In this newsletter: A series of personal stories from Ukrainian Women, a recipe for Sausage & Polenta, my favorite jeans, the very best thing I saw on International Women's Day, how to make mitre-edged linen napkins, and lots more.
I just visited the UK, and I would feel comfortable going to Europe now. That could change depending on how this is glaze. But generally it feels like Normandy would be a safe place to come.
We just canceled our May trip to Europe. Truthfully we are a bit uneasy about the war and the possibility of things getting worse over there. We are also concerned with Covid restrictions. We are fully vaccinated/boosted and happy to wear masks but prefer to travel without the inconvenience when and if possible.
Thanks for all these interesting links! I love hearing your take on things and tend to agree with you most of the time. As for men’s Levi’s, I’m an hourglass shape and in high school (in the ‘80s) wore mens Levi's all the time. For that price difference, I’d say they’re worth a try! Maybe google for sizing advice if you are ordering online. I tend to like some stretch in my jeans so buy other types now, but if I ever want Levi’s I think I’ll look for men’s.
Mar 9, 2022·edited Mar 9, 2022Liked by Gabrielle Blair
I'm just a little concerned about traveling to France. I was planning a short trip to Paris in June for my birthday but am waiting to see what the next few weeks bring. Lots of lovely places to celebrate here in the UK. Truthfully, nothing is more important than stopping Putin's war on Ukraine. Not a single thing is more important than that.
That really is a great list of links...enjoyed all of them and I laughed out loud at Kirsty Bosley's take on her Michelin dinner experience.
Thank you for your interesting newsletter again. Yes! I would be super interested in a Design Mom retreat in Normandy! Good idea! I am living in Europe…
I find it interesting how your blurb about the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes sounds to me as a non-American reader. If I had just read this blurb without any other perspective I would have assume that this was the first major institution to return their looted Benin Bronzes and this was the going to be the template going forward. However, from other sources I know that other major institutions in other countries have already repatriated looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. And there are controversies and discussions ongoing with other countries/institutions. If memory serves me correctly (sorry, don't feel like searching to make sure I have this exactly correct) but Germany has returned some, there are smaller institutes in Britain that have returned some. The Museum of Britain is pretty firm in there absolute "no" to repatriation (see Elgin Marbles).
My major source for these new items is a history youtuber - Reading the Past and her monthly history news round ups. Which reminds me, I haven't watched the most recent one, maybe she covers the Smithsonian Benin Bronze repatriation.
Regarding your question about the men's 501s. When I was a teenager (late 1960s) there were no women's jeans, and certainly no women's 501s. I bought the men's at the hardware store for $5. New. That's what they cost. My friends and I would sew up the side seams a bit to make them a little more form fitting. Not ideal, but it worked.
So much to unpack! I can't wait to dig into all of these links.
I own a travel business - and I'm still booking travel to Europe. Everyone has a different risk acceptance level. Clients who are avid travelers are generally willing...those who are new at this are a little more risk averse. Keep in mind that we will start seeing fuel surcharges for flights. If you're going - book soon.
What I will mention is that travel insurance does NOT cover war. At all. So...if you do this trip - make sure that all of your participants have a Cancel For Any Reason insurance policy. They can also purchase an evacuation policy in case of an emergency not related to health issues. These are relatively inexpensive for the peace of mind they provide. If they are US citizens - make sure they enroll in the SMART Traveler program so the State Department knows where they are in case of an emergency (war or otherwise) in their destination.
Can't wait to hear the details. If it's end of summer or early fall - I'd LOVE to attend!!
Loved this newsletter and the links. I'm excited for travel again and have a trip planned to Italy in two months. I think one of my concerns regarding travel is how the war is going, although Normandy is farther away, but another concern is the price of gas and inflation. Regular expenses have gotten higher and the price of plane tickets seems to be escalating astronomically (thank goodness I bought my ticket a long time ago).
