In the style of my darling fourth husband, the bon vivant J.R., last night we held a Bastille Day celebration. Jaci did a little research and whipped up a fabulous ratatouille that the babes gamely tried. I brought home baguettes, brie, and chevre (yum - my fave!). For dessert I got strawberries, red sprinkles (for the white, red and blue of the French flag) and French vanilla ice cream (you can giggle now—I know I was stretching things with the ice cream). Some almond cookies, from Europe rather than specifically from France, finished dessert, and some French lemonade was consumed but not appreciated.
Tyler did his research and gave us an abbreviated course in French history focusing on Bastille Day. I didn't realize how the French had helped the Colonies in the Revolutionary War and how they had personally suffered for their actions.
Following Tyler's history lesson, I told some stories about the summer the babes' grandfather and I spent in France studying with Nadia Boulanger and generally about what it's like to live in France. I told about seeing men riding their bikes down the street, carrying a baguette home for dinner, and about shopping at the market every day for one's meals, rather than shopping at Sam's Club once to stock up for a week or two.
<Stories I didn't tell - on>
Walking into a small grocery store in Fontainebleau to buy salt for our picnic in the forest. In our very broken French, asking the grocer for salt. "Sel?" "Sel?" Repeatedly making salt shaker gestures. Finally his face lit up and he said, "Oh, du sel." (Never underestimate the power of the article.)
Feeding the carp in the pond outside the palace at Fontainebleau.
Getting locked in the private apartments in the palace when we lingered behind the guard, reading the English guidebook.
Being able to tour the private apartments in Versaille as American art students and stand in the room where Marie Antoinette reportedly said, "Let them eat cake."
. . . And many other lovely memories of Franch that would have bored the babes.
<Stories I didn't tell - off>
Tyler and I hummed "La Marseillaise". Next year we'll print off the lyrics and sing it.
After dinner and preparing for bed, the babes got to stay up late and watch Ratatouille (yes, again).
Oh, how I love France and all things French. Oh, how I love family traditions.
7 comments:
Ah Mais Oui. But do you know that while indeed she was reported to say "let them eat cake" she most likely never actually said that? From what I understand, the anti-poverty phrase was first attributed to another royal a hundred years before she was supposed to have uttered it and cemented in history by Rousseau in his "Confessions" a full 15 years before she was born! In actuality, Ive gathered that she was quite kind and sympathetic to those in need...(obviously not so much that it kept her little head attached.) Sorry to get all nerdy on your blog madame but you and Tyler (and the fabulous Bastille Day sales I found in cleveland yesterday!) got me all Viva La France! Felicitations!
Yes, yes. I know that. I said "reported". I didn't say "said". :-)
I also stood in the room where she picked out the fabric in the morning for her seamstresses to work all day to construct her dress for the evening's activities!
You can keep me straight anytime!
Hehehe, Im sorry! I actually figured if you'd been in France you knew it. I just couldn't resist the chance to be nerdy. Re the fabric: see what I mean about not "all that" kind and generous? And I have to confess, I have been known to call folks who are being entitled "Marie Antoinette"! Thanks for your patience with my dorkiness!
I have to tell you the thing the babes liked the best about Tyler's lesson last night was the "running naked through the streets" part.
And when I told the girls at the office about last night's dinner at lunch today, they all wanted me to rotate nights having theme dinners at their houses.
Hmm, maybe I could rent myself out to raise funds for my real estate transactions!
I would totally rent you out for a theme dinner at my house. Hell you don't even have to bring dinner. Just tell us tales of your adventures!
How very cool that you had a family theme night and used it as a fun way to learn and share about another time and culture. What a wonderful family experience.
Well, it didn't start out as Family Theme Night. It was simply carrying on John's annual Bastille Day celebration. But I had so much fun (and I think/hope Ty and Jaci did also) that maybe we'll make a regular thing of this. Maybe we'll have a biweekly theme night with food and lesson and entertainment on a theme. Ooooh, how about South Pacific next? Or The Sound of Music? We may have to find shorter movies, but the food possibilities are endless. And the babes were willing to try the ratatouille, so maybe we can expand their palates. Yessss! :)
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