Courtesy of the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion
Now that the 4th of July's come and gone, it's time for part two...at least in St. Louis: Bastille Day. Soulard has mothballed its faux guillotine, so the royal beheadings have moved down to Carondelet (for the details on that, click here).
But there's more:
On Saturday, July 14 at 5:30, Alliance Française hosts a "petit pique-nique," featuring food, plus drinks from Tucci & Fresta's Trattoria & Bar and Stella Artois. Then, everyone heads over to Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood) for a 7 p.m. screening of the French silent film Un chapeau de paille d’Italie ("An Italian Straw Hat") with live music by Elsie Parker & the Poor People of Paris. Appropriately enough, the screening also kicks off day two of Cinema St. Louis' Classic Film Festival, which runs through July 29. $35 includes dinner, two drink tickets, plus the screening. For more information, call 314-432-0734, or email bonjour@alliancestl.org.
Then, on Sunday, July 15, the Chatillon-DeMenil Mansion (3352 DeMenil Place) opens its wrought-iron gates for a free celebration from 2 to 5 p.m. Visitors can check out progress on the east porch restoration, go on a mansion tour, stroll the grounds, and grab some light food at Cafe Demenil. At 3 p.m., the crowd will gather for a flag ceremony, a reading of "The Rights of Man," and a round of "La Marseilles," the French national anthem. Living history group, Milice de Ste Famille, will perform military drills on the lawn, as well as musket and cannon salutes; Dance Discovery will tutor you in 18th-century social dances, and Marie Antoinette will make an appearance. And yes... there will be cake. For more information, call 314-771-5828 or go to demenil.org.
