Emily in France đŸ‡«đŸ‡· Bonne RentrĂ©e !
Bonne rentrée !
After a whirlwind summer (which if you follow me on Instagram you probably already got a pretty keen look at), I am finally back in Paris, ready to return to guiding, writing, and sharing my Parisian life with all of you!
I know I'm not alone in thinking that there's something about fall that feels synonymous with new beginnings. Despite the fact that spring is quite literally the time of rebirth, and that, at least in the West, the New Year is celebrated in the middle of winter (why??? [Oh.]) fall just has a New Year's feeling about it (Rosh Hashanah knows what it's about.) Maybe it's because of all of the time spent in school. I think, though, that it might have even more to do with the fact that I live in France, where September is synonymous with la rentrée.
La rentrée is usually poorly translated as "back-to-school," but in France, it's far more than that. Literally "the return," a bonne rentrée is wished to everybody in France – not just students (they get the even more specific rentrée scolaire).
This cultural quirk has much to do with the topic of my last newsletter on les grandes vacances, or the great vacation: Because everyone slows down (or stops, as the case may be) in August, everyone ramps back up in September. There's a great collective restarting, and especially given months of the stop-and-start schedule of Covid-related closures and reopenings and semi-reopenings and what have you... this rentrée feels even more palpable, now that I'm back in Paris.
The idea of la rentrée is one that's rooted in French culture and society. And while it's not a word I've examined with an expert on my podcast (yet!) this is exactly the kind of thing that you can be expecting this rentrée.
Yes, friends, I'm a podcast host now!
Over the past few months, I have been hard at work with Paris Underground Radio developing not one but two podcasts. Navigating the French will explore some of the nuances of French culture by taking a close look at a French word and discussing it with an expert. The first episode on bonjour features Julie Barlow, the co-author of The Bonjour Effect, and will drop Sunday September 19.
Chez Toi, meanwhile, focuses on my other passion, cheese. Each week, the delightful Caroline of Wine Dine Caroline and I will be pairing the perfect wine and cheese with your favorite home-cooked recipes! (You can still submit a recipe to us by emailing me a voice clip – just reply to this email!)
In advance of the podcast drops, we're hosting a digital Launch Party – and you're invited! September 16 at 7pm Paris time, join to meet me and the other eleven hosts, ask questions about anything from food and wine to lingerie to real estate, and enter our auction for the chance to win one of five incredible prizes. More info available at the link above, but be sure to sign up so you receive the link to the livestream. (You can't just pop in. Sorry, plannophobes.)
Hope to see many of you there – and bonne rentrée à tous!
What I'm Eating
Vegan food used to be fairly hard to find in Paris, but it's becoming more and more widespread... and far less pigeonholed. At Vivant2, for example, vegan dishes like this broccoli with green mole sit side-by-side on a menu that also features pigeon and Brillat Savarin cheese. More on the blog.
Discover more of my foodie finds via Instagram @emily_in_france.
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What I'm Writing
1. Washington D.C.'s bars and restaurants got creative with to-go cocktails during the pandemic, and thanks to local legislation, they're going to keep it up this fall! I spoke with the owners of a few places that got really innovative for the Inside Hook.
 2. Indian food may be the secret to improved mood and mental health, according to some experts. I did a deep dive into why for Organic Authority.
3. Maple syrup has an all-American, log cabin reputation, but the waters of this breakfast staple are murkier than they appear. For Mashed.
What I'm Reading
1. I set a goal this year in January of reading 12 classics – a goal I am woefully behind on, thus far. (Maybe I should have set it in September?) One of the books on my list was Pride & Prejudice, my very first work by Jane Austen. I have never laughed out loud so much alone in a room. More on the blog. (Also, which Austen should I read next?)
2. This story in the New Yorker detailed something I've always thought was true: that reading can (and does) indeed make you happier. Bring on the books!
3. Second in my lineup of "things that make you happy" (a lovely trend!): daydreaming. I for one hope to do much more of it. From the Washington Post.
A bientĂ´t !