November 20, 2011

Time to move on ... to "Time for LOVE"

 Well, the Magic Night came and went all too quickly and was a great success  !!... I have already been asked if  it will be repeated another Time .. well, magic tricks should never be performed twice of course to the same audience but  for those of you who were unable to make the date the first Time, the  evening will be repeated    (with a few variations of course) ; hopefully in March  ! so  keep your eyes firmly on the blog   ......

 MEANWHILE .... the next evening is coming up ... read below...


What's in a Name ?
One Two Two : quintet Barbershop style


"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

 Who said this to whom ? why , when and where ?


 .. and this ? 

If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.


 Well, find out in the next Theme night .. come and be seduced by the Rouen based A capella quintet the

 ONE TWO  TWO who are coming to  delight you with their love songs ...In English of course

 Listen and learn English through music, names  and poetry and style ...





 TUESDAY 6TH  december 7.45pm 15 euros


 All welcome ..  but places limited !!

November 16, 2011

och hay the noo !!!!

 eh ? sorry ?

" och hay the noo" is a typically scottish phrase which means " yes , just now" ... so  yes  just now I can confirm that  Scottish Night , Burns Night will be on January the 24th at 7.45 pm ...

 On the programme ....
 to a background of  gentle (!) Scottish music

An authentic Scottish live rendition of Robbie Burns' : ( Scotland's most famous poet )
                             Ode to a haggis ..

  sample  a  light meal of haggis  and tatties .. with a taste of shortbread and  a wee dram of whisky...

 Discover Scotland, the language, the people, the Tartans and Culture ...

 Price  18 euros per person 7.45 - 9.45pm
 Buy small gifts for your friends direct from Scotland ...

listen to the bagpipes...


on the road from Edinburgh to Stirling ...


November 13, 2011

Theme nights ??? What are they ?

 What are  THEME NIGHTS really ?? Many of you ask..

 TAKE TIME FOR ENGLISH
A way to learn English differently, effortlessly and pleasurably
 Who can come ?
Adults and Teens ..  all levels ... ( PEU IMPORTE VOTRE NIVEAU )
What is the price ?
From 12 - 20 euros depending on the evening.  Refreshments included .            
Where are they  held ?
 In the ABC Bookshop Cellar, Passage de la petite Horloge Rouen
What time ?
 Normally from 7.30 pm to 9.30pm or 8pm to 10pm.
How do I register ?
 By mail to p.abcbooks@gmail.com. Please pay in advance. Seats are limited ! ( 15-20 people )
What else  should I know ?
just  come and Enjoy yourselves in a cosy British home atmosphere.. and IMPROVE FAST !



 ......... AND TO MAKE THINGS EVEN CLEARER

When I was in the Cellar recently I heard a lady walk past  with a friend  and notice the new signpost :



 TIME FOR ENGLISH
Cours/conversation         .
Soirées à Themes           .
 pour plus d'info..             
p.abcbooks@gmail.com...

and this was the actual  conversation I heard :

lady A - Tiens cest nouveau ça ," Cours/ conversation"  ça a l'air pas mal; on doit parler anglais là ..
lady B - tu parles anglais toi ?
       A - oui, oui je me débrouille .
       B - Et ça alors ca veux dire quoi " Theme nights " ..  ?
       A - bein ça ca veut  dire des jeux de nuits .....
       B - ah bon d'accord !

........ and they walked on !!!

 SO inspired by this and other unfortunante misunderstandings .. HERE GOES :

 A THEME NIGHT is above all AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE  :
 A 2 hour English Class with a wonderful difference!
 Organised in close collaboration with the  " performer (s)" .

  "Who are the Performers ?" : They are  people I have selected because of their special talent in their diverse fields , with ONE COMMON Interest : Their passion for their " stuff " and enjoyment of ENGLISH whether it be Music, Literature , Magic, History, Business,Language, Food, Travelling .. or other delights

 and they  share their passion  in ENGLISH with You on the night...!

 They may be of any nationality , with any accent, and level of English ... but  they do what they do in ENGLISH for the Cellar ....

 "IS IT  LIKE A LESSON ?"    YES AND NO :  my idea and passion is bringing people together of different cultures, backgrounds, levels in English and with different motivations to experience and learn English  differently .. because some of you have struggled for years to learn and ENJOY ENGLISH ...

 The  "Performances" will be interspersed with  varied moments of  vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, texts, poetry, historical contexts, film extracts ... and other things to help you understand and learn more  about the subject too ...
 You can of course see some of the performers at different shows during the year at other places but not necessarily in English ...

 So here are some more FAQs ( Frequently Asked Questions)


 " Do I need to speak English" ? NO ;. but it helps if you understand a minimum .. The idea is to improve !

 " Do I have to participate in some way?   NO but you are very welcome to help out the magician for example, and learn to sing a Christmas Carol .. but  you can just listen  and watch...

