I woke up this morning thinking about my grandmother, Audrey Young. I was remembering a phrase she shared with me at the end of her life, in a nursing home. "The squeaky wheel gets the grease!" she would say. It meant that if you don't pipe up people will not help you! Sister Emmanuelle, who we learn about today, would have high-fived my Grandma Audrey–and … Continue reading Enquiquineuse: The famous French advocate who was known as a pain in the neck

Read The Family Under the Bridge to a young person and help spread homelessness awareness. "Armand, an old Parisian living on the streets of Paris, relished his solitary life. He begged and did odd jobs for money to keep himself warm and fed, and he liked his carefree life. Then one day just before Christmas, a struggling mother and her three children walked into his … Continue reading Invisible People (aka SDF, sans-abri, sans logement, va-nu-pieds)

In order to express thanks and gratitude, in Arabic, the term "chukran" is used. (Hear this sentence in French, below.) Photo taken on the northeast coast of Morocco, at Tmadet Sidi El Bachir.  Today's word: "afin de"     : so as, in order to,  AUDIO FILE: Listen to Jean-Marc pronounce the following sentence in French:  Click here to hear the sound clip Afin d'exprimer remerciements … Continue reading Afin de + When, just like that, a cultural curiosity is demystified

I don't have a story to go with today's word. Tout simplement, I learned it Friday night on the backstreets, or les ruelles, of Cassis. About a hundred steps from the old port, Jean-Marc and I were dining with another couple when the word ristourne popped up in conversation. Here's what it means, followed by a few photos on this quiet Wednesday. First, please visit … Continue reading Ristourne & Ristourner + Name something good that is free

Enjoy Jean-Marc's bilingual story about meeting Lukas and Fabienne Vollmy, winemakers in the historic Panier neighborhood of Marseille. First, today's French expression, followed by its correct pronunciation…. "donner le meilleur de soi-même"     : to give one's best AUDIO FILE – hear Jean-Marc pronounce the following sentences in French  Click here for the sound file ("donner le meilleur de soi-même") Les vignes, c'est comme … Continue reading “Donner le meilleur de soi-même” + urban winemakers Fabienne & Lukas Vollmy in Marseille’s historic Panier