Tag Archives: WWI

Napoleon Builds an Arc in Paris, France

We walked around the circle at the base of the Arc de Triomphe, surrounded by the chaos of traffic and the sound of automobile horns. There were inscriptions in the ground underneath the vault of the arch marking the location of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Paying our respects, we happened upon the evening ceremony of the lighting of the torch.   This observance of one soldier, buried here in 1921, represented the many soldiers who fought for France during the First World War.

The magnificent Arc de Triomphe is a little piece of Rome that resides in the stylish city of Paris.  Napoleon Bonaparte, influenced by the triumphal arches of the Roman Empire, commissioned the monument to signify his victorious battle of Austerlitz in 1805.  Friezes of soldiers are ornately sculpted into the stonework while a list of Napoleonic victories and names of 558 French generals are memorialized on the inside and top of the arch. Four two-dimensional reliefs were elaborately carved into the arch, the most famous is Francois Rude’s “La Marseillaise”, which is also the title of Frances national anthem.  Standing 162 feet tall, 150 feet wide at the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle, the massive size can only be experienced in person.

We were prepared to visit the museum and climb the 284 steps to the top of the arch for magnificent views of Paris.  Purchasing our tickets in advance, we finished our exploration of the arch’s exterior and slipped into the museum to learn more about the history of the arch and mused over the enclosed miniature model.  The nearby shop offers a number of great mementos.

We continued our climb up the stairs to the viewing platform on top of the arch and were caught off guard by the breathtaking views.  Looking down from the top, we could see the maze of avenues extending out from the arch which resembled a web of concrete and steel.  Mesmerized by the lights along the Champs-Elysees we slowly walked the perimeter of the top where we located the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Sacre Coeur.

Although construction on the arch began in 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte would never have the opportunity to enjoy his trophy which took thirty years to complete.  While his funeral was conducted at the base of the arch in 1921, Napoleon’s triumphal project was finally completed in 1936.

What to See and What to Do:

Arc de Triomphe
Place Charles de Gaulle
75008, Paris, France
Telephone:  +33 155 377 377

  • Admission Fee:  Free, but there is an additional cost to visit the rooftop observation deck for 9,50 Euros for adults and free for visitors 18 years and under. From October to March, the first Sunday of each month is free.
  • Hours:  Open daily from 10AM to 11:30PM October to March and open daily from 10AM to 11PM April to September.  The last entry is scheduled 45 minutes prior to the museum’s closing.
  • Amenities:   Museum, gift shop, self guided tour brochure available in 8 languages and 90-minute tour lectures provided in French, English and Spanish
  • Scenic View:   Gorgeous views from the rooftop
  • Length of Visit:  1 – 2 hours
  • Tips for Your Visit:  The museum and observation deck is included in the Paris Pass.  Do not cross the traffic to reach the Arc de Triomphe!  Attempting to cross the roundabout is potentially dangerous.  From the northern side of the Champs-Elysees are stairs that lead to pedestrian tunnels bringing you beneath the arch.  You should be moderately fit to be able to take the stairs to the top and wear appropriate shoes. The best time to visit the rooftop is during sunset.

Where to Stay:

Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
31 Avenue George V
75008, Paris, France
Telephone:  +33 49 52 70 00

Where to Eat:

Le Cinq
Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
31 Avenue George V
75008, Paris, France
Telephone:  +33 49 52 71 54

Wow!  I experienced two amazing dinners over the last couple of days and Le Cinq will forever be considered one of my top three restaurants!  I ordered the Sea Bass with cavier and ribot milk that was so creamy and prepared with perfection!  David ordered the Australian Black Market Beef draped with truffled mozzarella and the meat was so tender and I wished we could have ordered another side of truffled mozzarella. Ingenious!

What to Eat: 

  • Beef Borgonion is France’s equivalent to a beef stew but better!
  • Fresh Bread from the Boulangerie 
  • Cheese
  • Chocolate Croissants
  • Coq au Vin is an extraordinary French chicken stew
  • Creme Brulee is an egg custard that has been torched on the top to create a crisp layer
  • Crepes are an egg based wrap filled sweet or savory fillings
  • Croque Monsieur or Croque Madame are croissants filled with sweet or savory fillings such as cheese or ham.
  • Duck which is listed as canard on the French menu
  • Escargot
  • French Onion Soup
  • Frites are France’s fancy French fries
  • Frog Legs
  • Frois Gras is a duck pate
  • Macarons are deliciously light airy pastries made from sugar and almond flour
  • Meringues
  • Profiteroles are cream puffs

What to Read: 

  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo
  • The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway
  • Les Miserable, by Victor Hugo
  • The Life Before Us, by Romain Gary
  • All the Light we cannot see, by Anthony Doerr
  • Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
  • Perfume by Patrick Suskind

Photo Guide for Paris: 

  • Avenue des Champs Elysses for street scenes and upscale restaurants and hotels
  • Eiffel Tower for fabulous views of the city
  • Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for gorgeous architecture
  • Jardin du Luxembourg for nature
  • The Louvre for art and architecture
  • Montemartre for the art scene and architecture
  • Notre Dame Cathedral for amazing views
  • Paris Bird and Flower Market for interesting people watching
  • Paris Metro for street scenes
  • Sacre Coeur for sunsets and panoramic views
  • Saint Michel and the Latin Quarter for street scenes

The Garst Museum: Lowell Thomas

 

While visiting The Garst Museum, I found the life of Lowell Thomas to be very interesting.  Born in Woodington, Ohio, Thomas and his family moved to Colorado when Lowell was eight years old.  After graduating from the University of Denver, Lowell took a job at the Chicago Journal and became known for writing about rail travel.   When the United States became involved in World War I, Thomas left for Europe to write about the conflict.

