A Francophile might like this book cover, and a foodie or kid-at-heart might enjoy the content. Read the reviews for Fanny at Chez Panisse here. Meantime, learn about another panisse in today's column, a tribute to Gus Elison!
Bonnes résolutions du Nouvel An
: new year's resolutions
Audio File: our son, Max, just woke up and I talked him into helping me record today's sound file (after my own attempt to pronounce the French words might have misled a language learner! Listen to 17-year-old Max: Download MP3 or Wave file
(Did you want to hear my version? You did didn't you?: Download MP3 or Download Wav)
Quelles sont vos bonnes résolutions du Nouvel An?
What are your new year's resolutions?
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE… by Kristin Espinasse
I did not plan on making a list of new year's resolutions until, tout naturellement, a list began to form….
More Deep Belly Laughter
It was while stumbling onto a video that made my sides split with laughter that I realized DAILY LAUGHTER was a perfect goal. To fully appreciate the video, you'd have to be someone who, like me, got a little freaked out about GMOs last year, had a health scare/surgical snafu and decided to learn more about raw foods, followed a few too many juice guru videos… and ended up able to laugh about it all (…and still make le jus vert for Jean-Marc and myself each morning!)
Goal Number 2 Trust Your inner cuistot!
Then, yesterday, New Year's Day, I set out to make the chickpea flour-based "winter farinata" (La Cucina di Terresa's) when a change of plans led to an innovative, au pif moment… and I began to accidentally make a southern French savory side dish: les panisses! I'll be frying those up for Max and me at lunchtime (tant pis for Jean-Marc and Jackie, who are away!), and may share the recipe (or a video?). I've got some leftover salmon that I'll spread on top, and some miam miam good confiture d'oignon that a lovely teacher, Youlia, from the Ukraine, offered me on New Year's eve (she had spread her homemade onion jam on top of foie gras, for a sweet/savory combination).
Goal Three: Bring Joy into another's Life
The most recent new year's goal came after receiving this touching letter, from a reader's daughter:
Dear Kristin,
We both admire a special man. His name is Gus Elison, he is my Dad. On January 2, 1925 he became the oldest of three children. Because of the economy and being so close to Christmas, Dad never had a real Birthday Party. That is until 2013. Kristin, you have meant the world to my Dad, will you help me with a request to have Birthday Wishes from around the world?
Dad means the world to me, and he is that rare breed of man that has made this world a better place.
Thank you for bringing joy into his life,
Mary Gotz
***
Thank you, Mary, for letting us know about Gus's 88th birthday today. Bon anniversaire, Gus!
To anyone reading, please join me now in sending greetings and birthday wishes to this venerable member of our French Word-A-Day family: Gus Elison.
Click here to write your birthday wishes to Gus in the comments box.
More about Gus:
=> We first learned about Gus after my mom selected him among nearly 2000 entrants for the antique key giveaway. Do not miss both Mom's and Gus's (original comment) here
=> Next, we met his lovely French wife, Paulette, and saw these photos.
=> What a surprise when Gus and Paulette came to visit me in France, and introduced us to the beautiful Jeanne.
=> Another member of our French Word-A-Day family, Herm, wrote a special poem for Gus. Herm, if you are reading, could you please post that poem in the comments box?
Thanks again for leaving Gus Elison a birthday wish. Click here to share your message.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
tout naturellement = very naturally
le jus vert = green juice
le cuistot = a cook
au pif = to cook by guesswork (pif = slang for "nose"), to eyeball it (when measuring), to play it by ear
tant pis = too bad, tough luck!
miam miam = yum yum
la confiture d'oignon = onion jam
bon anniversaire, or "bon anniv" for short 🙂 = happy birthday
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Have a wonderful birthday Gus from Victoria B.C. Canada. We live on an island on the west coast of British Columbia, and we are thinking of you on your special day.
We wish you a Happy Birthday and a year full of fun, friends and adventure in 2013.
Nancy and Derick
Happy (belated) Birthday, Gus – from Sunnyvale California !
Ned
Adding to all the lovely greetings, I send you a belated wish for asnother happy and healthy year from Les Arcs sur Argens France, from a gal from near St. Louis living in Les Arcs.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUS !!!
I’LL NEVER FORGET THE DAY I FOUND YOUR NOTE TUCKED BETWEEN OVER 2000 NOTES HOPING TO WIN KRISTI’S MAGIC KEY.
I don’t know if you ever noticed – but that was the day I turned over my trademark CAPS to you Gus in the comment box here at French-Word-A-Day. There is only room for one like us in this forum, and who better to be heard than you…and I was right – even though I didn’t really know you at the time your post was so powerful that it took my breath away.
I BELIVE IN MIRACLES – AND YOU GUS HAVE BEEN OUR BIG MIRACLE THIS PAST YEAR. I will always treasure the moment I found you, the gut feeling I had at midnight as I turned on my computer to read your note to Kristi again and again – quickly emailing Kristi and demanding that this wonderful guy named GUS win the coveted key.
Well as we all know everything worked out just like MIRACLES are supposed to work out and now we all have you and Paulette in our lives. We are the ones who have been blessed over and over this last year with your precious notes to us here in the comments box.
I love you Gus – I send lots of hugs and kisses to you today to honor the day you arrived here on earth. Who would have ever guessed that you would reach so many people on your midnight ride through life.
XOXO
JULES
Happy Birthday Gus, a special man and father from Bellingham WA.
Happy birthday Gus! I hope your day is full of fun, friends and, of course, cake!
