Ready for the Weekend: it all started with the Duchess of York

I recently saw the Bazar behind the scenes footage from a photo shoot featuring Sarah who was the Duchess of York.  The visual cues connecting the image and scene to the 2006 film Marie Antoinette are obvious.   While one might ponder the deeper meaning of aligning herself with the tragic queen, I was taken by the...cakes and pastries!

 

 

I have an occasion to bake for this week and I have been searching far and wide for excellent cake recipes.  (If you have some you should send them to me!)  Last night Sara was kind enough to share a chocolate cake recipe on her blog that sounds divine, so I may have to try that!  So I double checked on the styles and cakes from the 2006 film.

The amazing pastries and confections were created just for the filming by the infamous Laduree bakery in Paris.  Sadly, they do not have a shop near me, but they do feature many of their desserts on the website.  They offer the Marie Antoinette tribute cake, which was featured in the film, and smaller bites. yum...just yum...

I would love to know the price that one of these cakes go for!

Clearly as delicious as lovely.

Have a great weekend, I will be dreaming of cake and champagne!

Outside Versailles: Royal Wedding

Marie Antoinette's wedding ceremony took place at one in the afternoon, to Louis Auguste.  That night, while the new royal couple celebrated at Versailles with games, dancing and food. 

Outside of Versailles, the people of Paris also celebrated (those who did not try to squeeze their way into Versailles!)  That night, there was not a window or wall to be seen in the great city that did not have a candle burning in honor of the royal wedding.

A letter from Maria Theresa

"Your wife, my dear Dauphin, has just parted from me. She was the delight of my life, and I hope that she will be the joy of yours. In this hope have I reared her, because I have long foreseen that she would share your destiny.  I have inspired her with the love of her duties towards you, with a tender and personal regard for you and with the intention of considering and obeying your wishes."

A letter from Maria Theresa to Louis Auguste.
 Challice, Annie Emma Armstrong. 1863. Heroes, Philosophers, and Courtiers of the Time of Louis Xvi, Volume 1. London: Hurst and Blackett.

Giveaway winners!

Thank you everyone for entering this years Bloggiversary giveaway! This year is our fun fan giveaway, and I asked readers, why they didn't have a a fan.  Well after reading all the entries, I have decided that you all do have legitimate reasons for not having a fan! Heather and I are getting some of you started by giving out pretty little sandal wood fans (practical and stylish!)

Congratulations to the following readers who will soon have their very own fans, perfect for this summer!

• smalldog **
• Rachel ** 
• Katie **
  

And finally congrats to our grand prize winner who will receive a fan and the Let Them Eat Cake Bon Bon Lip Balm!  

•  Anabel ** 

Thanks for entering and helping Heather and I celebrate 3 years!

**winners: please email me at MarieAntoinetteGossip{at}gmail.com with your mailing address.  Prizes not claimed by Friday May 20, will be offered to a runner up.  Thanks!!

Who wore it better?

Where did Marie Antoinette get her innovative fashion sense and style from? Could a little have been from her mother, Empress Maria Theresa?  The Empress was also known to enjoy a good party every now and then. She adored dancing when she was younger, and her particular type of party was the masquerade! Here she is, decked out from head to toe in a Turkish costume, with mask, dressed for such a party.

But who wore it better? Below we have two exquisite portraits of two popular ladies, both in Turkish Costume (all the rage!) reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.  So what do you think? 

Marie Theresa or Madame de Pompadour?

Martin van Meytens, Maria Theresa with a Mask in a Turkish Dress. 1744. Schloß Schönbrunn Kultur- und Betriebsges.m.b.H.

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Charles André van Loo, Sultan's Wife Drinking Coffee. 1755, oil on canvas. State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.

How close we can be...to Marie Antoinette

In the scheme of things 200 years is not that long and sometimes I consider this...  This little story is just an example of how we are not so far removed from those 18th century days, when Marie Antoinette organized and attended parties, and everyone wore their best feathers for a night out.

"[F.J.W.] Roughton [a Fellow of Trinity] has a similar story from his schooldays. His father had been a G.P. in the Kettering area and had gone around his practice in a pony and trap, sometimes taking the young Roughton with him. On one such occasion (about 1906) they visited an old unmarried brother and sister. While Roughton senior was attending to the brother, the sister took young Roughton on one side and said she would tell him a story which he should try to remember.

When she was young, she was taken to a dance and was asked to dance by an old man who told her that he used to be in the army and had served in France in his youth. Whilst in Paris he attended a grand ball at which he danced with Marie Antoinette.

Charles Eisen, Dance in a Ballroom. 1740s, pen and ink, brown wash and watercolors on paper. Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, England.

