It's like those French people have a different word for everything...

I think that Steve Martin said that, can't remember what movie it's from though. Anyhow, I found out the French even have a word for people like me - it's "chineur" and it refers to one who likes to frequent flea markets looking for unusual items. So, the next time I get called a scrounger, or a junk hound, I will simply say, "Pardon me, I beleive I am actually a chineur, thank you very much!" I am actually a little bit of a francophile. I love French food and art, but what I love most of all is the way little details seem to matter so much in the everyday life of the French. (That's also what I love about the Japanese, but that particular obsession would take up a whole book!) There are lots of lovely French inspired sites on the internet, but I think that the one the embodies the word "chineur" and wraps it up in a neat little package is "French General." They have all these fantastic little craft kits that incorporate notions, beads and paper, as well as furniture and home accessories. That site is American, but I recently discovered a lovely little French site called Tse-Tse & Associes. They've got loads of interesting things for the home, and even some paper. Also, it's a beautifully designed site that is lots of fun to look around in. One final French site that I love is Chocolate & Zuchini. It's a blog by a food-obsessed Parisian called Clothilde who writes about her daily life and food in France. Although I can't get into some of the food described (tongue blood sausage was a recent entry), Clothilde's love of food is inspiring, and her writing is wonderful! She is currently writing a cookbook, which will be a must buy for me when it comes out. I could keep going on forever and ever about my favorite French things, but my computer is playing up and driving me insane, so I think it's time to sign off...