Hello, hello, ArtCurious listeners and longtime subscribers! It’s been almost a year. A YEAR. since I essentially shut down this podcast. And while I am not dropping back into your feed today to bring the show back--I know, I know, but bear with me here--- I do have a few really fun announcements to share, the most important of which will, I’m sure, shed light onto the main reason that I retired my audio show. And that is because I have spent the better part of the last few years working on a new book, and it is NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER! 

This July, Bloomsbury will be releasing my book, The Club: Where American Women Artists Found Refuge in Belle Époque Paris. This is a deliciously entertaining, never-before-told history of a residence for American women artists in Paris from 1893 to 1914. You heard that right-- a special place made for American women artists in mind during one of the most colorful eras in modern history, the Belle Epoque, the beautiful era..

Let’s set the scene for a moment: In Belle Époque Paris, the Eiffel Tower was newly built, France was experiencing remarkable political stability, and American women were -- excuse the pun-- painting the town and gathering at a female-only Residence-slash-restaurant-slash-gathering space-slash-art gallery-slash-little taste of home known as The American Girls' Club in Paris. This Club was opened in the early 1890s, and it quickly became a center of expatriate living and of dedication to a calling in the fine arts, and singularly harbored a generation of independent, talented, and driven American women-- many of whom you’ve never heard of, but should, and whom I’m thrilled to introduce to you. I’ll be sharing their stories and the never-before-told story of the Club itself, including how stereotypes and even some misperceptions about women’s experiences abroad led to its creation. I’ll share about the philanthropists who funded its creation, and the women who forged connections there-- aligning themselves with luminaries like Auguste Rodin and Gertrude Stein and Mary Cassatt, and those who became activists through their relationships with the likes of suffragist leader Emmeline Pankhurst. But just as importantly, these women's lives revealed the power of the Club itself, and the way that having a safe home for women of ambition allowed them to grow as teachers, artists, activists, and people-- and how they charted a path forward for the next generations of artists ahead. 

The Club is, as I mentioned, available for pre-order now wherever you find your books-- Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop.org, and of course you can and should ask your local indie bookstore to order you a copy or two. More details about the book, including potential events and book tour goodness, will be coming soon. In this minisode’s show notes is the pre-order link, and you can also find all the details and links at my website-- jenniferdasal.com.

That’s the biggest news, and I’m beyond thrilled to share this book with you, so for sure, please spread the word and get the news out about this awesome read for your artsiest summer. But that’s not all I have to announce, because if The Club makes you yearn for an artsy adventure and you don’t want to be an armchair traveler, then you’re in major luck. This year, 2025, you currently have FOUR opportunities to travel with me as your host and/or lecturer and all-around artsy travel friend. I’m working with my two favorite travel outfitters so that you have the chance to enjoy trips at different price points and with different aims in mind. First, with my besties over at Like Minds Travel, we’re doing a trip to SPAIN this Spring, from May 18-27, 2025. This trip is  a 10-day excursion through Spain’s most captivating cities—Barcelona and Madrid, with some side quests beyond to explore not only the brilliance of the Spanish masters like Picasso, Dalí, Gaudí, and El Greco-- but also to the land that brought us cava and flamenco. You do not want to miss this one! This is a small group trip that is for everyone, from solo travelers to couples, to groups of friends who just want to have a fun and affordable good time. Truly, you don’t want to miss this one.

But say you’re just so inspired by my new book that you cannot wait to go to Paris to explore the Belle Époque for yourself. Well, you’re in luck-- I’ve got TWO trips to Paris scheduled this year. One is with Like Minds Travel again, and that’s coming up this September, with specific dates and details coming soon. So if you’re looking for a truly wonderful getaway with (yes) like minded pals like me, you’re going to want to sign up for this one immediately. But say you just can’t wait until this fall, and you’ve got a little cash that you want to spend for such a wonderful purpose, then join me and the wonderful folks at Arrangements Abroad for a luxury tour of Paris May 3 – 10, 2025. This trip is called Paris and the Belle Époque: Private Treasures from Impressionism to Art Nouveau, and it’s a rare 1-week journey into the heart of 19th-century Paris, with exclusive access to the world that birthed modern art. It’s a luxury trip to change how you view the City of Light and it is the perfect way to gear up for the release of The Club this summer. We’re talking private tours, exclusive access, a show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge, and even a private tasting at the Vignes du Clos Montmartre, Paris’s last working vineyard-- and a place that I have always wanted to visit. 

And finally, maybe Paris is a bit too far afield for you this year. I get it. And that’s why I’ve got a domestic trip available to share with you this year. October 20-24, 2025, join me for an immersive experience into the thrilling world of contemporary art in Texas: Dallas, Fort Worth & Houston. Seriously, the art scene in Texas is top-tier, and there’s never been a better time to check it out. This is a four-day excursion with incredible museums and galleries, including elegant hotels and one-of-a-kind guided tours of the astounding Rothko Chapel and Cy Twombly Gallery. This is a luxury trip that will knock your art-loving socks off. 

ALL of these trips are open NOW, some are selling out quickly, so reserve your spot. As with the book, details about each and every one of these adventures are linked in the show notes and are on my website: Jenniferdasal.com. Remember: these trips are at different price points so more folks have the opportunity to travel with me. Check them out, and join me. Join me on literal adventures out in the world, and a real-life historical one in the pages of The Club. I can’t wait to experience all these great things with you-- and will be back here in your feed again very soon.