"Where Southern Flair
Meets Savoir Faire"©

South `n France Inc, Gourmet Chocolate Bon Bons South 'n France is located at:
822 Orange Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910.762.6882 Phone
910.762.4260 Fax
Contact South 'n France

Kids with The Chocolate Touch

Kids with the Chocolate TouchAt the end of this school year, Mrs. Holliday, a teacher at Bradley Creek Elementary School, invited us to speak to her 3rd grade class about chocolate. The class was reading the classic story by Patrick Skene Catling, The Chocolate Touch. The principle character, John Midas, loves chocolate. He thinks that chocolate tastes better than any other food. He spends his entire allowance on chocolate, and he won't share it with his friends. He wishes he could eat chocolate all of the time. One day, after wandering into a candy store to buy a piece of their best chocolate, John finds out that it just might be possible that there is such a thing as too much chocolate.  Much like the famous Midas of Greek mythology, everything John Midas touches turns to chocolate!

To prove to the school children that chocolate doesn't always taste good, we brought some unsweetened chocolate for each student to try. Of course, we also brought along some of our finished product too - our very kid-friendly gourmet Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bon Bons.  The kids were so fun - very curious and expressive. We showed them a picture of our place, and one boy said: "That doesn't look like a chocolate factory; it looks like a garden center!" Pascal was very proud that the flowers in our window boxes made such an impression. The students had lots of questions for us such as:

  • Can you make a Snickers bar?
  • What do you eat for dessert?
  • Are you the boss?  (They asked me this question, and being the diplomat of the family, I told them that Pascal was the boss.  They followed up with: "What are you then, The Manager?" I told them that, yes, they could think of me as The Manager.)
  • What is your job exactly as "The Manager"? (I told them that Pascal makes the bon bons, but I talk to customers and take orders and manage our website and pay the bills.)
  • Do you have kids?
  • Do you make a lot of money?
  • Long after hearing my job description, one little boy raised his hand and asked Pascal: "Do you ever pay the bills?" He was apparently quite troubled that I might have to pay all of the bills by myself!
  • From one little guy: Will you stay and listen to my presentation about my coin from Germany? (We did.)
  • How many bon bons do you make per day?
     
A few weeks after our presentation, we received a large envelope in the mail. It was filled with letters from the class. We couldn't resist sharing a few of them with you, exactly as they were written:

June 9. 2009
Dear Mrs. Charlene and Mr. Pascal,
Thank you for comeing to Bradley Creek! The bitter chocolate tasted disgusting! Your hat looked like it had a real cake on it. We finished reading The Chocolate Touch.  I love The bon bons. Thank you for teaching us chocolate history.
Sincerly,
Wil

June 9. 2009
Dear Mrs. Charlene and Mr. Pascal,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come see ous at Bradley Creek.  The Bon-Bons were DELICIOUS!! But the regular chocolate was yuck! That hat was hilarious and cute. I still can't get over the Bon-Bons (oo la la). I may just stop by and buy some!  I think you have a very hansom partner and you are very pretty too!  You too were very profeshenil! Hope to see you soon!
Sincerly,
Maddie

June 9. 2009
Dear Mrs. Charlene & Mr. Pascal,
Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule. Hi remember me I'm Tiera from Mrs. Holliday's class at Bradley Creek Elementary School. Thank you for talking to us about chocolate. I really learned alot from you. Thank you for letting us try the real chocolate but that chocolate was bitter, digusting, horrible, terrible, not sweet. I loved your hat. It look like you had a real candy & a real cake on your hat. I didn't like the real chocolate. The bon bons was so DELICIOUS! I hope you come again and give us more bon bons. I love bon bons. I hate real chocolate. I hope you have a good summer.
Sincerely,
Tiera

June 9. 2009
Dear Mrs. Charlene and Mr. Pascal,
Thank you for coming to bradley creek. Yougize were very nice to give us a good chocolate leson about chocolate! I thought the bon bon was good but the raw chocolate, not so much! It was very thoughtful for you to give us Free bon bons. I have a question:  can i have a free bag of Penut Butter bon bons? I've never tased REAL chocolate before.  Happy summer!
Love,
Macey

June 9. 2009
I love chocolate.
Dear Mrs. Charlene and Mr. Pascal,
Thank you for coming to Bradly Ceek School. I loved the bon bon. They are great and tastey. Mrs. Chalene I liked your hat the cake looked rile. I did not like the rill chocolate it tasted like socks. I hope you have a good summer and make lots of money.
Sincerely,
Violet

Each letter is so cute, I wish I could type them all for you, but all of this thinking about chocolate seems to have given me the John Midas touch - just take a look at my keyboard!


Chocolate Keyboard

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The Favorite Best-Seller Is...

We are frequently asked two questions to which there are no simple answers: "Which bon bon flavor do people like best?" and "Which bon bon is the best-seller?" Because all of our bon bons are so delicious, there is no stand-out favorite. Our best-seller (by far!) is the Bon Bon Sampler, which is an assortment of all seven flavors of our hand-dipped chocolate confections. As to specific favorites? We can only tell you our own: I like Coconut best (Cookies 'n Crème runs a close second for me); Pascal's favorite flavor is Café au Lait (with Coconut in second place). When the staff at Focus on the Coast came to a South 'n France Bon Bon Party, they took their own informal poll. Here are the results:   

What's your favorite bon bon flavor?

Focus favorite Bon Bons
Kelly W.: Café Au Lait and Pistachio
Krista: Coconut
Jess: Café Au Lait and Coconut
Brook: Coconut
Tessa: Coconut and Café Au Lait
Laurel: Café Au Lait
Abi: Coconut
Kelly M.: Café Au Lait
Kristi: Coconut and Pistachio

Our Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough fans would be horrified to see that their favorite flavor didn't make this list! We have a strong and loyal contingent of bon bon fans who order nothing but Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough! In fact, recently, one of those loyal fans turned 36 years old. Guess what she's received for her birthday - thirty-six Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bon Bons! Check out just a few of these testimonials from our avid Cookie Dough Bon Bon lovers:  

Can I just say that I have a new favorite treat? If I could have a chocolate chip cookie dough bon bon every day, I would be a very happy man; Absolutely delicious!!

My favorite is definitely the chocolate chip cookie dough bon bon!

Oh my God! These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bon Bons are complete joy. You cannot eat just one. Better than scooping cookie dough out of the tub - I gotta have more!

chocolate bon bons

Then there's Chris, who commented on this bon bon photo shown in our MySpace photo gallery
I'd like to see a picture of the Pistachio ones, but only if it doesn't get in the way of you making them. They are definitely the best ones; Coconut is a somewhat close second, but not close enough to cause confusion.