Joyeux Anniversaire Gus! May this day and the year ahead be filled with joy and love. From Healdsburg, CA
Peggy
Happy Birthday Gus, from Cindy in Sacramento, California. And many more. What a wonderful daughter you have.
Happy Birthday, Gus, from sunny Southern California!!!
Warmest birthday wishes Gus from Madison, Alabama!!
Happy Birthday Gus!!
Dear Gus,
Bon anniversaire. Meeting you and Paulette was a real pleasure and I know all your friends and family feel very blessed to have you – un bon homme. Enjoy every day with health and happiness.
A fellow Alliance Francaise member from Jacksonville.
Happy Birthday Gus – from Bainbridge Island, WA. I loved that Kristen’s post about you winning the key!
Happy Birthday Gus from Germany via Cocoa Beach,Florida where I’m right now. Many more happy years and enjoy each and every moment!
Happiest of Birthdays to you, Gus! From sunny northern California.
Bon anniversaire Gus best wishes from Canada! 😉
Gus, I wish you a birthday filled with God’s blessings. He is the key to true joy, just as you seem to bring joy to those around you. Happy birthday from Austin, Texas!
Dear Gus,
Wishing you a beautiful birthday filled with all the things that make your heart sing. May your next trip around the sun be one filled with an abundance of blessings.
Happy, Happy Birthday from Carol in Nashville
Aloha Gus! Happiest of Birthdays to you from Kauai. You and my own Father are separated by only one year in age. I can’t imagine the world without the Spirit of your incredible Generation of Men! Aloha, Bill Facker .. Kauai, HI
Gus – Obviously the antique key you were so fortunate to win has opened the hearts of the world-wide FWAD community. It gives me great pleasure to add my “Bonne Anniversaire” to the comments of this illustrious assembly. May you have many moments of joy in the coming year!
– Kathryn in San Antonio
Bon Anniversaire, Gus from sunny but cold Golden, Colorado.
Happy birthday, Gus of the noble heart and youthful attitude! May 2013 bring you much joy! From Barbara in Syracuse, New York.
happy birthday, gus, from haverford, pennsylvania!
Happy Birthday, Gus, from the southern tip of Lake Michigan, La Porte, IN. Enjoy your birthday wishes from all over!
Aloha!
Happy Birthday from Hawaii and many more!
I remember when you won the key and was very touched.
It’s a good life!
Dianna
From Toledo Ohio-
Happy happy birthday! My mother was born December 23 of 1925 so we also know not to wrap her birthday presents in Christmas wrapping!
Ann Sanford
Gus, sending you tons of good wishes from the beaches of Carmel, CA. May your new year be filled with joy, Judi
Happy Birthday, Gus. From Lexington, Kentucky
Happy Birthday, Gus! You’re a couple of months older than my own dad and I wanted to say Thank You for the world you made for us, full of freedoms, choices and loving families. My generation wouldn’t be here but for you and yours. So, thank you for making my family possible. May this year bring you all bright blessings.
Happy Birthday, Gus, from Charelston, SC…voted by Conde Nast Traveler as #1 tourist destination in US as well as on the globe! Y’all come on down – I’ll treat to lunch. You too Kristi and Jean Marc.
Bon anniversaire, Gus! And many more! From Cleveland, Ohio!
Happy birthday Gus! ~Art from Homestead Florida.
Happy Birthday, Gus! We owe a lot to you and all of the members of the Greatest Generation. Thank you for inspiring us to strive harder, be braver, and more loving to our fellow man.
All bundled up for a chilly (55 Fahrenheit – :-), sunny day in Beverly Hills,
Ellen
Happy Birthday Gus – from Boca Raton, Florida!
We share the day as I was born 1/2/41.
Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Gus! How about some hints on how to get to 88? Congrats!
Faye in Gleneden Beach, Oregon. We have sun today yeah!
Happy happy birthday, Gus!! This big blue ball is a better place because you are on it. And you have made a bigger impact on it than you probably realize. thank you for your thoughtful and inspirational contributions to our FWAD family. you are a treasure.
Dear Gus:
Bon anniversaire, from Irvine, California! May this year be especially wonderful for you.
-kat
Bon anniversaire Gus, from Bow, New Hampshire.
Bon Anniversaire, Gus! Wishing you all the best on your birthday, and throughout the year. It was a pleasure getting to know you via French-Word=A-Day-you were so deserving of the antique key. Love, Michele from San Pedro, California.
Have a wonderful day! Hope to meet you all at a future French-Word-A-Day meetup!
Happy birthday Gus…my dad is about to turn 88 as well! So glad to have your wisdom and positive attitude about life. Warmly, Jo
Happy Birthday, Gus!
88, c’est un bel âge. Que ta journée soit exceptionnelle et pleine de bonheur. Que tu vives en bonne santé jusqu’au cinquième âge!
Heureux Anniversaire, Gus!
Dear Gus, Wishing you a Happy 88th Birthday! May you enjoy many blessings throughout the year!
From Karene in Southern California
Happy 88th Birthday Gus and ‘Lang may Yer Lum Reek’ (Long may your chimney smoke!)~
many cheers from West Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Happy Birthday Gus! Happy day for the world
when you were born. Warm greetings from freezing
Vermont!
Happy Birthday!! My husband just celbrated his own 88th birthday (in November). So best wishes for the new year from Shreveport, Louisiana. Jean L.
Happy Birthday Gus!!! Huntington Beach, CA
Feliz Cumpleanos, Gus!! From Yelapa, Mexico