One of the great things about learning a foreign language is that it gets you into all kinds of messes. Specifically, I’m thinking about the muddles, mix-ups and snafus that arise when two bilingual people aren’t sure which of the … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Photo by two-in-a-row Sign of the Weeque spotter Margie Rubin of Paris Your Way.The same owner also has an appliance store called “I Love My Lender,” a bank called “I Love My Mender,” a … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Spotted by sharp-eyed reader Margie Rubin. Let’s see here: there’s an optician who sells stuff for people’s eyes, including contact lenses, and there’s such a thing as eye contact. So “Eye’s Contact” is a … Read More
I have no desire to contribute to any bias-tinged, futile but impassioned online debate. So I’m going to start by explaining what this article is not about. It’s not about terrorism, anybody’s religion, the comparative atrociousness of different atrocities or … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Such is love in Paris: we even have a specialty shop that caters to heartsick silviculturists. David Jaggard Have you seen a ridiculous sign in Paris? Or anywhere in France? Send me a photo … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque This week’s sign is not a strange business name choice due to idiocy, but rather a strange business name pairing due to laziness. Or lack of budget. Or idiocy. It’s an eatery in the … Read More
The first time I went to Seville, I missed out entirely on one of the most important aspects of the local culture. In my report from two years ago, I discussed the city’s lovely and ubiquitous orange trees, its beautiful … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque You know all those Italian restaurants in English-speaking countries that call themselves “La Trattoria”? As though it’s supposed to be some kind of clever, evocative name even though it just means “The Restaurant”? Did … Read More
C’est Ironique Sign of the Weeque Spotted by reader John Friedman. Everyone knows that Donatien Alphonse François “Marky” de Sade was a French author, philosopher, politician and sexual whack job. But what few people know is that he also founded … Read More
The end of the year is always a time for thoughtful reflection. A time to look back at pleasures savored and milestones achieved. And so, as 2014 draws to a close, I, like all Parisians, am thinking about one thing: … Read More
