I first learned about Celiac Disease a few years ago, when a client who suffers from the disease came to a South ‘n France party.  Prior to his arrival, I checked all of our bon bon flavors and their ingredients to determine which ones he could enjoy during the evening.  Our gluten-free bon bon flavors are:  Café au Lait, Coconut, Pistachio, and Peanut Buttah.

According to The Today Show, 5% of Americans have a gluten intolerance, and one in 33 Americans has Celiac Disease — that’s not to mention the fact that 95% of Celiacs go undiagnosed. As a result, the gluten-free market is exploding.  Restaurants are offering gluten-free menus; food manufacturers are developing gluten-free products; gluten-free bakeries are popping up around the country; celebrities are converting to a gluten-free diet.  First Daughter Chelsea Clinton even served gluten-free cake at her recent wedding!  Now that all of the wedding planning is over, we’d like to suggest that Chelsea take a break.  She can sit around eating our gluten-free bon bons:  Café au Lait, Coconut, Pistachio, and Peanut Buttah.  I bet her dad would willing scarf up our other three flavors:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies ‘n Creme, and Fudge Brownie!

There’s nothing like a great love story.  I enjoy reading the New York Times wedding announcements, even though I’ve never known a single person featured therein.  I even own a book (that I bought long before I was married) called  How We Met: Chance Encounters and Other True Love Stories of Real-Life Couples.  And, of course, there is my own love story with Pascal, one I’ve told to countless audiences at Bon Bon Parties and public speaking events.

Whenever I meet a new couple, I love to ask:  “So, how did you meet?”  Recently, I met a bride-to-be with a really cool love story.  Lorie was on a plane, flying home after her daughter’s wedding, when she struck up a conversation with the man in the seat right next to her.  Little did she know that man would become her husband.  Talk about love in the air!

Lorie was living in Texas at the time, but the charming airline passenger, a resident of California, was undeterred.  A week later, when he traveled to Texas on business, he called Lorie and asked to take her to dinner.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Eventually Lorie moved to California to be closer to her beau (he’s a film producer).  And recently, the couple moved to Wilmington, NC to be near Screen Gem Studios where said producer has a few projects in the works.

Pascal and I were thrilled to be a small part of their wedding celebration.  We provided bon bon favors for the Welcome Baskets placed in hotel rooms for out-of-town guests, and we hosted a Bon Bon Party for the bride and her girlfriends the evening before the wedding.

Here’s a shot of the happy bride (in white) with her two daughters, Ashley (left) and Amanda (right), the one whose wedding started it all….

One thing I love about my husband is that he’s always full of surprises.  He loves to garden.  So while I have authority over our interior spaces, the exterior is all his.  In years past, he has jealously guarded each and every bloom in his garden, insisting that they remain outdoors as a part of his magnificent creation. 

But this year, much to my surprise (and ongoing delight!), he has taken to bringing his blooms inside.

One morning, I arrived at my desk to discover a tiny bud vase of wildflowers and miniature roses, complete with rosemary and mint as green filler.  And, over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying beautiful bouquets of hydrangeas from plants at the far end of the garden (an area where I seldom venture). 

Since mon jardinier (so much more romantic than the English equivalent of ‘gardener’) has taken to this new habit of making my day with fresh floral bouquets, I thought you might like to share in my delight.  I hope you enjoy this photo (a virtual bouquet) that currently graces our entry way. 

Long after the flowers are gone, it will remind me to relish life’s little surprises.

I have a new camera.  A really cool, super nice, new camera.  I’m so lucky to have a great friend who just happens to be an amazing professional photographer.  So when it came to picking out a new camera, I left everything in her hands.  And, let’s just say that she hooked me up in style!

I experimented with my camera for the first time while on a trip to visit my nephew Carter who lives in Buffalo, NY now.  You may remember him as the cute little bon bon bundle who was my sidekick at last year’s Chocolate Festival.  Although my camera is sure to provide me with hours of fun, it’s not my favorite toy.  That title belongs to my little buddy, Carter. 

I got to take him for a walk (where we saw a dump truck and a live bunny rabbit!); I got to read him books; and much to his parents’ chagrin, I bought new batteries for all of his toys that make noise! (That’s what Aunties are supposed to do, n’est-ce pas?)  Pascal and I can’t wait for his next visit to Wilmington, which is just a few weeks away.  You can be sure that my camera will get another workout then.

