Growing up in McKeesport, my family stuck to an area within a ten mile radius. When I was little, downtown meant downtown McKeesport. We didn't go to Oakmont or Allison Park or Etna. In fact, I didn't know anything about Munhall until I was in college and I started dating a guy whose mom happened to live there.
My first trip to Millvale was shortly after we moved back to Pittsburgh 2006ish. I went there to buy pastries at the French bakery on North Street for Mother's Day. I had heard over the years about the flooding those poor people have had to endure. The worst came when Hurricane Ivan struck back in 2004. (Since then the Army Corp. of Engineers dredged Girty's Run in the hopes of removing built up sedimentation to prevent serious flooding from happening again.) The town was nice, but kind of out of the way for someone who lives in North Versailles.
That was the last time I was there, until last Friday.
On the 4th of July, I was talking to a friend of mine about recent flooding in the North Hills. The summer storms were not discriminating anymore and instead of just plaguing the South Hills area it was now affecting the northern streets of McKnight Road and Babcock Boulevard. During our conversation, I said, "You don't hear much about flooding in Millvale anymore since they took care of Girty's Run." Then the morning of July 5th happened and the town was back in the news. Quickly water rose, due to a slow moving storm, creating a river in the streets. Many homes and businesses were flooded.
The water reached the doorway of the French bakery on North Street overtaking the couple steps leading into the establishment, but then suddenly, the water began to recede. The proprietor posted video on Facebook saying that a miracle had happened and his business was spared. That is when I decided it was time to go back to Millvale. It took nearly a week to get the town cleaned up from the flooding, but on July 10, Jean-Marc Chatellier's French Bakery was open for business.
In honor of Bastille Day, July 14, a national day of celebration in France, similar to our Independence Day, we made the trip along with my mom. She was very excited to see Millvale, a place she had never been. (You can take the girl out of the 'Port but you cannot take the 'Port out of the girl.) It was a scorcher, but we were determined to do it up right.
We put our tourist hats on as I parallel parked smack dab in front of the bakery. (It only took three tries, thank you.) I would liken our experience to a scene from a movie that apparently only my sister and I have watched from the 80's called Baby Boom where these rich tourists walked into a country store and started buying up all the gourmet baby food. (Bran, that reference is for you.) That pretty much was us, but without the rich part or the baby food.
My mom wanted six of these, one of those, a handful of these and, God bless us, we tried to pronounce the French names. We stood in the bakery and took photos like total tourons (tourist + moron) and I just went with it and rode my mom's wave. She asked if I wanted some of their coffee and I said, "Heck, yeah" knowing it would rock my world once we got outside in the 90+ degree day with 110% humidity, but it was part of the experience and well worth it.
The people who worked there were good sports for sure and were probably a little sad (wink wink) to see us go when we made our way to the quaint tables and chairs outside. But seriously, once we got out there, for a brief moment, I experienced what it must be like in actual France, paying no attention to the folding chair I got out of my car since we were shy one seat. (Baseball parents, always with the chairs, am I right?) As I sat eating my chocolate croissant watching my youngest eat his macaron, we were 'oh la la' and 'oui, oui-ing' it up like champs...Elysees. (Sorry, a little French humor.) Looking at the Eiffel Tower replica in the window, I savored every last bite.
My oldest was born on Bastille Day and although we are not French, I've always admired French culture and even studied the language for six years. That really came in handy while in Epcot Center in Florida a few years back where I was able to order a chocolate croissant in a complete French sentence. I always thought he could have a France themed birthday party with French Toast and French Fries - the total carb experience but... I was never given the green light. Last Friday's pre-Bastille Day celebration was as close as I will ever come.
Yesterday I ate the last of the French shortbread and oooh it was so good. Looks like I might be headed back to Millvale sooner than I thought.
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