Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Some brands never die...


This is probably not the most beautiful photo I've ever posted here, but what it shows is interesting. In the background, there is a large painted wall on which you can see the remains of two typical old French ads: one for the soap Cadum and the other one for Dubonnet, a wine based aperitif. Both of these brands are very well known in France even though they are extremely old (Cadum was first launched in 1907 and Dubonnet in 1846). On top of that, both products still exist and are currently sold even though their advertising campaign is somewhat different nowadays ;). BTW I found this wall in the 13th arrondissement in rue de Tolbiac (close to number 126, obviously!)

82 comments:

  1. Eric~~~The picture has it's own unique beauty. Some of the most priceless things are antiques and both the soap and the wine seem to fit into that category. And always remember: "The most priceless antique is an old friend. And I'm sure these are old friends to many people~~~;)"

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  2. "Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet"... This sentence used to be painted on the walls of the tunnels of the tube, in the times when the seats were in wood and the coaches painted in green (and red for the 1st class!)
    ... Childhood memories ;-)

    It is still possible to find traces of these old painted adverts (réclames!) here or there when travelling through French countryside

    BTW, GF-GA! Congrats! You're obviously a serious competitor for the Crown ;-))

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  3. I remember Dubonnet ads on TV years ago, featuring Pia Zadora singing and drinking. I've had the red variety "on the rocks" with a squeeze of lemon, but that was a long time ago.

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  4. Yea, Gramma Ann! GF! And yea, Eric for such a cool picture. I have read about Dubonnet, but not about Cadum before. I can bet the advertising campaigns are different! I wonder which sign was painted first?

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  5. Thib~~~"You're obviously a serious competitor..." Not really, I think it's just because I'm retired and everyone else is at work...

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  6. I like the rough bricks of the two buildings and the small arch connecting them - what must surly be a purely decorative element. A very interesting building.

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  7. G-Ann, "at work" !? Not everybody... It's 1.00 am on this side of the ocean ;-)

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  8. Cool!!! I love this!

    "Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet"... I was gonna say too but Thib beat me to it!! I do too, remember the ads in the subway tunels *between* the stations. There was one between Reuilly (?) and Gare De Lyon for the longest time but I haven't seen it in recent years. Childhood memories for me too.

    I am a big fan of these old walls with ancient advertisement painted on them. Unfortunately, it's hard to find them pristine anymore, I mean without graffiti.

    Wasn't there a "bébé Cadum" too?

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  9. ANY photo of Paris is a beauty! I'll take any one you want to give me, Eric! (Save the hanging rats.)

    We have some of these 'ghosts of advertising past' in San Jose, too. Even some old stores are given the honor or keeping the old sign up, even when the store has been long replaced by another. I love to look at them and hope they never get covered up.

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  10. Very neat! I love old advertising, especially on old buildings :)

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  11. thib~~~Or asleep, that side of the ocean...

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  12. There are lots of these in San Francisco -- mostly for cigars or rooms for rent. Unfortunately, many of them have been vandalized. I remember those tv ads, too, Uselaine. I used to order it once inawhile because I liked the sound of it.

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  13. Cali, Christie, and Katie, I posted a comment for you on yesterday's blog. It didn't fit in with today's photo.

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  14. Dubonnet,eh? Add a little gin, lemon, ice, and party till it's 1999 (I guess that doesn't quite work anymore...don't tell the guy who used to be Prince!) Now where would the cocktail be without Monsieur Dubonnet? Glad to see these vintage ads haven't been painted over and are on display. If you zoom in on Eric's photo and look carefully above the ad, I think you'll see "Michael's" name being advertised, too! How did he do that? I kid you not; check it out! ;-)

    Gramma...you rock the house baby!!! Congrats on GF!

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  15. Oh Eric, Talk history to me. I just love it. I did an oil pastel (relatively new invention they are still perfecting in France) of a wall very similar to this wall. It was here in San Francisco and I think the ads dated back to the Gold Rush days. I agree, it's probably not the most beautiful painting I ever did, but it is interesting.

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  16. Yes, Coltrane, it looks like "Michael Moulin".

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  17. Lois...BINGO! I knew somebody with your artistic eye would catch the name. Ah, I'm in the middle of writing, so I must excuse myself. Have a great tomorrow!

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  18. How on earth did you see that Coltrane? Gramma Ann, I think you have another viewer on that side of the ocean who spends way too much time looking at the photo. I'm impressed.

    I love these old signs, but sorry to say Thib and Tomate, I've never seen them in the Metro, or even a wooden seat. That must have been a loooonnngggg time ago! ;-)

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  19. Funny story about the Moulin Rouge: I was talking to a scientist from India, Shantanu, a few days ago, and he asked me if I had ever been to the Moulin Rouge in Paris (there use to be one in Hollywood and that's another story). I said, yes. He asked if I saw a magician perform. I said, no. He said that once he was walking on the rue and saw an ad for this magician at the Moulin Rouge. He said to his wife, I know this guy from High School. He was kinda plain and fat. Well, as it turned out. -- when this fat and plain young man went to Paris, he of all things got a job at the Moulin Rouge doing magic tricks and lighting/special effects. Shantanu said he is still working there but behind the scenes.