 " Can I bring my friends  ? " Yes with pleasure ...Tell people around you about the THEME EVENINGS  You can even pay for them  by buying a special Theme night Gift Card from 12 to  50 euros as a Birthday or Christmas present ! see previous blog post " Christmas in November" ..

" Can my children come" ? Because theme nights are in the evening and IN ENGLISH they are basically for adults with a minimum of English and the subject may be difficult to understand ...

 " Will there ever be events for children ? "   THEME AFTERNOONS  will exist next year  I hope, adapted to children, games , magic, music, reading etc ...

 " Can I propose a  Theme Night idea  ? " Of course if you are a specialist in  and / or passionate about something and wish to present your passion IN ENGLISH  , Don't hesitate to talk  to me about it ..

 .. ad more practically .......




 " When  can I eat if the Theme night is from 7.30 to 9.30 ??" Well there will always be " Nibbles " and a drink" .. but why not prolong the Theme night and go after for a meal and speak IN ENGLISH about the NIGHT ??
For Burns Night in January for example their will be a light meal of Haggis, Neeps and tattties and short bread fudge and a " wee dram of whisky offered " ( DON'T EAT BEFORE )


 " How much does an evening cost  ?" from 12 to 20 euros depending on the Night.
 If you book for TEN Conversation classes, ONE THEME evening of your choice is ABSOLUTELY FREE !

 " How do I book  ? " send me a mail to p.abcbooks@gmail.com or tell me in person before or after class. I am  not far from the Cellar so can often be there in 5 mins ! You are officially registered when I have your payment.

 so "  How can YOU help  Ms Greene ? " .. In many different ways

 Part of the fun is planning the evenings and organising the room to welcome the performers , to  make sure the evening goes  smoothly..
 If you wish to help   IN ANY WAY  by  publicity, setting up the room , putting up curtains, helping with electricity, giving encouragement, taking photos if the evening for the blog, serving drinks etc etc of course it will be very much appreciated ... Please just contact me by mail...

 There are lots of skills you have that I dont !!!!!

 and finally

PLEASE  BOOK AND PAY IN ADVANCE . PLACES ARE LIMITED TO 16/20 people and I CANNOT TAKE PAYMENT  ON THE NIGHT !


 PLEASE Be Punctual
 Don't be late ! of course  it can happen but 7.30pm is 7.30pm
 7.45 is 7.45 !  Often I will have a class just before , so if you arrive  ahead of time you can chat to people  in the court yard IN ENGLISH  as you arrive


 " What time does an evening finish  ?" From 9.30 - 10pm ...

 any help clearing up after is always appreciated ..

" So where can  I Find out more ?" Look at the blog regularly and look out for posters around town and at the ABC Bookshop and at the Cellar ...


 SO , I hope that makes things clearer  and any mis understandings have been cleared up.. perhaps i should contact those two elderly ladies somehow ... any ideas  ???????

 I really  Look Forward to "  THEME NIGHTS" and  welcoming those of you I have seduced with this new way of " TAKING TIME FOR ENGLISH "
The  Theme Nights from now to February are each explained on the blog , see previous posts ..

 Enjoy your week ;
 Ms G

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« Take time for English at the ABC Cellar »










November 11, 2011

Remembrance day...

 At 11 a.m today , on the 11th Hour  of the 11th day of the 11th month ...and this year 2011 ....
 all over Britain, people wear a red poppy "sold" by the war veterans smartly dressed in their red "attire" ( uniforms) to remember those who died for their country. Look , read and listen below for the history of this special moment .. and look out  for the poppy in the ABC Cellar next Time you are there ...
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Remembrance.htm

http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/

November 9, 2011

Theatre .. Sketches for Teens

There are still places for "teen theatre". Listen to the play called "The English Teacher" starring 4 young "English actors": Marius , Lucy , Mona and Ahn-xuan. They are GREAT !!  There is no picture for now ...

November 6, 2011

Christmas in November ?

                        Christmas in November ???
                
           Why not buy  an early Christmas gift or Birthday present ..


Offer an English lesson ( gp or individual class)  or  a "Theme night" to a friend for Christmas  or birthday!


 You can buy a gift card from 12 to 45 euros to initiate others to the joys of the Cellar !!


An original  way  for them to learn and have fun in style and in English of course !
             You can buy the cards at the Abc Cellar at any time .... 
for more info contact me at p.abcbooks@gmail.com

and dont forget to sign up yourselves for the Christmas Carol evening on the 15th december .. discover what Christmas  is like across  the channel !

November 5, 2011

Remember remember ...

 Remember , remember,  The 5th of November , Gunpowder , treason and plot ....

 This is the  start of a " poem" all English children learn to celebrate the failed attempt to explode the parliament buildings in London by Guy Fawkes  on the 5th November ...

 When I was young, like all children in the  U.K we  created a  lifesize " guy" and collected money in the streets asking " penny for the Guy". With the money we bought fireworks and in the evening we put the Guy on a big Fire and had a firework display and cooked sausages and potatoes on the fire to celebrate .....
ah  fond memories !!


