Driving advice March 30, 2008
Posted by Sara in British TV.Tags: ni driving adverts
add a comment
I admire Northern Ireland for these ads. They’re hard-hitting. Gross as well, but they make you want to be a better driver.
Le Musique de Lorie March 9, 2008
Posted by Sara in French things.add a comment
I just caught Lorie’s latest video, courtesy of Le Post. Lorie seems to be France’s Britney Spears: once innocent, now less so. I’m hoping she forgoes the complete mental breakdown of our Brit Brit, but who knows?
Here are a few clips, to show Lorie’s musical progression. Warning: if you don’t like French pop music (although I can’t image who doesn’t?!?), this is not for you.
Tout prés de toi
Toi et Moi
Play
French slang February 5, 2008
Posted by Sara in French things.Tags: slang
add a comment
When I posted about Chuck Norris’ fine performance in “La bite dans un Tupperware,” I misunderstood what “la bite” meant (for the record, it actually means “cock”). Understanding slang is the hardest thing about learning a language. So I put together a list of my favorite French slang expressions, as a reference for myself and others. Some of these are fine for mixed company, others you shouldn’t say in front of your mother. (Or at least I wouldn’t say them in front of my mother; I don’t know what your maternal relationship is like…). Enjoy!
Je veux baiser un Schtroumpf: I want to fuck a Smurf.
La bite: cock.
Tu me fais chier: You make me sick.
C’est du chinois: I don’t understand.
Cinglé: Crazy.
La clope: cigarette.
Un con: Bastard.
Je craque pour le chocolat: I go nuts for chocolate.
Le cul: Ass.
Dégueulasse: Disgusting.
Fils de pute: Son of a bitch.
Va te faire foutre: Go fuck yourself.
Lécher les vitrines: Go window shopping.
J’en ai marre: I’ve had enough.
Une nana: Chick.
Piquer: to steal.
Putain: Whore.
Trou de cul: Asshole.
For more, I recommend this slang tutorial and the alternative French dictionary.
Pas de café February 4, 2008
Posted by Sara in Food, French things.Tags: café, coffee
add a comment
I don’t like drinking coffee, because it makes me stressed and nervous (plus I’m already addicted to sugar). And this video perfectly shows why people should steer clear of café. If you can’t function, cope, or stay awake without it, then change something else in your life!
La Bite dans un Tupperware January 24, 2008
Posted by Sara in French things.Tags: chuck norris, dubbing, french tv, tupperware
add a comment
For me, you can dub something into French, and it instantly becomes 20x more watchable. For instance:
Even if you don’t speak French, the phrase “la bite dans un Tupperware” is so classic, I defy you not to enjoy it.
Because I’m a sucker for French dubbing, I’ve watched hours of ersatz French TV and loved it, including:
La petite maison dans la prairie (Little House on the Prairie)
La croisière s’amuse (The Love Boat)
Smallville
Charmed
Dallas
Arabesque (Murder She Wrote)
Here’s the extended Chuck Norris Tupperware scene:
Blood Oranges January 22, 2008
Posted by Sara in Food.add a comment
I still remember sitting in English during my junior year of high school and seeing a classmate start eating something that looked like an orange, only the flesh was a deep wine-red and the peel had a reddish blush to it. It looked cool, and when I found out the fruit was called a “blood” orange, I was sold. I still enjoy eating blood oranges, but now I’m even fonder of squeezing them to make blood orange juice: bright red, tastes like oranges and yet more exotic, and just different.
They’re in season now, so enjoy!
Here’s a cool history of the blood orange.
Toulouse January 20, 2008
Posted by Sara in French things.Tags: french music, nougaro, toulouse
add a comment
I love this song!
P.S. I should explain that this is a song, sung in French, by the famous Claude Nougaro about the city of Toulouse. Toulouse is where I first lived in France, when I went on a foreign study program from Dartmouth. It’s a beautiful smaller city in southwestern France.
Grumly January 20, 2008
Posted by Sara in French things.Tags: grumly
add a comment
Just enjoyed learning about Grumly, a truly talented bear.
Robin Hood January 20, 2008
Posted by Sara in Reviews.Tags: TV
add a comment
It’s been a few weeks now, but what is the point of a blog if you can’t rant every now and then? I am still so irked with the producers of Robin Hood that I’d like to slap them silly. January’s season finale featured one of the most boneheaded decisions of all time (this from a creative time that dreamt up the character of Much, aka the most annoying feudal dogsbody in all of England): they killed Marian. Robin Hood no longer has a Maid Marian. The show’s returning, but I don’t know who’s going to want to watch a show about Robin Hood without Maid Marian (or Will Scarlett, who decided to stay in the Middle East with his girlfriend). Plus the show will still have Much wandering around Sherwood Forest, whinging about his missing dinner.
27 Dresses January 19, 2008
Posted by Sara in Reviews.Tags: movies
1 comment so far
I know more people went to see “Cloverfield” yesterday, but I couldn’t wait to see “27 Dresses.” It was great! I love romantic comedies that actually work, and this one did. Even the cheesy bits were just perfect – highly recommended if you want to see an enjoyable chick flick!
