A not-so-serious question for our REAL French posters.
Nov 21st, 2003, 05:56 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A not-so-serious question for our REAL French posters.
I'm looking for a little feedback, preferably from those who live in France.
For a play (ART) I have a question. Three middle-aged, successful men friends entertaining in their own homes. One drinks only Perrier. Would he drink it from a bottle? Would a good friend serve it to him by just handing him the bottle, or would he pour it into a glass? Again, I'm not talking about in a cafe or a restaurant, but good friends in a casual atmosphere entertaining at home.
While we're at it, how popular are cordoruy slacks for men in Paris (fall or winter)?
For a play (ART) I have a question. Three middle-aged, successful men friends entertaining in their own homes. One drinks only Perrier. Would he drink it from a bottle? Would a good friend serve it to him by just handing him the bottle, or would he pour it into a glass? Again, I'm not talking about in a cafe or a restaurant, but good friends in a casual atmosphere entertaining at home.
While we're at it, how popular are cordoruy slacks for men in Paris (fall or winter)?
Nov 21st, 2003, 06:30 PM
#2
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some French men prefer their Coke in a can while others prefer a glass, ice, and a twist of lemon. Some love drinking their beer from a bottle while others prefer it from a chilled beer mug. Some French men drink Perrier from the bottle while others prefer it in a wine glass. I usually ask a friend (or guest) how they prefer their refreshment even though I prefer to pour everything into an appropriate glass. (I adore crystal and beautifully designed glassware). If I neglect to ask, I pour. I never offer the bottle, can, or container it came in.
I know several French men who wear the most sumptuous corduroy slacks in winter and I ask where they found them. Most reply, Italy.
I know several French men who wear the most sumptuous corduroy slacks in winter and I ask where they found them. Most reply, Italy.
Nov 21st, 2003, 07:11 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
OK, I'm going to assume, in a stretch, that I'm a "real French poster."
No French person that I have ever met would expect anyone to drink Perrier out of a bottle. The kind of glass it would be served in wouldn't be important - in many French households in the countryside wine and other drinks are drunk out of stubby water glasses - but it would be served in a glass nonetheless.
Corduroy slacks are pretty common among the male French academic crowd - you see them all over Paris. But you won't find them worn by the average French fonctionnaire or service person, and not outside Paris in the country - pretty much reserved for academia, and as our fashionista NYCFoodSnob has noted, they probably got them in Italy.
No French person that I have ever met would expect anyone to drink Perrier out of a bottle. The kind of glass it would be served in wouldn't be important - in many French households in the countryside wine and other drinks are drunk out of stubby water glasses - but it would be served in a glass nonetheless.
Corduroy slacks are pretty common among the male French academic crowd - you see them all over Paris. But you won't find them worn by the average French fonctionnaire or service person, and not outside Paris in the country - pretty much reserved for academia, and as our fashionista NYCFoodSnob has noted, they probably got them in Italy.
Nov 21st, 2003, 07:27 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
St. Cirq, I would place you in the category of "real French posters". That is pretty much what I thought. I can't picture a Frenchman drinking Perrier right out of the bottle.
But now I need to ask you. What in the world is a "fonctionnaire"?
But now I need to ask you. What in the world is a "fonctionnaire"?
Nov 21st, 2003, 07:37 PM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 49,560
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A "fonctionnaire" is a French government worker - the guy who stamps your passport, the guy who takes your ticket on the train to Bordeaux, the guy who works his whole life in service to the French government in return for maybe not so great wages but pretty phenomenal benefits, now including a 35-hour workweek.
Nov 21st, 2003, 08:15 PM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,893
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I may not be French but I'm very REAL.
"I can't picture a Frenchman drinking Perrier right out of the bottle."
I photographed two young French men who were working on the Paris apartment that I stayed in a little over a week ago. Both were thirsty when I asked if they wanted some water and both turned down my offer for a glass. Yes, they drank their Perrier right from the bottle and drank it quickly. Amazing.
"I can't picture a Frenchman drinking Perrier right out of the bottle."
I photographed two young French men who were working on the Paris apartment that I stayed in a little over a week ago. Both were thirsty when I asked if they wanted some water and both turned down my offer for a glass. Yes, they drank their Perrier right from the bottle and drank it quickly. Amazing.
Nov 21st, 2003, 09:15 PM
#8
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well yes, its understandable the men "working on" an apt ( doing renovations I'm guessing?) would not really have to time to bother with drinking from a glass; they're working not socializing, and they're thirsty. Is that amazing?
In answer to your question Patrick, I think the "good friend" would serve his friend a Perrier in a glass. At the very least he'd offer a glass.
Now, go out and get yourself some cords!
In answer to your question Patrick, I think the "good friend" would serve his friend a Perrier in a glass. At the very least he'd offer a glass.
Now, go out and get yourself some cords!
Nov 22nd, 2003, 04:10 AM
#10
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
i'm no expert, but i just got back from paris and i have a picture of a group of men playing boule. two of them are wearing corduroy pants, the other two are wearing denim.
i would guess then that you could dress them in cords. good luck!
i would guess then that you could dress them in cords. good luck!
Nov 22nd, 2003, 04:39 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 34,738
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Not being Real or French, I would still like to ask a question of my own, if I may?
What did they do in the original English play, ART ?
I would think that in any sophisticated household, one serves beverages to friends in a glass.
I am picturing the bottles of water we had in Paris and they are all pretty large, in a home, people would most likely have one of those in the fridge, no?
Patrick, which one will you be ?
What did they do in the original English play, ART ?
I would think that in any sophisticated household, one serves beverages to friends in a glass.