Meanwhile, here are my first attempts at capturing fun-time with Carter on film (or digital cards, to be more precise).   Spring was in full bloom in Buffalo and Carter’s Nan and I took him outside to enjoy the flowers in his front yard.  I’m not sure if this is what photgraphers call flare (a good thing) or if it’s just me getting the exposure wrong (a bad thing), but I love this shot regardless:

While shopping, I found a toy gardening set that included a miniature watering can, a spade, a rake, a pail and kiddie gardening gloves.  I couldn’t resist buying it for Carter so he could get some practice at his Uncle Pascal’s favorite pasttime:

Carter is a really happy baby and he loves to ham it up for the camera.  He was very aware that he was modeling for his Auntie.  After each photo session, he would scoot over beside me to have me show him a preview of the photos I’d just taken on my camera’s screen.  He was very pleased with his modeling skills, and so was I:

This kid is a true daredevil!  He loves scary noises, climbing suspension bridges, being thrown in the air, and lots of splashing in the bathtub.

When I got home from the trip, my friend (who is also an Aunt) and I were discussing how spending time with our young nephews puts everything in perspective.  All of the stresses of running a business melt away, and we remember what’s truly important.  It’s that “take time to smell the roses” thing (or in Carter’s case, the tulips).

Looking for an instant mood lifter?  I’ve got two suggestions:  Treat yourself to a bon bon, or even better, hang out with a child.  There’s no better way to spend your day.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know how much I love to play April Fool’s jokes.  I have managed to execute some great ones in the past.  Last year, the target was my Mom.  The joke was just one part of the many surprises we planned for her 60th birthday celebration.  Just a few days after Mom’s sixtieth birthday, Pascal turned 40. 

He spent the week of his fortieth birthday preparing for my mother’s 60^th  birthday extravaganza and hosting out-of-town guests.  Pascal was saintly—diligently cleaning, cooking, climbing 10-foot ladders, and answering to his wife’s many demands with nary a complaint.  Consequently, for Pascal, the big 4-0 passed with very little fanfare. 

So this year, I wanted to remind him that he is loved and appreciated and, well…one year older!  There was just one catch.  Pascal and I work together 24/7.  I wouldn’t be able to hide setting up for a big party, and the truth was I needed his help.  Eureka!  I had a plan.  His 41st birthday celebration could also double as a great April Fool’s joke.

I told Pascal that I had agreed to host a special party for one of our most loyal customers (whom we also count as a friend).  This meant that he would spend the entire day unknowingly preparing for his own party.  When 6:30 pm arrived, instead of greeting our customer’s guests, Pascal would be met by his friends.

Pascal had no idea I was up to another April Fool’s trick.  Here’s what he looked like when he turned around and saw his buddies standing there instead of our guests:

His first word was an expletive (and no, it wasn’t “Merde!”)  His confusion quickly turned to smiles, especially as he opened a bottle of his favorite cognac, Remy Martin.  He changed out of his chef’s coat and became a guest at his own party.  The theme was 40 + 1, so everybody brought one gag gift to help him celebrate.  The creativity was fantastic.  Some highlights included one French frog, one bottle of French wine, one Slim Jim (his favorite American snack); one gorgeous money tree (a hydrangea in full bloom), and even one job application to a pancake house in Leland (don’t ask!).

Pascal has a very special relationship with Mark, his friend from across the pond.  Mark calls Pascal “Frog”; Pascal calls Mark “Mr. Bean”.  I call this crazy duo “Frog and Bean”:

Since Pascal was having so much fun drinking cognac and visiting with his friends, Millie and I took over in the kitchen, making crepes for everyone.  Millie worked double duty, taking all of the photos, except this one, of course:

Pascal was truly surprised.  He didn’t suspect a thing.  As for me, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and enjoyed a secret satisfaction that I’d succeeded in foiling, fooling and suprising someone I love yet again.  Thanks to all of my co-conspirators who helped to create a memorable evening for our favorite Frenchman!

I’m all about practicing the Law of Attraction. One technique attraction gurus suggest is “acting as if…”.  For example, because I want a super-cool Bon Bon Salon retail space, I have to act as if I already have it.  This means scouting out locations and doing some mental decorating until my Bon Bon Salon actually materializes.

