Monday, July 21, 2008

OU EST LE SNARK? C'EST ICI...

I hadn't realised how much I missed my inner snark. It got a good work out in the Gridskipper days when it was, if not actually compulsory, actively encouraged. So when I sat down to write this piece for webooks I was unprepared for all the pent up tongue in cheek sarcasm that I would unleash on the world.

Webooks have loads and loads of "How To" type books you can read for free online, download or buy in real physical bookshops. They're factual books that tell you how to do things, unsurprisingly. But now each book has a site to go with it, with articles that vaguely relate to the subject of the books. I of course, chose Going to Live in Paris. You know, I was thinking of a helpful, informative piece for first time visitors; how to negotiate the minefield of Parisian etiquette, just the basics. I have possibly ended up offending/alienating/frightening away any potential visitors - though frankly, if it means one less tourist wearing cargo shorts, socks pulled up to their calves and big dirty trainers spoiling the view I will have done my duty. Read it (and weep) here. Oh, and if you feel like clicking on any of those little buttons underneath the article: del.icio.us, digg, reddit, stumbleupon, technorati etc; that's apparently good and all the hip kids are doing it these days.

(If anyone's thinking; "Hang on a minute, how come she's the resident Paris expert all of a sudden, she hasn't even been there for eight months?" Yeah I know what you mean, I'm planning to rectify that state of affairs asap. Also, see my Paris posts.)

EDIT: Read it here.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

oooh when are you going? :)
nancy

Anonymous said...

are you planning to leave London????
xox
Mia
ps great article, loved it!

Claire said...

I'm just going for a couple of days in September!!

Anonymous said...

please do not say...just "just" ;)
nancy

Anonymous said...

If you can convince at least one tourist to give up the trainers-cargopants-sweaty-shirt-backpack look than you have done the world a big favour!!!

Stacy said...

when you leave for paris, can you hide me in your suitcase? I want to come too.

Anonymous said...

oh an english person stands like an elephant in paris whether they dress like tourists or not, no?

Claire said...

Oh, I've never stood like an elephant in Paris before - I'll give it a try and let you know how I get on...

The Spicers said...

Loved the article!
Thanks for doing your part to stop the cargo shorts and white sneaker eyesores.
And the good advice about greeting shopkeepers. It took me a while to catch on to that, as I'm used to completely ignoring them in America.