Lafayette: the Lost Hero... et moi: the Lost Heroine

I'm often asked "What did you do when you lived in Paris?"

Ouf.  The answer is, to opt for an oft-used phrase, "It's complicated."

I did some free-lance consulting, editing and copy-editing, and of course I created and fed this blog, my third child.

But one of the most fun, intriguing, and personally fulfilling volunteer gigs I had in Paris was to be a part of the Lafayette 250th anniversary celebration a few years ago.  Bright lights!  Big city!  Cameras rolling!

It turned out that a big part of the Lafayette anniversary woop-de-doo was of serious interest to acclaimed American filmmaker Oren Jacoby.  How he and I initially connected is too long a story to be of interest (it has to do with librarians, historians, and archivists, so don't fall asleep).  But ultimately, I ended up as an enthusiastic, starry-eyed participant in Oren's great documentary about the Marquis de Lafayette and his involvement in the American Revolution:  Lafayette, the Lost Hero.

But.

There is always the but, right?  And biz being biz, after all those hours, I ended up on the cutting-room floor, so to speak. (Actually, I'm in the outtakes on the DVD, which you can purchase, or if you simply need to believe me.)

Such is life. But, seriously, I wouldn't have traded the learning-curve experience for anything. For example, for one memorable day, camera crews were rolling all day in my apartment in the 7e arrondissement (which I dubbed Studio 54, for the address.)

Bright lights at 54 rue Vaneau

Of course, there's zero stress in having your apartment filmed for posterity...

In Paris, I was filmed tootling around the Marché de Saxe on my bike, climbing the stairs at the French Senate (the Palais du Luxembourg) and at a gala at the Palais de Vincennes, interviewing the director of the Musée Carnavalet in  private tour of the museum's galleries, just to name a few segments.  My then-college-aged kids agreed to be filmed as I lectured them about the "Declaration des Droits de l'Homme" in the Concorde metro station. I counted among my Lafayette co-stars such journalistic luminaries as Michael Oreskes and Jim Gaines, plus the mayors of Lafayette cities in the US.

On the other side of the pond, too, I was there.  Back on home turf to see my son Harry, I plodded around the Bunker Hill monument in Boston in the rain, cameras running  as I chatted about Lafayette history.  In Charleston (while on a visit to Miss Bee in college), I learned a lot about South Carolina history as we focused on Lafayette's arrival there in  1777.   All for my hero, Lafayette.

And a plus:  I learned a lot of film lingo. Such as "sticks," and "wrap." You know, how cool am I?  Heady stuff.

Here I am with the great guys of the crew, South of Broad in Charleston.

Sometimes I felt like Snow White! 

But how do I put any of this on my resume?

I guess I don't.

Opinel Knives in the U.S.

Opinel.  For those who know it, the very name conjures up impromptu picnics in the French countryside.  Relaxed on a blanket in the shade, using your folding Opinel knife to cut a slender wedge of brie or saucisson, slicing a piece of crisp apple or juicy pear.  To me, anyway, an Opinel knife equals quintessential, classic France. Simple and perfect.

An Opinel was always a perfect inexpensive gift to bring home from France (tucked securely in checked luggage!) because, after all, Opinel knives aren't available in the U.S.  Right?

Wrong!  Opinel knives are now sold online through Opiknife.com.  Every kind of Opinel imaginable, it seems, from the blunter Opinel Jr. to more serious stainless steel folding knives to last a lifetime.

I spoke with Frederic, the owner/distributor of Opinel USA. "I had my first knife when I was about ten," he said.  "It seems most Americans don't give their kids knives to learn how to use them any more."  We agreed that this was a shame:  the joys of whittling and proper knife usage seem to be largely ignored.  On the other hand, maybe I just haven't met the right American kids.  Maybe they do still teach proper knife usage in the Boy Scouts?

But here's the extra-cool part, and the reason that I discovered Opinel in America in the first place.  Opinel France has made limited edition Lafayette-Hermione folding knives from the excess wood of the reconstruction of Lafayette's boat l'Hermione.  And the handle is stamped with the name.  Opinel is donating a percentage of the proceeds to helping l'Hermione make her voyage to the east coast of the U.S. in 2012.

"The French will never forget"

Memorial Day poppies blooming in my field this morning.

Question: what do you get when you cross a francophile, an American patriot, and a sappy sentimentalist?

Answer: Polly-Vous Français, for one. And there were many others.

