From the President

 It is with our deepest sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Wolfgang Kasper on 13 August in Port Douglas. While Wolfgang was a renowned economist, he was also known to us for his sharp mind and his curiosity. A good friend to many of us, he was a great traveller, an excellent cook and gourmet, a wine lover, a keen gardener, a linguist and a bon vivant, not only was he a regular contributor to our newsletter, but also, and above all, an interesting one. On behalf of the committee and myself, we would like to convey our sincere condolences to Wolfgang’s family and especially to Regine.

While we continue to cherish the memories of the past, let us now turn our attention to the moments that lie ahead.

Our crepes and cider party on 10 August was a great success, with 35 members present to finish off the 120 or so savoury and sweet crepes. Crepes with mushrooms and ham were so popular that Rob had to restock our supplies, but as you can see from one of the accompanying photos, the chocolate sauce was also a big hit. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members for their invaluable help in setting up, cooking, serving, cleaning up and tidying up, and all the participants for their support and invaluable good humour.

On 22 September 1988, the Alliance française de la Côte de Saphir opened its doors and you are invited to celebrate its 35th anniversary with a picnic and a celebratory cake. See details in the events section. I had the pleasure of spending a week with my daughter in Melbourne and took the opportunity to see the Pierre Bonnard (French painter 1867-1947) exhibition at the NGV. With over 100 works by the famous artist, the exhibition features paintings, drawings, photographs and screens, all in a colourful scenography that complements the artist's distinct use of colour and texture. I highly recommend a visit if you are staying in Melbourne.

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the newsletter to discover this month's special contributions, they really are interesting!

Looking forward to seeing you all soon,

Sylvie