Stolen a purse

We had a great dinner yesterday night. My friend Ira is famous for her annual dinners. She is a passioned cooker and took the whole number of cooking classes with some star cooks. So once a year she invites her closest friends and treat them with a heaven meal. This time she choosed thai menu. We had a soup, three entrees to choose and home-made sorbet and mango cream for dessert. It was so delicious! It was unbelievable! It was unforgetable! We eat, we talked, we laughed. We had so much fun together! That's why I was flying to Stuttgart, famous annual Irochka's dinner and fun with friends. It was absolutely worth it!

Soup with duck

Mmmm! Heavenly!

Ira and Slawa

Shirley and Michael

Filiz and Ingo

Vika, Ira's sister. Hey guys, she is looking for a man!

It was not really much time to sleep. The clock was changed to summer time this night, so one less hour to sleep. The next morning I woke up at 4:30 am. At 5:15 a taxi arrived to drive me to the train station. The train to Frankfurt Airport. Check-in to Kiew. Taking a coffee in a cafe. 

Take a breath. As I wanted to pay for a coffee, I see that my purse is gone. Gone! No purse! No money, no credit cards, no driver licenses, no german ID. Getting a panic attack. Calling my husband in US and trying to explain the mess. Going to police office and making a report. Calling with my husband. Taking a plain to Kiew. Calling to my husband. Sitting on a board and thinking.

How? What to do as next? And what the whole shit has to mean?

I didn't spend money, buying stuff at duty free, that I probably don't need.

I didn't take a meal at the plane. I thought, I have to fasten a little. It was good.

Slow down. I changed my plans. Originally I wanted to go to my mom to Tshernigow. Now I called her and she is coming tomorrow to Kiew to see me.

I didn't get enough rest and sleep. Probably it played a role and I lost some attention. So I was taking a nap at my brother's home. It helped.
Be awake on the trips! Always! I was sure, Germany is a secured country. It is indeed, but the thieves could be everywhere.
Good and bad are going hand in hand. Don't get too overwhelmed about something. 
There's always some positive. It can be worse. I still have my foreign pass and my phone.

Anyway. There's a hard time for me right now. But it's worth to look forward. Somehow it's going to be all right. 

Taking a trip

Once in a while I’m going for a trip. By myself. Alone. No kids, no husband. You know, what? It’s not easy. As a mother of four and a wife of one, who counts like two, you used to be in a collective. The husband is taking decisions (mostly) and you are taking care of kids (mostly). You are always surrounded by your lovely ones. You are never alone. 

But now you are on move. Suddenly. 

Nobody is crying. Nobody is arguing. Nobody tells you what to do and what to leave. Sure, you notice other kids crying and other moms trying to get quiet their kids. You see other pairs loud communicating. But it’s not your business. No more. You are on your own. Freedom! Unexpected and new won freedom. What to do? Where to look? Where to go?

I’m happy, my husband understands the importance to give me a free space and free time. I remember, first it happened as our third one, Jonathan, was born. As he was four months old, Igor booked a trip to Creta for me as a birthday gift. He organized a flight, great hotel, babysitter for kids, everything. You say, perfect? It should make me feel happy? Noway! I was shocked. I was crying and wailing, trying to cancel everything. All the time I was imaging awful scenes. All the families and all the pairs are sitting and chatting and laughing. And here I’m coming in. Alone. And everybody is looking and starring at me...

But nothing helped. So I took my flight, I arrived, checked in at the hotel, went alone to the restaurant. Soon I met a woman, who was also by herself, and we did some walks along the seaside. I took a trip to the nearest island. And on my way back to the airport I had this taxi driver, who was looking like the excursion guide just talked us about: black hair, blue eyes and a rare brown color of skin. We were flirting. And it was not bad at all. I survived. I enjoyed the trip. I learned about myself. Went over the fears. Went over the borders. It was a very important, crucial experience for me.

So, my dears, you got it! I’m on a plane right now. Taking my trip to Europe. Alone. Three countries in six days. In the past back in Europe we were laughing about Americans who jump over the European cities like grasshoppers. But here I’m! You never know. 

I’m reading one of the best, inspiring books I’ve ever read. “It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be” by Paul Arden. 

Never stop investing in yourself.

