LETTRE D’INFORMATION – SEPT./ OCT./ NOV. 2008


Thursday, September 18th at 6:30 p.m. – We are very fortunate to be able to welcome Mr. Warren PERRIN, a noted lawyer and a key personality in maintaining and promoting the French language in Louisiana (appropriately, he lives in… Lafayette). Mr. Perrin will give a talk entitled "Histoire des Cajuns de Louisiane; Une Saga Acadienne". Among other achievements, M. Perrin filed a petition seeking an apology on behalf of Acadians from Queen Elizabeth II for the wrongs of the Acadian Deportation, which successfully resulted in the issuing of a Royal Proclamation signed on December 9, 2003.

Thursday, September 25th at 6:30 p.m. – Rebekah Tonnerieux, a professional English teacher who has recently moved to Bordeaux, and now gives lessons at our association on Tuesday evenings, will give a talk entitled "MY EXPERIENCE AS A LIFEGUARD IN CALIFORNIA".

Saturday, September 27th at 11 a.m. – Field trip to CUSSAC FORT MÉDOC –guided tour of the Fort Médoc followed by lunch and a tour and tasting at two local wine châteaux. Please see the end of the newsletter for further details and confirm your participation by directly contacting Danièle Mériot.

Thursday, October 2nd at 6:30 p.m. – A two part evening
1) Wine educator Gregory CHARLES, a native of Los Angeles, has lived in Bordeaux for seven years. He was attracted to Bordeaux because of his love for fine wine, and currently works in one of the city's best known wine shops. His talk entitled "APPRENEZ LE VIN ET DÉGUSTER LA VIE" will be followed by a tutored tasting of some of the wines he sells.
2) Gregory's mother will be visiting from the States and after the talk, about 8 pm or so, we will share have our traditional POT LUCK DINNER with her.

Saturday, October 4th at 12 p.m. – Field trip to LA POINTE DE GRAVE and the PHARE DE CORDOUAN. Please see the end of the newsletter for further details and confirm your participation by directly contacting Bernard Vinquoy.

Thursday, October 9th at 6:30 p.m.: US consul Kenneth FORDER, will be giving us an ELECTION PREVIEW. While every presidential race is unique, the personalities and backgrounds of the two current contenders and their running mates are well and truly outside the box this year. Ken will give us an insider's view of what's going on.

Thursday, October 16th at 6:30 p.m. – A former Californian and long-time Bordeaux resident, Lori JULIA will be giving us a talk entitled MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH FRENCH WINE. Lori currently works at Château Petit Village in Pomerol and has longstanding links with other vineyard regions as well, notably the Loire Valley.

Thursday, October 23rd at 6:30 p.m. – DINNER WITH AMERICAN STUDENTS. This was a great success last year. The Centre de Californie program for American students at Bordeaux University has been running for several decades. There are currently about 40 students on the program, and we are asking members of the Association to invite them to their house on this evening for a proper French meal and a glimpse of French family life. We will meet at the Association at the regular time for an aperitif, and members will leave with students from there to go to their house for dinner. Members living outside the city will then accompany students back to the town center.
For those members who cannot welcome students into their homes, the Association will stay open in the usual way for a chat and refreshments.

Thursday, October 30th at 7:00 p.m. – By popular request, we are repeating the Great Bordeaux-USA Pub Crawl. We will meet at 7 p.m. at the Association and proceed from there to two or three Irish and English pubs. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé. The purpose of the crawl is to have a good time, not to drink too much. Indeed, it is entirely possible to order a soft drink, or drink nothing at all. The crawl will end with dinner at the last pub at about 9 p.m. You can always catch up with the group once we've left by calling Alex on his cell phone at 06 08 77 55 19.

Tuesday, November 4th from 9 p.m. until ??????: ELECTION DAY PARTY. For the first time ever, Bordeaux-USA will host a get-together to follow the election results in real time. Ken Forder will be there as well as academics, journalists, etc. The first results will start coming in from the East Coast at about the time we arrive, and we will have an electoral map to follow things as they happen. As always, bringing some snack food and a beverage would not go amiss J.