Roughton’s visit must have been around 1906 and if the officer and the old lady had each reached 85 years of age, the dance could have taken place 130 years before i.e. around 1776. …two long lives take us back many years."

Paley Johnson celebrated his ninetieth birthday. Speech delivered on 15 July

2007, Trinity College Cambridge

3 years already? Let̕ s Celebrate!!

This weekend will be nothing but fresh berries and champagne, with plenty to go around! Did I mention royal cupcakes?  If you have not yet heard, Heather and I are celebrating 3 years of blogging, and hosting an online bloggiversary bash! Which really just means fun and games for you!

So many great things have come from the blogs since that sunny May back in 08! I love the conversations we have here and over at Georgiana's Gossip Guide, and Twitter as well, for those of you there. I hope everyone has had as much fun here as I have!  In short, thanks for hanging out and taking part in our little salons, keep the humor, wit, and knowledge coming! 

So, each bloggiversary we try to do a fun giveaway, and this year we are focusing on fans. Practical for warm days and gossiping about the fabulous past with your friends! Every lady should have a fan in her possession.  In fact, I would be surprised if you didn't!

That is where the giveaway comes in to play!

How To Enter:

To win one of four fans I am giving away, simply comment on this blog stating why you don't have a fan.

example:

"I left it on a train in France. Oops!"

Or Heather's reason:

"some prossie broke mine!" 

One 'grand' prize winner will receive a fan and Let Them eat Cake! Bon Bon Lip Balm from Tokyo Milk! yum! I mean, this is a birthday after all!  French Vanilla, shredded Coconut and a hint of cocoa...for a perfect kiss!

Winners will be announced Friday May 13, Good luck!

Coronation of Louis XII

Louis XII reigned from 1498-1515. During his rule, he kept France alive by holding many royal ceremonies and rituals, proper etiquette required!   His coronation ceremony was marked with tradition; it began at Rheims, followed by Saint Denis and then Paris.

As he entered the city with both royal and city officials, he was dressed in dazzling armor, representing himself as both a military and government leader.  One supports the other, and the overall image was of a powerful man whose authority was not doubted.

He also had an overly elaborate tableau displaying a working of icons to represent his family.  He had inherited the throne from his late cousin, Henry VIII.  He claimed two titles as both King of France and the Duke of Milan, and his tableau reinforced his family’s roots in Milan through heraldic imagery.

Having this large image on display during his parade told the people of France (literate or illiterate) this proud and powerful ruler can rightfully claim both France and Milan.  And what a way to make a statement! The little sensitive spot, lay with the current Duke of Milan! Ludovico Sforza. oops?  It did not take long before Louis XII made his move.  He entered Milan in 1499, and successfully captured it, much celebrating ensued!


Names sound familiar? We have recently met this Duke of Milan in The Borgias (watch full episodes here) I have been watching the entire season, well made, great art references and overall a well done historical drama.

Video Game: Marie Antoinette and the American War of Independence

Marie Antoinette has now inspired a video game for the Nintendo DS system (trailer below), which I was lucky enough to try out!  First off I will admit that my little Nintendo DS Lite has been one of those purchases I have not regretted, and well worth the money! I love all the games I have including my cooking game that has taught me a thing or two...

So the new game is called Marie Antoinette and the American War of Independence.

The educational game sends you time travelling along with Oscar (smarty pants side-kick to the brainy professor) ((if you liked the Professor Layton games this is similar!)) back to 1781.  The adventure takes place on water, in American and, of course, all the way to Versailles!

You will meet many famous characters from the past such as Washington, La Fayette, Rochambeau etc., and you will learn a little bit about each, and their roles during the period.  The game is full of mini games, riddles and quizzes that you must pass in order to move on to the next adventure.  You will need to know a thing or two about the 18th century to pass these, but if you don't know the answers you always get another chance!  Some of the activities reminded me of the mini-games in Mario Party, and I have a feeling not only the kids will enjoy this one.

One thing I wished was improved is the soundtrack.  I believe gaming is a full experience and if the music isn't perfect, it affects the overall experience.  I have played several games on my DS with excellent soundtracks such as Harvest Moon and Professor Layton & the Diabolical Box.  It would be wonderful if the music for Marie Antoinette & the American War of Independence was a little stronger.  The video game overall is still very entertaining!

I am working on my game now, and I admit I have yet to reach Versailles but I am well on my way! I think now that the holiday has passed I will be able to sail through.  Why am I excited to get to Versailles?  You get to "meet Marie-Antoinette in her elegant world at Petit Trianon castle. But be careful! A mysterious secret society is acting in the shadows…"  The purpose of the game is to find traitors and save the Queen.  Will you be playing?