Last week, on the occasion of Lafayette Day, four WWII Veterans were awarded the French Legion d'Honneur for their service and bravery in France, mostly in 1944. The ceremony at the State House in Boston included school children singing "La Marseillaise" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." The Presentation of the Colors by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery. Young students eagerly waving their hands to ask the Marquis de Lafayette [actor] questions about his life.

Presenting the medals to the honorees, French Consul General François Gauthier remarked, "The French will never forget" the courage and help of the Americans. If there were dry eyes in the house as the citations were announced, they were few. Almost every speaker ended his talk with a solemn, heartfelt "Vive la France and God Bless America!"

Legion d'honneur recipients flank Consul General François Gauthier. Lafayette, portrayed by Loic Barnieu, on the right.

Trust me, I'm not a knee-jerk, rah-rah, flag-waving-in-your-face kind of patriot. (And I was a terrible history student.) But for one thing, the honorees were all about the same age that my late father and step-father would have been. Both served in WWII.

And all my life I have been unable to sing the words O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife without my voice wobbling, cracking, and disappearing to a hush. (And FWIW I still think it should be our national anthem.)

At lunch after the Legion d'Honneur ceremony, I sought out each of the honorees to express my appreciation. I shook their hands and said, "Thank you for...." Unable to finish, I had to swallow hard and just utter a second, faltering "Thank you."

1728

A fellow patriot was in Paris recently, and, knowing my love for Lafayette, he kindly invited me to lunch at 1728. Located at 8 rue d'Anjou, 1728 is a restaurant with the kind of historic karma that I adore. It is in the same building that housed my hero, the Marquis de Lafayette, in his twilight years, and where he died in 1834.

I'd been to 1728 once before, and was looking forward to giving it a second try. Or, rather, a second chance.

Really, though, what's not to love about a Paris restaurant theatrically staged to a tee in ancient grandeur, in an artfully restored -- or is it re-created --18th-century setting?

The décor is sheer sumptuous splendor. Richly panelled wood, velvet-topped Louis-something armchairs, exquisite silk curtains. I felt as though I were stepping back in time, an honored guest in Madame Recamier's salon littéraire.

Glittering, imposing crystal chandeliers.

Books and bibelots on the etagères make a homey touch.

And bien sûr, busts of the dear boy himself, the Marquis de Lafayette.

I have to admit, this oversized contemporary Lafayette bust made me snicker. Not polite of me to do so in such a genteel setting. Of course I was quiet about it, for Pete's sake. But it seemed kind of surreal, and dominated the room.

Kudos, though, for the restaurant's top-notch staff, so courteous and attentive. The tone is hushed and polished. The service is impeccable.

I just wish the cuisine were better.

You know, I wonder sometimes if in Paris there is an inverse function between interior-décor effort and food quality? It seems that some of the most delicious food comes from the humblest settings, or in fact, from some real dives. And vice versa. You do the algebra: in my book, 1728 ranks 9-1/2 stars for excellent décor, so the food is... well, you catch my drift.

I'm not an epicure, a foodie, a gastronome or any of the other monikers applied to people who dine and critique. I just know what appeals. Maybe it's something about 1728's modern fusion Japanese-French cuisine in such an ornately antique French setting that caused an eye/palate disconnect.

My first visit to 1728, two years ago, was an eye-opener. I was lunching with an American friend who has lived in Paris for 25 years. We ordered a cheese course after the plat principal. The cheese arrived: chilled and stone-like. Firm as jello. Horrors, cold Camembert! We sent it back, and requested room-temperature fromage. A new platter -- again of well-refrigerated cheese --was delivered. Were they banking on the fact that as American women we might not know the difference -- or care? My friend politely chided the waiter. "Ce n'est pas acceptable," or something similar.

Next the maitre d' swooped over to our table, apologizing profusely. They simply don't serve much cheese at lunch, he explained, so it is taken out of the fridge before lunchtime in order to hit perfect, oozing, room temperature by dinnertime. Would we like something else? Well, no, we really had wanted some delicious French cheeses.

Fast forward to my recent lunch. For an entrée, there was an appealing-sounding coquilles St. Jacques item on the menu. Uh, it arrived with a flourish: four slivers of a bland scallop atop a molded bed of bean sprouts. Supposedly a terrine?

So, I add a new cuisine corollary: maybe there is also an inverse function between glowing food description on menus and actual palate-pleasing dishes?

The rest of the meal was forgettable. As in, I forget what I ate.