Thursday, November 6th at 6:30 p.m. – POT LUCK DINNER WITH A WINE THEME: Reflecting the spirit of our association, our pot luck dinners are a real institution: bilingual, convivial, pleasurable, and unpretentious. As usual, we ask members to bring a dish to pass, but this time to also bring an interesting – but not necessarily expensive – bottle of wine!

Thursday, November 13th at 6:30 p.m. – Ken Forder has kindly agreed to speak to us again and share his ELECTION RESULTS ANALYSIS. By this time, much of the dust will have settled and Ken will explain to us the practical implications of the next US administration both domestically and internationally.

Thursday, November 20th at 6:30 p.m. – QUIZ EVENING. As we have done periodically in the past, we will divide into groups and do our best to answer questions touching on history, geography, movies, literature, etc.

Thursday, November 27th at 7 p.m. – THANKSGIVING DINNER: Once again, Lycée Brémontier has offered to host our traditional turkey dinner. Please mark this date in your diary and reserve well ahead of time by filling out the form at the end of the newsletter – of course, the earlier the better!

Thursday, December 4th at 6:30 p.m. – With a few exceptions, the first Thursday of every month is the occasion for our traditional POT LUCK DINNER. Please bring a dish to share and a beverage. Wondering what to bring? Staples such as pizza, quiche, cold roast meat, charcuterie, bread, cheese, and desserts are all welcome! Not just snack food please – the real Mc Coy!

Thursday, December 11th at 6:30 p.m. – CINEMA EVENING. Thanks to a special grant from the US government, we have been able to purchase a video projector. This evening, we will be using it for the first time to see a movie whose title will be announced at a later date. For those who are interested, pizzas can be delivered after the movie. Attendance is restricted to Bordeaux USA members and is free of charge.

Thursday, December 18th at 6:30 p.m. – CHRISTMAS PARTY – 'Tis the season to be jolly! We will meet for an informal get-together and a drink, followed by an exchange of inexpensive gifts. Please bring a gift-wrapped little something (value not to exceed 6 euros or so).

The Association will be closed for the holidays from the 19th of December to the 8th of January

Thursday, January 8th at 6:30 p.m. – BORDEAUX-USA FÊTE LES ROIS. In keeping with a French tradition celebrated every year at Bordeaux USA, we will be sharing the gateau des rois, or Epiphany cake, with sweet white wine and cider. Members are asked to donate a modest amount to cover the cost of these items.

The next newsletter will be sent out in mid-January.

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ENGLISH CLASSES (6 euros – every Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 pm)

A professional English teacher, Rebekah Tonnerieux, will be giving courses starting on September 16th. The times may be changed according to the needs and preferences of students. Classes are small and the first class is free.
For further information, please contact Rebakah at 06 26 20 78 65 or by e-mail at rebekahtonnerieux@hotmail.com

"TEA AND SYMPATHY" (free – every Mon. from 6-8 p.m.)

The purpose of this very freewheeling get-together is for English speakers to practice their French and French speakers their English while sipping a cup of tea or coffee. Educational and fun! Concetta, Rachel, and Kevin will be glad to see you.

ENGLISH READING AND LISTENING (free – every Wed. from 7 p.m.)

Focusing on discussion of articles in the press and English conversation, this informal class has been running for nearly a decade, and we warmly thank Kevin Schwarz for his efforts. Anyone with even a little understanding of English is welcome to participate.
While the course is free to members of Bordeaux-USA, a registration fee of 10 euros will be charged to cover the cost of materials for the whole year.
Join us any Wednesday evening to see if the class will be of help in improving your English. Sessions are free to club members, and you can come as often or as seldom as you wish.
Kevin can be reached at 05 56 86 58 43 or 06 65 76 09 78, or by e-mail at kevinschwarz@yahoo.fr

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

Wine! That wonderful, marvelous joy-giving fruit of the vine!!! Some French people see their wine industry as a sort of image d'Epinal – an outdated, somewhat ringard part of their cultural heritage. They'd rather talk about Airbus or Ariane or e-bay (founded by Frenchman Pierre Omidyar). However, wine is surely one of the glories of this country, and plays a major economic role. The French are drinking less wine, but better quality wine, and there is little doubt that future generations will perpetuate this tradition, as much a part of France as Maroilles, charentaises or Johnny Hallyday!

