Calendar

Sep
12
Wed
Une Promenade en Champagne
Sep 12 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Une Promenade en Champagne @ French Cultural Center

The French Cultural Center Offers a Guided Tasting of the Finest Wines

Join the French Cultural Center as they kick off their 2018-2019 season of tastings with panache! For this event, they’re turning their gallery into a stylish tasting lounge, in a first of its kind setup that promises to be the beginning of a new series of tasting events. Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer will lead guide you in comparing five delicious champagnes on their sweetness, domains, and balance of Chardonnay versus Pinot. 

Guests will also enjoy a special tasting of Crémant de Limoux, Domaine Collin, sparkling wine produced in Languedoc Roussillon.

Wines will be accompanied with light hors d’oeuvres and bites.

The tasting will start no later than 7:10. Thank you for your understanding.

WHAT YOU WILL BE TASTING

Jacquesson – Cuvée 740 – Extra Brut
The NV Cuvée 740, based on the 2012 vintage, is superb. Rich, ample and creamy, yet with striking translucence, the 740 has it all. A classic Jacquesson Champagne, done in the house’s contemporary style.

Bollinger Brut – Special Cuvée
A blend of current vintage stock with reserve wines aged in magnums, Bollinger’s Special Cuvée is consistently one of the top multi-vintage blends from Champagne.

Le Mesnil Grand Cru – Blanc de Blancs
Le Mesnil is the name of perhaps the best Growers Cooperative Champagne House in all of Champagne. Beginning in 1937, they now draw on the resources of 553 different growers, all of whom have their vineyards in Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger, one of just 17 Grand Cru Vineyard (out of 318 vineyards in the region).

Billecart-Salmon – Brut Rosé
Billecart-Salmon believes that an early harvest yields more elegant, delicate champagnes.

Moët & Chandon – Nectar Impérial Demi-Sec
Moët & Chandon has been the champagne of success and glamour since 1743. Renowned for their achievements and legendary pioneering spirit, Moët & Chandon is synonymous with both cherished traditions and modern pleasures and has helped celebrate life’s most triumphant moments for more than 270 years. 

ABOUT ALEXANDRE SOJFER
A Paris native, Alexandre is passionate about wine. He became an expert on the subject while working and studying across the globe—from France and England to Hong Kong and, of course, the USA. His dedication to the study of wines granted him immediate success and he became a Certified Sommelier in 2016.

Sep
13
Thu
Fall Open House at the French Cultural Center
Sep 13 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Fall Open House at the French Cultural Center @ French Cultural Center | Boston | Massachusetts | United States

Discover all that the French Cultural Center has to offer.

C’est la rentrée! The French Cultural Center invites all French speakers, Francophiles and French-at-heart to join them for their annual Open House. Get a taste of their exciting offerings and take a sneak peek at the fall season. Sip on French wine and savor tasty treats. Come in, mingle, and discover a little piece of France right in the heart of Boston! 

Attendees who register for class at the Open House receive an exclusive discount! 

This event is free. No prior experience with French is necessary. An RSVP is recommended but walk-ins are welcome.

About this Event

IN THE LIBRARY

Check out the latest arrivals, learn more about upcoming library programs and discover Culturethèque, the online platform available for free to members that contains hundreds of magazines, eBooks, comic books, and children’s picture books.

IN THE EDUCATION CORNER

Take a placement test and register for a fall class. Attendees will enjoy discounts on French courses if they register during the Open House. Interested in getting a taste for a class before registering? We’ll be offering 30 minute crash courses for B1 Coffee talk at 5:30 and for A1 Beginner French Core Language at 6.

Please RSVP at info@frenchculturalcenter.org if you want to attend a crash course. There is a limit of 10 students per class so act fast!

BECOME A MEMBER

Join or renew your membership.  All those who join at the event will receive a free giveaway!

UPCOMING CULTURAL EVENTS

Learn about our fall line-up! With a variety of lively events featuring local and international artists, creative thinkers, innovators, and performers, our monthly programs include art exhibits, film screenings, debates, hands-on workshops, cooking classes and wine tastings, social evenings and holiday celebrations.

Dec
8
Sat
Holiday Open House for Kids and Teens at the French Cultural Center
Dec 8 @ 9:30 am – 2:00 pm

Free, festive holiday fun for the whole family.

French Cultural Center Open House Boston Back Bay

Stop by the Center for some fun holiday activities for ages 1-17. This is a great opportunity to learn more about us, sample our children’s classes, and celebrate the season with cookie decorating, story time, French language workshops for teens, and more! 

All activities are FREE and open to the public. Walk-ins welcome, but activity registration is required as space is limited.

