There was truly magic in the air this past 14 juillet at Central Park in NYC to feel the heat but even more so, the performances of Magic System, Laurie Darmon, IAM, among others that brought the heat.
La nuit began with Les Cadets Lafayette singing La Marseillaise and continued with some of their Afro-Cuban hits, such as Noix Coco, they really seemed to love their noix de coco!
Then there was certainly magic in the air when Magic System represented L’Afrique surtout La Côte d’Ivoire singing their back to back hits — Akwaba, Premier Gaou, Magic in the Air and many more.
Their set was followed by Laurie Darmon who made us fall in love again and think about calling that ex, don’t do it!
We chatted with a couple of Frenchies,
Et puis we hip to the hop with IAM from Marseille!
We partied a bit, bah oui, we had too!
It was just a night of joie de vivre, chansons et danses- all great ingredients that make up a formidable fete!
And as our new Consul General, Cedrik Fouriscot of France in New York sums it up…liberté, égalité, fraternité.
Wow! It’s octobre, fashion week and ze city of lights is now ze city of punaises. Oui, Oui, bed bugs have invaded Paris. But do not fret too much, we have compiled images to make you ” fall in love” with Paris again!
La grande dame basked in the hues of automne. picture : gogojungle
Jardin Luxembourg and its iconic chairs. picture by lola0479
You can never go wrong with a terrace view seating. picture by emily taubert
Le serveur taking une pause. picture by french blessings
Today is National Macaron Day and we learned a thing or deux of how to pipe the perfect macaron from Chef Sarah of Cook’n with Class Paris. Check out more of the video on our Instagram.
Total Time
1 hr 50 min
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
for 30 macarons
Macarons
1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
1 cup almond flour, finely ground
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops pink gel food coloring
Vanilla Buttercream
1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, at room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Preparation
Make the macarons: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the powdered sugar, almond flour, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and process on low speed, until extra fine. Sift the almond flour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl.
In a separate large bowl, beat the egg whites and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt with an electric hand mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Continue to beat until stiff peaks form (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without anything falling out).
Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the food coloring and beat until just combined.
Add about ⅓ of the sifted almond flour mixture at a time to the beaten egg whites and use a spatula to gently fold until combined. After the last addition of almond flour, continue to fold slowly until the batter falls into ribbons and you can make a figure 8 while holding the spatula up.
Transfer the macaron batter into a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Place 4 dots of the batter in each corner of a rimmed baking sheet, and place a piece of parchment paper over it, using the batter to help adhere the parchment to the baking sheet.
Pipe the macarons onto the parchment paper in 1½-inch (3-cm) circles, spacing at least 1-inch (2-cm) apart.
Tap the baking sheet on a flat surface 5 times to release any air bubbles.
Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until dry to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C).
Bake the macarons for 17 minutes, until the feet are well-risen and the macarons don’t stick to the parchment paper.
Transfer the macarons to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
Make the buttercream: In a large bowl, add the butter and beat with a mixer for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat to combine, until desired consistency is reached.
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Add a dollop of buttercream to one macaron shell. Top it with another macaron shell to create a sandwich. Repeat with remaining macaron shells and buttercream.
Place in an airtight container for 24 hours to “bloom”.
It is such a great cultural and linguistic adventure to celebrate le mois de la francophonie. We share this video of our friends from Ile de Saint Maurice! Bon app!
“Be committed to the relationship you have with yourself. As women, we get so committed to other relationships, but we tend to toss ourselves away. We get around to ourselves now and then. So, really care for who you are. Be committed to loving yourself. Take care of your heart and soul.” – Louise Hay
As Women’s Month comes to an end, I wanted to highlight women who are making an impact in their communities. I have been practicing yoga for years now and Sandy Gola has been my yoga instructor for some time now.
I have learned various poses and movements from Gola; although, I would say one of my favorite yoga poses is Shavasana, oui, oui– SHAVASANA!
O.O.J.S.F: How did you get started with yoga?
pictured: Sandy Gola/ photo via Sandy Gola
S.G: I was working in the graphic design and advertising industry, in my own business. It was quite stressful with deadlines, responsibilities and a variety of clients to please. As an outlet to burn off some of my Type-A energy, I enjoyed working out and taking fitness classes at the Montclair Y. Eventually, they recruited me to teach some classes myself. I found the combination of day job and evening job created a perfect balance for me. I loved calling out the moves, choosing the music, and coming up with the choreography for my high impact classes with plenty of jumping! I also loved the good feelings and the natural relaxation that happened after a strong workout.
