An American Girl in Paris

[belbbmfan]

Same in Italy (where I just was). No overweight people, with the possible exception of a few old nonna (grandma) types. My theory is, it's the exercise.

Good point. But I think there's another reason: portion size.

I've had my first taste of nothern american food when we were in Canada this summer and the portions of food we were served in the restaurants were a lot bigger than what I'm used to. There was always food left in my plate after I was finished.

I kept telling my kids not to overeat!

One thing I really liked though, and it's something we should do over here too, we always got a glass of ice water, as soon as we were seated. That is a very healthy habit.

[Penthesilea]

(Ok, I saw no one in tie-dye, but that's an American thing)   

What's tie-dye?

An artsy shot of me in beret walking the Place Des Vosges - the rain is romantic:

I like the artsy pic. 

[southendmd]

What's tie-dye?

It's this, Chrissi:

[Penthesilea]

It's this, Chrissi:

Thanks Paul. But my curiosity is still not satisfied 
Is tie-dye simply an American term for batik printing? Or is the batik T only an example and tie-dye means brightly coloured, flashy and somewhat garish?

[Penthesilea]

One thing I really liked though, and it's something we should do over here too, we always got a glass of ice water, as soon as we were seated. That is a very healthy habit.

Oh yeah, the ice water. I think it's good service to provide it.

All this comparing reminds me of a thread I wanted to open a while ago, but then forgot about: small, funny, wondrous and other differences between North America and Europe.
Before we hog Della's Paris thread, I'll go and open it now  . BetterMost People will be the place for it.

[belbbmfan]

An artsy shot of me in beret walking the Place Des Vosges - the rain is romantic:

Nice picture. Très chique!

[serious crayons]

Is tie-dye simply an American term for batik printing? Or is the batik T only an example and tie-dye means brightly coloured, flashy and somewhat garish?

Briefly, tie-dye isn't batik, and it isn't always garish. You make it by taking sections of the fabric of something (usually a T-shirt, but not necessarily) and tying them with rubber bands or string. Then you dip the item in one or more colors of dye. The dye doesn't reach the bunched-up places where the rubberbands were, which creates patterns of color on the fabric.

[delalluvia]

It's this, Chrissi:

Die, tie-dye, die. 

[delalluvia]

I like the artsy pic. 

Thanks,    it came out like that quite by accident.  I love it.  Note, at the very end of the sidewalk ahead of me, you can barely make out two umbrellas, red and yellow held by two women who were walking ahead of me.

[serious crayons]

Thanks,    it came out like that quite by accident.  I love it.  Note, at the very end of the sidewalk ahead of me, you can barely make out two umbrellas, red and yellow held by two women who were walking ahead of me.

Kind of like spotting a pair of people in the background wearing a black cowboy hat and a white cowboy hat!