The first and biggest is COMMENTS! Registration is no longer required to post a comment on any post. Of course if you already have an account you can still login to ensure your comments are attributed to you, but those who don’t can now post a comment without any long term commitment. Also, on the right you can see some of the recent comments so you’ll always know what the active discussions are. This was the most requested thing we’ve heard from people since our last redesign and we’re excited to see where it leads.

The next change is also something that was heavily requested, and that is a change to the ADS on the sites. You’ll immediately notice fewer of them, but what might not be as obvious is those smaller square ones to the right are specific to this city only and are being sold for a flat rate for a period of time rather than a confusing CPM/traffic/network model. Depending on the city, these range from $7-$175 for a full week. If you purchase one, during that time your ad will be the only one in that spot and will show on every page. We set these up both to make it easier for smaller local businesses to get their ads on our site, and also to help us bring in ads that relate better to our local audiences. Also, keeping these sites online is expensive and every little bit helps.

There are a bunch of other things we changed (including this broadcast function so we can more easily update everyone) but we’ll leave those to you to investigate and take advantage of. Hope you like it, and we look forward to seeing you in the comments!!

Love,
The folks at MBHQ

Toutes les infos…

Toutes les infos ici (comme d’hab :P )

Avec Europe Ecologie juste derrière la liste UMP (en tête) : 2.5 points d’écart seulement ! Je trouvai ça “note-worthy”.

La mauvaise surprise vient elle des quais de Seine.  Je suis en effet descendue sur les quais ouverts aux piétons (rive droite) pour profiter du soleil et continuer ma ballade.Tout va bien jusqu’au tunnel des Tuileries ou apparait un gyrophare… La première idée est celle d’un accident, mais nous entendons bien vite des klaxons… Les voies sont en cours de réouverture à la circulation alors que des centaines de promeneurs de tous ages sont encore sur les quais !

A postériori j’ai cherché les horaires d’ouverture des berges aux piétons, et il apparait qu’elles ne sont ouverte que j’usqu’à 17h (heure vers laquelle je suis descendue).  Mais aucune information sur les descentes, ni sur les berges n’est affiché!!

Bien que “personne ne soit censé ignoré la loi” il me semble utile que ce genre d’information soit clairement indiqué ou au moins rappelée. Pourquoi n’ai-je pas vu de patrouille de police passer vers 17h pour évacuer les quais?  Pourquoi l’évacuation se fait-elle en même temps que l’ouverture ce qui génère l’exaspération des automobilistes “coincés” deriière les voitures de police et la mise en danger des promeneurs ? Une foi remontée, j’ai par exemple assisté à des seine inquiétantes, comme ces deux touristes japonais qui ont du tranverser la circulation (quasi à l’arrêt heureusement) pour rejoindre les escaliers ou cette grand-mère qu’il a fallut porter pour passer la barrière permettant de se mettre en sécurité!

J’espère que le problème que nous avons observé hier soir n’esy qu’un “cafouillage” passagé.

[From Le Canard Enchaîné, by Cobu]

There are expats aplenty in France, not to mention language students worldwide, who aspire to speak French as fluently as they could. There’s a genuine love for the language for us, and everyone would inevitably tell you, the best way to speak the language is to live within Francophonic society and to interact at all time with native speakers.

Even then, there are nuances that standard text books don’t tell us. Slangs and clever play of words are painfully difficult for non-native speakers to grasp, and expressive phrases pose yet another roadblock to our learning. We sure appreciate all help possible and there is a new learning aid at hand.

Introducing – On va le dire comme ça : Dictionnaire des expressions quotidiennes!

Touted as first of its kind, this dictionary explains the meaning and the use of over 1600 expressions and sayings illustrated using over 5000 examples, and reveals their counterparts in other French-speaking countries. Add in modern languages integration (e.g. Anglophone influence), this dictionary will not even go amiss in a French household.

It doesn’t come cheap, at over €30 a pop, but I suspect its value will be worth more than that for the keen language learners. However, I suspect I know well the meaning of the expression “bling bling” so that will be one phrase I need not learn. ;-)

Have no fear, my frenchie fiends; Lelle is here!

This is a guide to the types of food establishments to be found in Paris, with a brief overview of typical fare, service type, location, and price.