Try to do things that you are incapable of.

The more you give away, the more back comes to you. (Don’t covet your ideas)

Don’t look for the next opportunity. The one you have in a hand is the opportunity. 

Translate to myself:

First time I took my laptop with me.

First time I’m writing on a plane. 

First time I ordered and drunk red wine. 

First time I have a seat free near to me. By chance. So I can put my legs out. On the top of this I have two cushions and two blankets. 

They are showing Silver lining Playbook with Bradley Cooper right now. Wow! Once again Bradley. So guys, I have to end up. Let’s watch the movie!

Evening at Joe's pub

You know, Jessica is really good in French. She has been attending Fiaf French Institute in Manhattan http://www.fiaf.org/index.asp for over two years and her oral communication is excellent. My french friend Caroline once said, she needed some minutes to recognize that French is not Jessica's native language. Anyway.

We have friends in Tenafly, whose daughter is not less as Jessica passioned about French. Even more, Jana is going to study French as major. So it was their idea to go together for a French concert. Good idea!

Sunday evening we were visiting concert of Floanne at Joe's pub http://www.joespub.com. Joe's pub is a very nice location with a small stage and few rows of tables, so that the contact between performer and spectators is very close. Floanne is a French singer and actress. She was recounting Edit Piaf's story. Floanne was singing both in French and English and was embodying Piaf very truly. During the performance she drunk off an on from her glass with whisky like probably Piaf it would do. All the time we were wondering, if the whisky real or not. Relatively sure, that it was real. Why else to the end of the show Floanne started to giggle more, she became more opened, took her shoes off and danced around the stage? She enjoyed the show as well as we it did. That's good, right?

And here we go!

The entry to the music cafe

 

Floanne in aciton

Foto for good memory. 

Open day at Alvin Ailey

So, on Saturday we had this Open day with Jonathan at Lee Strasberg http://tygs.blogspot.com/2013/03/open-day-at-lee-strasberg.html.  On Sunday we hit another one, with Fiorina at Alvin Ailey. You remember, I told you, how difficult it was to enroll in this program http://tygs.blogspot.com/2012/09/momente-aus-dem-alltag.html.

I liked it! I saw a big improvement since last open day (I think, it was back in December). It is a phenomenal discipline there, four teachers (one main and three helpers) and live accompaniment. All this stuff is playing for 10-15 small 5-years old girls. Not bad, right?

The program calls First steps and is running the whole year. In May they are going to make a performance on stage. So they are working hard towards this goal. Movements, independence, but also a music rhyme,- are the central moments, the teacher focusing on.

Let's take a look closer.

And below is a movement the kids still to have work on. It's a new horse step, so it's ok for now.

Fiorina is a line leader. She was so proud!

During the class one woman from the stuff members came in. She wanted to take a look and encouraged students to do some movements and paid attention to the music. Also she mentioned the performance in May and told us about costumes and hair style.

I enjoyed the hour. We are looking forward to see the final performance in May! It will be fun!

Open day at Lee Strasberg

On Saturday at Lee Strasberg they had an open day for parents. The teachers were holding real classes like they are doing them regularly, only plainly shorter. So we were able to see, for what we are paying money and if it worth.

The first class was acting. In pairs the children were preparing some scenes and after that the teacher was discussing them with the students. Jonathan's scene was a bit stupid one with only two short lines. So we didn't like the scene, but I find ok the method and how the teacher was holding it.

After all the kids showed their scenes, the students got the certificates.

The next class was camera class. The teacher Ron was very passioned about his course. Warm up was saying "double bubble gum" repeating many times, which was really fun. After that the kids were playing small commercials.

The next class was Basic Stage Combat. Actually this class is divided: the half of students are doing musical theatre during the others are in stage combat. It was a funny class. The kids were doing fake fighting.

And the last class is dance.

All in one I have to say, it was good and Jonathan was doing a good job. Although he is often complaining before classes, after them he is always happy and feels good. He is learning some skills, but also to communicate, to lose fears, to be in front. I hope, it will help him in one or other way.

We are going to continue at Lee Strasberg and we signed Jonathan also for the spring session. Voilà!

Schools. Once again.

Every time I'll hang out with friends here, we'll talk about schools.