A good student of all things New Age, I decided to start “decorating” our future Bon Bon Salon with a little internet-based window shopping.  Before long, I stumbled upon this utterly fabulous chandelier by Jellio.

Jellio is a fabulous design group that incorporates childhood memorabilia into incredible interior design pieces.  Think Rubik’s Cube tables, cap gun mirrors, and of course, Gummy Bear chandeliers, lamps, and bookends.  I’m craving cupcake stools and an ice cream sandwich bench so badly, I can taste them.

As for the Gummi Bear chandelier, I’m not sure that my powers of attraction are advanced enough to add this item to my shopping list just yet.  You see, Jellio intends to make only 10 of these stunning custom chandeliers.  Each one is made of approximately 5,000 hand-strung acrylic gummi bears and  takes about two months to complete.  There is no price listed.  And you know the old adage:  “If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.”  At least not yet….

Got any ideas for the future Bon Bon Salon?  Any tips on how I can advance my powers of attraction?  I’m listening!

I love Victoria magazine, Jane Austen, Little Women, good manners, calling cards, petticoats and most things reminiscent of the 19th century.  Bon bons fit perfectly into this group of romantic, charming, idealistic things, and so I was not at all surprised (but quite delighted!) when I got a phone call last week from one of the authors of the blog The Corset Liberation Front.  Their tagline is:  Not Your Grandma’s 19th Century.

A reference to our bon bons and some delightfully romantic photos taken by Millie Holloman were included in the post, which was written as an old-fashioned advice column.  Here’s the dillemma of the young woman seeking advice:

Dear Aunt Fanny,

I find myself in the enviable, but perplexing position of receiving the attentions of two different gentlemen. For several months now, these gentlemen have been calling regularly every week—on different days, of course. This has been quite a pleasant arrangement, but unfortunately, both gentlemen have taken it into their heads to press their suits more vigorously and both have proposed marriage with the expectation of a speedy reply. My question, then, for you, dear Aunt Fanny, is however will I choose?

The first gentleman is a veritable titan of industry in our small town, who owns the local lumber mill. He has a fine house and is always dressed in the latest mode and most expensive fabrics. He also has a fine carriage and hosts entertainments that are very well received by all the best people. His cook is so fine, in fact, that almost everyone in town is willing to overlook his bursts of temper to sample his cook’s latest triumph.

The second gentleman has much smaller means and writes for our local newspaper. In appearance he is handsome, if somewhat more rumpled and less stylish than his rival for my affections. He has a house which could best be described as cozy and no carriage at all. He has never hosted a dinner party, but every week he brings me a box of carefully wrapped bon-bons and a love poem. Some of the poems quite make me blush and the bon-bons are so scrumptious they do not last the afternoon.

What would you do, Aunt Fanny? Which man would you give the key to your heart and the trust of your future?

To read Aunt Fanny’s reply, go to The Corset Liberation Front blog.  Do you agree with Aunt Fanny’s sage advice?  I sure do!

 

 

Hi Charlene,

I have a confession to make….

After bringing home that tin of South ‘n France Bon Bons, a special Valentine’s gift for my very deserving boyfriend, I couldn’t help but sit there and think: “I’ve got a whole tin of super delicious bon bon’s in my fridge, just waiting to be eaten!”

After wrestling with my conscience for over an hour, I decided to cut the shrink wrap, open a coconut bon bon (my favorite!) and pop it in my mouth. Like an addict, I felt like I was stealing something, but the flavor overrode any guilt I was feeling. Then I had to re-arrange the bon bons in the tin to make it look like there were only 15 originally (instead of 16) .

There….I feel much better now. I haven’t decided if I will tell my boyfriend of the coconut fatality or not.

Thank you!

Loyal Customer Turned Thief,

Anonymous

My grandmother, whom we called Nanny, was a strong, independent, and very conservative woman (except when it came to buying jewelry).   Born on February 23, 1924, she was a farmer’s daughter–one of eight children–who grew up during the Great Depression.  A polio survivor, she battled this crippling disease while expecting her 2nd child and caring for her eldest son, a two-and-a-half-year-old toddler, at the time.  My grandfather had to add casters to my uncle’s baby highchair so she could push it around the kitchen.

