Flashback of the Week

We love a good weekend read, and with spring finally in full bloom here in New York, what better book to dive into than one about the Queen of pastels (and, yes, France). Marie Antoinette is an ever-present cultural figure today– synonymous with over-the-top luxury and bad politics, not to mention the infamous (and untrue! The things you learn in books…) “Let them eat cake” line. Author Antonia Fraser’s compelling and compassionate biography of France’s doomed last queen is, like, really good and we can’t get enough of it. Marie becomes more human and relatable in the book, much like she does in this 1785 engraving of her with her son and daughter. All wide blue eyes and wild curly hair, this family trio looks at home together out in the fresh air–a happy escape from the confines of court life. And this weekend, with the cherry blossoms in full bloom, we plan to follow their example and make a break for the nearest and greenest space we can find, fully prepared for a summer full of weekends just as perfect.

Written by Sara Dimmitt