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galanga's blog

"this is not a blog" - R. Magritte

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Mac'Caron : a "hamburger-style" macaron !

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Boulangerie/Pâtisserie Gosselin : 125 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris
This bakery won the best "baguette" in Paris in 1996, second price in 2002.


This is a macaron : two "sort-of" cookies, soft-inside and crispy on the surface, made with almonds powder, icing sugar and white eggs, filled with "something"-cream (the confectioners imagination seems to have no limit in that field ; one of my favorite is rose flavored made by Ladurée).

Here the confectioner made a macaron that looks like a Hamburger, with the name Mac'Caron, as a reference to Mc Donald's (my opinion about Mc Donald's : :yuck:).

Here are the main raw materials used to simulate the hamburger (with appreciations about how it tastes) :
  • fresh strawberries cut in big chunks => tomatoes (good ! :up: )
  • dark chocolate, between the "ganache" and the chocolate mousse, with tiny chocolate flakes => grilled beef meat (very good ! :up: )
  • thin circular sponge cake colored in green => salad (not very tasty... :left: )
  • thin and squared-shape almond paste colored in light yellow => cheese (good ! :up: )
  • the macarons cookies themselves => bread, topped with sesame seeds (very good ! :up: )

:confused: Where this idea comes from ? I don't know, but I found out another person that had made a very similar recipe, with a slightly different name (Mac'aron) and it seems to me that she did first : Pure Gourmandise (This is a VERY good website about french cooking, there's lots of good ideas).

I don't who invented that, but I congratulates him or her from the bottom of my heart ! :yes:

EDIT 20/09/08 : This place also have a great set of "Éclairs"; on the small labels, from up to bottom and left to right, here are the flavors :
"Violette/violet flower" + "fruit de la passion/passion fruit"
"Fraise Tagada/Strawberry candies" + "chocolat/chocolate" + "caramel"
"Café/Coffee"
"Coquelicot/poppy flower" + "vanille/vanilla" + "rose flower" + "pistache/pistachio"

[@SI] Sarkozy et le TRES SAINT PERE / Sarkozy and the VERY HOLY FATHER

The Catholic Pope Rocky VI Benedict XVI was in France from 12 to 15 September. The French president Nikolââss Säarközy welcome him with great deference. With too much deference. France is today used to be a Laïc state (in case you don't know that : Sarkozy wants to destroy the French Laïcité. :irked: ). The french website @rret Sur Images (@SI, "pause on image"; it analyses media) had made a short video to show how many times Säarközy pronounced the words "TRES SAINT PERE" (literally : VERY HOLY FATHER), which is the official polite way (I guess) to call the chief of the Catholic Church in France. In the original speech, as it was initially written, there were only 5 "TRES SAINT PERE". In the official transcript of the speech, there are only 9 "TRES SAINT PERE". So, let's count how many there were in his real speech... (Please play the Dalymotion video below)

Le pape Benoît XVI était en France du 12 au 15 septembre. Notre cher Président Nikolââss Säarközy ("lumière du XXIème siècle" selon la terminologie officielle) l'a reçu soit disant en tant que chef d'état (Le Vatican), et assurément avec beaucoup de déférence. Mais la réalité est que notre Kaiser Säarközy l'a accueilli comme chef religieux : il suffit de savoir compter, comme le montre le montage vidéo réalisé par le site @rret sur images... Le canard Enchaîné a indiqué que le discours original ne contenait que 5 "TRES SAINT PERE". La retranscription officielle du discours, sur le site de l'Elysée, en contient 9. Voyons donc combien il y en a vraiment eu...

Pfelelep on LIIIIIVE !!!

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The artists Pfelelep (Philippe Charmes) and Waiyim exhibit in a town near Paris, from 9 September 2008 to 1 October 2008.
I went last saturday, where the artists were there. I wasn't able to stay as long as I wish, due to the transport time (it took me 2 hours to go back home... :ko: ). The exhibition is quite small but it was very interesting, and the artists are even more friendly people than their blog may let you think. The exhibition shows how Philippe Charmes works, and the presentation of the differents steps leading to a final artwork is very interesting.
A whole wall is covered by the pictures shot by Waiyim in Hong-kong, and the contrast between black-and-white pieces and coloured ones gives an interesting message, but I let you discover what message it is about : go to the exhibition !

