(cue rap music)...BROOKLYN! Or in my case, "la rentree." Here in France, there is much fanfare surrounding "la rentree" which means quite literally: the return. The closest US equivalent would be "back to school," but the concept of la rentree is in fact much broader as it's not just students who are involved, but the larger population of France. La rentree refers to the early September period when students head back to school and just about everyone else is coming off a leisurely summer break and reprising the daily grind.
If you have visited France during the long month of August, you probably noticed that the whole country pretty much just shuts down (unless you are at a resort area). We were in and out of Paris mid-August and it was like a ghost town. Many businesses are closed in August (yes, that's right, for the whole month!) and so la rentree is considered a period of new beginnings, new hopes, new trials, etc.; for many this time of the year is even moreso symbolic than say January 1st.
We returned from NYC in the midst of la rentree - my son had just one day to recuperate from our travels before heading back to school and my poor husband actually went into the office on the day we landed. I had a few days of reprieve before my first cupcake order; it's been a tough readjustment for all of us as we deal with the demands on our time and jet lag. We've been home a week now and it almost feels like we never left. It's funny how you just settle back into your routines and daily life.
I hope you all enjoyed some time off over the summer and that you are experiencing "la rentree en douceur" (kind of like "a soft landing" for your back to school). Here are a few cupcake pics from my rentree orders; more to come in the coming days including some new flavors for Fall!