Guy Fawkes Day in United Kingdom

www.timeanddate.com › ... › United Kingdom - Traduire cette page
Guy Fawkes Night is annually held on November 5. ... Guy Fawkes' Night, or Bonfire Night, commemorates the prevention of a plot to ... Guy Fawkes Day 2011 ...

November 2, 2011

A quick reminder ... and more ...




  Dear all ,

A short ( ? !) blog  message to remind you that many of you are coming to the end this week of your 5 lessons.
Please tell me by mail or in person if you would to sign up for  more classes very soon  because I do actually have a waiting list for one group. I really want to keep the group sizes small so you can help me and  the others by confirming dates in advance when you  are going to be present or absent. !
I am also looking for  “ better” level students to join the select few for the groups on Tuesdays at 4pm and 6.30pm  … Thursday 5.30pm  is often  complete …
And I would like to be able to open a lunchtime group on Wednesdays ,…

I really hope your first steps at the Abc Cellar have helped you learn , improve or consolidate your English DIFFERENTLY and with pleasure …

Remember to  look at the BBC Learning web site  regularly .and the blog http://abookcellar.blogspot.com  of course for my  THEME NIGHTS.  The Theme Nights are not just  “shows “ by specialists in their field,  but a new way of learning  vocabulary, history and lots about British Culture with 2 hours of entertainment :

so  sign up to p.abcbooks@gmail.com for :

1) Magic night :   “ The illusion of Time” with Guilhem Julia Thursday 24th oct 7.45 pm ( a few places left) ( 18 euros)

2)One Two Two  Barber shop songs Tuesday 6th December 7.30 ( 15 euros)

3)“ Christmas Carols” British  Christmas traditions with mulled wine and  “ mince pies” and Crackers Thursday  15th December  7.45 pm ( 12 euros)

4) Another  Games Quizz Night  with me  which was a great success  !  Thusday 5th January 7.45pm  ( 12 euros)

5)An introduction to Detective stories  with  Sherlock Holmes .. In conjunction with Librairie Polis Rue Perciere Thursday 19th January 7.15pm  ( 10 euros)

6) Burns Night  Celebrating Scotland  ! Learn about the most famous Scottish  Poet Robbie Burns  in True Scottish style , tips  for visiting Scotland ..taste haggis / neeps  and shortbread and perhaps “ a wee dram” of whisky !

7)  .. and in February the Duo Crystal Tears , The English soprano  Kate Le page and Lutenist Olivier Fodor  will enchant you with English Music….  Date /Time and Price to be confirmed..


Remember  if you are registered  with the Cellar  for  20 euros this year you have a Theme night for Half Price and can borrow the magazines and Newspapers ( vocable / Time/ Healthy magazine , Good Houskeeping  Go English and many more  ) and take Games to play at home  and CDs of English music  for free………. Where else in Rouen is that possible ????

Please pass on all this info to your family and Friends .. the  ABC Cellar is   “Taking off “ ( beginning to do well)  but more people are very welcome to join so please help make it a success !

“ The More the Merrier “ …
So  Many thanks for your Time



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« Take time for English at the ABC Cellar »






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« Take time for English at the ABC Cellar »




October 26, 2011

Before your very eyes ....

 I am pleased to confirm that the next  very special evening will be held on :
                                     THURSDAY  November  24th at 7.45 pm sharp,
 as part of  the   "Take Time for English  Theme Nights" at  ABC Cellar !


.                          " The Illusion of Time" .. by Guilhem Julia
                                l'anglais et la magie autrement.. 



 So .. cast your eyes before it disappears on the link to the  site Imagienaire on the blog here below the  goldfish. ( Don't forget to feed them, first !)  Guilhem has travelled round the World and won 3rd prize in a Worldwide competition several years ago with his incredible " Fish Act" .. yes the title is originally in English ! . .......Guilhem JULIA appartient à une nouvelle génération de magiciens.
L'originalité de sa magie l'a souvent amené à se produire à l'étranger, notamment en Hollande,au Maroc et en Chine.
Lauréat aux Championnats de France en magie rapprochée en 2003 et 2004, il  termine 3ème de sa catégorie aux  Championnats du Monde de Magie qui se sont déroulés à Stockholm en Suède.


 Though he will not perform this act , there WILL be goldfish present .. so join me and  him and the others to see this great magic show IN ENGLISH of course on the Theme of  TIME ... ...
...SIGN UP QUICK  Not much Time ( nor many places) left !

October 20, 2011

Games night ..

 so Games night has been .. and gone  .. with lots of funny and happy   moments;   I hope and think the people present learnt something ? i learnt alot :) .. I was so busy that no photos were taken of the evening .. but maybe that's a good sign ???

 Please sign up for the next theme night , there are few places left .. More info will be posted soon about that .. .. looking forward to it .; lets hope it will be as magic as this one was for me .. ;) goodnight sweet ladies, goodnight and Goodnight .. from me and T.S Eliot ...