After my day at the fashion show (read more about that here), I took to streets for Bastille Day: a celebration of French Independence and for me, a chance for my strong declaration of love for all French food. If the French do one thing well…we know it’s desserts. Cream, fruit, colors, crusts…the French find a way to cleverly mix all of them together to make what I call a delicate waltz in my mouth. Another winning French and fashion combination.
Now, let me give you some intriguing facts about Bastille Day:
- It celebrated on July 14th every year (not too far from our own independence day).
- It is called La Fête nationale or Le Quatorze Juillet in France.
- I’m guessing learning French sounds like a cool idea.
- It originates from the Storming of Bastille (July 14, 1789) in Paris, which is the peak of the violent French revolution.
- It became an official holiday in 1880.
- The French hold a Military Parade on the Champs-Élysées and it is the oldest and largest regular military parade in Europe.
- Entry to the Louvre is free on Bastille Day – anyone else have a sudden urge to board a plane?
- Most random: The largest Bastille Day celebration that is not in France is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which includes a four day festival and a 43ft Eiffel Tower replica offers light shows.
- You can legally dance inside fire stations on Bastille Day, most fire stations are open for this purpose.
- The French revolution opened doors for democracy and freedom within Western Europe, which then trickled down to helping the French have a greater influence in culture and fashion.
Aaaaaand back to Bastille Day in the big N.Y.C.
The parade only runs on 60th street along Fifth to Lexington Avenue, but that doesn’t mean there any skimping on the fun. A stage of talented musicians keeping the entertainment going and games for people of all ages were there to keep things interesting when you got tired of eating – but who gets tired of that?!
A vibrant yet calm atmosphere filled 60th street with smells of fresh bread filling the air. Many of the French bakeries and restaurants brought out their parts, macaroons, fresh baked bred, and caneles for the public. I loved every last bite of it. The pricier options in enjoying the holiday were wine, chocolate, and champagne tastings, which sound phenomenal (maybe next year for me).
There were many different contests and raffles you could take part in. Winning a free trip to Martinique or Bourdeaux were included. If I won, I wouldn’t be here telling you about the festival, you would be hearing about my fabulous experience.
Any of you been to France before? I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts! It’s always been a place I’ve loved to visit. Give me a shoutout on Twitter – @CesLaRaque and @SuburbsCouture.
An overall, great (and filling) time especially for a lazy Sunday in the city.
