Lancome Day Two

When I agreed to participate in this Lancome affair, it was all very secretive, but there were two things I knew: 

1.  I knew there would be an opportunity to “interact” with a brand spokesperson.

2.  I also heard we would be eating at Le George which was enough for me.  I called up my mother and said, “I’m going to eat where Kate Hudson goes in Le Divoooorce!”  When she first meets her lover for lunch it is at Le George with her SO CAYUTE Katie Holmes bob.  This movie makes my brain turn into a marshmallow peep and start oozing out my ears.  I especially like the part where Isabelle goes shopping for lingerie with her bad French, and they ask her what size she is, and she opens her trench and the saleswomen start laughing.  “Ah oui!  Petit!  Petit!”  Oh Isabelle, would I could hold you in my arms at that moment.

So we bloggers show up at Le George, which is a restaurant on top of the Centre Pomidou.  (The German girls from Les Mads told me they recognized it from their French textbook, which is so funny.  I think every French textbook has a picture of this museum; it's the one with all the pipes on the outside, in Lego colors).  The view of the city from the top floor is heartbreaking.  Sometimes people email me about France, people who haven’t had the best encounters with French people.  And I show them exhibit A of why the French are allowed to be a leetle snobby.

And then it was time for lunch!

I sat with Edouard from Paris Lancome, Elizabeth from New York's Lancome office, and Ann from Blogdorf Goodman.  We somehow got into a discussion about the improper use of English words in the French language.  One of the American girls mentioned receiving something in the mail, and I had to clarify for Edouard that it was “la poste,” because the French, if they receive something “par mail,” that means, BY EMAIL.  They’re funky like that.

This got me started on all of the other English words that the French use wrong.  I limited the discussion to words that end in “ing,” because the French love them some “ing” when they’re getting ready to misappropriate:

Zapping – channel surfing
Planning - agenda
Shooting – photo shoot
Brushing – blow out (for hair)
Shopping – sample request (in fashion, when you request clothes for a shoot). Ex: “Elisabeth, for the next shooting, you must do some shoppings at Dior, Prada, Miu Miu, Lanvin…”

We ate some stuff.  Fancy stuff.  It was YUMMY.

Then we were apparently running a late to go to Lancome headquarters, and the Lancome Interactive guys started to get nervous.  There was word that we might not have a dessert, THAT WAS SCARY.  And then it was okay, we got our cream-filled raspberry macarons.  PHEW.

Arrival at the Lancome flagship store on rue Saint-Honoré. Did you know that Juicy Tubes are Lancome’s best seller?  I think it is because people like to say the word “juicy.”  It's like "salsa" in that way.

Let’s see.  Next we met Juliette Binoche and Laura Morante.  Oh, you don’t really want to hear about that, right?

Juliette Binoche trained as a clown when she was younger; I believe I learned this is an interview of her in French Playboy.

I think she’s great, doesn't take herself too seriously, and is like beyond beautiful, duh.  But working in fashion makes me tired of talking about people’s looks.  So let’s talk about the first time she sleeps with Daniel Day Lewis in The Unbearable Lightness of Being. This is like, the funniest and sexiest scene I’ve ever seen in my life.  If you have not seen this movie run out and rent it right now.  HAWT.

Juliette wore some Prada shoes.  When I got the microphone, I asked her about them.  I didn’t get a picture.  But Ann did.

Laura Morante is very lovely and has an incredibly long neck.  My friend Cassi says she’s a good actress.  So yeah, the two actresses answered questions.  There were lots and lots of questions, and then there was a Powerpoint presentation about how when your skin gets old you are totally screwed and nothing you can do will reverse the signs of ageing.  Kidding!  Actually the presentation was pretty impressive. Lancome clearly puts a lot of money into research.

Then, we went to Ice Kube, which is a hotel/restaurant in the 19th, and contains a bar where everything is made of ice.  The walls, the bar, the glasses.  I got to stand in an igloo with Geraldine and Julie and get my picture taken.

I love how I look so sad.  Taking the picture was totally my idea.  I like to make peope hunch down in igloos and then pretend like I don’t want to be there.  Good times.

Here are a few pics taken by Lancome.

Thank you Lancome, the experience was rich.  The best part was meeting the other bloggers. 

Here are the women who participated:

Jackie
www.jackandhill.typepad.com

Garance
www.garancedore.fr

Ann   
http://blogdorfgoodman.blogspot.com

Yunjoo (Jooly)
www.cafe.daum.net/cosmetic1

Julia and Jessica
www.lesmads.com

Mahret
www.fartguide.blogspot.com

Mari
www.blogcaster..jp/file/jsp/mari_miura.html

Julie   
www.bloc-mode.com

Capucine
www.babillages.net

Esther   
http://blog.joins.com/worldblanket

Anne-Solange   
www.cachemireetsoie.fr

Na
www.yilingna.blog.sohu.com

An excerpt from a press release on the new web site Lancome is planning:

Magnifique-Women.com 

A community site dedicated to magnificent women. 

A pioneering brand on the internet, Lancôme pursues its ambition of innovation by launching Magnifique-Women.com, a site which, supported by the latest technology, will reveal and connect women committed to life. Featuring films presenting those who, through their actions, make the world a better place; this international platform is above all a space for expression and exchange.

Comments

[Stu]

You left out the most hilarious "-ing" of all: Le Smoking. This is what a dinner jacket is called. Amazingly. Another source of hilarity is the french casual word for afternoon tea: Le feevocloque. Think about it.

[La Rêveuse]

Don't forget "shampooing" and my personal favorite, "relooking". That one just perplexes me.

[Angele]

and what about the "smoking"? :D

[Jane]

Bonjour Coquette!
Don't know if you've seen this already, but I believe you're in it (several times, in fact): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7VLnv6LTV0

[Coquette]

I did see that -- Thanks!