Café
Yes, you’ve heard of Parisian cafes, alright- after all, the very idea of a place to sip a coffee languorously and people watch embodies the very essence of French. But don’t be fooled; a café in Paris is a very different matter fro a café in the U.S, or in Britain. French cafés, Parisian cafes especially, carry the typical coffeehouse beverages, but also offer a full menu. The menus vary from café to café, but you can expect a low to mid price range, from 1-2 euro croissants to 9-12 euro salads. You can either sit down and be served by waitstaff, or you can go straight to the bar and order, which is usually cheaper. Cafes often have indoor, terrace, and outdoor seating, so depending on the weather and on your tastes; there are a multitude of options. Flexibility is the key thing to remember here- whether you want to spend hours lingering over a good book with a café crème or want a quick espresso at the bar before heading to the Champs-Elysees, a café will do the trick.

Bistro
The entire concept of a bistro, a small, moderately priced restaurant, was developed in the city of love; our dear Paris. The bistro is often referred to as a cross between a café and a full fledged restaurant. One can order the typical café fare, but also order more savory and complex dishes. Bistros are often rather…cozy, meaning that the space is not exactly plentiful. I should mention that this is true for most food establishments in Paris with the exception of higher end restaurants. Do not be afraid of the change in personal space- embrace it! When in Rome, as they say. There is usually only one menu, served throughout the day.

Brasserie
The Brasserie can be thought of as a more professional Bistro; like the bistro, it is often a cross between a café and a restaurant, but will almost always have a printed menus and often more attentive service. There is usually one menu served throughout the day, but look out for daily specials.

Bar
Relatively self explanatory; you order drinks (avec alcool!) at this type of establishment, though some may offer platters of meats, cheeses, and bread or other types of simple fare. Bars differ considerably in Paris, like they do anywhere else in the world. Don’t be afraid to peek in the window and see if the atmosphere is what you’re looking for, because Paris has absolutely no shortage of bars for the night owl.

Crêperie
These little shacks of sweet deliciousness can be found all over Paris, often in the more touristic areas. They often serve two types of crepes, dessert crepes (crêpes sucrées) that are filled with nutella, whipped cream (chantilly) other sweet items, and more meal-like crepes (crêpes salées) that are filled with items like ham and cheese.

Salon de Thé
When wandering the streets alone, a Salon de Thé is a wonderful place to have a cup of tea, coffee, or dessert. They are much less common that the cafes, but can be quite charming and often have a more relaxed environment than other types of establishments.

Buvette
The scenario is familiar ; you’re walking through the garden Tulieres, enjoying a nice, Spring day, and suddenly you realize that you’re completely and utterly famished. You are in luck ; the many gardens of Paris are often peppered with Buvettes, stands which sell drinks, sandwiches, and ice cream. They often have patio like furniture for their patrons to sit and relax for a bit. These stands are not necessarily expensive, but they are not necessarily the best deal as far as quality and price in the Paris region. However, one can’t argue with their functionality !

Restaurant
Here we are, you think ; a concept I understand at last ! But be cautious, my traveling friend, because the restaurant in Paris is tricky in the fact that it’s often the most difficult to pinpoint. There are so many different types of menus offered at restaurants that it can be mind boggling. Here are the most common variations :

Menu prix-fixe: just about every restaurant in Paris will offer a meal that has a fixed price, that often consists of four courses. Each course has a choice of dishes for the patron to pick from, and may include wine. There are often a number of set price menus that vary in price, quality, and quantity. Along with the menu prix-fixe, there might be a menu du jour (a menu of the day) that is often of the best quality.

Menu dégustation/menu surprise: this is essentially a tasting menu, where a number of small servings are served. If it is a surprise menu, it is chosen by the chef. However, watch out: everyone at the table must have the menu, which can be restrictive at times.

La carte: everything else; essentially, ordering off the menu. The dishes are usually more expensive. Sometimes you can find a plat du jour- a dish of the day, which can be a good bargain.

One important thing to keep in mind about the Parisian food scene is that more often than not, ‘types’ of establishments are combined; café-bar-brasseries, café-tabacs, etc. Be prepared to share your space with customers buying cigarettes at the Tabac if it is a joint café-tabac. Always keep in mind that the many areas of Paris have different general price ranges, and often different specialties (for instance, St. Michel is known to have many Greek establishments).

Eating in Paris is a joy; don’t forget that, and you will be golden. Bon Apétit, mon amis!

À bientôt,
Lelle

“This is the end, beautiful friend.
It hurts to set you free,
But you’ll never follow me.
The end of laughter and soft lies.
The end of nights we tried to die.
This is the… end.”

Morrison once confessed that “We’re more interested in the dark side of life, the evil thing, the night time.”

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