Faith, who gave me Kaari Meng's lovely book Home Sewn awhile back, had the very fun idea of inviting a group of us who have expressed interest in visiting French General to actually go there.
Faith has really good taste, and I would love to live in a house she decorated. I would love to live in her house, actually. Whenever I go over, I don't want to leave, but I don't want her to have to kick me out, so I do leave. But I don't want to.
French General used to be in Hollywood but is now closer to us, in the hilly, modernist Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, not far from Dodger Stadium. It's only about half an hour away, or less if the traffic is light. I was astonished at myself for not going there sooner.
So yesterday morning, fortified by some of Faith's delicious coffee and some Trader Joe's Mini Morning Buns, Faith and Texanna and Danielle and Tash and Claire and I jumped into two cars and made our way over.
Faith and Texanna are my sister's husband's sisters, but I prefer to think of them as my sisters-in-law, too, because we have known each other a very long time, and that is what it feels like to me. They are family. There should be a word in English to explain the relationship of your sister's husband's sisters to you.
Some of you may recall my dear and very beloved church friends Danielle and Tash from their criminal activities, which were previously alluded to here in suziebeezieland. I should note that Danielle also housesits for us, and Tash also babysits for us, besides having their own busy jobs and lives. They just moonlight as art thieves.
And then Claire is my daughter, who was very excited to be out and about with the big girls. :)
The store is open from 11 to 4 on Mondays. We got there just after 11. I was so excited. :) I have been a French General fan since before Claire was born.
The store is full of beautiful notions for making jewelry, and exquisite linens and fabrics, and so many little treasures to make sure not to miss that you could happily spend an hour or more in there in a little cloud of euphoria.
Which we all did.
All of the glasses on this table were full of beautiful metal charms and other parts for making jewelry. I don't know about jewelry making so I don't know all the correct terms, but they were really neat to look at.
The store has workshops, and I think it would be fun to go and learn how to make a bracelet or necklace. (If any of you Minnesota gals are close to Minneapolis, you could make a Petite Coeur cushion with Kaari at The Creative Connection event in mid-September.)
Here is Tash perusing the charms, while Claire peruses her second or third snack. They had awesome snacks set out.
Faith, I'm so glad you organized us to go.
These ribbons made me want to be a milliner, and also reminded me of this movie scene in Pride and Prejudice:
Jane: What are you up to, Liddy?
Lydia: We just happened to be looking for some ribbon.
Kitty: White, for the ball.
Mr. Wickham: Shall we all look for some ribbon together?
Lydia and Kitty: [laughs and giggles]
Lydia: Good afternoon, Mr. James.
Milliner: Good afternoon, Miss Lydia. Miss Bennet.
Mr. Wickham: I shan't even browse. I can't be trusted. I have very poor taste in ribbons.
Lizzie: Only a man truly confident of himself would admit to that.
Mr. Wickham: No, it's true. And buckles. When it comes to buckles, I'm lost.
Lizzie: Dear, oh dear. You must be the shame of the regiment.
Mr. Wickham: A laughingstock.
Lizzie: What do your superiors do with you?
Mr. Wickham: Ignore me. I'm of next to no importance, so it's easily done.
The two ladies who worked there were soooooo nice. They were really helpful and really fun. The way you shop there is so neat, because you get a little tray and a bunch of glassine envelopes (I always want to call them glycine envelopes . . . when science and crafts collide) and stickers, and you count out any tiny notions you buy into the envelopes and seal them up and label them, and write up your own receipt as you shop. It was fun. I've always wanted to do that.
Everything got wrapped up carefully.
Adieu, le Général Français! Nous y reviendrons avec plaisir!
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.