Speaking of confusion, see why we can't tell you which flavor is everyone’s favorite? Go ahead-  try them for yourselves - and join in the discussion! Maybe one day we'll get to the bottom of which one bon bon flavor is "everyone's favorite" and "our bestseller". 
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French Women Don't Sleep Alone

French Women Don't Sleep AloneIn a recent post I told you how I came to read French Women Don't Sleep Alone. Perhaps you might want to know what I actually thought of the book. In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess my initial skepticism. Although I had committed to reading it, I thought that the book wouldn't apply to me. First, I already know quite a bit about the French. Second, I'm a happily married woman who sleeps double in a king-sized bed (I'd much rather a queen-sized bed... but that's an entirely different blog entry). What could I possibly learn from French Women Don't Sleep Alone? Turns out, a lot.

If you sleep alone, if you sleep single in a double bed, if you sleep with others, heck, even if you're an insomniac, you can (and should) read this book! Because here's the scoop: that scintillating, provocative title is just the kind of thing this book has to teach you. The reason French women don't sleep alone is because they know how to be provocative, mysterious, sexy, and downright coquettish. Not only did they invent the term "coquette" (what we call a "flirt" or a "tease"), they make sure that these skills are passed down from generation to generation. That's how author Jamie Cat Callan got interested in the subject. Jamie's grandmother was French, and Jamie was intrigued by her seductive and mysterious ways. Jamie set off for Paris, where she interviewed hundreds of French women (and some men) too, so that she could finally crack the code. Here are some of the things Jamie discovered:

French women don't date; you'll be surprised at how they meet men!
French women invest in nice, matching lingerie and they wear it every day.
  I've always envied French women for this and I've never been able to pull it off with the same panache. One tip that Jamie gives was a major “"aha!" moment for me. 
French women "seduce" everyone they meet.  Everyone - men (married, single, young, old), other women, babies, dogs. You'll learn the art of French seduction is very different from what you might think.
French women do "sexy" with very little makeup, a small wardrobe, no diets and limited workouts. So what on earth are they doing? You'd be surprised to learn that it involves book clubs, reading glasses, and eating!

Just like the French women she writes about, Jamie Cat Callan's book is smart, seductive and full of surprises.  You'll find recipes, poetry, quotes, beauty tips, funny anecdotes and outrageous suggestions. Want to know how to have firmer breasts? Jamie will tell you the French secret. Want to know the French woman's equivalent of eating an entire bag of potato chips? You won't believe it! (And you might just hate them for it... I think I do!)

If this post has piqued your interest about Jamie's book, it simply means that I did indeed learn a thing or two about how to capture someone's attention, how to seduce them with an air of intrigue and mystery, and how to - as Jamie says - express my inner French girl! What are you waiting for? Buy this book and no matter whom you do or don't sleep with, you'll have more fun everywhere - from the bookstore to the boardroom to the bedroom!
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Meet Our 2009 Bon Bon Moms of the Year

Even though this past weekend was all about fathers, we're still celebrating mothers here at South 'n France!  After all, there wouldn't be fathers without mothers, n'est-ce pas?  Last year, we inaugurated the Bon Bon Mom of the Year Contest. Fabulous Mom Debbie Bost was the first Mom to enter our Bon Bon Mom Hall of Fame.  As the first reigning Bon Bon Mom, Debbie enjoyed lots of swag, including a year's supply of bon bons!  This Mother's Day we decided to spread the wealth. We offered 8-Piece Bon Bon Samplers to 12 different deserving mothers - one great Mom for every month in the year! We'd like to introduce some of these outstanding mothers to you:

Bon Bon Mom
                                  
(Photo Lisa Puttbach with daughter and Mom)

Without my mom, I could not be thriving as a single mom! We call her "Gran" and she lives 2 hours away in a little town called Newport, very close to Beaufort. She is willing to drive here and spend the night when I need help with childcare and she takes the kids anytime she can at her house - even as long as a week if I need a break! She works 20 hours a week at the local church and all hours are on a volunteer basis. She is truly an amazing person with a lot to give!
- Lisa Puttbach

I come from a military family where we must have moved every 6 months to a year. When I was young I didn't appreciate how well my mother made sure my older brother and I always had consistency in our "home" no matter where we lived. Sometimes we would still be living out of boxes, in a new town with very few friends yet, but Mom always made sure dinner time was family time. By keeping us all close and involved in community sports and activities she made sure we became connected in each new town. Because she was always supporting us and encouraging us in every new neighborhood and in each new school we felt safe because we always knew we had our "rock". Looking back at those times, they could have been scary, but with Mom's dedication to us they are memories of fun and adventure... she's always been our biggest cheerleader! Thanks for letting me brag about my mom, she deserves it! - Heather Tompkins

Bon Bon Mom

(Photo Mazle Memory with all 6 of her children at a family reunion)

My mom, Mazle Memory, will be celebrating her 81st birthday in August. My dad passed away when she was 36. She was left with 6 children ages, 16,14,12,11, 4 and 2, and a very small ($10,000) life insurance policy. She never remarried and raised us alone while working full time. We are all productive adults with children of our own now. Mom is a very special woman who is my hero. She was Mom and Dad to us and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame!
- Vera M. Walker

My mom is always there for me and my three kids. When I was pregnant with my third child, instead of retiring in southern NJ like she had planned, she moved here to Wilmington to be closer to us. After being a stay-at-home mom for 5 years, I had the opportunity to go back to work part-time at UNC-W and there is no way this would have been possible without my mother's help. She does so many things on a weekly basis to make my children feel special, everything from giving them M&M's when she sees them, taking them on sleep-overs, taking them out to eat to their favorite restaurants and paying for special camps and lessons that help them grow and learn. Since I was a little girl my mother has supported and cared for me and now she is caring for and supporting not only me, but my three children as well.  Not sure what I would do without my mom. - Jennifer M. Grob

Bon Bon MomMy mom is just AWESOME! I've never seen anyone work as hard as her, sacrifice as much as she did and still be as loving and unconditional as she is. Imagine working in a HOT kitchen and preparing meals for hundreds of people every day and only make $500.00 US dollars a month. She did that for me! All I have to say is that my mom is the most special person, most respectable person and the most loving person I have ever known in my life! - Ana Dawson (Photo of Ana Dawson with her Mom, Ana Maria Gomes)

About 5 years ago my father was diagnosed with a rare disease and my mother, Lou Souders, is his primary caregiver. She spends her days trying to make him as comfortable as possible, meeting his every need, handling all of the household duties as well as medical duties. In the past two months, she made 4 visits to the hospital with him, while he had 2 surgeries, and she slept in a folding chair for 3 nights to be by his side. Not only is my mother an outstanding wife, but she is also a fabulous grandmother to her 6 grandchildren. She always manages to send cards for every holiday, gift boxes, presents, and also makes calls to them all. Her 2 grandchildren here, McKenzie and Harrison, love to go over and visit. She always keeps their favorite snacks on hand, as well as a closet full of toys and games. 

