Monday, November 23, 2009

market analysis

Some Saturdays and Sundays, I sell strawberries.

Saturday, Berkeley Farmer's Market:

Blond 8-year-old boy whose progressive parents had apparently allowed to roam the market unconstrained, like a happy free-range chicken, before conscientiously accepting a ripe late-season strawberry that I held, tantalizingly, by its long stem in front of his face: "Is it organic?"

Sunday, Oakland Farmer's Market:

Black 8-year-old boy who was, under some unclear business arrangement, "helping" the guy selling eggs, mostly by criticizing his hairstyle, manner of speaking, and choice to display publicity material for area farms: "Why you advertising for other people? You got to advertise fo YO'SELF"

As I surveyed the field of strawberries before me, culling the specimens of the appropriate size, color, and stem length for the sample selection, I couldn't help but wonder: which kid was more annoying?

Saturday, November 14, 2009

From Zagat Guide to Paris Found on Street On Way Home From Yoga

Editeurs (Les)
4, carrefour de l'Odéon, 6e (Odéon), 01 43 26 67 76;
fax 01 46 34 58 30; www.lesediteurs.fr

Voici un "endroit sympa pour prendre un verre en terrasse et regarder passer le monde", de cet emplacement de choix à l'Odéon - où le "décor de bibliothèque", "rempli d'étagères de livres colorés" et "de recoins confortables" en fait un best-seller aussi; hélas la "cuisine de brasserie classique" "n'est guère plus que correcte", mais "la jeune clientèle branchée" trouve l'endroit "parfait pour un snack" ou pour "draguer la serveuse américaine", qui est "charmante" même si "elle ne parle point le français."

El Mansour
7, rue de la Trémoille, 8e (Alma-Marceau), 01 47 23 88 18;
fax 01 40 70 13 53

Ce "vrai son of de betch" ("ne vous inquiétez pas" de l'article défini du nom, il n'est "pas du tout méxicain") produit des fils qui pavoisent de leurs "belles bites", soit de "taille extraordinaire", soit de "couleur parfaite."