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Quoi de neuf / Infolettre

Fte des Rois on Jan. 24 - Reserve Now
The annual F�te des Rois celebration returns in 2016 - it will be held on Sunday, January 24, from 3 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Alliance's Kamm House, in Goose Hollow. The event will include a presentation in English and easy-to-understand French on the origins of the celebration and the current-day practices in France. The highlight will be the tasting of the authentic, freshly baked galettes generously provided by St. Honor� Boulangerie, as well as imported sparkling juices and Perrier. Galettes come in many different designs, but the St. Honor� cakes use the traditional sunflower shape and are hand-crafted and baked to order using Shepherd's Grain's flour and top-quality, locally-produced butter. Look for the crowning of the fte's "king" and "queen" based on who finds the special charm in their cake! Suitable for all ages; click here to see photos from earlier years. Reserve in advance by clicking here; just $8 for members, $12 for non-members; children under age 5 are free. Reserve in advance; this event sells out quickly.
Welcome to Domaine Serene
Welcome to new Les Amis member, winery Domaine Serene located in the Dundee Hills. Domaine Serene was founded in 1989 by Ken and Grace Evenstad and has garnered global recognition for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. With six vineyard estates, the picturesque winery houses a state-of-the-art facility, and is expecting completion of a 32,000 sq. ft. hospitality center late 2017. In 2015, the Evenstads acquired Ch�teau de la Cr�e in France, an estate rich in Burgundian wine heritage since the 15th century. Alliance members can show their membership card to get the winery's Estate Flight of four flagship wines for $10 (regularly priced at $20). Visit the winery online.   
Jobs Postings
We've heard from readers that they enjoy perusing the job postings from Oregon and Washington, where mastery of French is a plus, or in  many cases, required. Postings are a bit slow for the early part of January but these three caught our attention.
   Amazon in Seattle is seeking a Data Center Operations Manager for its web services group;  fluency in French and English is required; click here
   Medical Teams International here in Oregon (Tigard) is seeking an International Program Coordinator who is fluent in French. Click here for details.
    The French American Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco is seeking a bilingual French-English Events Manager, reporting to the Executive Director; the position offers a salary of $35,000 plus benefits and 3 weeks' annual vacation to start. Click here for the complete job description. 
Alliance Classes Start Next Week
The Alliance runs four 10-week terms each year. The Winter term in class begins next week. Classes for adults are available in the morning, afternoon and evening, six days per week. Childrens' classes are offered after school and on Saturdays for ages 7-10 and 11-14. New parent-child classes are also available for children 2-3 and 4-6, with the parent present. Click here for class lists for adults or visit the listings online. Not sure if a class is a good fit? Call 503.223.8388 or visit the "Assessing Your Level" page. A few classes are full but most have openings - call soon! 
DATES & QUICK LINKS
Quick Web Links

Enrolling now for group classes beginning January 11. Private lessons also available.   

   

  Conversation

Groups

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

NW, N, or Central   

St Honor� on NW Thurman on

Wed., 6pm, Jan. 6 and 20. 
*   

The advanced group (for levels B2/C1 meets at Palio's in Ladd's Addition on Feb. 6, 11am. 

SE Portland

At Chez Machin, Mon., Jan. 11, at 7pm

 
At Vie de Boh�me weekly on Sundays, 4-5:30pm

Vancouver

At Gustav's

on Jan. 12 at 5:30pm.

 

Merci  

 

 

 Perrier

 

 

   

PClogo
 
Movies, Speeches, Winery Event, Galettes and More
 
  French Movies on Netflix: Last year the French Flicks website published a list of the top French movies on Netflix. Click here for the list. Notes from the editor: Tell No One (Ne le dis personne) is very fast moving and contains much "street French." Learners of French would do well to watch it multiple times with the subtitles on. Two Days, One Night with Marion Cotillard is good for students because a major part of the film involves Marion Cotillard greeting and interviewing co-workers (lots of repetition of idiomatic expressions and formules de politesse). A Friend Like Harry (Harry, an ami qui vous veut du bien) is a black comedy that is wickedly twisted and which won four Csar awards in 2001. Final note on the list: While On the Way to School (Sur le chemin de l'cole) is described as French, the dialog in the documentary is mainly in languages other than French.
   Time Out Paris has just published a nicely formatted list of 101 things to do in Paris. While 101 things may seem like a long list, the formatting of the list makes it easy to browse through quickly. Check it out online.
   French Entree describes 10 events and places not to miss when planning travel in France in 2016. Depending on your travel goals you may wish to plan around, or for, these recommendations! Click here.
  French President Hollande makes his 2016 wishes in a speech that is available online. Learners of French: Diplomats often speak an eloquent and well-enunciated French that is delightful to listen to. Click here for the webpage. First click on the video, start it, then scroll down to open up "le texte des voeux." In this way you can simultaneously listen to the speech and read the words - a great exercise in French and a view into Hollande's perception of the year's events and his priorities for 2016.   
  St. Vincent Celebration at Domaine Serene: Profiled above in this newsletter, Domaine Serene Winery in the Dundee Hills would like to invite Alliance Fran�aise members to their St. Vincent (patron saint of winegrowers) celebration at the winery on Friday, January, 22, 2016, from 5:30 - 8:30pm. They'll be introducing their Ch�teau de la Cr�e wines for the first time (Domaine Serene's owners Ken & Grace Evenstad purchased the Santenay, Burgundy winery in the late spring of last year). Roman Candle Baking Co. will be providing hors d'oeuvres and also a "market" with provisions available for purchase by guests for the upcoming weekend. Special price of $15 for Alliance members. Click here for the flyer and RSVP to [email protected].
  Ordering Galettes des Rois: Whether or not you plan to attend the January 24 event at the Alliance, know that you can order your own galettes from St. Honor Bakery, prior to January 31. Click here for a description of the galettes, the sizes and the prices. A note to Alliance members: When placing an order online, type in the coupon code "Galette4AF" in order to receive your 10% membership discount. Then bring in your membership card to show when you pick up your order and enjoy!
  British View of the Rise of French: A recent article in the Daily Mail, a British online news site, describes (somewhat grudgingly) how French is projected to become the most-spoken language in the world by 2050. Click here.
  French Morning's Questions B�tes are a favorite feature of that publication so we're pleased to share their TOP questions b�tes of 2015. These include: Why do Americans like white teeth? Ice cubes? Why are eggs refrigerated in U.S. supermarkets? Why are the fire engine sirens so loud in New York? Click here for the top 10 - a great reading comprehension exercise and also good for a few chuckles.
  French Night with the Blazers: If you haven't already ordered your special "group" tickets for French Night at the Blazers on January 29, you can still be part of the group by contacting the Group Sales Manager, Alec Botts, directly at 503 963.3926 or email him at [email protected].
  The French-American Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest is seeking volunteers for committee work on the 2nd annual FABA PNW (French American Business Awards of the Pacific Northwest) event in Seattle, set for this May. Volunteers must be active in a business sector where trade with France (in either direction) is involved, and be available for occasional travel to Seattle. Contact [email protected] for details.   

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