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Save the Date: Soirée St. Tropez

Save the date for the Alliance's annual soirée and fundraiser to be held on April 19, 2014 at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The Soirée St. Tropez event will include a French-themed silent auction, live auction, entertainment and a seated dinner with a fabulous menu orchestrated by James Beard award-winning chef, Philippe Boulot. Shown here: a photo from last year (click here for the online gallery to get a sense of the lively ambiance of the event). Individual tickets will start at just $75; sponsor tables seating eight persons are also available. Save the date for now and look for registration links in the next newsletter.

Spring Term Enrollment Now Open! 
Enrollment is now underway for the 10-week spring term that runs March 31 to June 7, and includes nearly 50 classes for adults and children. Visit the website for listings or, for a printable PDF complete with class descriptions, click here for adults' classes and here for children's. To get the class you want, as well as a 10% discount on the course fee, register early.  (The deadline for the discount is March 20.) Note that all Alliance classrooms now include large-screen TVs, wireless internet, and many contain new training tables such as shown here in the Salle des Lumières. Questions about classes? Call 503.223.8388 or take the free online placement test.  
Events: Blazers French Night & Author Event
  French Night at the Blazers: Close to 150 fans supported the 6th Annual French Night at the Blazers on February 19. Click here for a  short video that Batum did for his fans, in French, and click here for a report compiled by teenage students in the Alliance's after-school classes; they pitched questions to the star at the event and wrote a report in French (page 1) and in English (page 2). Alliance president Bev Voytko kicked off the meet-and-greet event. Nic, an Alliance member, was, as always, gracious to host this event which benefits the organization's nonprofit mission.  
  Cara Black Event: The March 5 event featuring international best-selling author Cara Black will be hosted at Powell's. Visit our web page for details! The event is free and open to the public.  
Burgundy Immersion Program
Earlier this month the Alliance hosted a visit from Claudine Alberti of Burgundy (shown here at right with Alliance director Linda Witt). A graduate of the Université de Rouen, Claudine has 30 years of experience teaching French to adults around the world (mostly in Asia and France). She operates a small, personalized immersion program on the grounds of a former convent in Montbard, an hour's travel by TGV from Paris. Her  program is unique in that it is designed for one-on-one or for groups of two persons sharing the same level. Logistics are simple since accommodations and meals are provided on site. Click here for futher info on the program.   
Conversation Group News
  Vancouver Group News: The Vancouver conversation group will have a new host, Sheryl Meservey, as well as a new venue. Starting in March the group will meet the first Tuesday of each month at Gustav's at 1705 SE 164th Ave., Vancouver, WA at 5:30pm. For info, contact sherylmeservey@comcast.net. 
  Corvallis Group News: The French Conversation group in Corvallis has just celebrated its 50th anniversary. The group now averages 25-30 people for its weekly meetings (Tuesday mornings 10-12).  For further info contact Jody Altendorf at: jma@keptwoman.org.
  New Group Seeks Host: The new crêpes and wine bar, C'est Si Bon, located just off Burnside at 22 NE 7th Avenue, is looking to have a conversation group and is seeking a volunteer to host it. If you have intermediate to advanced French and could make yourself available, contact Gabrielle by email at gabesbeck@gmail.com.  C'est Si Bon has gotten lots of press recently; click here to read an online article about the restaurant.
  Check out the Conversation Group page for all Oregon groups. 
Dates to Remember
Feb. 28: Venting in French (Sorry, Sold Out!)
Mar. 5: Cara Black on Murder in Pigalle
Mar. 20: Spring Open House "Portes Ouvertes"
Mar. 30: Ludovic at the Oregon Symphony
Mar. 31: Start of the Spring Term
Quick Web Links

 

Now enrolling for Spring Term that starts March 31. 

Call 503.223.8388. 

  

Conversation

Groups

Hosted by Alliance staff or board members. Drop-ins welcome; membership is encouraged but not required.

NW Portland

St Honoré on NW Thurman on Wed., Mar. 5 & 19 at 6:00 p.m.

SE Portland

At Chez Machin, Mon., Mar. 10 at 7:00p.m. and at Vie de Bohème weekly on Sundays, 4-5:30 p.m.

Vancouver

At Gustav's in Vancouver, Tues., Mar. 4 at 5:30 p.m.

 

 

In-Kind Sponsors

 Perrier

 

 

 

PClogo

 
Member & Miscellaneous Announcements,
& New Worldwide Stats          
 
  New Stats: Each year the Alliance headquarters in Paris (shown heafparisre at right, on boulevard Raspail) updates its statistics. Here are the latest numbers: There are 800 Alliances in 137 countries, serving a total of 550,000 students. Portland's Alliance is 8th largest among 100 in the United States.
  L'Etoile French Immersion School is now accepting enrollments for its 2014 summer program. The school will offer a variety of week-long camps in French and English led by qualified instructors in yoga, bouldering, tennis, archery and much more. To find out more visit their website. 
   Recent NY Developments: The recent article in the New York Times about the French government's initiative to finance French programs in NY schools has given rise to other discussion in the press. Click here for one of the recent "point-counterpoint" articles from Business Insider. 
  Need a printer? The Alliance has a surplus Epson NX300 printer for sale, new in the box, for $75. The printer sells on Ebay for $209 (click here). Call 503.223.8388 (the Alliance office).  
  Member ad: French-American family is looking for a part-time French-speaking nachildcarenny for their two sons, ages 3 & 5. They need help with after school pick-up and after-school activities 3 days a week for 3 hours a day. Experience in child-care / education is preferred. Reliable car and experience driving in Portland is a must. $15-20 an hour pending qualifications/experience. Only loving, fun and reliable applicants need apply. Please email ms.heidimay@gmail.com with resume and for full details.

  Free French Film: The Clark College French Club presents the film, La Vie en Rose, in French (with English subtitles) on Friday, March 7, 2014. Refreshments at 6:30pm, film at 7pm in the Foster Auditorium at Clark College (1800 E. McLoughlin Bd in Vancouver, Wash.) Free and open to the public.   

    French Pharmacie Products in Portland: Have you ever wanted to find, here in Portland, some of the top skincare products that you'd normally only be able to find in a French pharmacie? Then visit Alliance member Hélène Lawless at her Be Smooth boutique in the Pearl. There, you'll find France's best-selling cleanser, Bioderma Sensibio H20 Cleansing Water as well as the best-selling Nuxe pharmacy brand, plus Lierac, Roger & Gallet, and Bourjois. Be Smooth also provides esthetic services including facials, waxing, and body treatments like those you'd find in a French institut de beauté. Alliance members, show your card and get 10% off spa services.
  Not a member? Visit http://www.afportland.org/resources/french-businesses/ for the list of all Portland businesses offering discounts to Alliance members. Join now - it's just $36/year. Click here for secure online membership registration and join a growing group of 2,000 member-supporters.

 

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