Je suis allé samedi dernier voir l'exposition de Pfelelep (Philippe Charmes) et Waiyim qui se tient jusqu'au 1er novembre à Rueil-Malmaison (en dessous de La Défense). Les artistes étaient présents (parce que c'était Samedi).
L'expo est plutôt petite mais c'était très intéressant, et les artistes sont encore plus sympas que ce à quoi on peut s'attendre en lisant leur blog. L'exposition montre comment Philippe Charmes travaille, et la présentation des différentes étapes menant à une planche finale est très intéressant. Je n'ai pas pu rester aussi longtemps que j'aurais voulu, vu que j'habite à perpèt-les-oies en Essonne, et il m'a fallut deux heures pour rentrer chez moi :ko:.
Un mur entier est dédié à WaiYim, qui y a collé pleins de morceaux de photos de Hong-kong, et j'ai trouvé que le contraste entre les éléments en Noir&Blanc et ceux plus rares en couleurs donne un message intéressant sur la vision d'Hong-Kong. Mais je vous laisse découvrir par vous même de quoi il s'agit : allez à l'exposition ! (et puis y'a des fraises tagada...)


The artist himself (in a normal state).
L'artiste en personne (et dans son état normal).



Front of the galery. Preparing the "free portrait" place in the street (with free candies).
Facade de la gallerie. EN préparation du stand "portrait gratuit" dans la rue (avec bonbons offerts).



Inside the gallery. Besides the artworks, there's a nice light in the middle.
Dans la gallerie. En plus des dessins et esquisses bien sûr, j'aime bien la lampe en plein milieu.



Another french web-surfer came to see the exhibition, he's comptemplating the masterpieces (like me a few minutes before).
Le même jour un autre internaute est venu voir l'exposition, il est en comtemplation devant les chef d'oeuvres exposés (comme moi quelques minutes auparavant).



The artist is drawing my portrait (while I was busy on my paper to draw the portrait of Pfelelep... ). The red liquid in the glass is Sangria.:drunk:
L'artiste me tire le portrait (pendant que je suis penché sur mon papier à dessiner le portrait de Pfelelep...). Le liquide rouge dans le verre, c'est de la Sangria. :drunk:



Rueil-Malmaison, the city where the exhibition takes place, have a nice old center : here is the old Town Hall. Pretty isn't it ? The nice car is for a wedding.
Rueil-Malmaison, la ville où a lieu l'exposition a un très joli vieux centre-ville : ici c'est la vieille mairie. Ça a de la gueule pas vrai ? La zolie voiture est pour un mariage.



Old church in RUEIL-MALMAISON.
La vieille église de RUEIL-MALMAISON.



And in the street right beside the old Town Hall, in front of the church, there are several bakeries and patisseries. This one had the most beautiful set of french pastries.
Et dans la rue attenante à la vieille mairie, en face de l'Eglise, il y a plusieurs boulangeries/patisseries. Celle là avait le plus bel ensemble de gâteaux.


In a word, you can spend a very interesting "cultural+gourmet" moment in this town...
Bref, il y a de quoi faire une petite virée culturo-gourmande très intéressante dans cette ville...

Note : there's no picture of WaiYim, because I had understood (with the blog ) that representing her may lead to some acrimony...:whistle:
P.S. : il n'y a pas de photos de WaiYim parce que j'ai cru comprendre (sur le blog ) que la représenter n'était pas forcément apprécié par l'intéressée, et je n'ai donc pas osé...:whistle:

2008, april 8th : China, Korea, Nutella and Java - part 4

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Please read the part 1 (China), part 2 (Korea) and the part 3 before, if you want to be able to understand this part of my small journey in Paris, in April 2008. The whole journey is on Google maps.

Part 4 : Java (Jawa)

The cinema is "Espace Saint-Michel" (website in French, Google Maps), an "art-et-essai" cinema like "Sept Parnassiens" (see part 1), settled right on the side of the place Saint-Michel; this place has a very beautiful fountain. But it is quite always invade by a noisy crowd (it's a good place for appointments).

So, the cinema "Espace Saint-Michel" only has two screens, but they often have exclusive or rare movies on screen. It seems to me that since a few years ago, they often have asian movies (but of course not modern kung-fu movies or blockbusters).

The tickets were old style, small and colorful, torn up by hand. The ticket buyer is often a student, he or she reads books in a small glass-cage. That day it was a nice asian young women. I remember the smile on her face.

The movie is "Opera Jawa", from the name of Java Island ("Jawa" is the indonesian spelling).


