French Friday: Movies set in France

It's been awhile since I have done a French Friday post!  For other Francophiles out there, you can find the other FF posts here.

It's been over a year since my Paris trip, and my heart truly aches for Paris.  I got a bit of a fix by reading Amy's posts while she was there this spring, and am anxiously awaiting Jeanie's posts about Paris when she returns from her trip in May!  In addition to living vicariously through the travels of other, I get my Paris fix by watching films set in France.  There are SO many good ones to choose from, but here are some of my favorites!

Midnight in Paris - This movie came out last year so is a recent release.  It is a Woody Allen film, so it is quirky, but I loved it.  I thought they did a fabulous job of showcasing the city of Paris, and I adore Owen Wilson, so I really enjoyed this movie.  When the opening scene came on, I actually put my hand on my heart because the scenes they were showing of Paris were so stunning and brought back memories of my time in Paris.

French Kiss - I have always been a Meg Ryan fan, so I really loved this movie.  Plus Kevin Kline's character is SO sexy.  Hello, wonderful, charming accent.  I loved the way he said his name, Luc Teyssier.  I think this one has been broadly seen since it came out in the 90s, so I won't explain the plot, but it's one of my favorites - and one I should really own.

An American in Paris - This is a musical from 1951 which features Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron.  There is lots of singing and dancing, and it's just a really sweet movie.  I watched it back before my first trip to Paris, and the title of the film inspired the title of my French Travel blog.

Before Sunset - This is actually the sequel to the film, Before Sunrise.  So you need to watch that first to appreciate/understand Before Sunset.  In Before Sunset, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy reunite in Paris, 9 years after spending a night together in Amsterdam.  They spend most of the movie walking around Paris, talking about what has happened in their lives over the last 9 years.  The conversations are amazing and I totally relate to Delpy's character.  I feel like I could have written the bulk of the script, honestly.

Paris, je t'aime - Last, but not least, is the film Paris, je t'aime.  It's a collection of vignettes about the city of Paris, and it's such a wonderful film.  In fact, I am going to close with a clip from this film.  It is sort of long, but I love it - especially the last 60 seconds.  And in the event that you don't want to watch, I've transcribed the end of the clip, as the character's monologue really resonated with me.

"Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me.  It was like remembering something I’d never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn’t know what.  Maybe it was something I’d forgotten or something I’ve been missing all my life.  All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness.  But not too much sadness, because I felt alive.  Yes, alive.  That was the moment I fell in love with Paris.  And I felt Paris fall in love with me."

Do you seek out movies set in a certain location?  Are there any films set in France that you would recommend?  I just requested Funny Face from the library and am excited to check it out!

French Friday: Julia Child Night

Happy Friday, friends!  And what an extremely happy Friday it is, indeed!  Why, might you ask?  Well, because tomorrow is JULIA CHILD NIGHT! 

My aunt Barb and I at the inaugural Julia Child Night

Those who have read my blog for awhile are probably familiar with this tradition.  You can read about the 1st event here, and the 2nd event here. 


Voila!  Julia Child's Paella was a hit that first year!

And here we are - preparing to host our 3rd Annual Julia Child Night!  I am actually not quite sure how this tradition got started.  I think I made an aside comment about my desire to learn how to make some Julia Child recipes, and the event was born. 



My mom, me, and my aunt Barb at the 2nd Julia Child Night, wearing our beloved Anthropologie aprons

My aunt is the true maestro of this event.  She researches and plans and experiments with recipes.  She is an amazing cook and a mentor of sorts to me.  Through the planning and execution of this event, we have become incredibly close.  Our bond has truly transcended the typical aunt and niece relationship - the bond we have now can only be described as magical!  We share a love of French food and we love to share that love with family and friends.

The main course last year - Beef Bourguignon, puree de pommes de terre, and hericot vert

So tomorrow night, we will gather in her home.  We will don anthropologie aprons and cram into her kitchen, oo'ing and ah'ing over the smells coming from her stove and oven.  We will taste french cheeses, spread olive tapenade on gluten free crackers, and toast over French 75's.  We will enjoy a main course fit for kings!  We will toast to loved ones, both near and far, and we will embrace the joy de vivre that the French truly embody with their approach to living.  And we will toast to the Julia Child events of the past and the ones that have yet to unfold in the years to come.  Life is good, my friends!

French Friday

Good morning and Happy French Friday to all of you!

On my inaugural French Friday post, Raquelita asked - 'why France?'  So today I figured I would try to explain my fascination and obsession with this country.

I have a two-fold explanation... and some pictures to share from my 2008 to illustrate the reason why I fell in love with Paris.

