POSTCARD FROM PARIS

Good morning!

Well, it was morning when I started writing you—a jet-lagged 2 AM kind of morning when all the world is quiet, yet your mind is full.

Forty-eight hours ago, we boarded Air France flight 003 from JFK bound for CDG (Charles de Gaulle, Paris). As we lined up to board, the buzz of vacation crashing into the hangover of long-term travel prep, I turned to my kids and said: “This sounds weird, but I’m kind of looking forward to airplane dinner tonight.”

They nodded, chattering about their favorite bits of the just-for-you tray dinner that, even after 15+ international trips as a family of four, still lands like a novelty.

Specifically, I was imagining tender chicken and rice* with over-steamed vegetables, incubating in their little aluminum coffins, and a soft white roll with a perfect little square of too-firm butter in its individual wrapper—a weird kind of comfort food that signals the beginning of our annual summer trip overseas. It is a portal where I no longer have to think about what everyone’s eating all the time, and, more importantly, who will make it and how (the answers to which are always: me, by my effort, and fast because everyone’s hungry—again!).

But when the meal finally came, two hours post a lengthy taxi to the runway, take off and ascension to stable cruising altitude, I pulled back the wrapper on the first compartment of my dinner tray to find not the clever mini salad with one perky grape tomato and crispy shredded carrot I expected from recent trips, but instead a firm (raw?) potato salad in a cream sauce with three wilted peas. In the next compartment were bitty, awkward shapes of dry chicken and a baby-food-esque sweet potato puree. On the side— a sleeve of bland American cheddar and an anemic white roll that was not only not hot, but actually chilled.

“I’m so confused,” I said to my daughter, Greta, who was sitting across the aisle from me in our roomy exit row. “This is Air France!”

Greta pulled her headphones. “Legit, it’s so bad.” She tossed her roll aside and passed both of our dense, cold mini apple cakes back to my husband, who was sitting a few rows behind us with our son.

Until this point, the service and the tone (of both the passengers and flight attendants) had been among our best international travel experiences in recent history—right down to the immaculate French and a seductive selection of French films.

“Air France!!” I went on, emphasizing the word France. I had hoped to elicit the same level of outrage from my offspring. She waved me off, returned to her movie.

Moments later, Mátyás came up to chit-chat. Mátyás, my ally, my pal—fellow food snob. “This makes no sense,” I said, pointing to my half-eaten tray of bland, white-on-white food. “This is France—France!”

“No, actually it’s not,” he said, void of irony. “This is international airspace over the Atlantic Ocean.” He returned to his seat, unmoved.

What followed was a hungry, sleepless night spent organizing my thoughts on everything I could do for the next 6 hours while no one needed me: 1. Bookmarking, researching, and watching the previews for 12 excellent international films (and watching the first 30 minutes of MARIA; more on that below). 2. Mapping our route from Hungary to Italy for later this week. 3. Reading the same page of one of the four books (!!) I packed in my carry-on five times before giving up and collecting the titles of all my summer reads into one tight, detailed list… all of which took me exactly until the moment the cabin lights went back on and a bland, white-on-white Frenchish boxed breakfast arrived in my lap.

This worked out fine because I’ve been wanting to write you about my summer reading list for some time. So far this summer I have read 22 mostly excellent, intoxicating books—many of which feel worth passing along and sharing with you. I’m hoping you’ll add your summer gems to the list (we did this last winter; it was super fun—and I have read many, many of your recommendations! That list is here!). Because while writing about food is infinitely fun and delicious, sometimes it’s nice to feast on the wider cultural landscape of books (my other great love affair) and film.

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But first, I promised you a postcard from Paris*. It goes like this: we landed in Paris, CDG, at 7 AM, discussed eating macarons from Ladurée (and remembered that they never taste that fresh at the airport, since they aren’t baked there), ate some underwhelming Gourmandise Au Chocolat from bakery Paul (which, yes, depuis 1889, but is currently a massive French bakery chain), and one perfect tiny pot of yaourt aux myrtilles (blueberry yogurt) in a glass jar and two blackberry smoothies. An hour later, we boarded another flight to BUD (Hungary), where we’ll stay for a bit.

