To commemorate the storming of the Bastille, I would like to recognize some of the more endearing concepts of the French. As a lifelong Francophile, I adore everything that is French, some things that are "faux French" like french fries and French manicures! Voici, my tribute to les francais!
1. The French Paradox. Despite eating butter, cheese, and cream, the French remain more svelte and suffer less frequently from heart disease than Americans. Research suggests this is due to French consumption of red wine which contains low levels of resveratrol. Leave it to the American pharmaceutical companies to give us resveratrol in pill form.
2. French style. Parisians look chic, effortless, and always put together. French women wear well-fitting, classically cut clothing with a nod towards trends. The look is smart, timeless, and sophisticated. As in their diets, the French choose quality over quantity. Costco and The Claim Jumper are simply not French concepts.
3. Flirtation. The French love to flirt. Marriage is not synonymous with death. Conversations between sexes are filled with double entendres. For the French, flirtation is not the means to an end but an enjoyable past time. Vive la difference!
4. Joie de vivre. The French enjoy life. Workers take off an average of six weeks of vacation per year. Berthillon, a famous Parisian ice cream shop, is closed during August. Would Baskin-Robbins ever close for the month of July?
5. Boss-napping. According to a survey in Le Parisian, almost half of French people surveyed support locking up their bosses to ensure better lay-off terms. Workers at Sony, 3M and Caterpillar actually held their bosses for ransom.
So, go ahead. Enjoy a glass of Bourdeaux! Toast the spirit with a Kir Royale. Dig into that creme brulee but you had better not be wearing those frumpy sweats!
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