An injury sidelined me for awhile, and led me to seek a form of exercise that wouldn’t upset my shins. I discovered some “Power Yoga” videos, a vigorous form of yoga that added a new dimension to things I had previously experienced. It had all the dynamics of strong physical exercise, the same endorphin high, but there was more to it. With the peacefulness I felt afterward, the meditative quality of the practice, and the focused attention, I was hooked enough to know I had to find a live class. I saw a brochure for a teacher with a very similar style to those videos. His name was Raji Thron and he was teaching classes in Starseed in Montclair on the weekends. The year was 1998. I would go to every Saturday and Sunday class for several years. Then in 2006, I took his “Yoga Synthesis” teacher training and became a yoga teacher myself.
O.O.J.S.F: And for how long have you been a yogi?
S.G: I can’t say I typically refer to myself as a yogi (or yogini), since I tend to think of that person as a master of the tradition. But looking up the common definition of yogi, it is used to describe:
1: a person who practices yoga – yes, I’ve been practicing for 23 years.
2: an adherent of Yoga philosophy – the Yoga philosophy is rich and varied. I would say my personal philosophy is wide ranging and includes elements of many of the world’s diverse spiritual traditions, I have an interest in the subtle energetic bodies, particularly the emotional and mental bodies and their effects on the physical realm.
O.O.J.S.F: What is yoga and why is it important to practice it?
S.G: Yoga is an ancient technology developed for the attainment of maximum human potential. In the earliest known texts about Yoga, physical postures or asanas were barely mentioned. Codes of ethics and ways to see the world and consciousness were woven into allegorical stories. Modern yoga has evolved to include more physical exercises than it once did. Through the practice of yoga, one can achieve a sense of unity with that which is divine in all of us. Yoga is not a religion, but practicing it does produce a sense of awe and curiosity about the spiritual aspects of existence. We can learn many things about ourselves and the world as we perceive it. Yoga helps to soften one’s perspective and see things from a place of heart-centered consciousness. The physical practice of yoga brings many benefits in terms of external health and wellness. But the internal benefits of practicing yoga are far greater still.
O.O.J.S.F: What does self care mean to you? And what do you do to incorporate that as part of your lifestyle?
photo via Sandy Gola
S.G: I think of self care as an ability to come into balance. It is so important as we go through the various cycles and stages of life. I am 66 now and my mom is 98, so I do believe I can provide a bit of perspective on the issue.
Personally, I like to spend time in nature, around and on the water. I’m an avid sailor, paddle boarder and kayaker. Being outside is very healing to my soul. I also enjoy spending time on my creative projects, writing on my book or working on a piece of artwork. I read a lot of transformational books and books about different spiritual traditions. I meditate, by myself and with the use of online tools and guided meditations. Above all, I try to hook my consciousness onto something positive.
O.O.J.S.F: Why is it important for women to take care of themselves?
S.G: The need for self care flows along with the stage of development and age of the person, for example:
Adolescent and young adults are looking to find their place in the world. They may be dealing with self-worth issues and anxiety about their futures. Or they may have a youthful sense of immortality and take risky chances. Hormones can be in overdrive. Certainly learning about being a woman and dealing with cycles is no easy matter. For young women, this would be the time to explore what works best, when it’s time to go for the gusto and when it’s time to relax and restore. Ancient cultures did a much better job with this than we do today, I think. We aren’t given much of a roadmap of what it’s like to be a woman, I’m afraid.
People in the next age group are often trying to juggle high powered careers with home lives that are also extremely active. Here they might still need very vigorous practices to work the energy through their system. Introducing more meditative and quieting, relaxing strategies will also be very helpful here. Often people don’t like to do what they really need, preferring to do what they feel comfortable. For example, a type-A person will continue to do type-A routines, when they would benefit more from a very laid back, relaxing routine.
The hormonal changes of middle age can also throw one for a loop. I know yoga has helped a lot of women cope with peri-menopausal and menopausal symptoms. For many, it’s a sort of lifeline. Anything that one needs to do for oneself at this stage, from taking supplements to trying modalities like massage, acupuncture, reiki, could be helpful. It is a stage of rich potential, but it can feel a bit like walking a minefield while going through it. But, I’m here to say there is hope and it does get better once the hormones level off again.
The early years of retirement and semi-retirement are often the best times of a woman’s life, according to a lot of people I’ve spoken to. There’s time to be with grandchildren, to nurture projects long neglected, to take classes and explore new things.
Older seniors can find their lives more difficult if they are beset with health challenges. There’s time for self reflection and hopefully still time to engage with family and friends in a meaningful way. My 98 year old mom loves it when she is the focus of attention, when people make a fuss over her age. She’s earned it, so why not?
O.O.J.S.F: As we are still going through the pandemic, how can we cope with this new normal?
S.G: For the last few years, I struggled with the news and felt compelled to stay on top of the news cycle. I now try to pick up my writing work first or do a meditation before I read the news of the day to avoid becoming drawn into negativity. I also seek out news sources that promote positive stories by subscribing to newsletters, like “Yes – A Better World Today,” “This Girl is On Fire,” “Brain Pickings by Maria Popova” and “Atlas Obscura.”