Check out the trailer:

Where to buy (for Nintendo DS):
Marie Antoinette and the American War of Independence

You may also want to check out these games for the PC:
Versailles Mysteries I   ...and my little post and trailer of it here
Versailles Mysteries II

The Latest Royal Wedding Dress: Kate Middleton

I loved it.  What did you think?

Did you like Kate Middleton's royal wedding gown?

BBC Video of The Dress

Royal wedding: What are they saying about the dress?

image source



image source, thanks @Aylwen!



Grace Kelly's wedding gown

via Kate Middleton FTW

First Impressions Count

image source

Before her royal wedding, the Duchess of Lauzun had never met her husband to be.  Amélie was engaged to the Armand Gontaut-Biron, who would become the duc de Lauzun. The boy was gifted with both ambition and charm (and he wasn't hard on the eyes either!)

He had had a few flings here and there, so one can imagine the suspense to an engagement with a lady he did not know.  What did he know? She was very accomplished.  Raised by a grandmother who was an infamous member of the court of Louis XV, Amélie was well versed in court etiquette.  Elegant and graceful, she had been described as "exquisitely beautiful."  Elegance and grace certainly don't hurt a girl's beauty!

So it may not be surprising that the young duc had to see his beautiful bride to be.  An arrangement was made for him to attend a ball where Amélie would also be in attendance.  He would go in a disguise as not to be recognized by the guests.  When he got there,  he saw his bride, and was happily captivated by her beauty!

Unfortunately for Amélie, her husband-to-be was admiring the beauty of a Mademoiselle de Roth. Oops!  When he figured out his error, and saw Amélie, as exquisite as she was, her beauty paled in comparison to Mademoiselle de Roth.  A circumstance beyond her control, the duc had a bad first impression, and never let go of that!

Now this is a Royal Wedding Gown!

Of course you all remember this gown, it hit the aisle at the royal wedding of Edwige Elizabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp in 1774.  It is over the top, layered, full of silver spangles, and has a very detailed bodice.  The panniers are over sized, it would be no tough guess as to who the bride was.  Fortunately the dance numbers were accommodating to the dress of the period!

It is in amazing condition and was recently on view at the exhibition Court Pomp and Royal Ceremony.

 Now imagine it under the glow of a hundred flickering candles! <3

Johanna Öst, 2009. Digital Photograph. Website.

Royal Wedding: Wedding Bliss or Miss

 After rumors circulated that he was to marry Adelaide, the king's daughter, the Duc de Chartres' luck took an unexpected turn.  Of course, there was nothing wrong with marrying a daughter of France, but the suggested match never fully fabricated.  In fact, had he had his way, he may well have married one of the daughters, but not Adelaide (he had eyes for Anne Henriette de France!) The young duc, who was only 18, was hot on the market, and his father was ready for the boy to settle down and live a wholesome life.

Marriage
Daughters of France aside, a bride was chosen for this bachelor duc, Louise Henriette de Bourbon Conti, who strutted around Versailles as Mademoiselle Conti.  She was absolutely stunning.  The couple had a winter wedding, December of 1743.  The ceremony was held in the chapel of Versailles (same chapel Marie Antoinette was married in years later) and the couple was married by the famous Cardinal de Rohan.  The entire royal family attended the ceremony, including the duc's old flame, Henriette (below).

Adelaide (left) Anne Henriette (right)

The duc's puppy love for his cousin faded quickly once he was wed to Louise Henriette.  The couple were enamored with each other, and they were not afraid of a little PDA.  In what was described as "ridiculous" and "almost scandal" the couple affectionately began their wedded lives in what can only be described as true happiness.

The Honeymoon Ends
The hot passion these two newlyweds shared started to fade a few years after they started their lives together. Six years after the wedding at Versailles, reports of the duc's living were less than desirable.  He was staying out until all hours of the night, gaming, and in debt.  He drank too much and hung out with society far below his rank.  Overall he seemed to be having a good time.


His beloved wife was keeping herself very busy with a lover, and was rumored to have several lovers aside from her constant.  This scandal was made public in 1751 when the duc finally told his wife enough was enough.  He made it very clear that she was not to see the lover again ...or else..she would be sent away to a convent!

Louise Henriette had grown up in one, and was not ready to go back.  She threw a fit and refused to even dine with her husband. (ps she was also pregnant at this point...but by who...!) Needless to say things didn't look so good. For whatever reason, the couple reconciled, but Louise Henriette passed away in 1759 just 32 years old. It didn't take long for rumors to spread that the cause of her early death was due to her unfaithful wedded life. 

Springtime Hats: Pastels, Pastels, Pastels!

Check out some of the new styles of hats that hit the French runways in 1776!

 

Le Lever de la Reine

 

Coeffure simple à la mode

 La Gabrielle de Vergie

 Bonnet à la Marmotte

Which hat(s) would you want to be seen in?