Sure there are some explanations. We all have kids at school age. Parents are intensely involved into the school life, doing projects together, bringing items to school events, volunteering for lunch, library etc. Therefore 2/3 of all real estate operations here are carried because of our good schools. Home owners pay giant property taxes here and a lion's share from this goes for schools. So we stay and die with them.

Let's talk about elementary school.
Three moments that annoy me mostly.

1. Each class and each school have different programs. (When they have them! Sometimes it seems, they don't. Because each year they start from the very beginning, doesn't matter, what grade the student is. During the school year they can jump from one topic to another, force and back.) So it makes difficult, almost impossible, to compare. At the beginning of the second grade I was wondering that J. is doing very easy tasks like 5+8. After that they were doing some multiplication and now fractions. But be sure, they don't really know the addition of two-digit numbers or times table.

2. Learning languages is a real massive disaster. I can only confirm this widespread cliché. That's true. Learning Spanish for several months, J. can count and say "Me elamo ...". That's it. My friends say to me, that's already a lot.

3. Parents are involved too much. They carry a lot of events where parents are assumed to participate. How it can go alone with working parents, is a question. One example. Back in December in F. class they had two days of decorating gingerbreads. Class parties. Parent-teacher conferences. Class meetings. Annual play. Concerts. Library. School lunch. School trips. Different shows and fairs. It's a lot. When on some reason you can't be there, then ... Your kid is sad.

Three moments I appreciate.

1. Relatively small classes. All the schools are very good equipped: smart boards, numerous learn supplies, computers, a big outside area with a sport field and play ground. In music lessons they provide each student with a musical instrument (in our case - violin). Every week the kids attend a school library and borrow books.

2. Interesting projects and a big number of school events. In the 1st grade they had a big project about Italy. It was fun, beginning with taking a plane with pass control and driving a gondola like in Venice. In the second grade they learn about worms. The kids become real worms in a class and each child gets his own worm and gives him a name. In a later grade they have a project with an incubator and eggs and chicken. That's fun! I also love annual plays where the whole grade is participating.

3. Parent volunteering. It might seen as an opposite to the point above. But volunteering is an important part of american culture. As well as donations. I think it's a really good thing that is virtually impossible on this level in Europe.

Last Thursday and Friday we had a short day at the school because of parent-teacher conferences. J. and F.  both are doing great at school. They take care and are very diligent. J. is doing his homework absolutely independently and scrupulously (actually from the beginning). F. made a huge progress and is academically on the 1st grade level already. While I do not overvalue it, it makes me happy and proud.

Doing class work

With Jacob

Computers are not for decoration, the kids are using them a lot

Counting in a funny way

Money is important, of course

Everyday life

American flag in every classroom

The kids are singing the pledge of allegiance

Gingerbread

So nice!

"The artist is present"

Are you curious, how the story of getting apart from Marina Abramovic and Ulay http://tygs.blogspot.com turned out? Did it turn out after all?

So, 1988 they made this journey along the Great Wall of China and said good-bye to each other.

In 2010 there was a retrospective show of Marina Abramovic at MoMa called  "The artist is present", it was the biggest exhibition of performance art in MoMa's history. Marina has been sitting for three months, seven and half hours a day for immobile, not eating, not drinking, not going to the bathroom, in the museum's atrium while spectators were invited to take turns sitting opposite her. 750.000 people came to see her. The concept is simple as immense exhausting! The most surprising moment was for Marina, when Ulay appeared and took a seat in front of her. My God, it makes me cry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OS0Tg0IjCp4

Two people who had so deep feelings to each other.
Can they ever pass away? I believe, they still have them.
"Because we never stop loving silently those we once loved loud."

Later in one interview she said, that failing of her relationship to Ulay was her biggest disappointment in her life. They both wanted to achieve a high, complete, long-life relationship, but "we were not able, to overcome the stupidest things in the world like jealousy or competition pressure." For Abramovic the relationship to Ulay was probably the most central in her life and her work but also was the biggest failure.

Recently Marina confronted the theme death. She asked producer Robert Wilson to stage her funeral. Her idea of her own funeral is three funerals simultaneously in three cities Belgrad, New York and Amsterdam. So nobody will know where exactly she was buried. After that she wants to have a festival with chant, bunt dressers and dirty humor. Marina says: "The own death has to be the last action of one's performer. I can direct my own funeral, direct it as I have it in my mind. I can do it to my last performance."