Title : "Opera Jawa" (french official website : http://www.operajawa-lefilm.com/)
Informations : Indonesian movie (with Austrian and French production) - musical drama - 2h - 2006
Director : Garin Nugroho
characteristics (from my point of view) :
  • There's a lot of wonderful dance sequences, some of the most beautiful I ever seen. On this french website, you can see 4 teasers (the list is at bottom right).
  • I really like the music : it's played with a traditional instrument called "gamelan" (see below).
  • story : The BAD point. I didn't understand anything, except what stands in this sentence : "two men love a women". The story is based on a traditional "legend" (or is it a religion story ?), the Rāmāyaṇa, but I don't know that legend, and it's quite clear that the audience of that movie was expected to know it. But maybe even by knowing the legend, it's difficult... The movie lacks narrative links between the sequences.
  • direction : very good, I like the camera movements and compositions.
  • incredible dancers, full of strength and soft as a leaf at the same time.
  • The things that keeps in my mind : the first sequence, with the human "big worm"; the "mother and son" scene; the red tissue in the garden.
  • I want to watch that movie again (and again, I guess). I hope I can find it on DVD.

"Gamelan" is a kind of traditional orchestra, a musical ensemble with a lot of drums and percussions with melodic sounds. On the French "Cité de la musique" website (City of Music), you can download a program to play a gamelan off-line (click on the small green name of your operating system at the bottom) or you can play or let play online the gamelan (direct link, you need Shockwave Player). I find the interface isn't very good, you must try by yourself, to know what each button or slider does.


When I got out of the cinema, there were crowd in front of the door to enter for the following seance. I walk quietly to the RER (suburban railway) ; of course the main entrance was closed, then I went to the entry just in front of Notre-Dame de Paris. The sky was bright.

"China, Korea, Nutella and Java" : Voilà. On My Opera.

2008, april 8th : China, Korea, Nutella and Java - part 3

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Please read the part 1 (China) and the part 2 (Korea) before, if you want to be able to understand this part of my small journey in Paris, in April 2008. The whole journey is on Google maps.

Part 3 : Nutella

The small "crepes-shop" (Google Maps) is settled a few steps up on the same street (Monsieur le Prince) from the korean tea-house Han-Seine (see part 2).
With a green and yellow front and a very small room, here you can have a fresh crepe or waffle, stuffed with quite everything you may want ("savoury or sweet").

There's often a man with good business skills, that will talk to you in English or whatever language amongst the numerous he seems to know. That day he was the one who made the crepe, it was much better than the others times I came here since that day, the others employees fails to make like him, a soft crepe but not elastic, with delicious crispy border.

And stuffed with Nutella, of course. Yummy.




I pay and wait a few minutes, watching the delicate and precise process. (Think about Homer Simpson in front of that...)

When I had my crepe ("Au revoir !") I went to the small corner with the main street, boulevard Saint-Michel.

There was a police agent a few steps on my right, a woman with a very moody glance. I can't imagine how police agents can be bored all the day, waiting for nothing. And nothing often happened.

I went to the pedestrian walkway, but light was red for the pedestrians. Of course, as an average french pedestrian, I often don't respect the lights, and go straight while the light is red, if there's no dangerous traffic (and sometimes even with dangerous traffic...). But in front of a police agent, moreover with a very moody police agent, that day, I stopped, waiting for green light. Another pedestrian came on my right, and maybe because I was waiting, she also stopped to wait the green light.

I ate my crepe, with the warm nutella that gently pleased my mouth ; I also found the way to burn my fingers. Delicious.

The police agent silently dare in our direction, seemingly bored.

The light was taking time to get green. Not in a hurry but impatient, I was.

Suddenly, I realize there was something strange. Something that make me feel stupid. Very stupid.

Do you remember (see part 1 and part 2) the students demonstration, that was taking place when I went and stay at Han-Seine teahouse ? So, due to that, the whole boulevard Saint-Michel was closed by police to traffic.
I was waiting for green light, but there weren't any cars on the street. it was perfectly empty and calm. This was the first time I saw that street empty without traffic jam, without useless but numerous hoots.
I then take the courageous decision to cross the road while the light was still red. The women waiting beside me seems to realize at the same time as me, as she grumbled and started to cross the road right after me.

The police agent was at the same place, with the same moody face.

I then walk down the boulevard Saint-Michel, because it was time for my movie seance : "Opera Jawa".

(Note : the pictures here was shot on 3 July 2008, the crepe is a nutella-coconut. p: )

The part 4 is here.