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  20. A big shout out -- Have a great Rosh Hashanah to everyone for which this applies.

    I went to a lunch party this afternoon, and wore a T-shirt that has a vintage ad on it for "Manischewitz Gefilte Fish". Now, that was a conversation piece at the party!

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  21. Trust Coltrane to spot engraving on stone!

    I remember once publishing a picture of an interesting engraving on one of the many walls of Dover Castle but I, nor people who work at the castle, knew much about it. Coltrane decided to investigate and it turned out that the guy who engraved the wall was an interesting person indeed.

    Eric
    I agree with you, this is very interesting stuff. So what do you think they will put up there next?

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  22. Dubo, Dubon, Dubonnet… Une immense vague de nostalgie… Merci Eric !
    Très, très belle photo qui plus est !
    Bonne journée à tous !

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  23. I love walking through Paris with my head up in the air. ( :) )
    You can see so much on all the walls.
    All those old adds and my favorite...Le Chat!!
    That funny orange cat.
    You can also see the 'pacman' faces everywhere.

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  24. Michael, "That must have been a loooonnngggg time ago! ;-)"
    You know how old I am ;-(
    For me, that was in the late 60's, on line 10, between La Motte Picquet and Eglise d'Auteuil, 5 days a week. Not only wooden seats, but also still a "poinconneur", punching your ticket before you can go on the platform...

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  25. "Not only wooden seats, but also still a "poinconneur", punching your ticket before you can go on the platform"...whaaaa Thib! No need to say that I've never met a "poinconneur" and never seen the ad in the tunnel, or wooden seats, I'm not that mean. ;)

    I like old ads on the walls. Ripolin (painting) is one of my favorite.
    I found this website if you want to see some old and nice ads. Suze and Lefevre-Utile are probably the most known.

    Coltrane, how did you see that?! Honestly, even right now I can hardly read "Michael Moulin"...

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  26. Seeing the persistence of the past in Paris is one of the defining characteristics of her charm.

    Lois: Didn't the Hollywood Moulin Rouge become the Aquarius Theater for a while? I can't remember clearly. I have too much HAIR in my eyes.

    It must have been when it was the Hullabaloo Rock and Roll club that I went while in high school to some all-night, after-hours rock and roll thing. It was the first time I had seen dawn from that eye-searing perspective.

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  27. Thanks, Guille ;o)
    I'm sure the only poinçonneur you know is "Le Poinçonneur des Lilas"!
    (BTW, maybe our friend Coltrane also knows him!?)

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  28. nonsense thib, you don't look a day over 30!

    Personally I still don't see it. Guess I need a new script.

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  29. You're too kind, Soosha!
    But Guille and the other 2 Magots PDPers know the truth ....unfortunately ;-)

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  30. Yes Thib I know the truth (and couldn't beleive it!), but if you ask me so, I could lie: Thib is 30. No more, no less. :)

    I'm sure Coltrane knows Le Poinçonneur des Lilas!

    Shoosha, it's Thib's turn now? LOL :p

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  31. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  32. Guille: ROFL! No no, just paying a good man an honest compliment. Lucky for all PDPers I've started kinda "seeing" someone IRL so my attentions have been diverted. (Coltrane, try not to breathe that sigh of relief too loud!!!)

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  33. "Coltrane, try not to breathe that sigh of relief too loud!!!" LOOOL Shoosha! I'm sure he's more disappointed than anything else and will probably be jealous if you speak about someone else..!
    That's nice to see someone (I don't understand the "IRL" though!), I hope he's a good guy, un type bien. :)

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  34. Michael's Mill, tinted with soap and spirit. I wonder if the building was a mill in the past. The arched gap may have accommodated wagons, trucks or chutes.

    Ladies, you're both lovely. (Thib, you missed the chance and Guille made it easy for you!)

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  35. I've a question for people from California (it means everybody HERE!): I found a Driver Licence from California in Saint Michel métro station and want to send it back to this poor guy. Do you think I can put it in an envelope and send it? Is it risky?
    At least, I dicovered a city: Costa Mesa!

    Jeff, I did my best!

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  36. Jeff, I agree with you, my friend, these ladies are lovely, and not only for the compliment(s) and for the help (!).
    They are lovely just because they are!
    But are you really sure I missed the chance? Do you mean we need to be 30 (no more, no less), to have some success...?

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  37. LOL! No, I meant you missed the chance to return their compliments! As a Frenchman, you should know that, even if you are an inexperienced 30!