On a more fun note, I would absolutely buy the men's Levis and have them tailored to your exact specs. You're probably still spending less than $100 in the end.
Love these links so much! There's an interesting podcast episode on the Benin Bronzes from Stuff the British Stole. I think it's the episode called Blood Art from season 1.
Also, we're hoping to be in Europe in September for a family wedding, and while, at this stage, we're still planning to try and go, we're keeping a VERY close eye on what's happening in Ukraine and we're not willing to book flights just yet. The idea of a Design Mom retreat sounds amazing though.
re: your fury over universal healthcare: Free market systems like ours yield more inequalities but also exponentially more experiments. Socialist systems are egalitarian but with significant cost to innovation. Many european countries have cheaper drugs than we do, but dramatically less drug development. The life expectancy on the chart of european countries is directly correlated to being beneficiaries of american bio-tech/pharma innovation (the same goes for military; they piggyback on our technology and strength). Whatever everyday health coverage is worth to a sick person, a cure for a heretofore-incurable disease is worth more. As a cancer patient, you'll have more to gain from a single drug that sends your disease into remission than a universal plan that covers a hundred drugs that don't. Americans don't want universal healthcare because it is the WORST system in regards to freedom of choice and healthcare quality. The primary benefit of universal healthcare--as is so often recounted by its supporters--is that it is cheap. Making healthcare affordable is easy. Making healthcare affordable that high-quality is difficult. Making healthcare affordable that is high-quality and on-demand such that most Americans expect it is impossible. I've not seen any evidence that the government can solve a problem as formidable as this one in system as complex as ours just because we want to make it so.
As someone based in Germany, I don't plan to stop traveling within the EU. I probably won't be visiting my friends in Poland right now (in order to keep space open on trains and hotels for refugees) but I don't see the issue.
As for the jeans, have you looked at Vinted? I believe it exists in France as well, and it's a secondhand website where people sell clothes and shoes. I've seen lots of Levis on there.
I just visited the UK, and I would feel comfortable going to Europe now. That could change depending on how this is glaze. But generally it feels like Normandy would be a safe place to come.
We just canceled our May trip to Europe. Truthfully we are a bit uneasy about the war and the possibility of things getting worse over there. We are also concerned with Covid restrictions. We are fully vaccinated/boosted and happy to wear masks but prefer to travel without the inconvenience when and if possible.
Thanks for all these interesting links! I love hearing your take on things and tend to agree with you most of the time. As for men’s Levi’s, I’m an hourglass shape and in high school (in the ‘80s) wore mens Levi's all the time. For that price difference, I’d say they’re worth a try! Maybe google for sizing advice if you are ordering online. I tend to like some stretch in my jeans so buy other types now, but if I ever want Levi’s I think I’ll look for men’s.
I'm just a little concerned about traveling to France. I was planning a short trip to Paris in June for my birthday but am waiting to see what the next few weeks bring. Lots of lovely places to celebrate here in the UK. Truthfully, nothing is more important than stopping Putin's war on Ukraine. Not a single thing is more important than that.
That really is a great list of links...enjoyed all of them and I laughed out loud at Kirsty Bosley's take on her Michelin dinner experience.
Thank you for your interesting newsletter again. Yes! I would be super interested in a Design Mom retreat in Normandy! Good idea! I am living in Europe…
In response to #3
I find it interesting how your blurb about the repatriation of the Benin Bronzes sounds to me as a non-American reader. If I had just read this blurb without any other perspective I would have assume that this was the first major institution to return their looted Benin Bronzes and this was the going to be the template going forward. However, from other sources I know that other major institutions in other countries have already repatriated looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. And there are controversies and discussions ongoing with other countries/institutions. If memory serves me correctly (sorry, don't feel like searching to make sure I have this exactly correct) but Germany has returned some, there are smaller institutes in Britain that have returned some. The Museum of Britain is pretty firm in there absolute "no" to repatriation (see Elgin Marbles).