Bon Bon Mom

(Photo of Laurie Wierse with her Mom and two children)

So we have established what a terrific wife and grandmother she is, but she is a superb mother too. I feel that we grew up in a "Beaver Cleaver" style. I loved my childhood. Mom made clothes for my sister and me, made hand-sewn Halloween costumes, homemade birthday cakes, endless crafts, homemade doll house, and on and on. She has always been there for my brother, sister and me. Whenever any of us are going through hard times she forgets about herself and focuses on our problems. She is a rock for everyone.  Please consider my mother for this special award as she really deserves some recognition for herself. - Laurie Wierse
 
Congratulations to all of our 2009 Bon Bon Moms; we're honored to induct you into our Bon Bon Mom Hall of Fame!
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Dancing With the Stars in NYC

I'm on my way to New York City. I have finally made the time to redeem a fabulous Christmas present I received from my mother two years ago - a mother-daughter trip to the Big Apple! Our plan is to shop, catch a Broadway show, and get a haircut with Judy at Devachan, an incredible hair salon that specializes in curly hair. Then, I'm sure we’ll shop some more. On Sunday, I'll be performing a song at the graduation for Mama Gena's Mastery Class (consider it the ultimate singing telegram), and on Monday night, Mom and I have signed up for an evening of dancing with the stars. Really.  

Sally drove us to it. You see, my friend, Sally Blenkey, is a huge inspiration to me. She owns a super successful tanning business called Brazil Bronze; she is incredibly funny (I so want her to have her own television show - she's that funny!); she has two adorable girls with the cutest names, Georgie and Charlie); she passionately pursues ballroom dancing; and she's married to a sweet and sexy professional ballroom dancer named Alex, who starred in the documentary Mad Hot Ballroom.  

Dancing with the stars
When I learned that Alex and Sally were offering a special ballroom dancing workshop, I knew Mom and I had to go. It's going to be like having an old-fashioned dance card, only instead of dancing with awkward guys who only know how shift their weight from their left foot to their right foot and back to their left foot again, we're going to dance with champion ballroom dancers! Now, Mom really knows how to cut a rug, and I'm sure she'll have a great time jitterbugging with the pros. As for me, I must confess that I'm a little nervous about hitting the dance floor. But how could I miss out on "An Evening of Dance Seduction", especially one presented by Alex and Sally?

I'll look forward to reporting in when I return back to Wilmington. Will I discover that I really do have two left feet? Or will I be dusting off my dancing shoes more often?  

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God Winks and Signs from The Universe

My friends, Cheri and Elizabeth, call them "God Winks" after the similarly titled book by Squire Rushnell. I call them Signs from The Universe because I like to imagine God (or whatever you call your higher power) as a force as big as The Universe. I think the more you look for those signs of coincidence, fate, serendipity, or destiny, the more you find them. And I find them a lot. Or, when I don't find them, The Universe wallops me over the head with them. Here's a recent example:

God WinksEarlier this year, I wrote a blog post entitled Secrets of a French Femme Fatale. In the post I mentioned several books that promise to reveal how we can dress like French women, eat like French women, act like French women, and seduce like French women. One of those books was French Women Don't Sleep Alone. I did not know the author; nor had I read her book. I had simply cited it as one of several titles that promised to reveal that "je ne sais quoi" that French women seem to possess in spades. Much to my surprise, not long after publishing that blog entry, I received an email from the author of French Women Don't Sleep Alone, Jamie Cat Callan. It said: "Hello there - I'm actually writing to you because you mentioned my book "French Women Don't Sleep Alone" on your blog and I wanted to thank you. Also, I was wondering if I could be of some help - (here she proposes a top secret plan that shall be revealed later). In any case, I love your blog and I adore the photos of you with the cake hat! xo Jamie"

Now first, let me say that I was over-the-moon excited and flattered to receive such an email! I couldn't believe that a published author had actually read my blog, liked it, and contacted me about working together. How cool is that? Cool is exactly how I tried to play it. I replied to Jamie, saying that I was interested in the prospect of working together, but I would have to review her book first.  Jamie graciously agreed to send me a copy for review. What can I say? If you read this blog, then you know that I'm a slut for books!

I received the book, started reading it, and then went on a weekend trip to New York City. While I was there, I begged for an appointment with my friend, eyebrow guru and make-up artist to the stars, Ramy Gafni. I used to be a regular RAMY client when I lived in Manhattan. Now, I order his make-up online and try to plead my way onto his schedule whenever I'm in New York. His make-up and skin care line is fabulous, and his brow work is life altering! Every time I see him, I beg him to bring his product line down South. As per my usual routine, while he was working on me, I started working on him: "I'll help publicize it, Ramy, I will! Last year when Karen Quinn came to Wilmington, we got newspaper and radio coverage; I'm sure we can do the same for you."

"Well, if South 'n France does events with authors", replied Ramy, "I should put you in touch with my client, Jamie Cat Callan. She wrote a book called French Women Don't Sleep Alone." Now, what are the chances of that? This is New York City, after all. A town of millions. For once, I was speechless. When I returned home, I was suitably recovered.  I promptly wrote an overzealous email to Jamie to tell her about the coincidence, which I interpreted as a sign that we must work together. When I didn't hear back from her right away, I thought I'd probably scared her off with my over-enthusiastic outpouring which could easily have been interpreted as just plain crazy.

But wait - it gets better. A couple of weeks later, I sent a note to my friend and soon-to-be-published author, Joanne Tombrakos. I had just subscribed to Joanne's fabulous blog, One Woman's Eye, and I wanted to tell her how much I was enjoying it. Joanne responded with this reply: "Thank you, sweetie! I have been following your blog as well and am really enjoying it!! I am also thinking you should connect with a friend of mine, or at least read her new book, French Women Don't Sleep Alone. Maybe there is something French you two could do??? Her name is Jamie Cat Callan."