The woman drives me crazy! I can't take it and can't reject it. I find it repugnant and attracting in the same time. That makes a big artist. So is Marina.

Расставание. Марина Абрамович и Улай

Кто-то из друзей (я знаю, кто, но фраза "кто-то из друзей" нравится мне больше:)) рассказал о Марине Абрамович. Нет, она не русская, как можно было бы предположить. Марина, 1946 г.р., - сербка, родилась в Белграде и с 1976 г. живет в Амстердаме. И перформансист (даже не знала, что есть такое слово в русском языке, пришлось зайти в Википедию).

Один из самых сложных ее перфомансов - о связи между зрителями и перформансистом (1974). Активная роль отводилась публике. На столе было размещено 72 предмета, которыми можно было доставить удовольствие и боль. Там были нож, ножницы, хлыст и даже пистолет с одним патроном. В течение шести часов зрители могли использовать эти предметы по своему усмотрению, художнице отводилась пассивная роль. Поначалу зрители вели себя скромно, но через некоторое время стали агрессивнее. Сама Абрамович потом рассказывала об этом: "Они резали мою одежду, втыкали шипы розы в живот, один взял пистолет и прицелился мне в голову, но другой отнял у него оружие. Полученный мною опыт говорит о том, что, если оставить решение за публикой, то тебя могут убить."

Важную роль в ее жизни сыграл Улай, который более 10 лет был ее партнером по жизни и творчеству. Широкую известность получила их совместная инсталляция "Отношения в пространстве". Полностью раздетая художница и ее немецкий друг изображали свободные отношения, терзая друг друга на глазах у зрителей.

Улай и Марина родились в один день и предметом их поиска были личность и индивидуальность художника. Постепенно они решили создать коллективное существо, называемое "другое" и говорить о себе как о частях двухголового тела. Они одевались как близнецы и не имели друг от друга секретов. Для перформанса "Смерть себя" Марина и Улай соединили рты специальным агрегатом, вдыхая и выдыхая воздух друг друга. Через 17 минут после начала перформанса оба упали на пол без сознания с легкими, заполненными углекислым газом.

Но больше всего меня впечатлила история их расставания.

В 1988 г., после нескольких лет натянутых отношений оба художника решили предпринять духовное путешествие, которое окончит их связь. Они отправились в путь с противоположных концов Великой Китайской стены и встретились посредине. По словам Абрамович "этот поход превратился в личную драму. Улай стартовал из пустыни Гоби, я - от Желтого моря. После того, как каждый из нас прошел 2.500 км, мы встретились и простились навсегда."

Я представляла себе эту сцену снова и снова. Это так crazy, attracted, sexy, painful and cool. В этом расставании вся жизнь.

The(un)fair

It's good. It's good to have good friends. It's very good to have very good friends. Cause they care about you.

Ours took us to the artshow The(un)fair on the last Saturday evening.

Almost 100 artworks, artists and performers were gathering in the 52nd street in a 19 century building (that will be completely renovated after the show) in NYC for a guerrilla style art show. The multifaceted art event included paintings, installations, musicians, performers and even elevator comedian.

It was such an inspired atmosphere there!

Paintings and artists that are staying nearby and are willing to talk to you and answer your questions about their masterpieces.

Performance with two professional dancers. They are spinning on the circle plattform for four hours, binded with the strips. Visitors are encouraged to cut the strips.

Creating painting with the body.

Photo masterpieces.

Musicians playing and singing.

A man portrait to that you can add your own colors.

Photo boost.

Eiscreme and popcorn for free.

We were introduced to the curators Mikel Glass,

Jennifer Wallace and photographer Eraj Asadi.

So nice people! I'm totally in love with Eraj's works, he has such a good eye.

Theun(fair) was definitely one of the best art shows we've ever seen. Non-traditional, very good energy and very inspired.

 

Nach den Träumen greifen

Routine. Das Wort hat was Negatives in sich. Eintönig, Alltag, nichts Aufregendes. Das Einzige, was man als mehr oder weniger, positiv betrachten kann, gibt es im Zusammenhang mit den Kindern. Wenn wir die Kinder kriegen, brauchen sie ihre Routine. Steht als Ratschlag geschrieben. Wir gewöhnen uns rasch daran. Und da ist nichts Schlechtes dran. Nur...

