Jamie's Blog

Well, it's been a very quite week here in Nice. This is the fourth night in a row that I've spent at home, just relaxing listening to classical music, drinking tea and about to read. What makes tonight a little bit different is that I just finished watching the movie "Julie and Julia," which I absolutely love. I could spend this entire blog session talking about how wonderful Meryl Streep is as an actress and particularly, in her portrayal of Julia Child. But I won't, anyone who has seen the movie, knows already.

Instead, my focus will be on what the movie inspired me to do.

The original purpose of this blog was to show the non-French tourist a side of France that very few Anglophones get the chance to see: Nice, as well as, a uniquely American perspective on the south of France. However, after being here roughly six months, I've really talked about everything that there is to do in Nice. I'm sure I've missed a few things here or there, and I'll write about them as I come across them, but nothing "shinny or new" has shown up in a while. Which brings me to "Julie and Julia's" inspiration.

Although I've taken an interest in cooking, I'm by no means the talented cook that Julia Child was, nor am I the wannabe cook that Amy Adam's character plays; but I am just as interested in French culture as Julia Child, and potentially as skilled a writer as Amy Adam's character. Therefore, I've decided to blog about one of my goals for this year: French Literature.

That's right ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to turn my focus from tourism in Nice to literature. Don't worry, I won't completely forget tourism and all the great things Nice has to offer; but I figure a way to add entries, and to introduce a culture that I've not only learned about, but have grown to love to my Anglophone (specifically American) friends, is to talk about what I am currently doing.

So I hope you'll continue to read and join me on my mission: to read 14 books before June 30th, 2010. I'm currently on book 4, Theophile Gautier's Mademoiselle de Maupin, a book that explores sexuality, sexual orientation and total self indulgence; a book, written in the 19th century. I won't be giving detailed lectures or essays about this book or the books that I read, but just ideas and thoughts about the chapters/pages explored, commenting, and sharing with you, faithful readers, my thoughts and my feelings.

So, don't be afraid. Who knows, maybe you'll learn something? And who knows, maybe you'll become the unthinkable, a francophile, like me.