Several of the Americans due to speak in the coming weeks were drawn to France, and more especially Bordeaux, because of fine wine. So was I. What this goes to show is that there is an eternal and, dare I say, sacred relationship between Bordeaux and wine. Il ne faut pas bouder notre plaisir ! I hope that you accept and appreciate the emphasis placed on wine by our association since I've been in the saddle, and enjoy the upcoming talks on this subject!

Many thanks to Harvey Morgan, Danièle Mériot, and Bernard Vinquoy for organizing two field trips to the Médoc (Cussac and Soulac). This is a wonderful way to discover or re-discover our region and enjoy each other's company. I, for one, have wanted to see the Phare de Cordouan for years and will be delighted to finally take a boat there. And visiting the Fort Médoc with a local historian promises go give new depth of meaning to those who may already know it. This visit takes on special significance since the Fort was granted UNESCO World Heritage status just this past summer.

I would ask those members who are interested in participating in activities to please confirm directly to the organisers as soon as possible. Their phone numbers and e-mail addresses are given on the following page. Planning events, whether a trip to the Médoc or the Thanksgiving meal, takes a certain amount of work, and knowing how many people will be attending is very important. Please don't wait until the last minute! In fact, if you pay your membership fees and the cost of the meal on 27/11 at the same time, you actually save the cost of a postage stamp J.

As you all know, this is a presidential election year and the media are focusing a great deal of attention on the US. Not only has Ken Forder agreed to talk to us about the race on two occasions, but he has also suggested holding an election night party at 38 Allées d'Orléans on the 4th of November to follow the results. This is an excellent idea, and I hope to see you there! Also, on behalf of the Association, I would like to thank Ken for obtaining a grant from the American government to finance the purchase of a video projector by our association. This will enable us to see slide presentations and movies in English on a regular basis!

As always, the success of an association depends on the commitment of its members. I am delighted to see the grassroots initiatives being taken in organizing interesting trips and very contented and grateful with the wonderful work done on the library by Nolwenn, Emmanuel, Kevin, and others. Please keep up the good work and if you have any ideas, make sure to share them!


Yours truly,

Alex Rychlewski


OUTING TO CUSSAC-FORT-MEDOC
ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th
organized by Danièle Mériot


After Saint-Emilion in 1999 and Bordeaux in 2007, two other towns in the Gironde – Cussac-Fort-Médoc and Blaye – were designated World Heritage Sites by UNESCO this summer as part of a network of nationwide fortifications designed by the military architect, Vauban.

Danièle Mériot, who lives in Cussac, has organized an outing on Saturday, September 27th to which all members of Bordeaux-USA are cordially invited. The day is divided into three parts. The first part is a guided tour of the Fort-Médoc given by a local historian (1.8 euro entry fee). The fort is very easy to find and well signposted. You just turn right when you arrive in Cussac, which is about one hour from Bordeaux. If you have a transportation problem, please contact Alex at info@bordeaux-usa.com.

We will meet in front of the Fort at 11 am. (Danèle asks you to please make a point of arriving on time as a courtesy to the guide) and go on a guided tour. There are 2 options for lunch at 12:30: either a "cheap and cheerful" restaurant in Cussac (example: plat du jour + café = 8,50 ¤) or a picnic. At 2:30 p.m. we will visit a wine château in Cussac, followed by a second at 3:30/4:00. The day out should be finished at approximately 5 pm.

