Author Archives: JJS
De feu, d’avions et de plumes
🇫🇷 Aujourd’hui, c’est un drĂ´le de jour. Pas un jour comme les autres. Un jour oĂą le soleil tape comme s’il voulait tout cramer — et il faut croire qu’il a rĂ©ussi : Ă quelques kilomètres d’ici, un feu gigantesque … Continue reading
Confessions of a diet Mojito monk
🇬🇧 As I sit poolside this Monday morning under a sun that clearly thinks it’s auditioning for the role of “Giant Cosmic Hairdryer,” one thing is clear: I need a drink. Not that kind of drink — don’t panic, I’m … Continue reading
Mediterranean melodrama
🇬🇧 Or why TV weather reports are losing the plot When I was a kid growing up in suburban western Paris, summer meant one thing: escape. And escape we did—to the south of France, like clockwork. First, of course, came … Continue reading
The calm after the storm
🇬🇧 (Also known as grandkids going home) July 2025 – Somewhere between nostalgic and shell-shocked So. The whirlwind is nearly over. The house, which recently resembled a toy shop after a minor explosion, is about to fall eerily silent again. … Continue reading
🇪🇺 Unacceptable 🇪🇺
🇬🇧 I have lost all confidence in Ursula von der Leyen’s leadership as President of the European Commission. Her inability or unwillingness to stand up to figures like Donald Trump has undermined the EU’s credibility on the world stage. Rather … Continue reading
Régime sévère, moral d’acier… et pastis aux abonnés absents
🇫🇷 Et voilĂ , ça fait dĂ©jĂ trois semaines que je me suis lancĂ© dans cette aventure un peu folle (certains diraient hĂ©roĂŻque) : celle de retrouver la ligne, la vraie, celle d’avant les bons petits plats, les apĂ©ros, et la … Continue reading
Last night in Singapore (sort of)
🇬🇧 How a TV program, a couch and a craving led to a Southeast Asian daydream 🥟 Last night, somewhere between the news and a late-night yogurt I didn’t need, I found myself watching a French TV program about Singapore. … Continue reading
Fed up with the circus
🇬🇧 A citizen’s frustration with French politics I rarely voice political opinions—frankly, I usually prefer to keep those thoughts to myself. But enough is enough. Lately, I’ve found myself deeply frustrated—not just by the state of politics in France, but … Continue reading
Opération Toulouse
🇫🇷 Entre peloton, shopping et bouchons Aujourd’hui, mission spĂ©ciale : convoyage vers l’aĂ©roport de Toulouse. L’avion de notre amie Leslie ne dĂ©colle qu’en fin d’après-midi, mais elle a des projets. Et pas des moindres. D’abord, elle veut voir Toulouse (ce … Continue reading
The great French juggling act
🇬🇧 A summer of strategic scheduling 🍓Chapter 1: The Departure of the Famous “Bande Anglaise”Three-quarters of Carole’s legendary childhood crew – the infamous Bande Anglaise – have just boarded their respective flights back to England and Belgium this afternoon. The … Continue reading
I do it my way 