Vergesst nicht eure Träume, lebt sie aus!

Eine Freundin hat mir heute von dem Film "Revolutionary Road" oder "Zeiten des Aufruhrs" (deutscher Titel) mit Leonardo DiCaprio und Kate Winslet erzählt. In dem Film schlägt April ihrem Mann Frank vor, nach Paris zu ziehen. Das junge Paar, das in einem schmucken Haus in der Vorstadt von Manhattan in Connecticut lebt, hat zwei Kinder. Seine Arbeitsstelle langweilt Frank, er beginnt eine Affäre mit einer Kollegin. April ist frustriert. Umzug nach Paris erweckt den alten Traum, die Sehnsucht und die Hoffnung. Das Ende ist allerdings tragisch. Frank bekommt Beförderung im Job, gibt den Traum auf, April wird erneut schwanger und stirbt, als sie heimlich abtreibt. Frank kündigt den Job und erzieht die Kinder alleine. So banal, traurig und brutal.

Wir haben nur ein Leben, das so kurz ist. Dann lasst uns unsere Träume leben! Besser versuchen, was wagen, ausbrechen als ein ein sicheres - alles in grau Leben. Und meistens ist das Risiko überschaubar. Wenn es nicht irgendwo anders gelingt, kann man immer zurück. Wenn nicht zu diesem Arbeitgeber, dann zu dem anderen, und wenn nicht zu dem anderen, dann macht man sich selbst zu einem. Der liebe Gott wird schon einem helfen, ihm die Fenster und die Türen öffnen, wenn dieser Eine ein gutes Herz hat und nach diesen Fenstern und Türen eben aktiv sucht.

Und man findet wirklich viele Geschichten, Vorbilder, Inspirationen. Überall.

Ich war neulich auf einer Artshow in Manhattan, "The (un)fair" (werde noch darüber berichten). Eine Freundin hat mir ihren Freund Eraj vorgestellt. Er ist ein ziemlich erfolgreicher Investmentbankier. Seine Passion ist aber Photographie. Auf der Show waren einige seiner Arbeiten vertreten. So cool! Und sagt mir, was ist er, ein Bankier oder ein Photographer? Ganz klar, beides! Das Leben hat eben viele Fassetten und ich finde es super, dass man das auslebt.

Eine Freundin erzählte: Eine Familie mit zwei Kindern sind aus Deutschland nach Hawaii gezogen. Er hat sich von Mercedes für drei Jahre beurlauben lassen und, bitte schön, Hawaii! Warum nicht?! Super!

Eine junge Studentin aus New Zealand, bei der ich irgendwann ein paar Englischstunden genommen habe, erzählte von ihrer Mutter, die eine Zahnärztin war, dann aber bei einer Bank angefangen hat.

Man muss wirklich mal aus der Bequemlichkeit raus. Weil nur die Herausforderungen im Leben bringen uns weiter. Und nicht vergessen, positiv zu denken!

Mein älterer Sohn hat zur Zeit ein Lieblingsspruch: "I started from the bottom". Mein jüngerer Sohn hält dagegen mit :"I didn't start from the bottom. I'm starting from the top." Die Sache der Perspektive eben.

French interview

What comes to your mind, when you think about France?
Everybody knows these clichés about French food (very delicious), French wine (fine), French women (elegant), French men (good lovers). And probably some other terms and ideas.

I asked my friend Caroline, who is (just by occasion!) French and lives in United States for 10 years (last two years in Tenafly and before that in Atlanta) with her husband Vincent, who is working for Credit Suisse, their two nice kids Aubin (7) and Zélie (8) and their big black dog with a French name, that I can't remember, doesn't matter, how many times I tried, to give insights in a French culture.

Caroline, how would you describe French food?

Elegant.
You have to understand, each meal is an expression for us. Eat is a reason to live. We are obsessed with eating. We think about it all the time. During the breakfast Vincent is asking already, what we'll have for lunch and dinner. We are doing also huge grocery shopping.
We have three meals a day. In the morning it's usually bread, butter, croissant and jam. For kids - cereals.