    Guille: it will be safe to mail the card to the owner's address on the card. I think you are very kind to do this. If you are concerned about your own safety, don't write your return address. Use mine: that will confuse the hell out of him!!!

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  38. ;-)
    I do know that, and I have no excuse! Shame on me!

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  39. Rose, "Coltrane decided to investigate and it turned out that the guy who engraved the wall was an interesting person indeed." Well, go on, go on, don't leave us in mid air. Who is this interesting person?

    Tall Gary, I don't remember what happened to the Hollywood Moulin Rouge. I only went there when it was the Moulin Rouge. My mother worked there as a dancer. I use to hang out back stage and in the dressing rooms. That was when I was 6 and 7 years OLD.

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  40. Guille, Merci for the link to Le Poinçonneur des Lilas! WOW!

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  41. Lois, I truly look forward to an opportunity to meet you, though I don't know when I'll be able to visit the Bay Area. Too bad we couldn't visit the Legion of Honor together when the Monet exhibit was there (2006). It was a great exhibit, if crowded.

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  42. Thib, it is NEVER too late to return a compliment to a lady and Guille deserves many so get crackin!

    Guille, you're too sweet. I'd put it in something a bit more than a plain ole envelope, perhaps one of those ones used to mail CDs that has the bubble wrap already in the envelope. Oh yeah, and IRL is interweb speak for "In Real Life."

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  43. Er...I don't think that it's kind. I imagined if it happened to me, and I would have appreciated that one made the same thing for me.

    Shoosha, I discovered 2 weeks ago that the ones with bubbles didn't exist anymore! Well, it's not a drama but it was so useful! Especially because I had to send a cellphone to England to a guy who forgot it in Paris. Yes, I spend my life sending things LOL.

    Jeff and Thib, you crack me up! :)And Thib, we are lovely just because we are? THAT'S a compliment! (no irony).

    Lois, je t'en prie! ;)

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  44. From soap to a California driver's license . . . Eric, your photos do spark great conversation. Guille, I do agree that this is extremely kind. If I ever lose anything I hope that you are there to pick it up.

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  45. Guille and Thib..."Les Poin des Lilas"?...never heard of it. ...des petits trou, des petits trou, des petits trou, toujours des petits trou!

    Oh, to be that cool. ;-)

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  46. If I'm ever lost, I hope she's there to pick ME up!

    Hey, Michael, our MN Twins may be playing the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. (We need to beat the White Sox first in a special tie breaker game today.) Is my memory right that you are from the Tampa Bay area, or was it Kissimmee by Orlando?

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  47. Unfortunately in this day and age it is very sweet of you, Guille. There are far too many people who would not return the license or the cell phone!

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  48. To Thib, Tomate and all French visitors that are old enough to have seen these ads "for real" (that would exclude Guille for instance!).

    I remember an old issue of Pilote (Pilote was the equivalent to Mad Magazine i, the US). They did a special "Tunnel sous la manche" (Channel tunnel) issue in the 70's (at that time the tunnel was already discussed but far from from being built).

    They pointed out a number of issues, and more precisely the need for advertisements to appear in both languages so that the Brits and the French would understand them...

    And of course they took Dubonnet as example because their ads in the Paris Metro tunnels were very famous; it would go "Dubo", "Dubon", "Dubonnet", which phonetically in French means "Beautiful", "Good", "Dubonnet" (I don't know if all this makes any sense to all non French speakers, but let's assume it does!)

    Back to Pilote (the equivalent to Mad Magazine, are you still with me?)... They thought of a way to translate this ad and they came up with "Ofze", "Ofzegood", "Ofzegoodnose" ("ofze" stands for "Du", "Good" for "Bon" and "Nose" for "Nez" (again for phonetics".)

    You're totally puzzled? I don't blame you, but for us French, it was very funny...

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  49. Eric, what you wrote above is...surrealist.
    I read it at least 3 times to understand the translation, and I'm FRENCH. LOL
    "Ofzegoodnose" is awesome. How did they think about it?! I'm sure that the non French speakers will understand.
    But anyway, as you said, I'm excluded so, I can't say anything... :p
    (Since when to be old is an advantage? LOOOL Ok, don't throw me stones please! I'm just a brat.)

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  50. Good Guille, could you translate for the rest of us?

    Jeff, no...Miami. Tampa Bay and Orlando are considered South Georgia to us "South Floridians".

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  51. Huey P. Long...You made it here! Welcome! I love the name by the way!

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  52. Michael, you want me to translate Eric's English in...an other English? :s I'm not able to do that...

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  53. Im a virgin blogger . . . how do I get a photo on there?

