Taking Olives to the Mill. . . .

An olive tree in front of a mas (farmhouse) near Grasse, France

The season to harvest olives and take them to the mill is nearing. It's something I always planned to do. After all, we lived on a parcel of land with more than 40 olive trees. Two majestic trees stood in front of the house, and the top windows looked right into those silver-gray leaves.

We hired a gardener to help us revive the trees. He wanted to cut back those two majestic trees, claiming it would enable us to harvest olives. We refused.

On small plots of land bordering winding roads between Valbonne, Opio and Grasse, plastic nets are spread on the ground to catch the small, dark olives as they fall. Most friends cured the olives in brine. For those who had the quantity of olives needed to be pressed to oil, the mill generally took a percentage of the oil as payment.

I always planned to gather olives and take them to the mill. But I never had the quantity needed (not to mention the nets or time). Now, more than 20 years have passed. . . . I no longer have 40 olive trees but a small olive tree growing in a pot.

The vendor thought the tree would produce in the next four years. . . .Certainly not enough for a bottle of oil but maybe a few olives I could serve guests.

Dogs and la vie en France. . . .

“It is sometimes difficult to know who commands in a family—the husband, the wife, the mother-in-law, or the cook. But the dog is never mistaken.” --Marcel Pagnol, French writer known for his stories about Marseille.

Dogs are the sine qua non of French existence (in addition to champagne and chocolate). Some have pedigree, some are mixed breed, but all are happy, welcomed and loved. They jump to attention at a moment’s notice, show unconditional love and never complain. And the French love their dogs—the men might leave their wives in the car or at home while they stop at the café for a drink, but never their dogs.

We can’t say enough good things about our dogs, but cats are pretty cool too. What types of pets do you have?

Emballage

The smallest of gifts or souvenirs comes in a bag with a tiny ribbon, a label with the name of the store and the expression, “Le plaisir d’offrir,” or the joy of giving.



Boutique - Rose Anita, Juan-les-Pins

Tea strainers, aprons, crystal ashtrays or jewelry. C’est pour offrir? Je vous fais un paquet cadeau? At Rose Anita, I received an elegant green and pink bag for the purchase (en solde).

My earliest recollections on arriving in France include chocolates in a special box tied with a satin ribbon, souvenirs at the newsstand or bookstore in a special decorative paper and household items like glasses or mugs boxed and wrapped elegantly and efficiently by a storekeeper with impeccably manicured nails. They treated even the most insignificant of pottery bowls, olive wood trays or books like a luxury item from Hermès or Baccarat! And the way in which they wrapped them—with the seam on top and the ends with triangles. (For a "how to," see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiXhxA9a39A.) All of this care and detail contributed to the oh-là-là impact of packaging.

Packaging has extended beyond the packages themselves to the decor of store windows.



The professional exhibition, Emballage, which ran Nov. 22-25, 2010, at Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition, had more than 1,300 exhibitors, providing innovative and sustainable displays on beauty, beverages, food and health. Packaging adds distinction and contributes to branding.



Sephora - Nice Etoile
The November 2010 press kit for the exhibit Emballage quoted Charles Duclaux, Groupe L’Oréal, as saying that packaging helps distinguish brands and serves as a “vector of innovation.”

Chantal Sandoz, Groupe Carrefour, said that “ideal packaging solution. . . matches the product.” (for more information, see http://en.emballageweb.com/ExposiumCms/cms_sites/partage555010/presse/DOSSIER_DE_PRESSE_SALON_GB.pdf ).


Good packaging of small presents makes me want to open them. Packaging of store-front windows draws me in. Maybe I should rethink my packaging of Christmas presents. . . .



Chocolate store - Antibes



Sometimes professional gift wrapping is preferred!

The Quest for the Ideal Cafe Chair by Jane Tolbert

The quest for the idea café chair on this side of the Atlantic took on a new relevance when Margaret and I decided that would be the sine qua non of birthday presents for Mom’s outside terrace. Two issues had to be resolved—what criteria determine the ideal chair and where to find it! The ideal chair would have to be comfortable and carry an aesthetic as well as survive the Florida elements. These chairs were in every home improvement store in France. Surely we could find them in Florida.


For years on my back porch I have used the quintessential, white plastic stacking chair, a panacea for low budgets and the Florida humidity. But although this chair met the criterion of comfort, it was too ordinary for a birthday present. Wrought iron chairs are prevalent in the States. But we are tired of balancing on these small chairs that have ivy tendrils or a floral motif that cuts into our backs. Then, no one wanted heavy furniture with cushions (available at all home improvement stores) that could not be left outside. Finally, Mom is very particular about what goes on her outside terrace.




French café chairs come in a variety of styles. The picturesque but uncomfortable with slats serve as décor only. No one sits in these. At least, not for long. The antique with no slats and peeling paint make for great photo opportunities in a design magazine. Finally, the oh-so-comfortable woven burgundy and tan plastic on a bamboo frame in which I could sit for hours (and often did). Unfortunately, these would become a serious mildew trap in Florida. But the light weight aluminum resisted most elements.




French home improvement stores like Castrorama or LeRoy Merlin offer furniture that is compact given that space is at a premium. In contrast, the American counterparts sell mainly massive patio furniture, which requires a McMansion and storage for capacious cushions.

An aluminum café set represented what we imagined to be the ideal birthday present for Mom! It was light and resisted most elements—rain, humidity and many falling objects. And we figured the aesthetic would meet Mom’s somewhat stringent criteria. But finding such a set presented another challenge. No one seemed to sell aluminum café furniture. We debated shipping them from France, but the expense and my June 2008 experience with a strike in the Marseille port made us hesitate. Margaret searched the Internet, finally locating one place in Alabama that sold these. They were on backorder , the sales department explained. . . .


We missed Mom’s birthday by several months, but six chairs and one table did arrive in time for the nice fall weather. And Mom liked them so much, at the first sign of rain, she dragged her new café set inside to protect it from the Florida elements.