Champagne

French life is filled with Champagne.

It's lovely. Actually, I'm not a huge fan of champagne. (Well, ok, I love one glass of champagne. But don't let me have more than that! I've learned my lesson. New Years Eve 2006. Blue* champagne cocktails. Enough said.)

At a housewarming party I went to a few weeks ago, many of the guests brought champagne. My French friends typically have it on hand for gifts and celebrations. I know someone who's family makes champagne. And, at a my first work tradeshow in France, we had champagne at lunch. Every day. This is in stark contrast to the American "just get some chips from the vending machine and scarf them down with a soda while no one is looking so you don't miss one potential client!!" At this tradeshow in France around 1PM everyday, someone would bring out a couple bottles of champagne and a selection of finger sandwiches. All work would stop. After all, it's lunchtime. The champagne would be drunk, sandwiches eaten, a quick coffee, and then work would resume as usual. I could get used to this. La vie est belle.

*I have a rule (one of many): No Blue Drinks. I don't know what came over me that night. Oh wait, it was probably the fact I started talking to this professional hockey player and got distracted. Of course, he stopped talking to me after 15 minutes. And unfortunately, I also remembered another one of my rules: "Don't change drinks mid-evening." et voila! a night of blue champagne cocktails ensued. UGH.