Well, darlings, as far as I was concerned that wasn't God winking at me, that was God hitting me over the head with a two-by-four! I got the message loud and clear. Jamie and I need to know one another. We need to do something fun and French-y together. So, I did what I always do. I called up Jamie and pleaded my case, "You must come to Wilmington; you must come stay with me; you must properly introduce your book to all of us G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised in the South for my sweet northern readers)!: Stay tuned for what happens next...

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Dear Diary...

Dear Diary...

A man who keeps a diary pays,
Due toll to many tedious days;
But life becomes eventful - then,
His busy hand forgets the pen.

-William Allingham (Irish Poet. 1824-1889)

It's been a month or so since I posted my last blog entry. This blog is the closest I've ever come to keeping a regular diary or journal, though there have been quite a few times when I tried mightily. For example, whenever I traveled to Paris as a student, I thought it was my duty to keep a journal. That is what French students do, n'est-ce pas? They while away the hours in Parisian cafés writing down their innermost thoughts while nursing a $6 café au lait. At least that's what I thought they did when I was 21. I still remember the opening scene of my adventures in Paris quite vividly:

I had just spent a few days in the French countryside with my French family, prior to beginning my grand Parisian adventure. Upon my arrival in France I learned that my luggage had been lost by the airlines, so I was traveling with just an oversized carry-on suitcase. I was taking the TGV train from the Vendée back to Paris where I would officially begin my year at the University of Paris X, also known as Nanterre. For the train ride into the city, I had cobbled together what I thought was a suitably Parisian-chic look from the contents of my carry-on. I wore a black mini-skirt, pleated like the plaid ones private school girls wear, dark black tights, black ballerina flats, and a black turtleneck (it was a bit too warm for a turtleneck, but I didn't care!). I wore an oversized men's cream-colored button-down shirt over my turtleneck, tied in a knot at the waist. My ensemble was completed by a hat, a cream-colored felt bowler trimmed in black velvet. The side of the hat sported a large cream-colored silk rose with just a hint of black velvet and tulle peeking out from behind it. As for my accessories? I remember only two. A journal and a French fountain pen.  

Feeling like a mysterious and intriguing foreign traveler, I settled into my seat on the TGV and wrote about my hopes and dreams for the year ahead. Oscar Wilde once said: "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." I thought I was doing one better, by writing in my journal on the train! As the year went by, that infamous year of cabarets and dating Pascal and doing more living than I had in my previous twenty years combined, my journal was cast aside. I only made sporadic entries, believing that I was too busy living my grand adventure to take the time to write about it.

There hasn't been any romantic transatlantic adventure for me lately; these days I've just been busy with "stuff". Mostly, the stuff that clutters up one's routine life - car trouble (not once, not twice, but three times in two weeks!) a leaky pipe in the bathroom, carpet cleaning (it was long overdue!); workouts at the gym (I will get in shape - I will!); work; and a few paltry attempts at having a balanced social life.  Speaking of balance, I guess I've been looking for it with my blog as well. This summer, I'm planning on writing in this online "diary" a little less, and living a little more with the hope that just like Oscar Wilde, I'll have plenty of sensational material for those days when I do blog.
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Bon Bon Queen Meets Bon Qui Qui

Bon Qui QuiAs I have mentioned in previous posts, I get all kinds of unusual requests related to my singing telegram service. A few months ago, someone called and asked me to perform a singing telegram for his girlfriend. When I asked him to give me details about her that I could personalize the song lyrics, he replied: "She really likes Bon Qui Qui, and I'd like you to put as many references to Bon Qui Qui as you can into the song." Now, I must confess that I had no idea who Bon Qui Qui (intentionally mispronounced as "Bawn Kwee Kwee") was. Unlike 16 million other viewers, I had not yet seen the MADtv comedy skits on YouTube performed by stand-up comedian, actress, and former NFL Cheerleader, Anjelah Johnson. If you haven't seen her in action, you should immediately stop reading this and watch one of her King Burger skits. They are funny!

I incorporated "Rude!", "Sa-cur-ity!", "Don't get crazy!" and a few other Bon Qui Qui catch phrases into my singing telegram, and opened the song by explaining that if she couldn't have Bon Qui Qui at her party, at least she could have the Bon Bon Queen! 

Since then, I have crossed paths quite frequently with Bon Qui Qui. At a Grapes & Crepes Party, one of our guests enjoyed a few too many glasses of the "grapes" (you know who you are!) and launched into a complete impersonation of Bon Qui Qui. She had all of us laughing so hard it hurt and many of our guests thought she played the character even better than Anjelah Johnson. Just recently, I learned that people who search for the phrase "Bon Qui Qui" online are sometimes landing on our website. If you are one of those people, I have just one thing to say: "Welcome to South 'n France where we can do it your way, but don’t get crazy!"

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This Mother's Day, Wouldn't You Like to Be French?

As we prepare for American Mother's Day, the French are just starting to think about how to honor their mothers at the end of the month. (In France Mother's Day is celebrated on the last Sunday of May.) 

Mother's Day was instituted in France after World War I, to help rebuild the French population. In fact, mothers of eight or more children received gold medals from the French government for their contribution to society. Don't tell Octomom Nadya Suleman; I think she'd be jealous! France isn't giving out medals anymore, but after years of zero population growth, they sure are doing a lot to encourage women to have children. In recent years, France has added new and improved family-friendly laws to what many already considered to be generous policies (in place since 1970). As a result, France now boasts the second-highest fertility rate (1.94) in Europe. Check out these stats cited by Tracy B. McGinnis in her online article, One More Reason French Mothers Have to Be Thankful:

French Mother's DayIn France:

* French mothers receive 100% of their salary for six weeks prior to the birth of their baby and 10 weeks after.
* Maternity leave ranges from 20 weeks for the first child to up to 40 weeks for the third child.
* Paternity leave (introduced in 2002) grants fathers 11 days full pay.
* Parental leave (introduced in 1997) is available to parents who have been with a company for at least one year, and gives mother and/or father the right to take three years' unpaid leave. At the end of that time the employer must take them back under the same terms as before.
* Tax breaks based on the number of children for French families.
* Monthly childcare subsidies.
* Inexpensive summer camps.
* Long paid vacations. (Anywhere from 4-8 weeks.)
* Free child care centers for children ages 3-Kindergarten. 