And what are you going to have for lunch today?

Today we'll have lettuce, mushrooms with olive oil and vinegar, salmon in parchment and cheese, fruit or yoghurt for dessert.

What is your meal schedule?

We eat together for breakfast and dinner. That's important for us. At that time we also discuss our days, what's going on etc. Our meal schedule looks like this:
At 8 am - breakfast
1 pm - lunch
8 pm - dinner.

That's it?

Yes, that's it.
Sometimes, when the kids are too hungry, we can start earlier with the dinner. Between lunch and dinner at 2:30 kids are allowed to have a small snack. It could be a fruit plus three cookies. That's, what I usually give to my kids.

And for adults?

No snacks for adults.

But, dear, how do you survive between lunch and dinner? Seven hours - it's so long?

You don't have hunger in between. Well, you not supposed to have. (Caroline laughs.) And we think, it's also ok to be a bit hungry. We believe, there is a right time and a wrong time to eat. And you know, each meal is a full one: appetizer, entree, dessert, glass of wine. So you really don't get hungry so soon. Also the meals last very long, minimum one hour, but often up to two hours.

And the kids?

Well, they have their snack between lunch and dinner. And when sometimes they don't want to eat, we let them to miss the meal and wait until the next one. Vincent is very strict with the eating rules. Recently Aubin was late out of bed on Saturday and he missed his breakfast. He came to us at 10 am, asking for a breakfast. Vincent said, no, wait until lunchtime. So the children learn, sometimes in a hard way, to pay attention to the meals, to eat well during the mealtime and don't to snack.

Do you often go to a restaurant?

Yes, it is common to go to the restaurant for a lunch. It's not really expensive. Appetizer, entree, wine and coffee cost 8-9 Euro. And all the restaurants are full with people.
Many companies offer for their employees "restaurant tickets" in value for 10-15 Euro. Most of the restaurants accept them. You can use this vouchers for lunch or save them for a weekend dinner.

At L'Artusi, french restaurant in Manhattan.
One of my favorites

I have also this picture in mind: French are sitting in cafe outside and drinking cup of cappuccino.

We love to go to cafes and take a cup of cappuccino. My dad goes every morning to his cafe and drinks two-three espresso. He has a coffee machine at home, but he prefers cafe.

So we sit at cafe and enjoy. And then everybody is late because the lawyer, the doctor, the patient,- they all are sitting in the same cafe and drinking their cappuccino and are late. (She laughs).

The best French tea selection

Do you eat sweets? For dessert or on weekend?

No, it's not common. In generally we don't eat sweets.

The best macaroons. They are not sweet, right?

Caroline, as you were visiting us, I noticed, how good your kids behave at table. They are very polite and obedient.

Oh, thank you. We start to teach the kids from very early age to eat properly at table. Don't to put elbows on the table, how to use knife and fox. With one year most of the children can eat by themselves. With two they learn to use a knife. Once we had an American schoolmate of Aubin for a lunch. He started to eat steak with the hands. I was shocked. I can't stand it out.

We also don't like when adults are running after children when we are sitting at table, eating and talking. Children are not supposed to interrupt adults.

Learn to cook French

Ok, let's talk about wine. Is it true, that French drink a lot of wine?

Yes, we drink wine. A lot. My dad, who is 60, drinks a bottle in a day. It's common. In our family we don't drink so much, but a glass for lunch and a glass for dinner are usual. On Friday and weekends we can drink some more. And on vacations of course. Sometimes we give a sip to children to try. "Try this, it's a good one." So they learn to feel the difference.
Red or white wine - it really depends from meal. Usually we'll prefer white wine - before meal.
In summer we drink also beer.
And traditionally we have aperitif.

Tell, what do you call aperitif?

Usually it's a light alcohol drink - wine, beer, Campari and a few finger food. We have aperitif before dinner at ca. 7 pm.

Caroline, what is your picture of French woman? What is different about her?

She is catching your eyes. She colors her hair and goes to her hair master every 3-4 weeks. She is always dressed on top of the fashion. The people in France don't have so much money, therefore you can't see so many brands there. French woman is not so about sport. And everybody is doing diet, especially after Christmas time. You can barely see fat people on the streets in France, we don't tolerate them. I think, it's also more difficult for fat people to get a job.

