An update on cousin Sarah Simpson Grandin is way overdue! Since her wedding on 21 Aug 2009 to Olivier Pecquenard in Jaru, France, there have been many exciting events in her life. She is currently a Fulbright Scholar studying in Paris. Fortunately for us, Sarah is a talented writer who can transport her readers to the “City of Lights” to share in her life. Treat yourself with a regular visit to her blog, A Peasant in Paris. But... we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Here is her recent news, most forwarded on to us by her father, Mike Grandin. (Sarah is a 3x-great-granddaughter of Orson Thomas Johnson, brother of Philip Paddleford Johnson. For more about her family connection, see the end of this post.)

From Michael Grandin
“Sarah Grandin Graduates”
21 June 2011

Sarah Simpson Grandin graduated June 12, 2011 from Stanford University with honors and distinction. She double-majored in Comparative Literature and Art History and wrote her honors thesis on the art of Chardin. She received a 2011 Golden Medal, which are awarded to the finest theses in the humanities and creative arts, and the 2011 Kennedy Medal for best thesis in the humanities. She also won the Comparative Literature Best Essay in the Major award and the Hester-Franklin Prize for best original paper in French by an undergraduate. During her junior and senior years Sarah worked for AmeriCorps teaching gardening, cooking, and nutrition to children in East Palo Alto. While at Stanford Sarah sang a cappella and regularly performed in student theatrical productions. Sarah will spend the next academic year in Paris on a Fulbright Scholarship researching the history of the French food guide.

From Sarah Grandin
“Article on Cooking classes I teach in East Palo Alto (a low income neighborhood).”
6 Sep 2011

Dear friends,

Here's an article about the cooking classes I have helped teach for the last two years with Collective Roots.

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=22381

This is an amazing program, and I have so enjoyed being a part of it.

Best,

Sarah

--
Sarah Grandin
Stanford University 2011, With Honors & Distinction, Golden and Kennedy Awards
BA in Art History and Comparative Literature
Fulbright Fellow, France 2011-2012

Her father added that Sarah is also a Rhodes/Marshall Candidate 2012-2013.


From Sarah Grandin
Forwarded from Mike Grandin -- “Sara’’s first blog post from Paris!”
8 Oct. 2011

Hello friends and family,

If you want to follow my posts on cooking and embracing Parisian life as a 'starving student' here's my blog, now "live":

http://apeasantinparis.wordpress.com/

I plan to include modest recipes, musing on farmer's and flea markets, and my personal reflections on French culture, higher education, libraries, literature, art, and museums... I hope you enjoy it!

Best,

Sarah

Uncle Wylie added, "Sarah is a 23 year cousin raised in San Francisco, CA, who is fascinated with culinary arts. I have not tried any of her cooking, but if she is as good at it as she is with her descriptive writing, I would probably enjoy it…."

Sarah is the daughter of Michael Henry and Ann Averill Johnson Grandin, granddaughter of Frederick Orson “Fred” and Marilyn Johnson, great-granddaughter of Howard Alexander and Virginia McNaughton Johnson, 2x-great-granddaughter of of Frederick Orson “Fred” Johnson, and 3x-great-granddaughter of Orson Thomas Johnson. Orson Thomas was a brother of Philip Paddleford Johnson.

Thank you, Sarah, for sharing your Parisian life with family and friends. (And thanks also to father Mike and grandfather Fred who passed on much of the news posted here. They must be very proud of you, as are the members of your “extended” Johnson family. Please continue to keep us informed about your adventures in France! Fascinating! We wish you the very best in your Fulbright studies, and we will be reading your blog!