#France 2/2

National identity and a nanny named Becassine

Sam Darling

Nov 12, 20142 min read

National identity and a nanny named Becassine

One of the things that glues you to the people of your nation is shared childhood experience. It’s always an odd moment for me when I...

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Sam Darling

Oct 20, 20142 min read

Ballerinas are tough as nails

My maternal great aunt Hermine is a spitfire who has always amazed the family with her abundant energy and stubborn streak. She is tiny....

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Sam Darling

Aug 14, 20141 min read

Early 1900s – photos around France

The paternal grandfather and his family owned a factory outside of Paris and he and his siblings traveled the world selling their...

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Sam Darling

Jul 19, 20141 min read

The portrait problem

Gothic horror, film noire, and melodrama will frequently feature a scene with a spooky portrait. Here are a few examples off the top of...

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Sam Darling

Jun 21, 20142 min read

Daniel Crouet & ma sorcière bien-aimée

Many nations have rules around how much broadcast television must be in the native language. This was of particular concern in France...

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Sam Darling

May 16, 20141 min read

Immigration, 1950s style

My mother and her parents were the first members of my family to immigrate to the new world, and they did it with their usual glamor....

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Sam Darling

Feb 18, 20141 min read

Helene looking posh

My grandmother, Helene, in a studio-style portrait with the family dog. In the time before Owen Mills and malls, we still found a way to...

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Sam Darling

Oct 19, 20131 min read

Beach 2

These people. They make even the hideous fashions of the late 60s look chic. Maria Baroni & Helene Lasserre 1970 Verdon, France. Helene...

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Sam Darling

Oct 16, 20131 min read

Beach 1

My people, going way back, must be a seafaring people. I want to discover pirates in my family tree. No, I probably won’t. I’ve always...

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Sam Darling

Sep 16, 20131 min read

French carousel

Governor’s Island, New York City hosted a vintage French carnival this summer. I rode a Vélocipèdes and took in the sights and sounds...

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Sam Darling

Sep 15, 20131 min read

Fleas of endearment

The French have developed a friendly sort of relationship with fleas. Of the many creatures that historically live around humans, the...

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Sam Darling

Jul 24, 20131 min read

A sketch

My great-grandfather, Hector Lasserre, on the left with my grandmother, Hélène, in the 1930s. Libourne, France. Here is a sketch she made...

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Sam Darling

Jul 23, 20132 min read

Our Maclaren stroller

When we first decided to have kids, I knew I needed a super lightweight stroller because I’d be hauling that sucker up and down subway...

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Sam Darling

Jul 9, 20133 min read

Great aunt Marthe

Great aunt Marthe and the thoroughly modern controversy As part of the research for my memoir I’ve been in contact with family members...

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Sam Darling

Jun 22, 20134 min read

Horses

My maternal great-grandfather had many hobbies. One of the things he was known for was his horsemanship skills. Hector Lasserre was a...

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Sam Darling

Jun 21, 20131 min read

She painted Jane Berbié

Maternal grandmother Hélène was often enlisted to do the portraits of performers over her long career. Here’s one she did of the French...

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Sam Darling

May 31, 20133 min read

The Rroma in our town

In the south of France, the Rroma people were seasonal workers hired every autumn to pick the grapes for the vineyards. My family’s...

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Sam Darling

May 12, 20131 min read

The Mothers

Even at the airport, my mom and I were fancy. #vintagephotographs #fancy #sunglasses #MothersDay #matching #airport #France #MariaBaroni...

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Sam Darling

Feb 27, 20131 min read

Family style

I’m writing my memoirs and hoping to finish them by the end of the year. The memoirs are a different product than this novel I finished a...

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