We got "ringed" and then we got "Whiffed"!

Last week, the infamous Paris shopkeeper, Eric DuBois, and I were strolling along our beloved streets of Paris. Being a little more experienced in this daily practice, I had to chuckle when a young woman positioned herself between Eric and me on a narrow street. Et voila! There it was! The ring.



Of course, you would have no idea what this scam is all about unless you've been to Paris and had the silly experience. In short, this is what happens. When it happened to me the first time, a man suddenly bent down in front of me and picked up a gold ring from the sidewalk. He immediately showed it to me, smiled, and gestured that he was blessed because he had found this beautiful ring. Then he tried it on various fingers and acted all disappointed that it didn't fit his fat, stubby fingers. He placed it on my finger and voila! Perfect fit! He gestured that he wanted me to keep the lovely ring. And started to walk away. But then he had second thoughts and asked for a few euros for coffee. My alarm bells started going off and I quickly tried to give him back the ring. He wouldn't take it until I started to put it on the ground, then he snatched it up and literally vanished. Of course, this all happened in a matter of seconds.

My first thought was that if I had taken out my wallet to give him a few euros, he would have snatched it and disappeared. However, when I got home, I asked my friend, Le Google, and found out all about this scam. It turns out that the ring is brass and practically worthless, even though there was the story of a woman who got scammed and said that she got $80 from a jeweler when she took it in to have it melted down. Doubtful.

OK, so back to the story. Walking down the street, Eric and I got ringed (yet again).

Later in the day, we hadn't had enough of scams, so we decided to try out a new product that I had learned about on a TV special: Le Whif.

Here's the hype according to Karen Day.



"Le Whif Chocolate Inhaler

Finally, chocolate is no longer a guilty pleasure. Le Whif, which just launched yesterday, combines chocolate and aerosol science with their zero calorie chocolate inhaler.

Beginning in the spring of 2008 as part of a culinary art experiment executed by Harvard professor David Edwards and his students, the innovative concept moves "eating habits to their logical conclusion." While we've yet to actually try the chocolate, we're sure this will spark a new culinary craze and lead to even more gastronomic experiments.

Le Whif is available online, and can be purchased by the box (24-count) for 40€."

OMG! Save your money! Our experiment was €1,80 for one whif. They offered coffee along with Le Whif for an extra 3€. Jokingly, I said that maybe they want you to have coffee to help you get rid of the after taste (moi, toujours le skeptique!). Sure enough, a few minutes after the experience, which I likened to drawing some Ovaltine powder into your mouth through a straw, I asked Eric for some gum to help rid my tastebuds of an unpleasant after taste.

But, go ahead if you must, try for yourself this new culinary craze and be part of the spark!!! It will only cost you 40€ ($56.00) for a 24-pack!