Header

Quoi de neuf / Infolettre
Beaujolais Nouveau at the Heathman          
The 14th Annual Beaujolais Nouveau festival will be held on Friday, November 20, 2015, at 6pm at the Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland. Presented by the French-American Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance Française of Portland with their partners, the Heathman Hotel and the Heathman Restaurant & Bar, the event is recognized as one of the largest on the West Coast, drawing 450-500 guests each year. Advance tickets are now on sale, and include new options for reserved seating in the elegant Opus room - check out all the details on the event page and click here to reserve.
Fall Term Kicks Off Next Week         
The fall term starts next week (the week of 9/14-19) and includes classes at all levels plus several new ones on cinema, Montpellier, Perfectionnement 2 and Courrier International - visit the website for all classes being offered. Interested in learning French but not sure about taking the plunge? Important benefits for students are the small class sizes and our highly experienced native-fluent teachers, several of whom have completed training as DELF/DALF examiners. Concerned that you will miss a class or two? No worries - the Alliance has a convenient make-up program that includes complimentary make-up tutoring or alternate group classes. Concerned about parking? The Alliance has dedicated parking lot(s) in collaboration with our neighbors, Willamette Dental and the First United Methodist Church. Passes are issued to students at the beginning of the term.    
Limited Openings for Two Events
  HARDY COGNAC: The Hardy cognac event set for October 11 in the Pearl is completely sold out. Email Linda Witt at newsletter@afportland.org to be placed on a waitlist.    
  GODS & HEROES BEAUX ARTS TOUR on Saturday, Sept.12, at 2pm - There are just two tickets left for the bilingual French-English tour at the Portland Art Museum. The tour is sponsored by France Education Northwest, and benefits the Alliance. Shown here, one of the few women artists in the exhibit. Self-Portrait, ca. 1820, by Julie Duvidal de Montferrier, who was Victor Hugo's sister-in-law. Click here to reserve; tickets are $17 and include the tour and admission. Attend the guided tour and then browse the current and permanent exhibits at your leisure.     
Tahiti Event Recap & Other Events News
The lucky winner of last week's raffle sponsored by international airline of French Polynesia, Air Tahiti Nui, is a Portland-based educator in the medical field who has participated in Alliance raffles since 2014. Felicitations and thanks to all who participated in the raffle, which benefited the Alliance and France Education Northwest. Click here to see photos of the event and the raffle drawing. Shown here, two ladies trying out some of the jewelry featured at the three-day event, held at Alchemy Jeweler and featuring Black Market Pearls. Merci to Alliance board member Pascale Theurier Beard for her help with the raffle drawing.
   PICA:TBA - Don't forget that you can use a discount code to see the performance art of two French-connected directors at PICA's annual Time-Based Art Festival (TBA), Sept. 10-20. Click here for complete details including the discount code.        
Offres d'Emploi in the Portland Area
   Dunthorpe Marketing in Sellwood has a temporary 4-week project starting next Monday that requires a fluent French speaker to call clients in France to invite them to a seminar. Because of the time difference, the hours are 3:00am-9am; pay is $25/hr. Email Brenda Mulder at bmulder@dunthorpemarketing.com or call 503.236.4242.
   These three were posted in the most recent bulletin; the employers are still accepting applicants - act soon if interested.
  Vesta Corporation in Tigard is seeking a French Bilingual Account Verification Specialist. Contact Laura Ibarra at (503) 552-3465 or email laura.ibarra@trustvesta.com.
  The Alliance Française of Portland is seeking applicants for the brand new position of School Director. Click here for details. Email cover letters and resumes to alliancefrancaisepdx@gmail.com.   Fais little logo
   The French American International School in the Cedar Mill area is seeking applicants for a Senior Administrative Assistant/Front Office Manager. Click here for details.
DATES & QUICK LINKS
Quick Web Links

 

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter 

 
Photo Gallery 

All Events

Fall term begins next week  

(on Sept. 14)   

   

  

Conversation

Groups

Some are hosted by Alliance staff, board members or other volunteers. Drop-ins welcome; membership is encouraged but not required.

NW, N, or Central   

St Honoré on NW Thurman on

Wed., 6pm, Sept. 16  

Philippe's Bread on N. Williams on Sat., Oct. 3, 11am, for B2/C1 levels (advanced) 

SE Portland

At Chez Machin, Mon., Sept. 14, at 7pm

  At Vie de Bohème weekly on Sundays, 4-5:30 pm

Vancouver

At Gustav's

on Oct. 6, 2015.

 

Merci  

 

 

 Perrier

 

 

   

PClogo
 
Remembrance, Film and Community News  
 
New Distribution:
Last week TV5MONDE announced that it is expanding its availability in Oregon to include more distributors. Click here for a freshly updated list (which contains additions to last week's list) for availability of TV5MONDE, by zip codes in our region.   
   Conversation honore groupGroup Host Needed: The Alliance's conversation group at the St. Honoré in Northwest Portland is seeking volunteer hosts. The host's responsibility is to greet the group participants and facilitate participation. Email info@afportland.org if you can help either once or twice per month. The group meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month and is free to participants. 
  In Remembrance: Portlander Robert Weiss, a WWII veteran and Legion of Honor award recipient, has passed away. Weiss had an amazing story as a Forward Observer on July 1944 at the Siege of Mortain, an epic battle that was key to the Allies' success. Click here for more on his life and accomplishments as covered in the Oregonian. Weiss donated a copy of his book, Fire Mission, to the Alliance. Check with the office at 503.223.8388 for availability.
  Camping in France: When most of us think of visiting France, we likely think of 5-star hotels in Paris. Little did we know that France is actually the European leader in a more rustic type of vacationing - camping. Click here for an informative graphic that shows how and why France is the leader in this area.  
   Autumn in Paris: The UK's Telegraph Travel writer, Stanley Stewart, describes why autumn is the best time to visit Paris. Click here for the article which will resonate with readers who have similar memories of Paris, in particular in the romance category.  
  Reforms in French Education System: A recent article in English on French Entrée outlines some major changes taking place this year in France's education system for its collèges, which are the equivalent to middle schools in the U.S. Important vocab to understand is laïcité, for secularism or secularity.
  Overwhelmed at the Louvre? Have you visited the Louvre and felt overwhelmed? Then save the link to this article for your next visit. It's full of handy and practical tips for helping you feel that you've mastered the museum.
  Think you are challenged by French grammar and spelling? Then you'll be pleased to find that the French themselves frequently have to review the rules. Check out this list from Express.fr of the ten most common mistakes that the French make in writing the language - the list includes tips for remembering the rules for these and five other problem areas:
- L'accord du participe passé précédant un infinitif
- La concordance des temps après "si"
- Les mots en -ueil ou en -euil
- Après que + indicatif ou subjonctif?
- L'accord des nombres
The explanations are all in French; suitable for intermediate and advanced students.
  Wine and Dining Tip: Want to celebrate a late-summer culinary discovery, while the nice weather is still here? Check out Muselet's lovely patio in South Waterfront in Portland. Impeccable wines, great cuisine, and a beautiful plant-lined outdoor patio - a great way to salute the end of the summer. The restaurant has been named one of Wine Enthusiast's 100 Best Wine Restaurants in America for 2015. Be sure to tell them that the Alliance sent you!  
  
This infolettre is copyrighted by the Alliance Française of Portland. 
Contact newsletter@afportland.org with suggestions or questions. For optimal viewing consider displaying in your browser.