TO SCREW OR NOT TO SCREW?

One of the things that I really noticed when I was in Australia was the abundance of screw-top wine bottles. While I've been gone, they seem to have proliferated considerably. Or maybe its just that here in France, screw-top bottles are a faux pas. French consider them to be very unclassy, and the sign of a bad wine. Never mind that screw-tops eliminate the problem of corked wine (incidence estimates range from 1 in 10 to 20 bottles), and are good for the environment (unlike the widespread elimination of cork tree forests). And, you never get in one of those "damn I left it at home" issues with the bottle opener (although one Frenchie with whom I was talking about this very subject last week said, "yeah but Alli, this is France, you can always find someone close by with a bottle opener!").

But, importantly, as always to the French, the cork brings a certain panache, that, well lets face it, screw-tops can't.

RETURN TO OZ

So I have just got back from my recent trip home to Australia. It was my first time back since I have moved to Paris, and to be honest I was a bit nervous coming home. Although once I arrived, it was like I had never left. Talking to most of my friends it was like I had seen them a couple of weeks before, which was a really nice feeling. It was a crazy couple of weeks, especially with the wedding planning that needed to be done (yes! A venue has been booked and my dress has been ordered!).

Here are some of the highlights from the trip:

1. The engagement party #2 (see recent entry)
2. Seeing my family, especially my brother
3. Meeting my friend's little girl, Stella
4. Parasailing on Sydney harbour
5. Seeing my brother's band Femur play at the North Melbourne Town Hall Bar
6. Seeing Kel, who moved back to Australia in November (very bizzare seeing someone at home whom you only knew in Paris but who is Aussie).
7. Spending Australia Day at Andy's Backyard BBQ
8. Asking Joanie and Trina to be my bridesmaids
9. Trying on wedding dresses
10. Catching up with all my friends from Oz (and those visiting from Switzerland too!)


Here are some pics from the trip:

REUNITED

A TALE OF FOUR CITIES.......... Part II