Turns out my fascination with France goes back quite a ways... actually, all the way back to 4th grade. My music teacher asked us to do a report on a composer. She started to assign composers to each student, when I raised my hand to make a special request. After being called on, I explained that it was really important that I be assigned a French composer, if at all possible. She questioned why it was so important to me, and I said, 'well, I'm French, of course'. She gave me a strange look, but did assign me Camille Saint-Saens. When the day came to present our composers to the class, I vividly recall giving my report in what I thought was a 'French Accent'. Oh to be a fly on the wall and hear what I thought a French accent sounded like!  I don't think I have a drop of French blood in my body - I am primarily German & Swedish... but for some reason, I dreamed up some long-lost relatives in France. I'm sure my classmates thought I was a total fruitcake. I sure had a vivid imagination as a child...

My curiosity and interest about France sort of subsided over the years, until 2008 when I started to research grad school programs summer programs.  There was a 2-week program in Lyon that I was interested in so I applied and was accepted.  I had plenty of vacation time left for the year, so I decided to add onto this trip and spend a week in Paris.  I would meet up with my classmates in Lyon, but the Paris segment of the trip would be spent ALONE. 

This was my first time really traveling alone (besides studying abroad alone) and surprisingly, I wasn't really even nervous about this.  I had gone through a really tough break-up the previous January, so I needed this trip.  And the thing is, on that trip to Paris, I realized I had found "me" again.  I had gotten so lost in that unhealthy/unhappy relationship that had recently ended, and I spent most of the spring feeling as though I was living under a rain cloud.  But that week in Paris, I was reminded just how wonderful life really is.  I realized that being single is a not a cursed existence and that I could be quite happy on my own. 

So I guess you could say that Paris came into my life at a time when I needed it.  That week in Paris put a spring in my step and helped me feel independent and in control of my life.  I have such fond memories of my time in France, and Paris will forever hold a special place in my heart.  I have traveled somewhat extensively, and no other city has captured my heart like Paris has. 

And so I have become a complete and utter Francophile, because in a way - Paris saved me.  Or I saved myself, with the help of Paris. 

Is there any particular region you have traveled to that has captured your heart?

French Friday

Happy Friday, everyone!  This is an especially happy Friday because a) I have a half day, b) I get to see Nora today, and c) I am introducing a new post series that I am really excited about:  French Friday!!

Most of you know about my obsession with all things French.  I have a separate blog where I chronicled my adventures in France and I will occasionally mention something French-inspired that I am obsessed with...  But I figured I needed a new outlet to share my French obsession...

Voila - French Friday! 

Since this blog was initially started to share book recommendations (wow, have I gotten off track or what!), it seemed only fitting that my first French Friday post be book-themed! 

I own so many books about or set in France, I actually have a "France" bookshelf.  I am pretty this isn't all the French books I own, and some are on my nook, but this gives you an idea of how many I have read!

Here are some of my favorites that I have read over the years!

My Life in France by Julia Child - I adored this book.  It was so interesting to read about the life of Julia Child.  She did not learn to cook until she was in her 30s!  That means there is hope for me. 

A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway - I am typically intimidated by Hemingway as I find his books difficult to get into, but I devoured this one.  The writing isn't superb, it's more so almost a journal of his time in Paris.  It's cool to read about him rubbing elbows with other great authors, like F. Scott Fitzgerald!

Paris Wife by Paula McLain - This is a historical fiction novel, based upon Hemingway's first marriage to Hadley Richardson.  Hemingway was married multiple times, so marriage clearly wasn't his thing (he definitely had a wandering eye).  It is interesting to read this after reading A Moveable Feast because A Moveable Feast was written at the end of his life, but he is writing about his time with Hadley in Paris.  He writes about her quite tenderly so it makes a person wonder if he looks back with regret at how that first marriage ended. 

Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard - This is a fun, light read that includes recipes!  This falls into my "escapism" category as the author meets a Parisian, falls in love, and marries him.  The book chronicles their relationship and the time they spent in Paris.  I secretly was hoping I would fall in love with a guy when I went to Paris in February, but that so didn't happen.  Oh well, maybe I will find a local Francophile!

The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry by Kathleen Finn This is a must-read for any foodie who is curious about what it like to attend Le Cordon Bleu.  Finn's account of her experience in that epic culinary program is a page turner. 

Sarah's Key  by Tatiana de Rosnay - This last book differs from the others in that the subject matter is extremely heavy, but this is a must-read in my opinion, and one of the first books I think of when someone asks for a book recommendation.  I am pretty sure everyone has heard of it as it's been quite popular and is now a movie.  Read it.  Seriously.  You won't regret it.

So there you have it!  Have you read any of these books?  Do you have any books set in Paris or France that you would recommend?  Are you drawn to books that are set in a particular city? 

I hope you enjoy this regular feature - if there is anything in particular that you would like me to talk about, I am all ears!