color, and what is your carrier they wanted to know.
And they would tell you right away if what you wanted was currently available.
Me? I just wanted a 16GB iPhone5/ S. I didn’t care about the color.
We have it said one of the Apple minions.
Allright!

I waited about 20 minutes before being allowed into the Temple.
Apple wisely controlled the flow of people and authorized only 2 or 3 individuals at a time to enter its store.
When my turn came, a young man took me under his wing and after a few paperless formalities he presented me with a new shiny phone.
He backed up my old phone and after about 20 minutes my new iPhone5 was in my pocket, ready for action.

I am not ashamed to say that I was extremely excited. When I left the store, it felt like a Christmas morning, when kids are allowed to play with their new toys.

The iPhone5/S is a little marvel able to do unimaginable things. The list is too long to mention them all, but take my word for it, this phone is more intelligent and knowledgeable than the average citizen.

Siri for instance allows you to enter a variety of voice commands/questions, and understand what you say. She (it?) even talks back.
When I asked: Siri, do you love me?
Siri answered:
Let’s just say… that you have my utmost admiration.

Whoa… I wish that my wife could say that!

Alain La Foudre