Margo Lestz's Blog, page 22
February 26, 2016
The Pennsylvania French
In 1789, aristocrats started scurrying out of revolutionary France like rats off a sinking ship. One group of these posh refugees ended up in a most unlikely place - the wilds of Pennsylvania.
February 11, 2016
Margo’s Musings: Carnival & Revolution
Explore the theme of the Nice Carnival and see how my new book is coming along.
January 29, 2016
Suspects in London Fire: Baker, Pope, & Gluttony
The Great Fire of 1666 destroyed 80% of London. Who could have been responsible for this devastation? Was it the baker from the bakery where the fire started, the Pope seeking revenge for England breaking with Catholicism, or was it an Act of God punishing the citizens of London for their gluttony?
January 15, 2016
The Crazy Calendar of a Revolutionary Republic
The French Revolutionaries weren’t content with just changing their government. They wanted to change everything – even how they kept track of time. The Calendar Committee The old Gregorian calendar was filled with religious holidays and saint days, and that just wouldn’t do for the new Republic’s idea of Separation of Church and State. So a committee was…
January 1, 2016
Befana: Italy’s Good, January Witch
Father Christmas, or Babbo Natale, is a relative newcomer to Italy. Long before he showed up, Italian children waited excitedly for the 6 January and their visit from a very witchy-looking old lady called La Befana.
December 22, 2015
Happy Crappy Christmas
Two quirky Christmas traditions from Barcelona...
Crappy Christmas
Two quirky Christmas traditions from Barcelona...
December 18, 2015
Mistletoe and a Flying Donkey
Mistletoe in French is called gui. This ball of vegetation that grows high in trees has been considered magical since ancient days...
December 5, 2015
Marie Antoinette’s Adopted Children
“Let them eat cake!” This is the most famous line that Marie Antoinette never said. It was first written about someone else, before Marie Antoinette ever set foot in France, but, for some reason, it became associated with her. She’s often portrayed as a selfish Queen spending the country’s money on her lavish lifestyle, completely…
November 20, 2015
First Thanksgivings, Huguenots, and Alligators
The Pilgrims are credited with serving the first Thanksgiving meal... but could the French have beaten them to it? And what was on their table?...