And that, my friends, is a very bad sign. I'm no gourmet, but I remember good food. I can recall each mouthful of a creme brulée that I ate in 1990 in a local restaurant on Ile de la Jatte. I can remember every mouthwatering scoop of a half a melon with Pineau de Charentes that I savored one evening the summer that I was 18. I cherish the memory of the sweet and tart tarte aux fruits rouges that I shared this week after a perfect lunch at my neighborhood hangout, Au Pied de Fouet. The buttery crust!

(I even remember really bad meals, like the canned tomato soup masquerading as minestrone in a Dublin pub.)

No, this meal was simply and utterly forgettable. For me to forget much of an entire meal in Paris requires a great deal of blandness and boredom coming from the kitchen.

But what do I know? Apparently other Paris denizens are great fans of 1728: lots of Elysée and other dignitaries in the neighborhood apparently use it as their cantine. Go figure.

Fortunately, 1728 does have a luxurious WC.

Well, maybe a third time would be the charm, but somehow I don't think I'll ever get invited back.

Musee de la Vie romantique

Question: What do the Musée de la Vie romantique and the U.S. House of Representatives have in common?

(Hints: It has nothing to do with congressional sex scandals, past or present. It's not about Valentines. The word "Romantique" refers not to romance, of course, but to Romanticism in France.)

Give up?

Answer: Ary Scheffer is the link. The Musée is the former home and atelier of artist Ary Scheffer (1795-1858). Scheffer is most famous in the U.S. for the portrait of his friend the Marquis de Lafayette. The full-length Lafayette portrait has been proudly hanging to the right of the rostrum of the Speaker of the House for almost 170 years, the companion to Washington's portrait.

Think of it this way: for almost two centuries, every lawmaker in the House has contemplated Scheffer's Lafayette portrait while debating and voting on legislation; Lafayette has gazed benevolently at the Senators and Representatives sitting in the House for each State of the Union address.

But even if the French-American connection doesn't sway you, the Musée de la Vie romantique is well worth a visit in its own right. Tucked away on rue Chaptal in the 9e arrondissement, it houses a splendid collection of paintings, furniture and memorabilia from the Romantic era, including a sizable collection of George Sand objets. The house's period interior, decorated by Jacques Garcia, is richly evocative of that era. As part of the Musées de la Ville de Paris network, the museum offers free admission to its permanent collection. In addition, for a few euros you can view the temporary exhibits in the atelier. A highly acclaimed exhibit of the golden Age of German Romantic Art is on display there now.

And once the Paris weather becomes springlike -- which I dearly hope is soon -- I look forward to returning to the Museum's enchanting garden terrace cafe. For lunch, brunch, or tea, it's one of my Parisian outdoor favorites: fragrant, quiet, charming, inexpensive.

Musée de la Vie romantique
Hôtel Scheffer-Renan

16 rue Chaptal
75009 Paris

tél. : 01 55 31 95 67
Métro Saint-Georges, Pigalle, Blanche, Liège

Bus 67, 68, 74

Open Tuesday - Sunday 10 am to 6 pm.

American Idol

I've often heralded on these pages that Lafayette is in vogue. But now Lafayette is in Vogue. The January issue.

The Hermès scarf was too good for the editors to pass up, I guess.

An American Idol!

Lafayette goes International on CNN

The engaged and engaging American mayors have gone home to their Lafayettes, their Fayettes, and their Fayettevilles, but CNN just broadcast a nice piece on Christmas Eve about the splendid 250th celebration in Paris a week ago.

Mania

Remember watching on black-and white TV the crowds of screaming girls, bouncing in their seat, tears streaming down their cheeks, during the Beatles' concert on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964, or Shea Stadium in 1965? (Or at least have you seen video clips of it on You Tube?) Those girls were shrieking so loud you could see their tonsils. That wasn't just show, it was sheer idolatry, whipped up to a frothy frenzy.

Remember the throngs of fans, the police barricades keeping the crowds from crushing their heroes? How the Fab Four greeted their well-wishers, signed autographs. Sometimes a too-ardent fan might try to snip a lock of hair, or would give anything to have a piece of their idol's personal property? If an admirer was close enough to touch a sleeve or, the ultimate -- shake a hand -- they sighed in sweet agony, "I'll never wash that hand again."

Remember how Beatles souvenirs were everywhere? If you had even a tattered ticket stub to a concert, that was gold. Failing that, younger members of the groupie generation got Beatles lunchboxes or other widely available memorabilia.

Many got Beatles haircuts. The Beatles were simply all the rage. There was nothing they could do, nowhere they could go, that wasn't of highest interest and utmost fancy and fantasy. We were a nation on the verge of a new order, and the Beatles, the heroes from the other side of the pond, symbolized everything in that new way of thinking of ourselves as a nation.

