Le Point

OK, I gave up on blogs because I have to be by a computer to read them. Instead, I decided to head over to Broadway News and pick up something French when I saw a woman trying her hardest to get customers.

Broadway News used to be at the corner of John and Broadway between the American Apparel and Cafe Bleu, where there is a lot of foot traffic. A couple of months ago, they got bumped and went down to Broadway & Mercer where there aren't many people at all. Anyway, she was trying to give away coupons for a free cup of coffee with a magazine purchase while holding a sign. She was rudely ignored by about 6 people in a row and made some frustrated comment about the "friendly people in Seattle." I understood her frustration. It's tough to have your business moved from a high traffic area to a low traffic area. I respect everyone who tries to run a small business on Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill gets its character from the people who live and conduct business here. The people willing to try to eek out an existence rather than give up and let McChainStore move in are true heroes. Without them, Capitol Hill would be nothing special. The same goes for 4th in Vancouver, as well as Granville Island. State Street in Madison is still half way local. These streets with one-off businesses are dying, but they are tenacious (even when their owners get frustrated). Anyway, I figured if she was out trying to drum up business again (she did so for a while right after the move), I figured I could atleast do my part and buy something.

So I bought a copy of Le Point. It's like a French "Time" or "Newsweek". I had a very hard time reading an article about Sarkozy's appointments, but I could read about 2 paragraphs before needing to resort to the dictionary on an article about the Central African Republic (I think I won't go there). So I read that magazine today at Cafe Ladro and Smith. Certainly easier than Lord Jim. And it's starting to get me acquainted with French society. I had never, before today, even heard of the UMP or PS. Oh sure I was awakened one night when I left C-SPAN on by the rising intensity of the debate between Segolene Royale and Nicolas Sarkozy (the debate was almost erotic when she attacked him--is it a pan-French thing or Royale's smouldering eroticism?) when Sarkozy suggested cutting special education budgets or something. But that debate was all I knew.

Anyway, hopefully, Broadway News makes it. I assume the rents are lower over there. And the store actually is quite nice--nicer than the previous store. When I return and can read French sans dictionaire, I hope to start buying Le Point there on a regular basis.