French Justice Minister Rachida Dati (pictured here) must agree that this system is "très juste" (in English: very fair), especially when we compare it to the benefits of new mothers "aux Etats-Unis". (Rachida Dati gave birth to a baby girl and will be celebrating her first Mother's Day this year.) Happy Mother's Day to Ms. Dati and moms all over the world - we salute you! You may not be able to enjoy the same legal benefits as the French, but we hope that each and every one of you gets a chance to kick up your feet and benefit from eating some gourmet chocolate bon bons!

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Fascinating, Fantastic Frou Frou at the Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge

When I tell the story of how Pascal and I met in Paris, I often make reference to the Moulin Rouge, the legendary Parisian cabaret located at the tip of Paris' red-light district, Pigalle (just a short walk from Montmartre where Pascal and I used to live). In the early days, this famous cabaret was a hotspot for "happening" painters, poets and bourgeois locals; today it is frequented mostly by tourists and corporate executives. But the venue, the dancers, and the show continue to maintain the Moulin Rouge tradition of opulent glitter and glamour. It is an extravaganza of music, dancing, feathers, rhinestones, sequins and champagne.

Like most things in Paris, the Moulin Rouge has a rich history. Here are just a few fun facts about the greatest cabaret on earth:
- The first Can Can dancers at the Moulin Rouge were not professionals, rather working class girls-by-day (linen maids, laundresses and seamstresses), rowdy, boisterous party girls-by-night. Most of the dancers became famous due to their peculiar and suggestive "stage" names such as la Goulue (the glutton), Nini Pattes-en-l'Air (a leg-over, muse of artist Toulouse-Lautrec), Grille d'Egout (drain cover) and la Mome Fromage (kid cheese). 

Moulin Rouge

- The first show was called Frou Frou. It was such a great success that the owner, a superstitious man, chose to title each revue with the names that begin with "F." To date, the shows have been: Frou Frou, Frisson, Fascination, Fantastic, Festival, Follement, Frénesie, 'Femmes, Femmes, Femmes', Formidable and Féerie.
 
- Speaking of "F"-words, the Moulin Rouge goes through a lot of feathers. They have their own preferred feather maker.

- The dancers' shoes must be able to withstand the girls dropping to the floor, doing the splits, and performing acrobatic tricks - all to the fast-paced, frenetic rhythm of the French Cancan. A traditional Parisian shoemaker, M. Clairvoy's makes special shoes just for the Moulin Rouge.   

- Celebrities like Edith Piaf, Yves Montand, Ginger Rogers, The Village People, Liza Minnelli, Michael Baryshnikov, The Gipsy Kings, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Juliette Binoche have all performed at the Moulin Rouge.
 
- Jackie Clerico, the same superstitious owner who insisted on "F" titles for the revues, staged the first topless dancers in 1962 and installed a giant aquarium that elevates from below stage for a nautical ballet. The aquarium (and the topless dancers) are still part of the revue today.

- The Moulin Rouge is the biggest champagne buyer in the world - around 350,000 bottles a year - more or less 1000 bottles per day!

- There are more than 100 artists on stage and almost as many waiters and bus boys to keep up with the champagne-drinking crowd.

- These days, the show costs anywhere from 92 to 180 euros (with dinner), but this extravagant, show-stopping cabaret is well worth it! Just like riding the gondolas in Venice, it's one of those touristy attractions you really shouldn't miss.

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Why We Love Our Customers: Reason # 346

Listing reasons why we love our customers is a regular feature on our blog. You send us great mail; you take "tres bon bon" photos;
you place creative orders; and you bring us cool stuff! But for Pascal, who dreams of being a serious "cave man", this reason may be his favorite reason yet:

Wine from 'The Dinner Game'

#346: You Know How to Make a Frenchman's Day
And that's no easy feat! It all started when a charming, new-to-the area couple discovered South 'n France in December 2008. They dropped in to buy bon bons for the holidays and started talking to Pascal about French wines. The monsieur is a serious wine collector with a very impressive cellar, and Pascal thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue. A few months later, this couple joined us for Dinner and a Movie when we featured our favorite French comedy, The Dinner Game (Le Dîner de Cons).

In the movie, the lead character, a wealthy publishing executive, suddenly has to open a bottle of wine for a tax inspector who is coming over to his luxury apartment. He fears that the tax collector will want to audit him when he sees his impressive wine collection, so he opens a 1978 bottle of Château Lafite (one of the most famous and expensive wines in the world) and pours vinegar into the bottle in order to mask its quality.

This couple joined us again recently at the launch for our new Wine & Dine Party. When they walked in the door, much to our shock (and Pascal's incredible delight), they presented us with a most extraordinary gift - you guessed it! - a bottle of 1978 Château Lafite from the monsieur's collection. This generous, thoughtful, and humorous gift made Pascal's day, his week, his month, and quite possibly his year. As soon as we were finished working for the evening, he sat down to admire his new bottle, a new crown jewel in his own collection. You can be sure that we won't be adding vinegar to that Château Lafite, no matter who's coming to dinner! In fact, I suspect that it will be many years before Pascal even lets us get close to that bottle with a cork screw. Thank you, Dan and Pat, for making Pascal a very happy "cave man". You can bet he'll be proudly displaying that bottle of Château Lafite for all to see at our next showing of The Dinner Game!

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Love Sweet Love

This past weekend, The New York Times featured a sweet love story in the Weddings/Celebrations section of their Sunday paper. The story chronicles a courtship that spanned three decades, with a plot reminiscent of When Harry Met Sally. It all started when Michelle Rosen first offered candy to David Zornitsky during the first lecture at a C.P.A. course. The couple married at Dylan's Candy Bar in Manhattan. The bride wore a dress made of candy wrappers that was designed for Project Runway. The groom wore a matching Kit Kat wrapper bow tie. The aisle was lined with lollipop trees. The bouquet was made with candy. And the guests got to eat Cotton Candy, candy sushi and peanut butter and jelly tarts.

New York Times photographer Karen Cunningham must have felt like a kid in a candy store getting to photograph these bright, colorful, surreal wedding images. Check out the entire slideshow of Ms. Cunningham's photos here.