Thomas would eventually travel to Palestine to write about the conflict, fascinating Americans back home.  He returned with video pictures of the Middle East and gained recognition for his reporting of British officer T.E. Lawrence, who was known for his role in the Arab Revolt.  The culmination of reporting would result in the movie, “Lawrence of Arabia”, which starred Peter O’Toole as T. E. Lawrence while Arthur Kennedy would play the role of Jackson Bentley which was loosely based on the life of Lowell Thomas.

Thomas would eventually became a radio commentator in 1929 and 1930 where he discussed his worldwide travels. While this lead to a program at CBS Radio Network, it was through television where Thomas would become known.  Travel would always be Thomas’ first love and when his wife Frances passed, he remarried Marianna and took a 50,000 mile honeymoon.  Thomas died four years later and is buried in Christ Church Cemetery in Pawling, New York.

Have you heard of Lowell Thomas or Lawrence of Arabia?  I would love to hear about your visit to The Garst Museum if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my visit to the museum and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Garst Museum
205 North Broadway
Greenville, OH  45331
Telephone: 937 548 5250

  • Admission: $12 for adults, $11 for seniors, $9 for youth, $9 for Darke County Genealogy Society Members, Free for children aged 5 and below and for DCHS Members
  • Hours:  Tuesday – Saturday from 10AM to 4PM & Sunday from 1PM to 4PM, Closed Mondays, Major Holidays and the Month of January
  • Amenities:  Historical exhibits, educational exhibits, research center, historic figures, museum store and special events
  • Tips: Allow yourself plenty of time to visit each of the exhibits and wear comfortable shoes.

Where to Stay: 

The Inn at Versailles
21 West Main Street
Versailles, OH  45380
Telephone:  937 526 3020

Where to Eat: 

The Merchant House
406 South Broadway
Greenville, OH  45331
Telephone:  937 459 4405

Pig candy and the Monte Cristo sandwich….absolutely amazing!

Where to Drink: 

Kennedy Vineyard
3911 State Route 722
New Madison, OH  45346
Telephone:  937 273 8381

What to Read:

  • History as You Heard it by Lowell Thomas, by Lowell Thomas
  • The Voice of America, by Mitchell Stephens
  • Back to Mandalay, by Lowell Thomas

 

A Famous Wedding Takes Place at Malabar Farm State Park

Hollywood seems so far from Ohio, but for a pair of movie stars who wanted to escape the limelight of Los Angeles, Mansfield became the perfect location to wed and escape the paparazzi.

I began my visit to Malabar Farm State Park at the home of Louis Bromfield, standing on the front porch of the farmhouse.   I looked out onto the open land and could see stately maple trees and endless rolling hills. It was a beautiful sunny day for a tour of the house followed with a wagon ride around the property.

Walking across the threshold, I was surprised to hear the theme of the Mickey Mouse Club playing on the grand piano where a small crowd had gathered.

The grand entrance of the home included beautifully restored wooden floors and elegant wallpaper. Original Audobon prints were displayed on the walls as well as artwork from friends and family.

I imagined Mrs. Bromfeld preparing for her day as she checked her daily planner or making calls on her rotary phone to confirm an appointment.  Would she have planned a lunch date with her girlfriends,  booked her weekly facial or scheduled a fitting for a gown before a special event?  I couldn’t help but allow my mind to wander about the endless possibilities.

While the home was in great condition, there was evidence of wear and tear as displayed in the downstairs’ half bathroom.  The floors were stained and the walls could have used a little upgrade.

The artwork was unique in each room with a variety of paintings.  One of my most memorable moments was gazing into several beautiful farmland photos by artist Grandma Moses, who took up painting in her late 70s.

In 1896, Louis Bromfield was born in Mansfield, graduating high school in 1914. He attended Cornell University to study agriculture and after one semester, returned home,  Helping his grandfather with the farm, Bromfield became injured and put his education on hold.

A year later, Bromfield returned to college at Columbia University to study journalism. As WWI began, he learned that there was a shortage of ambulance drivers and decided to join the military.  It was here that he met, Walt Disney, Ernest Hemingway, Ray Crock and Gertrude falling in love with the French countryside.

Bromfield returned to the United States after the war and lived with his sister, a pianist living in New York City.  While here,  he became a Broadway critic in his early 20s and wrote for the entertainment section of the New York Times.