IMPORTANT: in order to organize this day in the best way possible (especially the visit to the Fort Médoc and the restaurant meal) and enable her to make the appropriate reservations, Danièle asks you to please reserve as soon as possible (nibourel@free.fr or 06 21 23 94 36).
Furthermore, Danièle may invite the historian to lunch with us, in which case people are asked to pay an extra euro or two to cover the cost of his meal.


OUTING TO LE VERDON, LA POINTE DE GRAVE, AND THE PHARE DE CORDOUAN
ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th
organized by Bernard Vinquoy


Bernard Vinquoy has kindly arranged a day out in the northern Médoc for us. It is best to plan on about 2 hours by car to reach the Pointe de Grave. So, leaving Bordeaux at 9:30 would be the safest bet. If you have a transportation problem, please contact Alex at info@bordeaux-usa.com.

The day will start with a boat trip to the Phare de Cordouan. "La Bohème" will depart from Port Bloc at the Pointe de Grave (where the ferry leaves for Royan), across from the restaurant "la Pêcherie," at 12 noon sharp, so please be sure to arrive on time!!! An important practical consideration: the boat docks quite close to the lighthouse, but it is necessary to cross a stretch of ankle-deep water to get there. So a change of shoes is advised, as well as pants you can roll up to below the knee.

Bernard points out that in case of very rough weather, the boat will not leave. However, this is a very rare occurrence, he says.
Participants will enjoy a picnic lunch at Cordouan, so please remember to pack one!

After the boat returns, at 3:30, we will visit the marina, the Musée du Phare, and the stele dedicated to American soldiers who landed here during the First World War.
Bernard has kindly agreed to host dinner at a rustic chalet overlooking the dunes. Members are asked to contribute to the cost of this meal. Obviously, between reserving places on the boat and planning for the meal, it is very important to let Bernard know you are coming as soon as possible. Please contact him directly at bernard.vinquoy@free.fr or by phone at 06 03 51 09 01.

BULLETIN D ADHESION A L'ASSOCIATION BORDEAUX- USA
38, allées d'Orléans – 33000 BORDEAUX
ANNEE 2008-2009

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Votre adhésion vous donne droit à participer aux activités de l’association et à emprunter des livres à la bibliothèque américaine.
Merci de votre participation :

25 euros étudiants, 40 euros adultes, 55 euros couples 100 euros entreprises, bienfaiteurs



RÉSERVATION POUR
LE REPAS DE THANKSGIVING
ORGANISÉ PAR BORDEAUX-USA & FRANCE ETATS-UNIS

Où : Lycée Brémontier, 152 cours de l'Yser (entrée 19 rue Hyppolyte-Minier) à Bordeaux
Quand : le jeudi 27 novembre 2008 à 19 heures
Quoi : un dîner traditionnel de Thanksgiving – apéritif et hors d'œuvres, buffet d'entrées, dinde rôtie, légumes, fromage, tarte à la citrouille, vin et café.
Qui : membres de Bordeaux USA et France Etats-Unis, le consul des Etats-Unis, étudiants et représentants du Centre de Californie de l'Université de Bordeaux 3, un représentant de la Mairie de Bordeaux, membres du Bordeaux Women's Club….
Combien : 25 euros, 15 euros pour les étudiants
Comment réserver : veuillez envoyer un chèque établi à Bordeaux-USA au siège de l'association : 38 allées d'Orléans, 33000 Bordeaux, ainsi que le coupon-réponse dûment rempli au plus tard le 7 novembre
Questions ? - n'hésitez pas à contacter un responsable au 05 56 48 18 77 ou 06 08 77 55 19


COUPON REPONSE

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ACCOMPAGNÉ(E) PAR ( ) PERSONNES assistera au repas de Thanksgiving le 22/11/07

JE JOINS UN CHÈQUE POUR _______ EUROS







NDLR: Nous nous réservons le droit de modifier le programme à tout moment.

Association régie par la loi de 1901 et enregistrée à la Préfecture de Bordeaux
Siège social : 38, Allées d'Orléans - 33000 Bordeaux - France