My major source for these new items is a history youtuber - Reading the Past and her monthly history news round ups. Which reminds me, I haven't watched the most recent one, maybe she covers the Smithsonian Benin Bronze repatriation.
Regarding your question about the men's 501s. When I was a teenager (late 1960s) there were no women's jeans, and certainly no women's 501s. I bought the men's at the hardware store for $5. New. That's what they cost. My friends and I would sew up the side seams a bit to make them a little more form fitting. Not ideal, but it worked.
So much to unpack! I can't wait to dig into all of these links.
I own a travel business - and I'm still booking travel to Europe. Everyone has a different risk acceptance level. Clients who are avid travelers are generally willing...those who are new at this are a little more risk averse. Keep in mind that we will start seeing fuel surcharges for flights. If you're going - book soon.
What I will mention is that travel insurance does NOT cover war. At all. So...if you do this trip - make sure that all of your participants have a Cancel For Any Reason insurance policy. They can also purchase an evacuation policy in case of an emergency not related to health issues. These are relatively inexpensive for the peace of mind they provide. If they are US citizens - make sure they enroll in the SMART Traveler program so the State Department knows where they are in case of an emergency (war or otherwise) in their destination.
Can't wait to hear the details. If it's end of summer or early fall - I'd LOVE to attend!!
We're going to Rome in a couple of weeks despite the war. I'd be interested in a DM retreat.
Love this newsletter! and YES to a Normandy Retreat this summer. Thank you! xoxo
Loved this newsletter and the links. I'm excited for travel again and have a trip planned to Italy in two months. I think one of my concerns regarding travel is how the war is going, although Normandy is farther away, but another concern is the price of gas and inflation. Regular expenses have gotten higher and the price of plane tickets seems to be escalating astronomically (thank goodness I bought my ticket a long time ago).
On a more fun note, I would absolutely buy the men's Levis and have them tailored to your exact specs. You're probably still spending less than $100 in the end.
I'm already in Europe - count me in!
Love these links so much! There's an interesting podcast episode on the Benin Bronzes from Stuff the British Stole. I think it's the episode called Blood Art from season 1.
Also, we're hoping to be in Europe in September for a family wedding, and while, at this stage, we're still planning to try and go, we're keeping a VERY close eye on what's happening in Ukraine and we're not willing to book flights just yet. The idea of a Design Mom retreat sounds amazing though.
re: your fury over universal healthcare: Free market systems like ours yield more inequalities but also exponentially more experiments. Socialist systems are egalitarian but with significant cost to innovation. Many european countries have cheaper drugs than we do, but dramatically less drug development. The life expectancy on the chart of european countries is directly correlated to being beneficiaries of american bio-tech/pharma innovation (the same goes for military; they piggyback on our technology and strength). Whatever everyday health coverage is worth to a sick person, a cure for a heretofore-incurable disease is worth more. As a cancer patient, you'll have more to gain from a single drug that sends your disease into remission than a universal plan that covers a hundred drugs that don't. Americans don't want universal healthcare because it is the WORST system in regards to freedom of choice and healthcare quality. The primary benefit of universal healthcare--as is so often recounted by its supporters--is that it is cheap. Making healthcare affordable is easy. Making healthcare affordable that high-quality is difficult. Making healthcare affordable that is high-quality and on-demand such that most Americans expect it is impossible. I've not seen any evidence that the government can solve a problem as formidable as this one in system as complex as ours just because we want to make it so.
As someone based in Germany, I don't plan to stop traveling within the EU. I probably won't be visiting my friends in Poland right now (in order to keep space open on trains and hotels for refugees) but I don't see the issue.
As for the jeans, have you looked at Vinted? I believe it exists in France as well, and it's a secondhand website where people sell clothes and shoes. I've seen lots of Levis on there.
I would be super interested in a Design Mom retreat in Normandy in the fall. But I am living in Europe…