Dinner with Alain

We went to dinner with a patent attorney who works in Solaize where Paul will be working. He is a patent attorney who lived in D.C. for three years so his English is pretty good. He also understands that our French doesn't come easy just yet. I asked him how he learned English and it was the same story I have heard many times..... He took English in school and thought he knew it but once in America, he quickly realized just how little he knew. What helped him the most? Watching Star Trek.

He drove us to a really nice restaurant named "West" (in English), a brasserie run by Paul Beacous (a very famous French chef) . It was very large with a big-screen TV, a bar, and large crowds too. Tres chic! I have discovered that it doesn't matter what you order to eat because it is all good.

Alain was very interesting and had a lot of good advice for us. I wish we had talked to him about things before we decided where to live, but surprisingly our apartment is located in the area near his, so I guess it's OK.

Yesterday I decided I wanted to try to re-wire a lamp to see if we could do that instead of buy all new lamps. I like my lamps. So I asked Alain about doing that. He wasn't sure about what we should ask for in the store (he obviously hasn't re-wired any lamps lately) so he aske the waiter. Of course, the waiter must have thought we were nuts, but he did tell us where to go and how to ask for a re-wiring kit. Something to ask Pat F. when we get back.

During dinner, I suddenly heard familiar music at a table near us. They were playing Happy Birthday (yes the American Happy Birthday - the one WE aren't allowed to sing or play in a restaurant because of music rights). Those French are so American!