Parler Paris Nouvellettre®, Paris Newsletter

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Paying Retail or Battling for Bargains?

Parler Paris Nouvellettre^®
Your taste of life in Paris and France
ParlerParis.com
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 • Paris, France

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Christine Lagarde Dear Parler Paris Reader,

Yesterday afternoon the 'window dressers' were busy posting their "soldes" signs and stripping their mannequins naked in preparation for today's launch of the annual summer sales. Each "département" of France designates different dates for the official sales -- Paris sales will last until July 28th.

This past April, Madame Christine Lagarde, Ministre de l'Economie, announced the 'modernization' of the laws surrounding the bi-annual sale periods (summer and winter, about 5 to 6 weeks each) that enable retailers with a bit more flexibility to time their markdown dates up to a month prior or a month after, but only with authorization by the government.

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Parler Paris Nouvellettre® continued...

Still, it's shocking to an American used to the concept of 'free enterprise' to think that anyone, especially the government, could dictate to a merchant when to mark down their wares or not! Unthinkable!

It's a matter of view point. From a capitalistic concept, the idea of free enterprise is that every merchant may buy and sell their wares as they choose, with some regulations of course, to prevent unjustifiable abuse of power. In this more socialistic democracy, the regulations are seen as a way of protecting both merchants and consumers by 'leveling the playing field,' so to speak.

The reality is, however, that (from my American point of view), the consumers suffer greatly. We consumers pay full retail most of the year with little opportunity to save money, even on unwanted merchandise. Of course, that's true for the merchant, too. He may have wanted to rid himself of the merchandise and had no opportunity, either!

When the sale period arrives, it becomes chaos in the stores and boutiques! Everyone is scrambling to find bargains. I've seen fights break out between two feisty shoppers, vying for the same item!

And if for some reason the sale period just isn't convenient for you, you lose out. Simple as that.

I avoid the "soldes" 'like the plague.' Walking down rue de Rivoli between rue du Louvre and the Hôtel de Ville is like maneuvering Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. I just received a text message on my cell phone: "-15% supp. sur les soldes du 26/6 au 4/07 dans vôtre magazin BHV (articles signalés, conditions carte sur dernier relevé)." That means that at the BHV department store, I can get an extra 15% discount on certain items when I use my BHV credit card. Yeah!

But will I take advantage of that? Likely not...fighting the crowds in the store is not my 'idea of heaven.' I'm staying away! Guess I'll be paying retail the rest of my life in France...

A la prochaine...

Adrian Leeds
Editor, Parler Paris

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P. S. The annual Gay Pride Parade starts at 2 p.m. Saturday at Place du 18 Juin 1940 at Montparnasse, working its way down boulevards Montparnasse, Saint-Michel and Saint-Germain, across the Pont de Sully, and down boulevard Henri IV toward Place de la Bastille. I expect it will arrive there about 5 or 6 p.m. You may find me having a drink (or two) at the Café Français until the parade arrives. You are welcome to come say hello and join in the fun...guaranteed to be a blast! Visit http://www.gaypride.fr/ for more information.

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Write From the Imaginative Storm
with James Navé and Allegra Huston

Writing Tip #1: Just Write! Writing Tip #2: Now.

Taos, New Mexico: August 2-8, 2009
Normandy, France: September 26-29, 2009
Costa Rica: October 31 – November 6, 2009

Writing From the Imaginative Storm is a workshop retreat for anyone who needs to write anything. That includes fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, memoirs, emails, advertising copy, newsletters, blogs, and bios that will make people say “yes, you’re hired!” Here’s the question that will drive our exploration: “What is it inside the imagination that keeps surprising us?” Come and help co-directors, poet James Navé and writer/editor Allegra Huston, answer this question.

NOTE: James Navé will be teaching solo in France and Costa Rica.

Contact: nave@jamesnave.com, +1-919-949-2113, visit www.thewritingsalon.net and tell James Adrian at Parler Paris sent you.

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Paris through the Eyes of Travelers -- A Literary Exploration of Paris...

What do Edith Wharton, Jack Kerouac, Langston Hughes, Gertrude Stein and George Orwell (and a lot of other great writers) all have in common? Find out!

Paris through the Eyes of Travelers, a literary exploration of Paris, takes place June 29-July 25, 2009. Full four-week class can be taken for CUNY college credit, or participants can drop in for a week or two of continuing ed. For more information visit: /frenchproperty/conference

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NEXT MEETING: July 7, 2009 (Exceptional!) AND EVERY SECOND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (except closed August)

The second Tuesday of every month, Parler Paris and French Property Insider readers gather at La Pierre du Marais for a drink and a "schmooze" --It's an opportunity to meet and chat with other like-minded people and a great way to make friends! Costs nothing except whatever you drink. Don't miss the next gathering, Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 from 3 to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit Parler Paris Après Midi

Practice Your French...or English!
Parler Parlor French-English Conversation Group

Practice speaking French and English. Make friends, discuss interesting topics, learn about other cultures, progress in understanding and speaking, naturally and easily. Meets three times a week -- come as often as you like!

For further details, visit Parler Parlor

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