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  54. Lois
    The guy in question was interesting from a historical perspective.
    Here is a link to the blog in questionb http://canterburydailyphoto.blogspot.com/2008/07/bastille-day.html

    Guille
    If you find 50 Euros send them to me... I lost them when I was in Paris..lol

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  55. Huey p. long~~~Michael can help. He helped this old granny, who hasn't been a virgin in years...;)

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  56. "I'm sure that the non French speakers will understand." I meant "I'm NOT sure"! Slip.

    Dubonnet: du beau nez.Same pronunciation.
    du: of the; beau: good; nez: nose.
    Ofzegoodnose...
    So?.. I'm not sure that's more clear.

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  57. Hehe Rose, I will! But I'll probably pay the stamp with the note. So, you don't mind if there are only coins in the envelope?

    Huey p long, welcome!

    Gramma Ann, OOOOOhhhhh. ;)

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  58. Guille~~~~I just now realized that came out wrong! I meant "blogging virgin for years." Michael recently taught me how to post pictures. Thanks again Michael...;)

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  59. Eef zee nose ees in zee bonnet, bebee, you are smelling your hair. If zee cocktail ees of zee good kind, you will forget to make zee payment on zee bonnet. Alors, eet ees le overdue bonnet.

    Does that help, Ma Reine?

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  60. Hey, I'm reading road study proposals, I needed a break!

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  61. Jeff~~~you are confusing me. and I confuse very easily...

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  62. Oh I remember being young and watching the adults have a "Dubonnet" before dinner. I thought it looked so cool..sort of like "Grape Juice"...but I didn't like the smell! LOL!! I'm sure the bottle hasn't changed over the years either!

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  63. Gramma...I'm dying with laughter. You are too d*%ned cute! ;-)

    Guille...could you mail me some macaroons since I've never had them? LOL! BTW, I'm going to the post office shortly to ship a bass pedal (ebay sale)to a bloke in Merry England! Can I send you anything?

    Soosha...me jealous? Du beau pour tu! ;-)

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  64. Gramma Ann, I don't know whether to laugh or, well, laugh! Hilarious!

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  65. Hey great! Now if only I could read French...

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  66. Jeff, "I truly look forward to an opportunity to meet you" You meant IRL, right? Because, I think we have already met. When talking about things people on PDP say, referring to comments and photos, etc., I will tell the person, "Oh, who is Jeff (or whomever), he is a friend that I met through Eric.

    Rose, Merci for the link. I just love history. And Coltrane what a super sluth you are.

    I'm with you Jeff, I too needed a break. I'm doing an IDS -- that means I'm disclosing prior art. Whenever a person invents something and tries to get a patent, there is always a lot of back and forth concerning prior art ;-)

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  67. I do the same as you, lois. When I'm discussing plans for my trip to Paris I'm all "Oh I'm sure my friend Michael can take us there" or "Oh I'll just HAVE to have dinner with Guille" and everyone's all "Who?!?"

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  68. Jeff and Lois...you two are working hard. Me, I've just stumbled back from spending the day at a pumpkin patch, slugging through the mud, feeding the goats, throwing hay, tripping through a haunted castle, and catching a hayride with my 4-yr-old daughter and the other children from Montessori School. I've been working hard, too. Kids and farms. Now there's a magical combination.

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  69. Awww, how fun! I need to get out to a pumpkin patch with my little guy.

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  70. mmm I remember Dubonnet - yes Eric and I are that old. Yum. I also recall the ads. Here's something for you all....! .....

    old Dubonnet tv ad

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  71. Nice Point Of View :-)
    I think I'll go and take a look.

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  72. Excellent Ad Lynn! I love when he says, "Avec un zest de citron..."

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  73. Yes! I adore the terribly-terribly British voice-over at the end too. he he. What a lot of stuffed shirts we are over here!

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  74. A propos nothing; whilst I was searching for the ad., I found this. For all 'Lost' fans I guess, but really this is especially.....

    for Guille

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  75. "What a body, how sweet! Avec un zest de citron!"

    OMG, that is amusing. Merci, Lynn.

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  76. Anytime, Jeff, though I claim more pleasure in watching the following one, for Guille.... ;)...phew...hot in here isn't it?

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  77. LOOOOOOL! You're all so funny!

    Lynn thanks for the link to the ad (you even managed to make it a clickable link, I'm impressed!!)

    The main character is Fernandel, a very very famous French actor of Dubonnet's times...

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  78. Awww....thanks Eric...blush...! I know, I found the instructions again. I must say I was aiming for an Eric gold star for my efforts so I'm thrilled you noticed.... I do remember that actor, I even recall my parents giggling at him. I was very, very young, you know.....;)

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  79. My grandmother's tipple was always a 'Dubonnet and lemon' (said with a shy French accent and a giggle, I recall).

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  80. Lynn, I love the link. I mean, th 1st one. :) Too hot here. I can't breathe anymore!

    Shoosha, about that dinner you're planning to have in Paris: anytime you want!!

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