Schedule of Activities

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM
Holiday themed arts & crafts (ages 3 – 5)
RSVP here for the 9:30 AM workshop

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM 
Cooking Workshop (ages 7 – 12)
RSVP here for the 10:00 AM cooking workshop

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Holiday themed arts & crafts (ages 3 – 5)
RSVP here for the 10:30 AM acitivites

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Holiday themed arts & crafts (ages 6 – 8)
RSVP here for the 11:30 AM acitivites for children 6 to 8

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Cooking Workshop (for teens)
RSVP here for the cooking workshop for teens

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Holiday Story Time (ages 1 – 4)
RSVP here the storytime

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Pronunciation Workshop (for teens)
RSVP here for the pronunciation workshop for teens

Dec
31
Mon
New Year’s Eve at Terra at Eataly Boston
Dec 31 2018 @ 7:00 pm – Jan 1 2019 @ 1:00 am
New Year’s Eve at Terra at Eataly Boston @ Terra at Eataly Boston

Ring in the New Year with an Italian Masquerade at Terra at Eataly Boston

When it comes to throwing a party, Terra knows how it’s done…by adding fun cocktails, smoky bites, and a festive Italian twist to the mix! On December 31, don your finest mask (or we will provide you with one, too!) and ascend to our greenhouse oasis for a grand Italian masquerade. As soon as you enter the party, you’ll be greeted by complimentary bubbly to kick off the evening. Our live band, The Silver Arrow Band, will play sweet tunes as party-goers dance the night away under the sparkling stars—all while balancing enticing cocktails in hand. And the perfect accompaniment to those hand-crafted drinks? Rustic bites from Terra, one of Boston’s ‘Top 50 Restaurants of 2018!’ Terra’s award-winning Executive Chef Dan Bazzinotti has designed a very special menu of passed appetizers for guests to indulge in throughout the night.

As the clock approaches the new year, celebrate the new year Italian-style with a midnight toast of Ferrari Brut!

Ticket includes:

  • Glass of welcome wine
  • Midnight toast of Ferrari Brut
  • Passed Terra appetizers throughout the evening
  • Live music by The Silver Arrow Band
Jan
11
Fri
Eat Well, Live Well with the French Cultural Center
Jan 11 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

Join the French Cultural Center for a series of cooking and wellness workshops for women.

French Cultural Center Wellness Series Boston Back Bay

Is living healthy at the top of your resolutions this year? Join physician and Certified Health and Wellness Coach Martine Vounatsos for a series of three cooking workshops. We will discuss ways to incorporate wellness into every aspect of a woman’s mental and physical health, from exercise and supplements to sleep habits and cooking methods.

Participants will craft and enjoy a traditional and healthy French meal with Martine in a convivial environment.

Each workshop will begin promptly at 11:10 AM. Aprons, ingredients, and will be kitchenware provided.

Please note, this event is intended for women only and in English.

About the Workshops
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Come learn about nutrients, water intake, and dietary habits, then enjoy preparing soupe de poireaux et pommes de terre avec une salade en vinaigrette (potato leek soup and salad with homemade vinaigrette).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

In this discussion, we will learn about sleeping better and exercising—how and when? For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare velouté d’asperges et salade de carottes râpées (asparagus soup and homemade carrot salad).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

For our last discussion, we will learn about vitamins, supplements, and meditation. For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare soupe et crème de champignons et salade frisée au vinaigre balsamique (mushroom soup and frisée salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette).

Opening Reception: French Eyes on Boston at the French Cultural Center
Jan 11 @ 5:14 pm – 6:14 pm

The Center is proud to host the show French Eyes on Boston, a collection of portraits and landscapes painted by Marguerite Wibaux, who moved to Boston from France in 2017.



Marguerite’s landscapes marry the Renaissance perspective tradition with an American expressionist approach. The paintings engage with the artist’s perceptions of various points of view in Boston. From a pictorial standpoint, the landscape series explores various mediums and techniques, mixing oil and spray paint with acrylic and collage.

But what is a city without its people? The second component of Marguerite’s work explores Boston’s youth through portraiture.

These paintings aim to pay tribute to a rich diversity of styles, personalities, genres, origins, and cultures in a visually thriving and energizing series.

The gallery opening will include a presentation of Marguerite’s work and a reception with light refreshments. Registration required.

Jan
18
Fri
Eat Well, Live Well with the French Cultural Center
Jan 18 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

Join the French Cultural Center for a series of cooking and wellness workshops for women.

French Cultural Center Wellness Series Boston Back Bay

Is living healthy at the top of your resolutions this year? Join physician and Certified Health and Wellness Coach Martine Vounatsos for a series of three cooking workshops. We will discuss ways to incorporate wellness into every aspect of a woman’s mental and physical health, from exercise and supplements to sleep habits and cooking methods.

Participants will craft and enjoy a traditional and healthy French meal with Martine in a convivial environment.

Each workshop will begin promptly at 11:10 AM. Aprons, ingredients, and will be kitchenware provided.

Please note, this event is intended for women only and in English.

About the Workshops
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Come learn about nutrients, water intake, and dietary habits, then enjoy preparing soupe de poireaux et pommes de terre avec une salade en vinaigrette (potato leek soup and salad with homemade vinaigrette).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

In this discussion, we will learn about sleeping better and exercising—how and when? For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare velouté d’asperges et salade de carottes râpées (asparagus soup and homemade carrot salad).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

For our last discussion, we will learn about vitamins, supplements, and meditation. For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare soupe et crème de champignons et salade frisée au vinaigre balsamique (mushroom soup and frisée salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette).

