Houston’s French Consulate Celebrates Bastille Day With a Special Ukraine Salute, Nod to Roe v. Wade

As Consul General of France Valérie Baraban welcomed guests to the Bastille Day reception at the official French consulate residence in River Oaks, an unexpected element that would add a note of gravity to the celebratory salute awaited. The Ukranian flag, which has flown along side the tricolore at the residence since the start of the Russian invasion, was however a subtle hint.

The anticipated elements of the early afternoon reception swaddled the 140 VIPs in the sophisticated ambience of the French Republic. Special Bastille Day cocktails courtesy of Bonneté Inc. and Roederer Champagne flowed. Chef Jean-Luc Royere‘s macarons and other pastries from The Post Oak Hotel’s Bouchée were perfection as was the buffet provided by Chef Soren Pedersen. Florals and decor reflected the French blue, white and red.

Special guest was Houston Vice Mayor Martha Castex-Tatum, who led the Bayou City’s high-level delegation to Paris in June.

Among the expected remarks, Baraban added the importance of the French Republic founding values of liberty, equality and fraternity. She thus declared 2022 as the year of “freedom to be conquered or preserved everywhere,” referencing Ukraine’s fight for freedom and the struggle that women face in the United States following the Supreme Court’s dissolution of Roe v. Wade.

“I put Ukraine in the spotlight in presence of the Consul General of Ukraine in Houston,” Baraban tells PaperCity. “The pianist (Olena Blahulyak) is Ukrainian and performed a Ukrainian piece.”

The musical presentation included the French national anthem La Marseillaise, Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” in a nod to Houston and a collection of classical pieces.

Guests departed with a tote bags filled with French flag-colored macarons, honey, candies, mustard, a T-shirt with the lyrics of La Marseillaise and more.

PC Seen: Consul General of Ukraine Vitalii Tarasiuk, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Licia Green Ellis, City Councilwomen Karla Cisneros, the Mayor’s director of Trade & International Affairs Christopher Olson, managing partner at Ajamie LLP Tom Ajamie, NewQuest Properties owner Jay Sears, Louis Vuitton senior vice president retail Thomas Haupt in from New York, Amandine Castillo and Bettina Gardelles of Villa Albertine Texas, Council General of Germany Hai Kennig, Eric Van der Wal of the European Space Agency, Coca-Cola Southwest’s Renee Downee and Morris Smith, and singer Alexandra Smither.