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France

South of France Diary

South of France Diary

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To celebrate the end of summer I figured it would be fitting to recap one of Europe’s prettiest summer destinations: the South of France. Starting out in Paris we made our way down to the coast, stopping by Avignon on our way. We checked out St Tropez, Villefranche, Nice, Menton and Cap Ferrat. There are so many recommendations for the Cote d’Azur so I’ll keep my list to my ultimate favorites: Paloma Beach, Club 55, Senequier and of course our amazing hotel L’escale du ciel. We were so lucky to be able to stay at Judith’s impeccable BnB it truly felt like a home. Situated at the top of a hill it’s the perfect repose from the summer heat in the towns and I’d highly recommend you stop by if only just for one night!

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The cute dogs at l’Escale du Ciel

The cute dogs at l’Escale du Ciel

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A Weekend on the Cote d'Azur II

Day 2 Into the Countryside 

GRASSE

We rented a white BMW and off we were to Grasse, the heart of the perfume industry. Patrick Süskind's novel "Perfume" was set here.

The Fragonard store is a wonderful place to learn a bit about perfume making, to buy scented candles, purchase a new fragrance for yourself or some gifts for friends. I find giving perfume away an art, so I am always a bit hesitant when I do.

MOUGINS

Our restaurant for lunch Le Mas Candille in Mougins promises not only amazing scenery, but this beautiful food!

The food is elegant, subtle and feminine, as chef Serge Gouloumès himself described it, while we had coffee with him and he signed his beautifully photographed book for us.

Our lunch was mouth watering, don't you agree? (click on one of the images to get a larger slide show of our meal)

Afterwards we strolled around Mougins and visited a tiny museum for photography where I shot that great pose of Picasso.

In Nice

Christian, a friend and a talented jeweler, who is half Lebanese, visits his mother in Nice every other month. He recommended to have dinner at Ya Habibi, a Lebanese restaurant in Nice. I only wish we could have eaten more, because the food was truly amazing! We even had Lebanese red wine with our meal. 

When I came home I had to try to make Baba Ganoush, a Lebanese eggplant dip. 
It's best served with flat bread, Pita or tortilla bread, but it can be eaten with lamb as well. Check back tomorrow for my version of the recipe!

 

A Weekend on the Cote d'Azur

Day 1

Two weeks ago I went on a trip with my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary. My daughter chose our hotel for us, and I couldn't have been more amazed by its beauty.

The gates swing open and our car drives down the windy road to the hotel, which is situated in beautiful gardens overlooking the Mediterranean Sea facing south. I was immediately drawn towards the large windows that open to the terrace, the view of the coastline and the infinity pool while the evening sun colors everything in gold.

The Cap Estel

"Amour de Deutz" champagne was the most beautiful way to start celebrating our anniversary. This champagne is made to impress. Imagine that the capsule can be worn as a necklace and shows the god Amor with a tiny Swarovsky crystal. That night we ate at the restaurant in the hotel named after the one star Michelin chef Patrick Raingard. After the meal we played some billiard - clearly not my best talent.