Jan
25
Fri
Eat Well, Live Well with the French Cultural Center
Jan 25 @ 11:00 am – 1:30 pm

Join the French Cultural Center for a series of cooking and wellness workshops for women.

French Cultural Center Wellness Series Boston Back Bay

Is living healthy at the top of your resolutions this year? Join physician and Certified Health and Wellness Coach Martine Vounatsos for a series of three cooking workshops. We will discuss ways to incorporate wellness into every aspect of a woman’s mental and physical health, from exercise and supplements to sleep habits and cooking methods.

Participants will craft and enjoy a traditional and healthy French meal with Martine in a convivial environment.

Each workshop will begin promptly at 11:10 AM. Aprons, ingredients, and will be kitchenware provided.

Please note, this event is intended for women only and in English.

About the Workshops
FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Come learn about nutrients, water intake, and dietary habits, then enjoy preparing soupe de poireaux et pommes de terre avec une salade en vinaigrette (potato leek soup and salad with homemade vinaigrette).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

In this discussion, we will learn about sleeping better and exercising—how and when? For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare velouté d’asperges et salade de carottes râpées (asparagus soup and homemade carrot salad).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

For our last discussion, we will learn about vitamins, supplements, and meditation. For the cooking workshop, attendees will prepare soupe et crème de champignons et salade frisée au vinaigre balsamique (mushroom soup and frisée salad with homemade balsamic vinaigrette).

Jan
31
Thu
Clear the Cave – January
Jan 31 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

As the French Cultural Center clears room for a new year of tastings, you have one last chance to taste some of their favorite bottles.

Over the past seven decades the French Cultural Center has had the opportunity to partner with an abundance of fine institutions, vintners, and wine collectors.

And now, it is time again to make room for a new year of tastings. Join them for this fun evening of fine wine, featuring a broad selection of vintners that we know and love. This exceptional tasting will feature six wines, from various domains, regions, and even countries!

This tasting will be led by Certified Sommelier Alexandre Sojfer, resident Sommelier at La Voile Boston.

The event will start no later than 7:10 PM.

ON THE MENU

L’Ameillaud – Vin de Pays de Vaucluse – 2012 – Vaucluse, France
Smoky black and blue fruit scents are complicated by suggestions of licorice and cracked pepper. Focused and chewy on the palate, offering bitter cherry and black currant flavors and a hint of cured meat.

Tinhorn Creek – Merlot – 2010 – South Okanaga, Canada
Established by the Shaunessy and Oldfield families on the South Okanagan’s legendary Golden Mile Bench in 1993, Tinhorn Creek is a very special winegrowing project, comprising 150 acres of spectacular vineyards in two distinct areas, one on either side of the valley.

Domaine Isle Saint Pierre – Cabernet – 2010 – France
Isle Saint-Pierre is a small island in the middle of the Rhone River, just 25km south of Arles and 15km from the sea. The vineyards, planted at the very heart of the Camargue region, stretch over 170 hectares around the island.

Jackson Triggs – Sauvignon Blanc – 2013 – Niagara Estate, Canada
Pale straw colour with a lively nose of gooseberry and lemon; fruit character is replayed on the palate; crisp and dry, with light / medium body.

Réserve Durand – Sauvignon Blanc – 2015 – Sancerre, France
From a small producer in France’s Loire Valley comes this dazzling white wine, rich with grapefruit and gooseberry aromas. The estate boast mature 25-30 year old vines and a mix of chalky, silicious soils.

Château Roc de Ségur – Bordeaux – 2011 – Bordeaux, France
This ripe, smoky, wood-aged wine shows ample fruit as well as solid tannins. The wine has richness and spice, the wood well balanced by black plum and final juiciness.

Feb
15
Fri
French Eyes on Boston Painting Workshop at the French Cultural Center
Feb 15 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

French artist and Boston resident Marguerite Wibaux will lead a workshop on alla-prima, a technique made famous by Matisse.

 –
Marguerite will lead this fascinating workshop, which will begin with an explanation of the technique and a presentation of the model. The attendees will then be invited to pick up their brushes and produce their own portraits, alla-prima.  Easels, canvas, brushes and acrylic paint provided will be provided to all attendees.

About Marguerite Wimbaux

A member of the Center since 2017, Marguerite has quite the atypical career. After graduating with an MBA from the prestigious HEC Paris, Marguerite worked in advertising for the most-renowned French Maisons, from Cartier and Hermès to Van Cleef, Hennessy, the Italian Cavalli, and Armani.

These past experiences in the realm of couture translate into Marguerite’s art. There is a passion for patterns and an obsession with composition and structure, while staying true to the energy and character of her subjects.

The colorful diversity of Marguerite’s artwork is also influenced by her childhood. Marguerite was born in Argentina, and has lived in Peru, Italy, China, France, and the USA.

Currently, Marguerite’s pieces are commissioned and sent to galleries across the globe, from Milan to New York. 

To learn more, visit Marguerite’s website: https://margueritewibaux.com/


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