Bonjour friends & welcome, new subscribers!
If you’re new here—a little background. A Good Vintage started as a place for me to chronicle the steps Jason and I are taking to slowly but surely move to France. I’ve also written about feeling sartorially challenged in Paris, falling in love with France, and how a pair of orange pants can change your life, among other essays and observations.
The past few weeks in the U.S. have been especially unsettling…what with the assassination attempt, Biden stepping down, and the Supreme Court continuing to do Trump’s bidding. Despite the positive news that Kamala Harris could very well become the first black woman president of the United States, we are more than ready to pack our bags and get out of crazy-town. My latest post is about the next steps in our plan and what I’m doing to keep it together during the dog days of summer.
xo,
Sacha
P.S. Check out my new article for The Independent, “Why MidLife Women Like Me Are Flocking to France.” Ignore the deck—I’m obviously not there yet!
P.S.S. I’d be so happy if you would tap the little heart button at the top or bottom of this post to help with visibility.
Everyone keeps asking, “How does it feel to be back?” Eh, not great. It’s unbearably hot, and the world continues to spin out of control. I’m dropping f-bombs more than usual, and yet, we keep moving forward because what else can we do? Things have been looking up since last week, though, now that Kamala Harris will almost certainly replace Biden on the Democratic ticket. I can’t wait to hear who she picks as her running mate.
I’m trying to stay sane by limiting my news intake, and I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the treadmill with my fabulous gay boyfriend, Matty Maggiacomo. Can you love a Peloton instructor who doesn’t even know you exist? Why, yes, yes you can. Matty got me through the pandemic; I hope he can get me through the [possible but hopefully not] end of democracy, too.
On a more positive note, I’ve started planning our next scouting trip, which will kick off in the fall. We may not be in the States on election day, but you better believe we’ll vote ahead of time. Our first stop will be Paris for a week and then Bordeaux for 10 days.
We fell in love with Bordeaux last winter, and it’s at the top of our list of places we might want to move. We’ll also check out a few places in the South of France, like Arles, Montpellier, Menton, and Collioure. I’ve already spent too many hours on Airbnb looking for places to stay, so if anyone has any leads for a short-term rental (a few weeks or so), I’m all ears. Also, if you have been to any of those places or live there now, drop me a note, will ya?
While I count down the months until we return to France, I’m making the best of things here in the swamp. I’m enjoying the last remaining squares of the Lindt Lait Rocher chocolate bars that I stockpiled before we came home because, for some reason, you can only get that flavor in France. I’ve also been reading a slew of France-related books, including Jane Bertch’s “The French Ingredient” and “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself” by Glynnis MacNicol.
I’m taking another Alliance Française class, which is much better this time thanks to an energetic teacher and a focus on practical everyday conversations. I’ve also gotten sucked into watching The Parisian Agency, a French “reality” TV show about a very photogenic family that runs a luxury real estate company. I watch it in French with subtitles while drooling over the stunning homes in each episode. A girl can dream, can’t she?
A bientôt,
Sacha
For $5/month, paid subscribers get access to my frequently updated list of French Faves. Don’t worry, I won’t spend it all on Champagne or fancy sneakers. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to animal welfare organizations, including the Woodstock Animal Sanctuary and the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.
Maybe check out Trusted Housesitters? It’s a good option to save money both for shorter and longer term stays.
Congrats on your article in The Independent! And, yes, I believe you can love someone who doesn't even know you exist. Keeps life exciting—we see you Matty! xx