« J’ai deux amours, mon pays et Paris. Par eux toujours, mon coeur est ravi. » — Joséphine Baker (and many others!)
Le Palais Élysée - 55 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France (résidence officielle du Président de la République française) — photo prise le 18 octobre 2019.
Joyeuse Fête nationale to all my French and francophile friends! Unfortunately, in these unprecedented times, Americans can neither safely nor even legally be in France to celebrate. Yet, despite my disappointment in not visiting Paris this year, I am making the best of today’s French fête. After all, you can’t make Champagne out of sour grapes. I am spending this beautiful summer afternoon on the deck reading Paris Was Ours (32 writers’ reflections on their time in Paris) until 4:00 pm CDT, when I plan to watch a live stream of the Eiffel Tower fireworks, courtesy of Oliver and Lina Gee of The Earful Tower. Later this evening, we’ll continue our celebration with a picnic of cheeses, crusty bread, a bottle of French sparkles, and my ever-evolving custom French music playlist, followed a Paris-themed double feature, Midnight in Paris and Amélie. Pas mal du tout!