"Not all weddings have a lollipop rainbow. But they should."
- Julie Halpern, wedding guest

Lolllipop Wedding



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Baby Talk

Baby Carter is a CUTIE PIE!!We've been having a great time with our nephew, Carter. He's at the age (almost 5 months) where he "talks" most enthusiastically back to us. Carter especially gets a big kick out of his Uncle Pascal who cracks him up with his funny faces and silly noises! As soon as Pascal stops clowning around, Carter will coo at him, begging him to continue with his crazy antics. In just two weeks, Carter and his parents are relocating to Buffalo, New York. We'll miss them a lot! We haven't even had a chance to set our handsome nephew up on a play date with the adorable Penelope Davis who was born just one week after him. Here's pretty Penelope and her beautiful Mom, Melissa, modeling Penelope's first Easter dress. It was our baby gift to Penelope and we were thrilled to learn that her parents chose it as her very first Easter ensemble. Doesn't she look adorable?

Sweet baby Penelope

While we wait for Carter's first trip back to Wilmington, we're brushing up on our French baby talk. It won't be long before he'll really be talking back to us!  Here are a few fun "bébé" words:

le bibi     [pronounced bee-bee]   (comes from the French word for bottle, which is biberon)
le bobo   [pronounced boe-boe]   (just like our English word for minor injury)
le dodo   [pronounced like dodo bird]   (comes from the French word for dormir, which means sleep/naptime/beddie-bye)
hop-là!   [pronounced Op-la]   (it means oopsie-daisy!)
tata or tati   [pronounced ta-ta or ta-tee]   (comes from the French word for tante, which means Aunt)
tonton   [pronounced tone-tone]   (it means Uncle)
mémé   [pronounced may-may]   (it means Grandma)
pépé   [pronounced pay-pay]   (it means Grandpa)
le popo   [pronounced poe-poe]   (it means poo-poo)
le joujou   [pronounced zhou-zhou]   (comes from the French word for jouet, which means toy)
le nanan   [pronounced nah-nah]   (it means yummies, sweets, num-nums)

With a tati and a tonton who make gourmet chocolate bon bons for a living, you can bet that our nephew will be asking for nanans in no time!
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Our First Wine & Dine Party Reviews Are In...

Last week, we conducted a pre-launch trial of our newest Wine & Dine Party. Three groups came on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to experience our three different versions of a fun, unique, and educational French wine tasting. We discussed all sorts of things from wine renegade Michel Picard's rise to fame (that's his château pictured here) to why the French put serial numbers on corks. We are most grateful to our gourmet "guinea pigs" for their participation and their feedback. At the end of each pre-launch evening, we gave a simple poll to our guests. Here's what they had to say:

Unique dinner party event Wilmington, NC


Our Question: Did you learn anything new at the Wine & Dine Party? If so, what "take-aways" will you remember?  ("Remember" being the key word after sampling four different types of wine!)

Wine tasting event, Wilmington, NCSome of Their Answers: 
How to read wine labels                                                 
How to pair foods with wine                                               
About the "châteaux" wineries                                               
All about wine corks                                               
That you can pair spicy ethnic foods with certain wines                                               
That Michel Picard Pouilly-Fuissé is a really good Chardonnay!                                 
About the AOC                 
What makes a wine taste like things that weren’t used to make it (i.e.  blackberries, peaches, minerals, oak, etc.)
What "mis en bouteille" means
1-100 scale wine experts use for grading wine
2005 was a very good year for many French wines and why
How food really changes the taste of wine
How to choose wine in a store
How to tell the location of wine production  
Stories about famous wine makers
Why some wines are more expensive than others
That you can drink certain red wines with dessert
What color tablecloth to use at a wine tasting
About decanting red wines      


Our Question: Please grade us on the wines we served and the foods we paired with them.

Some of Their Answers:
             
Great choices!
Awesome!  Everything was delicious.
10-Good mix of price and taste on the wines
Wine tasting, Wilmington, NC10+ Loved the food - yummy!
Excellent
Food was nicely paired with wines to enhance the flavors of the wines
Dessert was so good, I wanted seconds!
I'm not a fan of red wines, however, I thought all of the wines were great!
Wines were excellent and a good variety.
I am not a wine drinker, but I enjoyed trying the different wines.
Superb flavors!
Wines 100%; Food pairings 110%!!
The dessert course left me speechless - was there other food?

Our Question: What else should we know?

Some of Their Answers:             
You guys do a great job!
1 platter of appetizers for every 4 people works well!
You need to sell the dessert you served - amazing!
Love the entrance to your place.
This would be a great idea for a "pre"-bachelorette party!
I think everyone should experience one of your parties!  Love it!
Make the street address/house number larger; we had trouble finding it.
We have been to previous parties at South 'n France and this was our favorite. The people were diverse and the wine and food were absolutely perfect!
I ate a light dinner before I came (as per your suggestion), but I don't think I needed to. I'm so full!
Fine event.  I would return for another.
I'm a really picky eater and there was food I liked. Made me happy!
It was highly entertaining.
It was amazing and so are y'all!

Want to know more? Visit our Wine & Dine Party page or call Charlene for details:  910-762-6882.







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Party Planning is Sew Much Fun!

Party InvitationI love to plan parties, and although most of our South 'n France parties are done on a small scale (10-16 people), from time to time I get to plan a bigger event. This time, the big party was a surprise in honor of my mother's sixtieth birthday. Mom is a talented seamstress who has spent years working for local community and professional theater houses, the film industry, and her own collection of independent customers. We thought it was only fitting to organize her birthday party around a sewing theme. The first task was to send invitations depicting this cute seamstress to everyone in her address book. The custom-made invitation was inspired by a sculpture called The Fiber ArtisSewing patterns used as party decorationsts; I bought it from janusdesigns on etsy.com because she looks a lot like our Mom! Of course, we asked guests to keep their lips buttoned so the party would be a surprise. We also began planning a special fashion and talent show that proved to be a real stitch

Decorating with sewing supplies was an obvious choice. We purchased hundreds of tape measures and used them to make curtains reminiscent of a beaded walk-through curtain. Yarn balls on knitting needles formed our centerpiece "bouquets". Eleven hot pink double curtain panels were hung from the rafters to create a canopy ceiling. And thousands of buttons in shades of pink, green, red and purple were strewn on tables and in the vases that held our centerpieces. Unbeknownst to her, I raided my mother's collection of hundreds of sewing patterns, where I selected about forty vintage patterns in shades of pink and green. I then made oversized photocopies of the images to create a pattern-inspired wall collage.