You know, people say, French men are good lovers. Are they?

(Lightly embarrassed) I don't know. Probably.
In any case they are much better dressed than Americans. They smell good. They are dressed very fashioned and use good perfumes.

Party. What is a good party for you?

The table will be set very nice, for sure. And then, it depends.
In summer time we can have a BBQ. But in a different way, as Americans do it. Very good meat, salads, potatoes, green beans.

But as for us, Vincent and me, we prefer formal dinner. It includes aperitif, appetizer, entree and dessert.
When we have dinner on Saturday for eight people, I will start cook on Friday. We will begin at 7:30 - 8 pm with aperitif and end at 12 - 0:30 with dessert. We'll stay at the table for very long. Sometimes we dance. In the background we often let a nice music playing.

What music do you like? What singers are your favorites?

Currently is Benabar very popular. His songs are like small stories. He sings, "We have a dinner and I don't want to go" and everybody can relate to it.

And I love also the classics like Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel, Serge Gainsbourg, Thomas Dutronc and of course Charles Aznavour. Everyone knows four - five songs from him by heart.

Personal French collection: Rose and Charlotte Guinsburg 

Why are you staying at table for so long? What are you doing?

Well, we talk. We talk a lot. We love to have discussions. We are not afraid of having fights at table. We talk about everything: politic, economic, culture. And everyone has his opinion, starting from 12 years old, just everyone. We bring it often in an expressive way. But next morning we can call and talk to each other without any problems.

It's interesting, we talk about politic at the table, but not at work. We don't have this vote signs like in America in front of the house "Vote for Obama" or "Vote for Mitt Romney".
Often children have the same political opinions as parents they have. It's really seldom that children will vote for other political party as parents.

France is left. But Obama who is left here, would be considered as right in France.

Although France is a catholic country, religion doesn't play any role. We don't go to the church, we don't marry at church. Now we have a big topic with muslims in France. We have 65 Million people, and there are 3-4 Million muslims.

Back to the party, Caroline. What would you wear for it?

Very simple: jeans, a cute top and high heels. When you are wearing a dress, the people will think, you are overdressed.

I think, we have more originality in every day clothes. So we are not going crazy to dress us up. Make up is a must. We use very good brand cosmetic. The same with perfumes.

Where do you buy your clothes?

In casual clothes we prefer Italian brands. They are just the best. For kids I love to shop here at Target, but I bring also a lot from France. For 30-40 Euro you can get a complete look, original, funny and in a very good quality. Usually we shop together with Vincent. It can take 4 hours and more. And he is a good adviser and helper for me.

This girl is pretty French, wearing shoes from
Jacardi and Overall from Petit Bateu

How do French women combine work and family?

Honestly, I don't know how they do it. Most of women, about 80%, are working. And Wednesday we have day off at school.

What? Why? That ridiculous!

Well, it's supposed, that on that day children can go for their sport activities or hobbies. For example, elementary school schedule looks like this:
8:30 - 11:30 (inkl. 30 minutes break) and then from 1:30 - 4:30 (inkl. 30 minutes break).
On Saturdays kids have school from 8:30 -11:30
Every six weeks we have two weeks vacation at school.

What are the kids doing during the two-hours break?

It's a lunch time. About the half of children would be taken home for lunch. And then come back. The other kids would stay and have a good lunch at school cantina.

But how can you do this?

Grandparents help a lot. And babysitters of course. Women who are working for government (and they are many), often have day off on Wednesday.

From what age does the school start?

From 3 till 6 years kids have pre-school. It's mandatory. From 6 - 10 is elementary school.

Now they are trying to reform school hours. But it's so difficult by us. Because they strike every time, they don't like something. It's really obsessed.

What school system do you like more?

I like school system in France. I think, it's much better than in US. What we are not good at, is languages. But, you know, few months ago they started to show movies in original language.

How to make friends in France?

There is a big difference between South and North France. In North it's more difficult to make friends. but when you find them, they will stick with you forever. In South it's more easier.
I think, schools are always good to find some friends. You can show also interest to food and wine.

What should I bring with me, when be invited?

Flowers are always good. Wine is good as well. Champagne of course. And don't forget, never come on time! 15-30 minutes late are must be.