Well, in 1824-1825, the Marquis de Lafayette, the last living general of the Revolutionary War, toured the young United States and created that socio-cultural phenomenon. Perhaps he was the first "American Idol" on a road tour.

Dear Washington, I hope that papa will come back

Even if , like me, you are not a military history buff, there is much to appreciate about the life of Lafayette. At the Palais du Luxembourg yesterday Laurent Ferri of Cornell University presented a "Portrait of Lafayette," and projected this letter on the screen.

click on image to enlarge

Lafayette's six-year old daughter, Anastasie, penned this sweet note to George Washington in 1784, when Lafayette was in the United States for the third time.

The current Cornell exhibit on Lafayette has much to offer, including "Lafayette and Abolition" "Lafayette and Women" and more.

Ben Franklin returns to Paris

Paying tribute to his pal the Marquis de Lafayette at a formal dinner at the Chateau de Vincennes last night was none other than Benjamin Franklin. The glow behind him is part of the superb light show, though it could have been some sort of divine aura, I suppose.Rumor has it that Ben might pay a nostalgic visit to his old haunt, Le Procope, on Saturday afternoon.

Lafayette, We are Here!

Mayors and county and town representatives from Lafayette places in the US arrive at the Hotel Concorde Lafayette for a press conference today.

Left to right: Michael W. Krajovic, Fayette County PA; Chris Berry, Lafayette CO; Joe Morton, Fayetteville GA; Dan Coody, Fayetteville AR; Carol Federighi, Lafayette CA; Lafayette actor; Joey Durel, Lafayette LA; Mike Small, Fayetteville Village NY; Jim Newberry, LaFayette-Lexington KY; Jan Mills, West Lafayette IN; and Mike Olson, Fayetteville Village, NY.

photo ©pollyvousfrancais.blogpot.com

Lafayette USA

Good morning, Fayette, Lafayette, Fayetteville or Fayette City USA!

Here's a map of towns, cities and counties in the US named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. (click on image to enlarge)

Apologies to Lafayette Counties of Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Wisconsin, which were inadvertently omitted, as well as a number of other places. I'm calling the press office that supplied me with the map right now so they can update it. But a nice start.

Hermes Honors Lafayette with New Scarf

Hermès certainly needs no intro. It is, of course the ne plus ultra of French scarf design. This month Hermès is showing its transatlantic patriotic colors: red, white, and blue --and bleu, blanc rouge. It has produced a new Hermès scarf in honor of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de Lafayette.

Designed by American artist Kermit Oliver, who has created more than a dozen Hermès works, the scarf features images from Lafayette's life and many American historic figures. Currently available only through Lafayette College, the commemorative silk scarf is printed with a red border and is a collector's item. It is a limited edition (less than 100 still available) and can be purchased for $325 (through Dec. 31; $345 after Jan. 1.). Later a version with a blue border will be available at most Hermès boutiques.

For purchasing information, contact Diane Windham Shaw, Special Collections Librarian/Archivist, Lafayette College, 610-330-5401 or shawd@lafayette.edu.

(Watch this news report for a local angle from Lafayette PA.)

France and the Founding Fathers

This year marks the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de LaFayette, "The Hero of Two Worlds." LaFayette, by the way, has always remained a revered figure in thoughtful Franco-American alliances. More recently his name was considerably ping-ponged about by our two presidents in after-you-my-dear-Alphonse toasts and tributes during Sarkozy's expedition to Washington. Hurrah for the increased press coverage!

A number of events will be taking place in Paris over the next few weeks to celebrate the two and a half centuries of French/American friendship symbolized by this notable Frenchman.

On Wednesday December 5, authors (and Paris residents) James R. Gaines and Michael Oreskes will talk about "France and the Founding Fathers" at the American Library in Paris. Even though it is not focusing strictly on LaFayette, this discussion is a must for any Americans in Paris who have even the slightest interest in the founding of our nation. I trust that means everyone.

Mike Oreskes, Executive Editor of the International Herald Tribune, is co-author of The Genius of America: How the Constitution Saved Our Country--and Why it Can Again.

James R. Gaines, a former editor of Time, People and Life magazines, is the author of For Liberty and Glory: Washington, Lafayette, and their Revolutions.

France and the Founding Fathers

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

7:30 p.m.