Often drinking at the local bar, it was here that Louis met Humphrey Bogart.  Ironically, Louis had just recently given Bogart a bad review of his play,  suggesting Humphrey give up acting.  Despite the negative press, they somehow became great friends.

In 1921, Louis married Mary Appleton Wood, a rich socialite whose father owned Appleton Publishing Company.  Honeymooning in Paris, they returned to Mansfield and built their beautiful property.  Mary wasn’t thrilled to live at Malabar Farms and made it clear that she stayed because of her love for her husband.

The Bromfields had three children, Anne, Hope and Ellen.  Their photos  were displayed on the mantle of the fireplace located in the guest room.  Hope and Ellen would go on to marry and have lives of their own living in Montana and Brazil, respectively.   Anne had never married and lived with her father until his death.

Thirteen of Bromfield’s forty books were best sellers and based on his experiences on the farm.  Some of his most recognized works include The Green Bay Tree, Lost Generation and Autumn Wind.

In addition to writing books, Louis was also a screen writer as well as a member of New York’s “Cafe Society.”  His income was an impressive $2500 per week.

In 1938, Walt Disney employed Louis to write the screenplay for the story of Ferdinand and to supervise its animation.  Based on the popular children’s book from 1936, I was surprised to learn that the production was considered a short film, lasting under eight minutes.  Cells of the animated works were presented to Bromfield’s daughters and are on display at Malabar Farm.

Bromfield was known for his love of dogs, especially boxers, where at one time he had eighty of them on the farm.

Louis Bromfield’s novel, “The Rains Came” became a movie in 1938.  An aspiring actress from the 1930s and 40s, Myrna Loy, starred in the film which is based on the story of a British aristocrat who moves to India with her husband.  She meets a gentleman and befriends him but becomes enamored with a surgeon who doesn’t take much notice of her.

Years later, Louis would receive a call from Humphrey Bogart that would transform the farm into a wedding chapel for two of America’s most beloved stars.  It was here, in 1945, where Humphrey wed Lauren Bacall despite their 25-year age difference.  The decision to marry at Malabar was to escape the paparazzi and press of Hollywood.  They arrived in Mansfield under police escort as they immediately applied for their marriage license at the courthouse.  The wedding ceremony took place that day in the presence of their beloved friends and they departed for Hollywood the next day.

The Bromfields decorated their living room similar to their space in Paris.  Because they loved to entertain their guests, they temporarily removed furniture to make way for social events.  The mirrored wall is covered with 48 stars of the 1939 American flag.

One of my favorite spaces in the house was the large dining room with its elegant chandelier and casual sunroom.  On the white table, there were several wedding photos and a copy of their marriage certificate on display.

Exiting the kitchen, we were invited to board a tractor pulled hayride.  Ready to explore the rolling hills and the surrounding tall trees, we passed by the family cemetery, a large pond, the Bromfield barn and the Malabar Farm Restaurant.

The hayride dropped us off at the barn and I was excited to see several animals boarded here.  The rambunctious baby goats chased each other within the enclosure.  I couldn’t help but stay to watch them play for awhile before deciding to have lunch at the nearby Malabar Farm Restaurant.

Bromfield led a colorful life before returning back to his native home of Ohio.  Malabar Farms, the 32-room mansion standing in the midst of 600 acres of farmland in Pleasant Valley, was once the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning Louis Bromfield and the setting of a Hollywood wedding.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Malabar Farms State Park?  Did you tour the Louis Bromfield home?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my visit to Malabar Farms and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Malabar Farms State Park
4050 Bromfield Road
Lucas, OH  44843
Telephone:  419 892 2784

Malabar Farm House – The guided tour of the Bromfield family house lasts 75 to 90 minutes and is not recommended for small children

  • Admission Fee: $6 per adult, $5.40 for seniors, $4 for youth and no charge for children 5 and under
  • Hours:  April: Sat – Sun at 11AM and 2PM most weekends. Call ahead.  Memorial Day through Labor Day:  Sunday to Thursday: 11AM & 2PM, Friday and Saturday:  11AM, 2PM and 4:30PM; Labor Day through October 31st:  Tuesday through Sunday 11AM and 2PM;  November and December:  11AM and 2PM; November – December:  Saturday through Sunday:  11AM and 2PM most weekends. Call ahead.  No tours on December 24th, 25th and 31st;  Closed January through March.
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Call ahead of time for tour dates and times.

Where to Stay:

Landoll’s Mohican Castle
561 Township Road 3352
Loudonville, OH  44842
Telephone:  419 994 3427

Where to Eat:

Malabar Farm Restaurant
3645 Pleasant Valley Road
Lucas, OH  44843
Telephone:  419 938 5205

This restaurant has amazing farm-to-table menu items.  Try the Maytag Bleu Filet Mignon.

What to Read:

  • Pleasant Valley, by Louis Bromfield
  • The Farm, by Louis Bromfield

An Authentic Audubon Print

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