I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
Our babies are nine!! What?! I asked them what they wanted for their ninth birthday, and the answer was both unanimous and instant – MINECRAFT. Marie and Henry discovered the game late last year and quickly developed an obsession (as many understandably do). I was immediately impressed with the endless possibilities of the game, to include the educational factor. I refer to it as AutoCAD with monsters, because the structures and interiors they create in-game are insanely complex and cool. While the theme is not “on brand” for me, lol…I love a challenge and had so much fun pulling it all together. Perhaps this could help inspire your Minecraft-themed fête! More photos + sources below…
We all know this lady…or at least, we think we do. Her origins are lesser-known, and go beyond the fact that she was a gift from France (a fact that delights many Francophiles). Her little sister (shown above) recently made the trek from Paris to NYC at Ellis Island, and now rests at the home of the French Ambassador in Washington D.C. – you can learn more about her journey here. Did you know that there are over thirty copies in and around France?! Talk about a fun treasure hunt!
Lady Liberty became an icon of freedom and of the United States, yet many don’t realize that her original purpose was to commemorate the end of slavery. French author and anti-slavery activist Édouard de Laboulaye (who was a firm supporter of Abraham Lincoln and his fight for abolition), first presented the concept in 1865. In an early model by sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, she held broken shackles in her left hand, however he decided this would be too divisive in the days after the Civil War. He gave her a tablet instead, invoking the concept of law, and shackles at her feet.
Ellis Island didn’t open until six years after she was first unveiled, and the symbolism and original intention was sadly co-opted, lost and long-forgotten…so many of us were taught a different story in our textbooks. Thankfully, this fascinating and culturally significant history was finally given a well-deserved spotlight at The Statue of Liberty Museum (read more about that here). As Americans, it is imperative that we acknowledge and share this history. It is representative of the continued struggle of so many, both stateside and beyond–anyone who is “yearning to breathe free”.
I must say I do enjoy curating these gift guides every year, and I almost always discover something new for my own wish list (which is both a good and a bad thing, lol). While this is dedicated to les mamans, it can of course can serve as inspiration for any special friend in your life. Mother’s Day is upon us in the states and fête des mères falls at the end of the month in France. This guide does contain some affiliate links which help support the work that goes on behind the scenes here and @thefrancophiles. Thank you et merci for your community love and happy shopping mes amis!
m
1. this 14k gold “maman” necklace is the result of a cool collaboration between friends Maya Brenner + Clare V.
Today was emotional for so many reasons, but holding my daughter as the first female Vice President was sworn into office was the highlight. I cried tears of joy as Kamala Harris took the oath of office, and held onto both of my children tighter than ever. I feel hopeful for their future today, and I’m going to hold onto that feeling as long as possible. Marie is wearing the K is for Kamala t-shirt, and holding a printable pennant by Tina Green. I’m so proud that she understands the significance of this day and shares the joy – look at that smile! What a joyous day for us all…now the year can truly begin.
I started looking forward to the holidays in this house as soon as we knew we’d be staying for a bit. We’ve always had a tradition of cutting a fresh tree, but this year it felt even more authentic, doing it in the mountains. While sometimes I wish we could just wander into the woods with an axe like back in the day, we found a charming local farm and quite possible the prettiest tree we’ve ever had. I even broke out the “nice” ornaments from storage, and it was comforting to see some old friends. Many of them are vintage (my grandparents) and I’ve slowly added to the collection each year. The kids got to have their own colorful tree in another room (which you can see in my holiday highlights), but in true 2020 form, a few strands wouldn’t light this year and we ended up with a striped tree…I’ll spare you those images, lol. We have so much to be thankful for, and the gratitude hits hardest during the holidays. We will never forget this year…for so many reasons.
