Tea at Trianon: Christmas in St. Michaels

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Friday, December 4, 2020

Christmas in St. Michaels

From Coastal Style:

Maryland’s Eastern Shore is home to many picturesque towns, but none embody an old-fashioned holiday feel quite like St. Michaels. With its quaint shops, world-class dining and jolly spirit, St. Michaels is transformed during the holidays into a Christmas wonderland.

Established in 1677 and named after the town’s Episcopal Church, St. Michaels is located on a long stretch of land, just past Easton, on the Miles River. St. Michaels has always been a destination for people looking to escape the noise and congestion of the city, with visitors as far back as the 1880s arriving via steamships to stay in summer cottages. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that tourism really took off as the maritime museum, boat tours and more hotels and inns were established.

Today, St. Michaels is renowned as a weekend destination for the well-heeled crowd, who flock to the posh Inn at Perry Cabin and enjoy fine dining at restaurants like Bistro St. Michaels, Theo’s and 208 Talbot. St. Michaels has also evolved into a family destination that offers history at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, boat trips with Patriot Cruises, bike rentals and family accommodations at resorts like the St. Michaels Harbour Inn, Marina & Spa. (Read more.)