Bad brains

They served veal brain in the cafeteria today. Watch out for cervelle de veau (other questionable offerings there include tongue). Eric, who was visiting for lunch, tried it! He said it was good, but he "couldn't eat a whole thing."

Portes ouvertes, oh penoose

This Saturday, my friend/coworker and I are going to be staffing a booth at the embassy's open house. (Let me say now that "open house" is my new favorite English expression to say with a French accent, because it comes out sounding like "oh penoose.") She and I are two of three Americans on staff, although she has dual citizenship. Oh, to be able to talk about scientific diplomacy in Charlotte Gainsbourg's voice! I will probably be able to offer French snacks, though, and pins at the very least. And I designed our brochure.

If you're in DC, this is the EU site for the embassy open houses. Hopefully the weather will be good. At any rate, no matter your location or forecast, I hope you can enjoy as much as I did the discovery that Melle Gainsbourg starred in a 1996 version of Jane Eyre.