Although most married women of her era remained housewives, she worked as a “nanny”, babysitting other families’ children while raising her own.  Later,  when my grandfather underwent open heart surgery and had to take early retirement, she took a full-time job as an LPN in a nursing home.

Whenever I went to visit Nanny, I slept downstairs in the finished basement.  The basement consisted of a great room, an adjoining laundry room, a half-bath and a cold cellar.  The great room contained a hodge podge of old furniture (a sofa, chairs, a table, a bed, and even a rocking horse) that had been replaced by upgraded models upstairs.  These castaways, however, were still serviceable and would never be thrown out.  In fact, not much was thrown out in her depression-era household.  Nanny saved the twist ties from bread, used old juice cans for composting, and made tea towels from flour sacks.

Downstairs, next to the guest bed, there was a 1950’s era refrigerator (that still worked and was used for extra food storage).  Next to the fridge there was a large  freezer where my grandparent’s kept surplus summer vegetables and beef from my uncle’s farm. 

Although she loved us, Nanny was far too practical and puritanical for  a lot of demonstrative affection.  As I grew older and started pursuing the many opportunities for young women of my generation (traveling abroad, entertaining on cruise ships, cocktail waitressing in a 4-star hotel), Nanny had difficulty relating to me.  She was concerned that I was living a “fast” life andshe couldn’t understand why I wasn’t following her dream for me, which was to “marry a red-headed minister, sing in the choir, and have red-headed babies”.  I kid you not.  My French Pascal was certainly a far cry from a red-headed minister!

Around this same time, my fascination with all things vintage was born.  This was another thing that Nanny just didn’t get.  At a time when I had just started a collection of vintage brooches and jewelry, I was heartbroken to learn that Nanny had unwittingly sold all of her old costume jewelry in a yard sale at just 25 cents per piece!  Someone got very lucky, scoring all “that old junk”, as Nanny called it, for a pittance.

When Nanny died, I (like each of the granddaughters) inherited one of her rings.  Nanny had a weakness for jewelry and amassed quite the collection of rings, earrings and necklaces that were the “real McCoy”. I didn’t really care about the ring.  The things I cherish the most are two old chairs from the basement that were almost sent to the Goodwill; the rusty vintage tin that sat on her kitchen windowsill collecting all of those twist ties; and a small collection of her floursack-tea towels that we use daily in our own kitchen.  I also inherited that vintage refrigerator that used to hum next to me whenever I slept in Nanny’s cool basement.

For a while now, Pascal and I have been talking about rebranding our business and updating our bon bon packaging, but we couldn’t seem to settle on an idea that felt just right.  But inspiration comes from unlikely sources.

 As a devotee of interior decorating, I loved those early episodes of Trading Spaces when interior designer Genevieve Gorder would design a room around an eggplant or a bowl of miso soup.  I also smile knowingly at that Kohler commercial when the couple visits the architect to present a designer sink faucet explaining:  “We want you to design a house around this.”

Our own home decor has been inspired by a motley collection of flea market finds and trash-day treasures.  But it wasn’t until recently that  I remembered Nanny’s fridge, which has been sitting patiently in storage at my parents’ house waiting for me to decide its next life.  A bolt of creative inspiration surged through me, when I suddenly realized that Nanny’s vintage fridge would be the perfect launching point for our bon bon business makeover. 

Nanny wouldn’t understand.  “Why on earth would you want to do anything with that old thing?”, she’d probably ask increduously.  But, I still think she’d be secretly proud that we find value in her old castaways, especially since they’re still perfectly serviceable. 

Thomas Edison said: “Genius is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.”  Now that we’ve found the inspiration, it’s time for the perspiration.  There’s no better example than my hardworking Nanny to remind us that hard work does indeed eventually pay off.  After a lifetime of daily work and sacrifice, she was able to enjoy life’s luxuries in her later years:  new clothes, fancy jewelry, and fur coats.  

We love the idea of an old-fashioned, hardworking fridge that will hold an abundance of life’s little luxuries, South ‘n France Bon Bons.  We’ll be sharing our path from inspiration to makeover completion in the weeks to come, and we hope you’ll join us for the journey.  For a sneak preview of our plans for Nanny’s old fridge, visit Big Chill (photo credit), an appliance company that shares our appreciation for vintage values.