katia and kyliemac original version (VO)

We're full of summer holiday happiness in episode 462 and get to talking about some of the adventures we had during the holidays - visiting Frog's parents, taking the tgv and the usefulness of guidebooks.

In episode 461 we are pleased to bring you an episode we recorded with Amy Plum, author of Die for Me, a few months ago. We talk about the stereotypes of French men, then have a very frank and fascinating discussion about what it was like for her to move to France - the circumstances surrounding the move and how she feels about life in the French countryside.

In episode 460 we're pleased to present a show we recorded a few months ago with Camille the Pastry Chef! She tells us about a day in the life of a Parisian pastry chef, what it's like to be part of a very male industry, what she loves about her work, her favourite pastries to make and eat, special ingredients and French vs American techniques.

In episode 459 we present a show recorded a few months ago with the delightful Ann Mah, author of Kitchen Chinese. We talk at length about getting married at McDonalds, localisation in fast food restaurants, unusual food from around the world and missing food from home.

In an episode 458 we recorded a few months ago with Steve, we somehow manage to spend the entire episode talking about celebrity sightings, eating on public transport and in the car and how we sing happy birthday. And that's it.

In episode 457 we are pleased to present an episode we recorded a few months ago with Forest of 52 Martinis! We talk about the cocktails that have been invented in Paris, why Paris appears to be a little behind the rest of the world in terms of cocktail drinking, cultural perceptions of cocktails, whether tourists are interested in serious cocktail bars, what the German and Japanese cocktail scenes are like, whether cocktails go well with food and nice (and not-so-nice) bartenders!

In episode 456 we discuss visiting haunted houses, parental visits, what to do with people who have visited Paris multiple times, Paris Plage and boats! This episode was brought to you by the word "un chocolat chaud" (hot chocolate).

In episode 455 Katia describes a visit to the beauty salon and we discuss cultural differences in personal grooming habits. We also talk about linguistic differences, wifebeaters and plans for the summer holidays. WARNING: this episode may be slightly inappropriate for younger ears and we discuss some subjects that are NSFW (particularly the wikipedia page we discussed on the show).

In episode 454 we recount what happened at the 5th Annual k&k Bastille Day picnic (including margaritas, out of town visitors, helicopters and men falling from the sky), then we discuss meeting up with a listener from Belgium, how to be disciplined enough to practice different languages with the same people, and we throw down a language challenge for the summer holidays.

In episode 453 we decide to do a public service announcement as we describe something that happened to us on the métro. You'll hear all about handbags, id cards, moral dilemmas, cia agents, phone calls to the italian embassy, urgent detective work, learning italian, karma and more!

In episode 452 Katia continues to tell tales from her trip to LA to see Kathryn & Seb get married: crazy traffic, Hollywood Boulevard & the Walk of Fame, the bachelor & bachelorette parties, the rehearsal dinner, meeting up with Dani, supermarket adventures, the wonderful wedding itself, crab shack shenanigans, uber-American 4th of July celebrations, an old-fashioned picnic in Kathryn's hometown, driving through downtown LA, a trip to Olvera street, more mexican food and margaritas, a baseball game at Dodger's Stadium and fireworks. Then we share some general thoughts about gaps on toilet doors, water levels in toilets, the lack of jaywalking, strange pedestrian rules and the joys of travelling.

In episode 451 we chat about the upcoming Bastille Day picnic, then Katia recounts what happened when she and and the Muffin Man went to America: adventures with passport control, fingerprints, airplane food, sprinting through airports, hand luggage dramas, tipping confusion, friendly waiters, unknown but exciting ingredients, eating their way through LA, diner coffee tasting, Starbucks sightings and refills.

In episode 450 we step back in time to an episode we recorded earlier this year with Janet Skeslien Charles, author of Moonlight in Odessa. We continue talking about the "email order bride", the extensive history of this phenomenon, the power of the internet in forming relationships, the expectations and preconceptions of the women who are part of these schemes and the subsequent culture shock. Janet shares some of her culture shock and travel experiences, we talk about the presence of the Ukranian Mafia, national pride, making friends in foreign countries, learning the language, and we chat a bit more about the personalities of some of the characters.

In episode 449 Katia recounts the happy ending to the Hatastrophy, we talk about the "sales" in France, the laws behind them and the appeal (or lack thereof) of the giant Parisian department stores. This episode was brought to you by the word "un grand magasin" (department store).

In episode 448 we talk about how easy it is to learn a language by listening to the news, and we discuss whether podcasts providing slower versions of spoken news are beneficial to language learners. This leads to a lengthy discussion about watching movies and television, and the pros and cons of subtitles.