If there’s one thing the pandemic teaches us, it’s about the power of resilience. The capability to go through previously unimaginable tragedy and come out of it with the ability to feel joy and love is a triumph of the human spirit. Seek out and find those stories that uplift us. Find and nurture connections wherever you find them. Tap into the gratitude in your heart, be grateful for little things. Smile and be kind (even if you are wearing a mask) to a stranger. Look directly into someone’s eyes when you talk. They are the gateway to the heart. You can tell if a person is smiling just by looking at their eyes.
O.O.J.S.F: What books or meditation apps would you recommend ?
S.G.: I love the Insight Timer app – the free version has a ton of available content. You can participate in all kinds of online classes and events like sound healing. The Calm app is another favorite for guided meditations, music and classes, I just love Tamara Levitt’s no-nonsense approach to meditation. The Daily Om is another wonderful source of positive inspiring messages. If you like to listen to audio books, a subscription to Hay House Books gives unlimited access to their full library of transformational (self-help) books and is well worth it. Subtle Energy Sciences makes leading edge meditation aids that I use every day. Lately, I’ve been listening to a podcast on Spotify called “How to Fail” with Elizabeth Day. She speaks to the concept that it’s in failure that we learn how to truly succeed.
Currently, I’m reading “Worth” by Bharti Dhir. It’s an incredible memoir by an Asian-African woman who faced many challenges, including being abandoned at birth.
Do you want to try out YOGA with Sandy Gola?
Here is a playlist of my Yoga Lounge videos are 1/2 hour each. These were originally done for Facebook live and they explore and address various topics.
Beignets in French and Botokoin in Ewe: Èʋegbe language, this street food is a popularly known breakfast food in Togo that is easy to recreate à la maison.
Street food vendors making Botokoin.
recette via jeanette-cuisine.fr
Ingrédients:
Pour 4 à 5 personnes
425 grammes de farine de blé
1 cuillère à café de levure sèche active en grain (type Saflevure)
3 cuillères à soupe de sucre,
1 sachet de sucre vanillé,
400ml d’eau tiède,
1 pincée de sel,
huile d’arachide pour la cuisson,
Préparation de la pâte :
Versez l’eau tiède dans un saladier, ajoutez y le sucre, mélangez.
Ajoutez la levure en grain et mélangez afin de la dissoudre dans l’eau sucrée.
Ajoutez le sel puis le sucre vanillée. Mélangez puis ajoutez la farine.
Mélangez bien le tout avec la main (ou au robot) en tapant fort afin d’aérer la pâte.
Couvrez avec un torchon afin de fermer hermétiquement puis réservez pendant 1h30 afin de laisser monter la pâte.
Cuisson
Faites frire dans de l’huile très chaude.
Faites dorer puis déposez sur du papier absorbant afin de faire disparaitre le surplus d’huile.
Well, actually Oui, Oui ‘s Facebook page was launched 10 years ago and Facebook is a great reminder of how far we have come with a community of more than 160, 000.
Bastille Day NYC with ‘Cat the Mime’
However, I had launched Oui, Oui, Je Speak Franglais in 2009 after I had applied to le programme d’assistants de langue and ended up in Lille. I literally remember pacing around trying to come up with names, that were witty, fun yet easy to role of one’s tongue et voilà, the name Oui, Oui, Je Speak Franglais came to mind.
Very First Meme on Facebook
Oui, Oui, started off as a campaign because I wanted to inspire my students in Lille, France to speak English because learning a target language has its challenges. Before then, my path was clear just as any university graduate pursuing their life’s dream in tv production and marketing. After two years of working in those sectors back to back I lost my job and that was a catalyst that taught me about life and change. Moreover , deeply understanding that change is the only thing that’s constant.
Now, Oui, Oui, is more than a campaign but a bicultural and bilingual lifestyle company. I have curated many programs, initiatives, met people from all walks of life and shared countless memes on social media… I am looking forward to do more!
So simply put … whatever you want to accomplish in la vie, you can do it whilst afraid; however, you must be consistent and always do it with conviction. If you do get tired on your journey, learn to rest and don’t quit.
Merci mille fois for being a part of The Oui, Oui, Je Speak Franglais Community!
And remember each day is the perfect jour to vivre, être, parler franglais!
p.s: What’s your favorite thing about being bilingual?
Nowadays, there are very little options to entertain so we tend to binge on Netflix. While others may love the notion of Netflix and Chill , I would like to introduce Netflix and Voyager– oui, oui, –watch and travel. So the film that inspired me to write this article is Netflix’s, The Old Guard.
