Le Mervetty | French Tea in Beverly Hills

Tea for two, but make it for one.

There’s no better way to start the day—that I can think of, anyway—than with une tasse de thé.

known as much for its larger-than-life milkshakes and Pinterest-worthy floral installation as for its colorful array of macarons, decadent merveilleux cakes, and petite canalés, the folks at Le Mervetty know a thing or two about aesthetics.

With made-to-order cakes and signature merengue garnish on everything from bite-sized treats to individual teapots (see below), this Beverly Hills gem is a must-visit for any Chic Française looking for some comforts of home—with the LA treatment.

Deux macarons and a merengue garnish, s’il vous plait.

French Book Club | 5 French Reads for Labor Day Weekend

5 French Reads for Labor Day Weekend

Believe it or not, this isn’t even half of my French book collection.

Whomever once claimed that reading is the best form of escapism, clearly lived through a pandemic.

There’s something decidedly medieval about life in 2020. It’s given us a glimpse backwards, showing us what daily existence must have felt like for William Shakespeare and his contemporaries during the times of pestilence and the Bubonic Plague—with the added comforts of Netflix and Youtube workouts, of course.

International travel is still at a stand-still for the time being, meaning that—for now—we’ll have to travel to France the way that our forefathers did: through our imaginations, and the immortal pages of contemporary scribes.

Check out this fascinating New Yorker article about the history of pandemics, or if you’re looking something a little more uplifting to read on your holiday weekend, behold a list of some of favorite novels, memoirs, and historical perspectives on life in France. I’ve always been a reader, and I love experiencing ma belle ville through different eyes.

So pour thee a glass of thine blackberry wine and buckle up m’lady, because I’m about to share five French favorites from my collection.

5 French Reads for Labor Day Weekend

Paris Dreaming

By Katrina Lawrence
Memoir

“How the City of Light gave her lessons in life: an Australian beauty journalist shares her obsession with Paris - the city that has been her guide through a lifelong journey of self-discovery. Taking us on a journey around Paris's most spectacular sights, hidden secrets and most beguiling nooks and crannies, Katrina tells us the story of why this city has been her constant inspiration through all stages of life.”

How to Make a French Family

By Samantha Verant
Memoir

“Take one French widower, his two young children, and drop a former city girl from Chicago into a small town in southwestern France. Shake vigorously... and voilá: a blended Franco-American family whose lives will all drastically change.”

Dress Like a Parisian

Aloïs Guinut
Style Guide

“Bring a Parisian je ne sais quoi to your style, wherever you live. Dress Like a Parisian is a wise and witty guide to finding your personal style, taking inspiration from how real Parisian women dress. With personal stylist and fashion blogger Aloïs Guinut as your guide, you can explore which colors, shapes and styles work best for you, whatever the occasion.”

A Paris Apartment

By Michelle Gable
Semi Fiction

“Based on the fascinating true story of a treasure-stocked Parisian apartment opened for the first time in seventy years. April Vogt, Sotheby's continental furniture specialist, is speechless when a Paris apartment shuttered for seventy years is discovered in the ninth arrondissement. Beneath the cobwebs and stale perfumed air is a goldmine…”

Seven Ages of Paris

Alistair Horne
Non Fiction

“In this luminous portrait of Paris, the celebrated historian gives us the history, culture, disasters, and triumphs of one of the world’s truly great cities. From the rise of Philippe Auguste through the reigns of Henry IV and Louis XIV…Napoleon’s rise and fall; Baron Haussmann’s rebuilding of Paris…the Belle Epoque and the Great War that brought it to an end; the Nazi Occupation, the Liberation, and the postwar period dominated by de Gaulle--Horne brings the city’s highs and lows, savagery and sophistication, and heroes and villains splendidly to life.”

Belle Vie: Life is Beautiful on the West Side

One of the west side’s not-so-hidden gems, Belle Vie Food + Wine combines the charming authenticity and warm hospitality of a Parisian brasserie with a hip, eclectic menu that puts an LA spin on traditional French gastronomie.

Having opened more than six restaurants in Paris, Gordon Ramsey-trained chef Cédric Nicolas has designed a menu with more than just the traditional Croque Monsieur and charcuterie plates one would expect from a French bistro—although those staples are alive and well. Think grilled duck steak and eggs with a surprising honey and chipotle sauce, or ratatouille with homemade chorizo. Or my personal favorite, deviled eggs with whipped harissa, scallions, aoili, and chive garnish, served on traditional yet somehow whimsical blue and white china plates. Water served in vintage milk jars.

Owned and operated by bonified Frenchman and sommelier Vincent Samarco, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between newcomers and seasoned regulars that walk through the door as everyone is given the same friendly neighborhood treatment.

Warm and magnanimous, Sanmarco greets everyone, periodically popping out from behind the bar and clearing off a marble high top or a red leather half-moon banquette booth seat, finding a place for anyone who crosses the threshold—even on a particularly crowded Thursday night when a piano player sets up shop, clanging out old classics to the patrons’ delight.

Take a tour of your new neighborhood spot, below.

Belle Vie Food + Wine
11916 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025

OOTD: Crème de la Cream

Since working from home has now become not only de rigueur, but a necessary social responsibility, workwear is taking a major turn for casual. While it’s the perfect time to expand the loungewear section of our wardrobes, there’s something to be said for the formality of officewear that’s now practically becoming an endangered species.

I get it—who wants to dress up for a Zoom call? But, as we like to do here, let’s consider the French for a moment. The French, as a culture, take pride in the ceremony of dressing, and putting effort into one’s appearance is just considered good manners.

There has been a long standing myth—a self-fulfilling prophecy really—that the French dislike Americans. While there are certainly culture clashes between our two nations, this divergence in attitude on dressing in public is one of the most significant. When American tourists wearing sweatpants and Ugg boots wander into Maxim’s—one of the most prestigious Parisian eateries, with a rich historical context that’s practically immortalized the restaurant in the late 1800s belle epoque era, and essentially dubbing it a Parisian landmark, or a living museum—it wouldn’t be surprising to expect a few looks of disdain.

The French appreciate effort. Making an effort to respect their cultural values, which primarily center around politeness or politesse, making an effort to approach them in their native language—they’ll respond in English, don’t worry, but they’ll appreciate the attempt—and acknowledging your role as a guest in their country—like any good host, they’re happy to help—and yes, making an effort to dress with some dignity, goes a long way. Why do we eat with chopsticks in a Chinese restaurant? To show our respect for the norms of the culture. Dressing well is the chopstick of France.

Does that mean it’s imperative to wear a full suit like this one while exploring the Eiffel Tower? Of course not. But it wouldn’t hurt!

Click here to shop this cream suit from Zara.

Le Peignoir | A Robe By Any Other Name

Few things in life feel more luxurious than slipping into a plush hotel robe.

Fun fact: our English word “robe” (short for ‘bathrobe”) actually translates to “dress” in the French language. I’m wearing un peignoir here, which is the French word for “bathrobe,” but we actually use it in English to refer to a nightie of sorts. The kind you’d imagine worn by, say, Blanche Devereaux from the Golden Girls.

Confused yet?

If so, imagine how weird it sounded when my French ex would ask for his peignoir!

If anyone needs me, I’ll be curled up like this—why yes, I always curl up in a pair of stilettos—getting lost in Australian Francophile Katrina Lawrence’s version of Paris, via her newest memoir, Paris Dreaming—which she so kindly sent to me—and waiting for room service to bring me my hamburger—or as the French pronounce it: ham-bur-jay.

Bonne journée from Phoenix, Arizona.