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French Wine – Leaving The Vine
Granted a catchy but not totally accurate title. Of course it’s the grapes leaving the vine. Who will later become wine. And this is the moment they begin their journey.
The French Wine Harvest – “Le Vendange”, like all events agricultural, marches to the drummer of the seasons in each region. The obvious leaders in the pole position are the Southerly regions – Languedoc and Provence – where the Sun pumps up the volume and the sugar content first.
Alsace, in France’s North-East corner, where the old timers speak a mix of French and German no one else understands, is the last stop on the tour. With the harvest of the sweet wine destined grapes – “Vendage Tardive”(late harvest) around October 15.
As I’ve noted before, the harvest is simultaneously a cultural and a social event as well. Bringing together folks from all over Europe, who, outside of this gig, would probably never meet. Considering the mix of lifestyles and ethnicities. (My fellow scribbler Robert Camuto has “done” the vendange and morphed his experiences into a book. Cleverly titled: “Corkscrewed.” P.s. – He’s not paying me for this plug. Nor have a received a bottle of his wine.)
While words and pictures can’t hope to fully convey the multi-layered emotional experience that is Le Vendange – they can give us a taste.
Here’s mine:
French Wine Harvest from bicyclegourmet
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
Strauss Kahn – Stylistically Challenged?
While the Offical motto of France is :”Libertie, Egalitie, Fraternitie”, there is an unoffical, but integral 4th element: Privacy.
While France is (again) “offically” a devout Catholic Nation, it has an almost Religious tolerance for “non-Catholica”activities. Particularly when they relate to “relations intime.”
Basically the French mind set is :”We don’t care who you screw, as long as you don’t screw up on the job.” The exact opposite of the American perception. Where every public figure must be as squeaky clean as Snow White. (But…wait a minute…..wasn’t she living with 7 men?)
The unspoken, but understood caveat of French tolerance being : STYLE. You do what you do. But you do it with the utmost discretion. Without fanfare. Without witnesses.
Definitely NOT the case with M. Strauss Kahn in New York. And this could be his greatest Political liability questing for the French Presidental Palace. To say that the French forgive “extra-marital sex” is to totally misunderstand French Culture. They regard it as just another aspect of life. And more to the point – someone else’s life. Which is none of their business.
Perhaps the greatest example of the French respect for personal privacy is the late President Francois Mitterand, who had two families. His “open secret” – a 20 year mistress .(and a child with) When he died, both families attended the funeral. C’est la vie.
Another former President, Jacques Chirac was infamous for his late night limo forays. It’s rumoured that on the night Lady Diana died in Paris, Bernadette Chirac had no idea where hubby was. C’est la vie.
Yes, folks, “It’s the life.” And whether you approve or not is so much squirrel dookie. These two Gentlemen did what they did with style. With discretion. And, most importantly, they did’nt screw up on the job.
Unlike “The Great Seducer.” who screwed, and screwed up on the job. Sadly, the IMF Directors didn’t have sufficient cojones to send him packing then. That would have saved Natissifatou Daillo, New York, and the World uneccessary agony. And all the blue meanies that go with it.
Anne Mansouret,the Mother of Tristane Banon, the young journalist who is charging DSK tried to rape her in 2003, while admitting consensual sex with Strauss Kahn, characterized his style as “brutal.” Saying : “He took me with the vulgarity of a soldier.”And characterized DSK as ” A predator.” (This was another on- the- job “indescretion.”)
The Politican that stands to benefit most from the current state of DSK, is Marine LePen, the leader of the National Front party. Owing to the fact that socialist voters “disenchanted” with “The Great Seducer” will cast their protest ballot with her right wing camp. Rather than annoint Nicholas Sarkozy Napoleon for another term.
Ms. LePen has this to say about the DSK “style” : “The truth that maybe the rest of France doesn’t know, but all of Paris knows, is that Strauss-Kahn has a problem with women, some say it’s an addiction.”
BOTTOM LINE : Sex, not a problem. Rape – BIG problem.
Will he run? Will he go into sex addiction rehab? Will “his Women” finally be his Achilles Heel?”
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
Strauss Kahn – Speed Bumps On The Palace Road
In my last post, I said that if Dominique Strauss Kahn decides to throw his hat(or whatever else he may be in the mood to toss) into the “I-wanaa-be-President” ring, no one could stop him.
While I’m not changing that rant, DSK will, nonetheless have to (successfully) negotiate several speed bumps on the road to the Presidental palace.
BUMP ONE
His (she says) close relationship with Martine Aubry. Current leader of the Socialist Party. (“Parti Socialist”, here in the land of adjective after the noun.) She being the party’s current choice for the French throne.
BUMP TWO
Every other political opponent. particularly The National Front’s Marine LePen. Who will doubtless make much political hay of the fact that all the Male members of the Socialist tribe knew of “The Great Seducer’s” behind closed doors “escapades”, and chose to keep their little lips sealed.
BUMP THREE
The outraged French. That portion of, as they say here, “le Grand Public” who feel that Strauss Kahn deserved to stay in Riker’s Island. And that , accordingly, his occupation of the Elysee Palace would be a large and unslightly pîmple on the International face of France.
BUMP FOUR
The outraged politicians who are not running for office. All will be putting in their(suprise, suprise) negative assessments of DSK’S (lack og good) behaviour. The latest being former prime Minister Michel Rocard. Who, while lauding Strauss Kahn’s abilites, lamented that he found him “mentally ill.”
BUMP FIVE – The Legal Challenges.
As unfortunate as it may be for the many Women DSK has “loved”, in circumstance they were not totally thrilled with, the massive financial muscle of the DSK machine(uh….that would be….wifey’s bankroll?) will ensure that the only bars her hubby will have to contend with are the ones that serve Chivas Regal on the rocks.
And, bien sur, this legal mumbo jumbo, could, and probably will drag on until everyone concerned is in a wheelchair.
The damage here for Straus Kahn will be the immediate negative publicity from the former “lovers.” Sure – “circumstantial evidence/heresay/rumours.” In other words – perfect ammunition for innuendo. The preferred stiletto of all politicans – n’est ce pas?
BUMP SIX – The Wild Card
There’s one in every pack. The one you never expected. The one that changes the game. What could it be in Strauss Kahn’s case? An unfortunate leak of information? A “whistle blower” dis-enchanted with “Team DSK?” A definitive “smoking gun” from The Great Seducer’s …ahem….”checkered” past?
It’s the greatest show on earth, folks. And the next act in this circus…
hey……it’s unfolding as we speak!
Are you not thrilled?
THROW ME A BONE HERE, PEOPLE!
What are ya thinkin’?
