A French Phrase for Life in the Fast Lane

TODAY’S WORD: coller au cul : to be right on someone’s heelsPRONUNCIATION: [koh-lay oh kew] EXAMPLE SENTENCE:Il me colle au cul, celui-là ! → That person is right on my heels! The French word cul literally means “bottom,” and while it can sound a bit cheeky (or downright rude) in some contexts, it’s also part of many everyday expressions. You’ll see it in perfectly polite phrases like cul-de-sac (a dead-end street) or à pied … Continue reading A French Phrase for Life in the Fast Lane

Jacqueline EspinasseOctober 30, 2025October 30, 202510 Comments

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Survivre: Think Like a European, Love Like a Mom

TODAY’S WORD: survivre : to survivePRONUNCIATION: [sur-VEEV-r] EXAMPLE: « J’essaie de survivre à New York. » — I’m trying to survive in New York. How to Be Street-Smart in an Expensive Cityby Jacqueline Espinasse I knew about inflation. I knew prices were higher in big cities. But nothing prepared me for a $12 block of Greek feta cheese. At this moment in my 28-year-old life, that teeny-weeny square of dairy whispered, “You’d better hustle here…” … Continue reading Survivre: Think Like a European, Love Like a Mom

Kristin EspinasseSeptember 18, 2025September 19, 202521 Comments

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faire d’une pierre deux coups

Pictured here: The Welcome-Home Committee… headed by Smokey R. Dokey, left. And that's his mama, Braise (brez, like "Pez"), right. I'd say the Comité de Bienvenue could use a good bath! (Yet one more way for this time-challenged traveler to stay awake during le décalage horaire. Read on!) faire d'une pierre deux coups : to kill two birds with one stone Audio File: listen to … Continue reading faire d’une pierre deux coups