Hand Job
Glove store, rue de Rennes, 75006, Paris:
This store window was just filled with fun gloves like the red polka-dotted ones. The French have their failings, but in my Bronx-expat friend M.'s words, they do three things really well, "The Three F's": "Food, Fashion, and Fucking."
M. is married to a French woman, and has lived there, in Paris, for maybe 20 years now, but there's plenty of "the wop from the Bronx" (as he calls himself) in him still.
When I was there, he gave me this really nice Monoprix shopping bag with French words all over it. Cool! I'll take it to Trader Joe's.
To my surprise, he coveted Gregg's really ugly Ralph's (supermarket) bag, which Gregg promptly gave to him. M. told us he wants American grocery bags (the kind you keep), the tackier the better. I just mailed him the one I got in the mail from LADWP (Dept. of Water and Power), and Gregg bought him THE most tacky one at Ralph's supermarket the other day, with a Woody (station wagon) and a surfboard on it, which I just dropped in the mail. He'll just love it. I guess a guy just needs an antidote from really cute polka-dotted everything all the time.
The Frech do amazing makeup. I'm obsessed with Francois NARS, which my mom was kind enough to take me shopping for as an X-Mas present. His blushes are the best on the market and I've almost collected them all. I never have to re-touch.
Purplepen at December 19, 2010 11:42 PM
I was quite the tart in my youth, and I gotta say as to that particular F... the Americans are better at it than the French.
NicoleK at December 20, 2010 1:45 AM
If he wants one from Carl's Meats from the Brantford Ontario Canada Farmer's Market tell him to send his mailing address to karen0863@gmail.com :-) I also have a pretty cool Paderno one that I might consider posting as well!
Off topic: did you see that study a while back that stated that these bags can be bacterial breeding grounds for a host of lovely organisms if not properly cleaned. Ew.
Rosemary at December 20, 2010 5:45 AM
Not to be a buzz kill, but heard of a study that shows those bags to be a fertile breeding ground for bacteria . Save a tree, get salmonella,just sayin.......
Mbruce at December 20, 2010 6:08 AM
I picked up a hot pink Monoprix bag and I love it. It stands out nicely in Belgium, where the national colors are grey, greyer, and black.
Little Shiva at December 20, 2010 6:53 AM
Those red driving gloves are tres chic. I'd have snapped them up as a gift for a female friend were I there.
BlogDog at December 20, 2010 8:45 AM
Oooh, I'll trade with him, too! I have a Commissary bag or a bunch of other randoms I'll swap for something French!
Sarah at December 20, 2010 8:58 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/12/20/hand_job.html#comment-1804957">comment from BlogDogThings were pretty expensive there -- more so than they have been. I think those are 99 eu, which is probably $130 or more by the time you pay the exchange rate and the fee credit card companies tack on for using your money electronically in a foreign country.
Amy Alkon
at December 20, 2010 9:03 AM
Psst, Amy, get yourself a British Airways VISA. Not only do they not charge foreign exchange fees, but you can accumulate miles for your next Paris trip...
deja pseu at December 20, 2010 3:26 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2010/12/20/hand_job.html#comment-1805176">comment from deja pseuHey, deja, great to have you back! And thanks, but I have a United one already...been amassing miles!
Amy Alkon
at December 20, 2010 5:43 PM
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