J'adore le Francais. Paris, city of love. French accents. Daft Punk. Film noir. Pain au chocolat. Madeline. Garance Dore. Vincent Moon. Michel Gondry. Chanel. Chloe. Le Smoking. Berets. Striped tops. Marcel Marceau. Marcel Duchamp. Palace of Versailles. Victor Hugo. Hedi Slimane. Lou Dillon. Jaques Costeau. Marie Currie (just kidding, I hate science)... and so the list goes on.
I learnt French for five years at school, even going on a trip to New Caledonia (I remember buying a packet of Tim Tams for NZD$12 and nearly stepping on a sea snake), but French just wasn't my forte. And so I dropped it after 5th form when the teacher's looks of disappointment at my lack of progress got to be too much. Four years later and the only phrases I can remember are "Je ne sais pas" (I don't know) and "Je ne comprend pas" (I don't understand). Hmmm, that kind of says something doesn't it?
Like many women/girls/females (I'm about to turn 20 and I'm in the middle of going through a Britney Spears-esque existential crisis) I have an unrealistic dream of one day living in Paris. With the lyrics
"One day we're going to live in Paris /// I promise /// I'm on it" there is no wonder why Friendly Fires' song Paris makes me close my eyes, cross my fingers and sing along in an unusually fervent display of emotion. That dream will come true at some point in the next 10 years, but luckily I've got
Sorry Grandma's Bastille Day ball to tide me over in the mean time.
Sorry Grandma is a new Melbourne club with paintings on the walls which have been defaced with googly-eyes. While the drinks may be overpriced, I especially love Sorry Grandma for the decor.
On July 12 Sorry Grandma are having a costume ball in honour of
Bastille Day. French celebrations + dress ups + good music + good company sounds like a great night out to me.
Here's what Sorry Grandma had to say about it:
Sacre bleu!
In le grande tradition of the famous honkytonks Bastille Day Balls comes the very first Sorry Grandma! Bastille Day Ball!
C'est magnifique!
Clearly this is not until Dimanche, Juillet 12 but we need time to get ready, and believe me, so do you!
It is a strictly costume affair mes amis, so use your imagination and thrill the world!
Such marvels we have planned!
C'est formidable!!!! C'est belle idee! ! !
C'est trop artistic!!!!
Bon chance et bon nuit xxx
I love costume parties, but there's always the tough decision to go all out or play it cool and understated. How extravagant should I go? What if I'm too over dressed and my wig ends up poking someone in the eye? What if my corset causes me to faint dramatically on the dancefloor? Will I be able to rave in a hoop skirt? And do I stick to the year exactly, what if I find something from 1791 and someone calls me out for it? That wouldn't be fun. All I'd be left with would be a pumpkin and one glass slipper.
There's so much to think about! I've got to start putting together my costume! I need to start practicing my nonchalant "Mais, oui."