Party decorations

Cath's Chair Covers provided the gorgeous chair covers and pink satin bows that just happened to perfectly match those curtain panels I had found. Cath personally tied every bow on every chair herself! We rented the round tables and lime green tablecloths from Party Suppliers. When D-Day (Decorating Day) arrived, I was on pins and needles because I knew that transforming the venue would be no small task. Thankfully, I had enlisted a tight knit group of family and friends to help make my vision a reality. Pascal spent the entire day climbing up and down a 10-foot ladder. Our friends Anne and Mary painstakingly ironed all of those silk and organza curtains. Our two "Marthas" (friends so talented they could be related to the famous one) created the wall of patterns and made bows to decorate "fabric trees". Even my Dad (who has not a crafty cell in his body) got into the act, sorting knitting needles and turning them into the stems that created our yarn bouquets.

 

Charlene decorating for the partyBy the end of a very long (and warm!) day of decorating, we were all pleased with the seamless transformation of the austere hall we had rented. The stage had been set for a fun birthday celebration that was simple, yet oh sew chic! Our Mom was very surprised, especially when the fashion show started and friends and family who had traveled from as far away as Canada, upstate New York, Virginia, and Texas came out to model her costume creations. As for the party planner? I loved piecing the entire event together, but two weeks later, I'm still on the mend!













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O-live Foolin’ You!

O-live Foolin' You!

I’m a big fan of April Fool's Jokes. Usually, Pascal is my victim, but this year, my mother was the one who played the (horrified-turned-happy) fool! On April 4th, she celebrated her sixtieth birthday. Unbeknownst to her, we had planned a big party with quite a few surprise out-of-town guests.  One of those guests was Anne, a friend from Norway that my mother hadn't seen in fifteen years.  Since Anne was flying in to North Carolina on April 1 and only able to stay for one week, we had to find a way to plan a "pre-surprise" surprise so she would have enough time with our mother before the actual party. Lucky for us, Anne arrived on April Fool's Day.

I called our local Olive Garden restaurant (Mom's favorite - what can we say?), and spoke to the managers about our plan. The entire staff was accommodating and excited about being in our joke, so we booked a table and made our special request; we wanted a rude, abusive waiter who would give me a reason to ask for a manager.  When "The Manager" came to our table, it would actually be my mother's friend, Anne.

We all arrived at the restaurant early to take our places for the joke. Prior to our mother's arrival, I gave our waiter, Chris, lots of ideas on how he could insult me (Example:  I'll order a high-fat-dish like Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo, and you say: "Honestly, ma'am, I think you should be ordering a salad..."); I had told him he had permission to spill drinks or food on me: I had begged him to show no mercy and act as outrageously as he pleased. Anne would hide at the bar, waiting for her cue to come to the table to speak with me, the "angry" customer.

There was just one problem - our waiter, Chris, was such a nice guy that I couldn't get him to do anything bad enough to warrant calling a manager! So, I tried to instigate him: I ordered the fettuccini as planned and Chris asked, "Are you sure?" I replied: "Yeah, do you have a problem with that?" Chris said: "No, but there are other choices on the menu...". Instead of being horrified by our waiter's terrible service, my mother was aghast at my "rude" behavior! Meanwhile, Anne hid at the bar for what felt like an hour, sipping wine and waiting for her cue while I desperately tried to get Chris to insult me! 

At one point, a floor supervisor came to check on our table. "How’s everything going?", she asked, "Would you like to speak to a manager?" My mother vehemently shook her head "No" and gave me a "Don't you dare!" stare. Desperate to get this joke to work, a few minutes later I faked a trip to the bathroom and went looking for sweet Chris. "Chris", I begged, "Please! Come spill a drink on me or something!" Before Chris had to resort to such tactics, I finally found an opening to insist on speaking to a manager. Next thing we knew, there were five people standing at our table: our two servers, the floor supervisor and two "managers". When Anne spoke as the "Senior Manager", my Mom was so embarrassed she didn't even realize that the manager was actually her friend from Norway! My poor mother was just appalled by the scene I had created. After giving me a piece of her mind, the "Manager" turned to my mother and asked, "Isn't that right, Gwen Dupray?" At that moment, the light bulb went on. Mom jumped out of her chair to hug Anne and started screaming: "I don't believe this! I don't believe this!" 

Later, as we ate our pasta and re-lived the joke with everyone at the table, my mother shared her perspective: "I couldn't believe how obnoxious Charlene was being with the staff, and when that manager started telling her off, I thought "Ooooh - this is going to get ugly!'"

So there you have it. I had to endure my mother's scorn in order to pull off this year's April Fool's joke. As for our waiter? Chris apologized for his inability to be rude, but said he was sure his mother would be proud. But looking at this photo of my Mom, our waiter, and our surprise "Manager" from Norway, I'm certain that my "rude" behavior was worth it. I love (or, in this case, O-live) April Fool's!

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Washing Out Your Mouth With Bon Bons?

Last week, I showed you no-calorie crocheted bon bons. This week, I had to share chocolate soap bon bons! 

Bon Bon Soap

According to the manufacturer, fetosoap.com, these bon bon-shaped soaps look and smell like real chocolate. They are made with cocoa powder and high-quality creamy goat's milk soap. It's too bad these didn't exist when I was a kid; it would have been a much more pleasurable way to have my mouth washed out with soap. Nowadays, sites like Wikipedia define getting one's mouth washed out with soap as a form of corporal punishment! 

Jessica RabbitBut it also reminded me of that scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where a toon weasel gets his mouth washed out with soap for using bad language, causing him to hiccup soap bubbles. Speaking of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, here's a video clip of Jessica Rabbit's unforgettable nightclub scene dubbed in French. You can hear what Betty Boop and Eddie Valiant sound like when they speak French. To paraphrase Jessica, "They're not bad... they're just dubbed that way." Somebody pass the bon bon soap...

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Egg-cellent Ideas!

The Easter Bunny has hippity-hopped through town, and now you're left with several dozen hard-boiled eggs and empty egg cartons.  (If you had a really great Easter, you even have a few empty South 'n France Bon Bon egg cartons sitting next to your fainting couch).  What do you do with all of those leftovers?  Hard-boiled eggs are great for egg salad sandwiches, deviled eggs, and salade niçoise, but egg cartons aren't so tasty. Still, they can be useful. For example, if you're feeling creative you can make your own egg carton toy camera. Isn't this little photographer just too cute? The lens of his camera is the top of a sports drink bottle.