I’ll write again soon from our little village in Hungary. In the meantime, enjoy these book/movie lists which I spent all night curating on the plane while I should have been sleeping. :)

As for what’s left of August—don’t let these late-summer days pass behind you while looking forward (to back-to-school, Halloween…or beyond). My feet are firmly planted in the present; my kiddos don’t start school until September 5. For us, this is mid-summer, and the best part has just begun.

Now your turn: leave your best summer reads and favorite new films in the comments below.

xx

Sarah

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*These mini layovers are fun (we’ve eaten breakfast or dinner “in Paris” several times en route to Hungary over the years), but CDG is not Paris. If I have to spend more than 2 hours in an international airport, my vote is on Vienna (best strudel, kaffe, oodles of bracing, fresh-pressed juices, museli and smoothies)—or Frankfurt (for the warm pretzels + beer, obviously!)

**Good news!! I got my chicken and rice after all. Nagymama’s welcome-home meal on our first day in Hungary was her beloved gyümölcsleves (cold fruit soup), boneless chicken thighs cooked in zsír (or schmaltz) and herbs from her garden, soft white rice, and uborkasaláta (lightly pickled cucumber salad) on the side —Hungarian comfort food at its best.

International flights are one of the best places to break out of your own personal film rut and discover new and exciting things to watch/learn about. This is especially thrilling if you happen to be studying a new language (I’m currently brushing up on some Italian)—and if you simply want to remember that America, and American film, is not the center of the universe after all. ♡

Chers parents / Dear Parents — (French)
Family comedy about three adult siblings summoned home by their parents, who have won the lottery. The catch: Mom and Dad intend to keep the money and move to Cambodia. Light, contemporary.

Compostelle / The Camino — (French)
A mother and a troubled teenage boy, strangers brought together by circumstances, walk the Camino de Santiago. A story about healing, anger, grief and an unexpected bond.

All to Play For / Rien à perdre — (French)
A single mother works long hours to support her two sons. When her younger son is injured, social services remove him from her care, launching a painful fight to get him back. Powerful, but emotionally heavy.

The Chorus / Les Choristes — (French)
A gentle music teacher arrives at a harsh boarding school for troubled boys in postwar France and creates a choir, transforming the lives of the children—and his own. Beautiful, moving (a good choice for French language practice!)

The Bélier Family / La Famille Bélier — (French + French Sign Language)
Sixteen-year-old Paula is the only hearing member of her family and acts as their interpreter. When her extraordinary singing talent is discovered, she has to choose between pursuing her own future and remaining indispensable to the family biz (think Coda, but French). Warm, funny, accessible.

Mummy Can’t Hear the Motorbike / Elle entend pas la moto — (French + French Sign Language)
A documentary about a family marked by deafness, exploring how they rebuild relationships and find their voices again. Intimate, serious.

Dheepan — (Tamil + French + English)
A former Tamil fighter fleeing the Sri Lankan civil war poses as the husband of a woman and father of a young girl so the three can escape to France. They aim to build a family life in a Paris suburb while the trauma of war follows them. Excellent, dark. (winner: Palme d’Or at Cannes).

The Desert Child / L’Enfant du désert — (French)
A 14-year-old girl visits the Sahara after publishing a book based on her grandfather’s story of Hadara—a child lost in a sandstorm and raised by ostriches. She discovers that the far-fetched story may be true. Adventure/family film (kid-friendly).

Forever with You / Io non ti lascio solo — (Italian)
A boy searches for his missing dog—his last connection to his mother. The search takes him to a remote village and a hidden family secret. Adventure, coming-of-age.

Naples to New York / Napoli-New York — (Italian + Neapolitan + English)
Two children from postwar Naples secretly make their way to New York, hoping to escape poverty and build a new life. (Fun if you’re heading to Italy!)