Free and open to the public

American Library in Paris
10, rue du Général Camou
75007 Paris
Métro: Ecole Militaire, Alma Marceau

Lafayette, We Were There

The Cimetière de Picpus has to be one of the most tranquil outdoor spaces in Paris. When strolling through the grounds, you have a sense of being transported in time to a small village far from any booming metropolis. Yet it is located a short walk from the Place de la Nation in the 12e arrondissement. The private cemetery encompasses a 19th-century Chapel, a large expanse of grass, fragrant boxwood, and a minuscule burial grounds (by Paris standards).

It is here that the Marquis de Lafayette is buried, in soil from Virginia that he brought to France after his final visit to the young United States in 1825. It is at Lafayette's grave that the American flag has flown uninterrupted in France, even during years of the Nazi occupation of Paris. It is here that General Pershing's assistant, Stanton, pronounced the famous "Lafayette, nous voilà!" on July 4, 1917, to proclaim the U.S. troops' arrival to support France in the throes of a terrible World War I. It is here that Lafayette's wife Adrienne was buried before him, in a spot chosen for its proximity to the mass grave where her immediate family had been "buried" with hundreds of other nobles beheaded in the French Revolution.

It is a cemetery to visit the next time you have the chance.

So it is fitting that each July 4 the American flag at Picpus Cemetery is renewed amid great solemn and moving ceremony. This morning at 11, dignitaries from the U.S. Embassy, the French Senate, the Mairie de Paris, the Society of the Cincinnati, the Sons of the American Revolution, and Friends of Lafayette and the general public -- both French and American -- gathered to pay tribute to this hero of two worlds.

A U.S. Military Color Guard stood at attention while the French Garde Nationale band played the "Star Spangled Banner." That alone was a touching moment of transatlantic honor and friendship. The Marseillaise followed, of course. In lieu of loud cheering, there was a wave of emotion that reverberated among the spectators. The crowd, already hushed, shared an official minute of silence. Brief speeches followed, with placing of flowers on Lafayette's grave site. The U.S. Ambassador, addressing the assembled group in French, was moved to tears as he spoke.

This is a momentous year in French-American relations, capped off by celebrations of the 250th Anniversary of Lafayette's birth. In France and in the U.S., he is a man to remember and revere. During all the political ups and downs of the nearly two and a half centuries of friendship between our two nations, we owe it to ourselves to remember that in the U.S. House of Representatives, there are two larger-than-life portraits flanking the speaker's podium: Washington and Lafayette.

Cimetière de Picpus: 35 rue de Picpus, 75012 Paris. Metro: Nation

Open to the public every day except Mondays and holidays from 2 pm to 6 pm. For information, contact the conservateur at 01.43.44.18.54 There may be a modest entrance fee. Email: picpuscime@yahoo.fr

Vive l'Amitié

America is losing a great friend from its shores. Gone but not to be forgotten, M. Jean-David Levitte has been French Ambassador to the US since 2002. He is being called back to France to be an international advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy. His positive impact on relations between the two countries leaves a lasting legacy.

With impressive goodwill, perseverance, and diplomatic savoir-faire, he weathered the sophomoric, knee-jerk "Freedom Fries" era of US-French relations. He fought back, when needed, with sound logic and cool-headed tenacity, defending the ties between our nations.

I had the good fortune to meet M. Levitte in 2003, at the height of the French-bashing, where even in liberal Cambridge, Massachusetts some locals quietly threatened to picket the reception in front of the home of the French Consul to Boston. Fortunately cooler heads and Bostonian reserve prevailed.

And a good thing, too. His purpose at that reception was to honor and promote the French-American friendship that is exemplified by the groups in the US who work hard to sustain the ties between our two countries initiated by the Marquis de Lafayette. I don't recall M. Levitte's exact words at the time, but his message was clear: America and France have always been close friends, ever since Lafayette and Washington forged their deep bond. Friends can sometimes have strain in their relationships, but true friendship is a testament to loyalty.

We wish M. Levitte la bienvenue en France, and hope that his successor will have the same dedication and devotion to that friendship which has endured over two centuries. The next Ambassador will arrive in Washington at a time when there is much to celebrate. This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Lafayette. A wide range of exciting activities on both sides of the Atlantic are in busy preparation, from trips to documentaries to exchanges to special exhibits. Now it's time for all of us to remember why.

May 20 is the anniversary of Lafayette's death. Please do this for me: find out who is honoring him, and honoring French-American friendship, in your community. One small way of saying merci to Lafayette, to M. Levitte, and to offer a tchin-tchin to l'Amitié.