Egg carton camera

Speaking of creativity, egg cartons make wonderful disposable paint palettes for your kids: use the compartments to hold various colors of poster paint, and the lid as a place to lay down the paintbrush. For easy clean-up afterwards, just close the lid and toss the whole egg carton into the trash. Or, de-clutter your office desk drawer by removing the lid from the egg carton and using the bottom tray to sort paper clips, rubber bands, thumb tacks, staples and other tiny office accessories. Want more fun ideas for your egg carton recyclabes? Get inspired by these nifty ideas on how to re-use egg cartons from CultCase.com, a culture and online art magazine.  They've thought of everything, from goggles to flowers to lamps.
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Better Than the Bottom of a Cracker Jack Box

Kinder EggIn the olden days, the toys in Cracker Jack boxes made for wonderful surprises - metal boats and airplanes, magnifying glasses, pirate eye patches, tiny figurines and secret decoder rings. Today, collectors clamor for these vintage collectibles. Sadly, by the time I was a kid, the prizes hidden in the Cracker Jack boxes were pretty lame. I mostly remember temporary tattoos and fun facts (which weren't that fun at all). It seems that these days the prizes are even worse; this blogger wrote about receiving a puzzle piece!  Yes, that's right; not an entire puzzle; just one little cardboard puzzle piece.

When I first went to France as a teenager, I was delighted to discover Kinder Eggs. Having grown up on Cadbury Creme eggs available only at Easter time (they were the highlight of our Easter egg hunts), I was thrilled to see that Kinder Eggs are sold year 'round. Instead of a sugary gooey center that resembles egg whites and an egg yolk, Kinder eggs are hollow. The "yolk" is a plastic capsule that contains a really cool toy prize. 

Kinder Egg 'yolk'

When Pascal learned about my fascination with Kinder eggs, he started buying them for me as treats, often hiding them under my pillow. To this day, some of the Kinder prizes I found in those eggs peek out from behind books on my bookshelves, reminding me of the childlike delight of receiving a treat with a cool prize, no matter what your age. Here is one person's collection of Kinder surprises. Much better than what you find at the bottom of the Cracker Jack box, n'est-ce pas?

Kinder Egg prizes

This Easter weekend, Pascal and I wish you lots of wonderful surprises. Whether you get bon bons, bunnies, Peeps, or at least one Cadbury egg (like me), we hope you'll have a very sweet holiday! Don't forget to join us at our Open House tomorrow night - we'll have lots of fun surprises for you here, too!
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40 Reasons Why I Love My Guy

Today is my sweetie's fortieth birthday. I'm a lucky, lucky girl to have a husband who is funny, romantic, hard-working, and a wonderful sport. So, indulge me as I share with you forty of the many-million reasons why I love this guy:

Happy 40th Pascal!
  1. He makes me laugh.  Especially when he does the "lizard dance", talks in his Brooklyn accent, and hams it up just for me, his audience of one.
  2. He makes the bed nine days out of ten (I do the honors on the tenth because he hates an unmade bed); he does dishes; he always takes out the trash; and he does more than his share of the household chores.
  3. He has a really cute French accent that makes me (and others) swoon whenever he talks in English.
  4. He always reminds me to take my cell phone when I leave the house.
  5. He encourages me to sleep in, relax, take naps - anything to see me work less and take care of myself more.
  6. He has a green thumb and makes sure that we are surrounded with beautiful, flowering plants throughout the year.
  7. He likes children.
  8. He is an excellent traveling partner who strongly encourages frequent stops at antique malls, flea markets, and roadside attractions.
  9. He (eventually) says "Yes" to my crazy photo shoot ideas like dressing up as Forest Gump, wearing a Santa suit in Central Park, posing with the Easter Bunny, etc.
  10. Every now and again, he plans an amazing surprise get-away for the two of us.
  11. He has his own unique sense of style, which these days consists of Adidas flip flops with socks, cargo shorts, a chef's jacket, and a South 'n France visor.
  12. He cuts fresh pineapples and butternut squash and all of those other tricky fruits and vegetables perfectly - even when it's my turn to cook.
  13. He says: "Bingo!" when somebody "hits the nail on the head" with a perfect idea or suggestion.
  14. He's cute. 
  15. When he's in the checkout line at the grocery store and I call him to say: "Oops! I forgot one thing... will you please buy me a tomato too?", he pays, gets that forgotten tomato, and gets back in line a second time to pay for it, even though it's an annoying inconvenience.
  16. He makes perfect JiffyPop popcorn, managing to get almost every kernel to pop perfectly. (They don't have JiffyPop in France, and he thinks the concept is truly fascinating!)
  17. He makes sure our car always has gas (I forget to check...)
  18. He tells me "Je t'aime" several times per day.
  19. In the winter, he allows me to put my freezing hands and feet on his warm body, even though he complains a little at first.
  20. He gave up his country, his culture, and his food to be here with me and has done a beautiful job of adapting and learning English. Sometimes I'm astonished at how advanced his English has become.
  21. He hardly ever complains about me keeping the nightstand light on, reading in bed into the wee hours of the morning, even though he prefers to sleep in total darkness.
  22. He is incredibly charming, and a very skilled flirt.
  23. There's that saying that Frenchman appreciate things that age: wine, cheese, women. True to the cliché, he often tells me he prefers the woman that I am now (fine lines, big curves) to the young, skinny girl that I was when we met.
  24. He's sentimental.
  25. He wears a bathrobe with panache (it's a French thing).
  26. Even though I've bought him a dozen travel coffee mugs, he insists on driving with a china coffee mug nestled in the car's cup holder. (And yes, this strategy has backfired on him more than once!).
  27. His laugh tickles me (especially when he's laughing at his own jokes).
  28. He's got a deep, raspy singing voice (that I wish I would hear more often).
  29. He's been my faithful partner-in-crime through many a crazy adventure, including the launch of this bon bon business.
  30. Even though I've known him for more than fifteen years, I'm still learning new things about him, uncovering new layers.
  31. He plates food beautifully, even when it's just the two of us, sitting down for a simple dinner.
  32. Occasionally, he'll do something completely out of character, like agreeing to watch episodes of Ugly Betty on DVD with me.
  33. He whistles.
  34. He gives me sweet little kisses (love pecks) almost every time I walk by him.
  35. He likes to see me wear my Bon Bon Queen outfit.
  36. He drives us everywhere because I don't like to, even though he enjoys being a passenger too.
  37. Our musical tastes differ greatly (I can only listen to so much of David Bowie, U2 or Pink Floyd), but once in a while, I come home and find him listening to someone like Andrea Bocelli.
  38. We share the dream of having a second home in France, traveling the world, and sharing the European "good life" with friends and family.
  39. He puts on this gruff-tough-talking exterior - don't tell him, but it doesn't hide the fact that he's really a soft-hearted, sensitive guy.
  40. He's my mon ami, mon amant, mon amour, pour la vie.
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