[Spoiler alert] The Old Guard starring Charlize Theron, Kiki Lane and Chiwetel Ejiofor has a group of immortal mercenaries globe-trot through time and places such as Sudan, Afghanistan and Francophone cities in Morocco and France, while saving humanity.
Although, The Old Guard was only filmed in two locations-England and Morocco– which you would not know just from the pure genius of set designers … we thought , we’d create a bucket list for those who would want to travel to the Francophone cities/towns featured in le film.
✈︎ Marrakesh, Morocco
What to do: Get lost in the Medina- There’s no other way to have a lens through local life than at the Medina, with bustling noises, beautiful colors and eclectic wares.
Medina market/image via :medinamarrakech
Where to stay:El Fenn Hotel ( actually featured in The Old Guard)
✈︎ Goussainville, France
What to do: Goussainville is an abandoned old town in the outskirts of Paris. Since this town is directly in the path of the Charles de Gaulle airport and also a ghost town, there’s not much to do or see.
Facade of a building in Goussainville/image via : tripadvisor
Where to stay: There is a list of hotels; however since this town is not quite touristy… many may book hotels in its environs since it is close to the airport.
✈︎ Val d’Argent, France
What to do: Adventure off into the ancient silver mines of Parc Tellure.
Landscape of Chambres d’hotes/image via booking.com
✈︎ Paris, France
What to do: It takes more than days, months, years to discover Paris— it takes a lifetime. But we’d recommend you to explore the off beaten path of the architectural gem of the Gare de Lyon’s Le Train Bleu.
Le Train Bleu Restauart at Gare de Lyon/image via le train bleu
Crème brûlée, which literally means burnt cream, is a dessert of custard–topped with caramelized sugar. My first time ever ordering this dessert was about 15 years. It was at a bistro in le quartier de la Bastille and ever since then, Oui, Oui — you guessed it, crème brûlée is usually my first choice when ordering dessert in a resto. I mean , pourquoi pas? This creamy custard leaves me craving for more.
Thanks to Mon Petit Four’s, Beeta Hashempour, you too can recreate this decadent recette for yourself or guests. Bon app!
Creamy vanilla custard baked until set, then topped with a caramelized sugar topping.
Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
6 tbsp granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
turbinado sugar, or any kind of coarse sugar granules, for the top
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 320°F. Bring a kettle
full of water to a boil. Meanwhile, In a medium saucepan, warm the
cream just until it’s beginning to simmer along the edges of the pan.
Don’t let the cream boil! Stir in the vanilla bean paste once the cream
is warm. Turn the heat off.
In a medium
bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the granulated sugar together until thick
and pale. Stream in 1/4 cup of the hot cream mixture, whisking
vigorously as you do. Continue to stream in another 1/4 cup, again
whisking the entire time. Pour in the rest of the hot cream and whisk
until everything is blended together.
Use a ladle to distribute the batter among 5 (6 oz.) ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a large casserole dish and place the dish in the
oven. Use the kettle spout to pour the hot water into the casserole
dish, pouring enough water so that the water almost reaches the top of
the ramekins. Be careful not to get any water into the ramekins.
Bake
the custard for 1 hour just until the centers are slightly wobbly. If
needed, after 1 hour, raise the heat to 350°F and bake for another 10
minutes until you’ve achieved the desired doneness. Remove the ramekins
from the casserole dish and let them cool to room temperature. Wrap the
ramekins tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.
To brulee, sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the turbinado sugar over each frozen creme brulee. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet
under the oven broiler (500°F) for about 1 minute, constantly checking
it and rotating the pan so that all of them are evenly bruleed. Let the
burnt sugar topping set for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
If you decide to make this recipe for 2 people, divide the recipe in half and use 8 oz. ramekins.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5
Serving Size:
5 Servings Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423
And if it so happens that you need help pronouncing crème brûlée, we’ve got you covered!
Bonjour friends! Welcome to the 5th edition of French Week.
Oui, Oui, Je Speak Franglais prides itself in curating forward thinking events and this year, we were definitely put to the test. As we celebrate the 5th edition of French Week, we have launched and oui… you guessed it —‘oui’ are going completely VIRTUAL!
This year, more than ever, the world has taught and shown us why it’s important to come together and lean on our humanity. Most importantly, it has made us to effusively examine how the motto of Liberté, égalité, fraternité should not be afforded to just a few but to all.
So as we celebrate the revolution, we should remember … ‘Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”– Fannie Lou Hamar
Our 7 days (jours) of being French goes live with ‘apéro talks, language, culture, and cooking workshops, fête after fête and much more.
ACCESS TO ALL PROGRAMS/ACTIVITIES VIA OUI, OUI, JE SPEAK FRANGLAIS’ SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE.
Tuesday, July 7 at 14h (NYC) – 20h (PARIS)
Apéro with Oui, Oui: NDL- Hip-Hop & Afrobeat Artist