Sundays / Los domingos — (Spanish)
Seventeen-year-old Ainara is preparing for university; she shocks her family by announcing that she wants to become a nun. Her decision forces them to confront questions about faith, identity, and adulthood. Thoughtful, quiet family drama.

Sound of Falling / In die Sonne schauen — (German + Low German)
Four generations of girls and women are connected to the same isolated farm in Germany. The film moves across different eras, revealing inherited family secrets. Beautiful but intense. (Greta chose this one! Her review—slow but beautiful).

A few English-language (ie. Hollywood) titles that snuck onto my wishlist on the flight, that are perfect for long trips or any of life’s other transitions.

Maria — (English + Greek)
Angelina Jolie as legendary opera singer Maria Callas during the final week of her life in Paris, looking back on her remarkable career, relationships, and identity. Intimate, melancholy. (Intense but I loved the dreamlike sequences of Callas's glam 1960/70s life across France, Italy, and Greece.)

The Drama — (English)
A happy couple’s wedding spirals out after one partner reveals a disturbing secret. A dark, adult drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Ella McCay — (English)
A young politician suddenly becomes governor while simultaneously navigating a complicated personal life. A family/political comedy.

La La Land — (English)
A bittersweet Los Angeles love story/musical about ambition, love, and the sacrifices involved in choosing a life in the arts. (Classic; a fun summer/airplane re-watch)

Below is a complete list of everything on the three piles at the foot of my bed, 4 of which I packed, 22 of which I have read in their entirety this summer, the rest of which rotate on and off my bedside table every week or so as I dip in and out of different genres. Because these topics are all over the map. I’ve included a little subhead for each grouping—or at least how I like to think of them (Amazon and Barnes + Noble may have other ideas).

beautiful, immersive, transporting

The Emperor of Gladness, by Ocean Vuong

Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett (a gentle, reflective read)

The Most, by Jessica Anthony (woah!)

Sandwich, by Catherine Newman (an age-appropriate beach read)

Within Arm’s Reach, by Ann Napolitano (I loved Hello, Beautiful so trying this one)

The Hours, by Michael Cunningham (could read this again and again)

Negative Space, by Gillian Linden (challenging!)

The Original Daughter, by Jemimah Wei (currently reading….)

The Romance of the Forest, by Ann Radcliffe (makes you work, but worth it.)

All Passion Spent, by Vita Sackville-West (packed—I’ll report back)

a breath of fresh air

Woodswoman, by Anne LaBastille (motivating)

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien (10/10, no notes)

Woolgathering, by Patti Smith (wonderful!)

Home/Land, by Rebecca Mead (slow but lovely)

with a side of food!

Next of Kin, by Gabrielle Hamilton (could not put it down!)

Homeschooled, by Stefan Merrill Block (captivating!)

Restaurant Kid, by Rachel Phan (raw, moving)

The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America, by Sara B. Franklin (if you love food, cookbooks, and the literary world—do not skip this!)

the kids are all right…

The Self-Driven Child, by William Stixrud & Ned Johnson (a must!)

The Origins of You, by Vienna Pharaon (fascinating)

The Parent’s Tao Te Ching, by William Martin (the book I give every parent)

The Anxious Generation, by Jonathan Haidt (a scary, necessary read)

peace inside » peace outside

52 Weeks with Jesus, by James Merritt (habitual, soothing)

The Art of Happiness, by Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler (joyful!)

you only live once, protect your human home

Gut, by Giulia Enders (yes—read this! Boring yet brilliant!)

Lifespan, by David A. Sinclair (sold on this concept—not disciplined enough to apply it all—yet!)

anything is possible

A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf (packed + re-reading)

The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield (on hold—I’ll report back)

Talent Is Overrated, by Geoff Colvin (relavatory; I agree!)

How to Begin, by Michael Bungay Stanier (on hold—re-starting this fall)

The Power of Beliefs, by Shawn Achor (foundational; required reading for my family!!)

The Book of Excellence, by Byrd Baggett (bathtub reading)

BUY EVERYDAY IS SATURDAY

ALL MY BOOKS

Photos by Sarah Copeland (iPhone).