SAMULI VALKAMA : Two great short movies

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Samuli Valkama is a film director, by now he had made a few ads and music stuff, and two short movies, both absolutely magic, incredible, I don't know how to say how much I like those movies !!!:love:
Samuli Valkama est un réalisateur, qui pour l'instant a fait quelques pubs et deux courts-métrages absolument magique, incroyable, bref je je sais vraiment pas comment exprimer à quel point je trouve cela génial !!!:love: Ah ! si ! c'est "jubilatoire" !:D

The last short movie is "Feelings and Stuff". More informations are available on this dedicated blog. I saw it on French TV, and people in France, Germany and "???" can watch it on the website Arte+7 until 17 September 2008 (Maybe with a proxy... :wink: ).
Le dernier en date est de 2008 (tout chaud tout beau) et s'intitule "Les sentiments" en Français, et "Feelings and Stuff" en Anglais. Le titre anglais est beaucoup mieux. L'auteur a créé un blog pour ce court-métrage.
Ce court-métrage est passé dans l'émission "Court-circuit" d'Arte dans la nuit du mercredi 10 septembre 2008.
CLIQUEZ ICI, il est disponible pendant 7 jours sur internet, donc jusqu'au 17 septembre 2008, dans le site Arte+7
(au format Windows media player ou Flash player). COURRRRREZ-Z-Y LE VOIR ! Il dure 11 minutes et c'est du pur bonheur.
Et faites attention au casting à la fin, si vous voulez savoir à quoi ressemble ce réalisateur...

The first short movie is (also) absolutly fabulous, and is playable on the web for everybody, you only have to click "play" below (14 min) ; please be careful to the sound, the characters' mumbling are very important :
Le premier court-métrage est (aussi) absolument fabuleux, et visible sur Internet pour tout le monde tout le temps, et directement ci-dessous (14 min) ; faites attention au son, les personnages marmonnent souvent et c'est l'un des ressorts du film :

Alright Love (2005) :









THIS DIRECTOR ROCKS ME ! :yes: I CAN STAND WAITING TO SEE A WHOLE BIG MOVIE FROM HIM !
J'ADORE CE REALISATEUR !!! :yes: VIVEMENT QU'IL FASSE UN FILM ENTIER !

Armes, trafic et raison d'État

Arte a diffusé mardi 02/09 un reportage édifiant, à voir absolument, sur le trafic d'armes, traitant notamment de l'hypocrisie, entre autres, des pays européens, ainsi que la position "pro-armes-pour-tous" assumée des Etats-Unis.

C'est disponible jusqu'au mardi 09/09/2008 avant 21h sur "Arte Plus 7". Un débat a suivi ce reportage, également disponible.

Plus d'informations sur le site d'Arte.

Note for English speakers : the video, about light weapons legal and illegal traffic and their consequences, is only available in a limited set of countries (France, Germany and Belgium ?).

my chinese painting / 我画的画儿

These are some chinese painting I drew in calligraphy and chinese painting classroom, at "Centre culturel de Chine à Paris" with Mr Li Zhongyao. Please click on any picture to be able to see a larger version, or to write comments. Any comment is welcome ! :smile:

这是我在中国文化中心画的画儿 (我上李中耀老师的课的时候)。请点一就能看更大的版本也写您要的评论。评论都原因!请点击每张图像,您就能看一张更大的,也能写一些评论.你们的评论我都欢迎!:smile:

Voilà quelques peintures chinoises (enfin, au pinceau chinois...) que j'ai peintes dans le cours de M. Li Zhongyao, au Centre Culturel de Chine à Paris. Vous pouvez cliquer sur chaque image, cela permet ensuite de faire un zoom, ou de déposer des commentaires. Tous les commentaires sont les bienvenus ! :smile:

"Quand le Fouquet's paye son canon, c'est le préfet qui est marron (proverbe tibétain)" (with translation in English)

For non-French speakers : below there is an average translation with the help of Google Translation. Please click "Read more...".

Pour les francophones : un témoignage à lire absolument, comme illustration de la réalité du droit à la liberté d'expression et de l'usage de notre police républicaine sous le reigne de sa Majesté l'illustrissime Empereur de France (et d'Europe jusqu'au 31 décembre 2008), "soleil du XXIe siècle" selon la terminologie officielle, notre cher (voire : très onéreux) Tsar : Nikolas Särkozy.

Notes :
  • ubuesque = complètement idiot et absurde (je le dis pour ceux qui ne le savait pas, comme ma môman...). Cela vient de l'oeuvre "Ubu Roi" d'Alfred Jarry.
  • RESF = Réseau Education Sans Frontières
  • allusion à la fin du texte sur "Le désert des Tartares" : voir sur wikipedia
A lire aussi : en librarie (pas en kiosque), dans le "XXI" d'été 2008 (couverture "les religions mutantes") le superbe article sur les cercles de silence, "les moines de la place du Capitole". Dieu sait à quel point je suis agnostique, laïciste et anti-clérical primaire, mais ceux là (de moines) m'ont carrement donné envie de devenir moine franciscain...

Read more...