I am picturing the bottles of water we had in Paris and they are all pretty large, in a home, people would most likely have one of those in the fridge, no?
Patrick, which one will you be ?
Nov 22nd, 2003, 05:39 AM
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hello, Scarlett. Actually it's funny you say "the original English play". ART was written in French and is a French play. It was translated to English and played to great success in London, but was also translated to "American" by the same translator, although it is still set in Paris.
I'll be playing the obnoxious one who starts the trouble and doesn't like the painting. It's the role played by Albert Finney in London and Alan Alda on Broadway.
Thanks for all the replies. It's funny about the corduroy. I had mentioned I never see Frenchmen wearing cords -- aren't they very American. Then it rang a bell that since I'm usually in Paris in July and August, why would I see anyone in cords? Duh!!!
I'll be playing the obnoxious one who starts the trouble and doesn't like the painting. It's the role played by Albert Finney in London and Alan Alda on Broadway.
Thanks for all the replies. It's funny about the corduroy. I had mentioned I never see Frenchmen wearing cords -- aren't they very American. Then it rang a bell that since I'm usually in Paris in July and August, why would I see anyone in cords? Duh!!!
Nov 22nd, 2003, 05:48 AM
#14
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hi Patrick
>I had mentioned I never see Frenchmen wearing cords -- aren't they very American?<
Corduroy comes from "Cord du Roi", a fabric invented in France, as was 'serge de Nimes' - denim.
>I had mentioned I never see Frenchmen wearing cords -- aren't they very American?<
Corduroy comes from "Cord du Roi", a fabric invented in France, as was 'serge de Nimes' - denim.
Nov 22nd, 2003, 05:56 AM
#15
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,793
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Is corduroy (originally from the French "cord du roi," because it was made for the royal court, see http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache...6&ie=UTF-8) really very American? Isn't that funny if it's now considered "American."
By the way, those French academics from Paris DO manage to travel around to the rest of the country, so maybe that's why someone (Beanbag) spied them wearing cords elsewhere in the country and even got close enough to see from the labels that they were not fine Italian corduroy, but just French imitations.
By the way, those French academics from Paris DO manage to travel around to the rest of the country, so maybe that's why someone (Beanbag) spied them wearing cords elsewhere in the country and even got close enough to see from the labels that they were not fine Italian corduroy, but just French imitations.
Nov 22nd, 2003, 06:00 AM
#16
How fashion evolves! When I lived in France in the early '70's, in Paris, the men wore lose-fitting cords or jeans, the women wore tight-fitting cords or jeans, and the guys outside of Paris wore trousers of a material about which I'm still wondering, but I do we recall we called them "ball-breakers" they were so tight!
And no one, absolutely no one drank Perrier straight from the bottle. Even during demonstrations.
And no one, absolutely no one drank Perrier straight from the bottle. Even during demonstrations.
Nov 22nd, 2003, 06:17 AM
#17
Guest
Posts: n/a
Good morning, Patrick. First let me tell you I just sent a deposit to the owner for 'your' St. Germain apartment for a week in July. Our flight arrives on Saturday July 17, but they said it was rented on that day, so we can't get in until afer noon on Sunday the 18th. When will you be there this year? Thanks for your suggestion, it looks great. And when I got the address of the owners, I discovered they're right here in San Fransisco!
Now about the Perrier question. I may not be REAL French, but I did spend 18 months living with a doctor and his wife and family in Paris while doing an internship. Madame would never have served anything in a bottle, not even to her own family, yet alone to a guest. The kids drank coke -- those tiny little classic bottles -- and I don't think a bottle ever touched the lips of those kids. Their coke was poured into a glass only. The same was true of water -- they drank some rather nasty calcium tasting stuff which I never liked. But it was always served in a wine glass. I also went to quite a few parties with university students. Again, I never even saw a college guy drink beer from a bottle. It was always poured into a glass. That's just the way they do it.
So if you're looking to be authentic, I can't imagine watching three professional men sitting around in Paris drinking Perrier out of bottles! Wine glasses all the way.
Now about the Perrier question. I may not be REAL French, but I did spend 18 months living with a doctor and his wife and family in Paris while doing an internship. Madame would never have served anything in a bottle, not even to her own family, yet alone to a guest. The kids drank coke -- those tiny little classic bottles -- and I don't think a bottle ever touched the lips of those kids. Their coke was poured into a glass only. The same was true of water -- they drank some rather nasty calcium tasting stuff which I never liked. But it was always served in a wine glass. I also went to quite a few parties with university students. Again, I never even saw a college guy drink beer from a bottle. It was always poured into a glass. That's just the way they do it.
So if you're looking to be authentic, I can't imagine watching three professional men sitting around in Paris drinking Perrier out of bottles! Wine glasses all the way.
Nov 22nd, 2003, 06:24 AM
#18
Guest
Posts: n/a
I'm sorry, I forgot the corduroy question. I must say I don't think the doctor I lived with ever wore anything BUT corduroys around the house. Whenever he came home from the hospital that's what he put on. He wore them every evening and all weekend. To be honest, I'm not sure if they ever got washed -- I only saw him in the same dark brown pair quite worn. I think of them as very casual there. More like we'd wear jeans. Hope this helps.
Nov 22nd, 2003, 06:40 AM
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,749
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Susan, that is too funny. That's us!! We leave the apartment on Sunday July 18 after a 12 night stay. (By the way, the owner gave us a discount this year as a "return" renter if we stayed 12 days or more, which is why we arrived at that 12 day period). I'd say I'd leave things in the refrigerator for you, except there's never anything there -- except maybe some orange juice! I think you'll like the apartment. I know you'll love the location!
