This morning when I was meditating and going about my early bird routine I looked to my vision board and saw the French Riviera on there calling to me.
I was so intrigued to follow my intuition as I envisioned myself walking hand in hand with my son and husband along the famous beach boulevard, La Croisette.
I’ve always dreamed about attending the world renowned, Cannes Film Festival witnessing the stars walk the red carpet wearing their ornate gowns & dapper tuxedos. I could only imagine being surrounded by luxury and the sound of flash bulbs from the cameras of the infamous paparazzi.
The fact that the Cannes Film Festival is cancelled this year because it cannot occur in its “original form” is beyond devastating. It’s a loss to many in so many ways. For some it’s like cancelling Christmas but there would’ve been no way the film festival would’ve went on due to COVID-19 and social distancing. It’s all or nothing when it comes to the Cannes Film Festival but can you imagine celebrities wearing N95 masks on the red carpet; this is probably the direction we are going.
When the restaurants open up again , brace yourselves!
There will be waiters in fine dining establishments wearing masks as this will definitely apply in hotels. So my point is, it’s just the reality of where we see the new normal take heed.
The sad truth is there are some things that cannot be replaced especially the glamour of Cannes.
Cannes, the city itself will be fine, it will always be known as an iconic place in time and history but will it be different here after COVID 19?
I’ve only visited Cannes once and I had envisioned me returning again but WHEN will it be the same? I’ll never forget my epic trip with my hubby, Adrien. We arrived there for one night only and I’ll be honest, it wasn’t enough time. I was so fortunate to see the cinematic, old Hollywood charm even if it was just for a few hours, especially because I had the best tour guides.
Adrien was so eager to show me around as he has lived here for 2 years in his 20’s. Aside from thinking how much “fun” he had as a younger, untamed version of himself I thought more about his stories of waking up at the wake of dawn to practice his flair routine. I pictured him with his empty dummy bottles walking to and from work on La Croisette just living it up.
Max LeFrancois, a friend and mentor of Adrien’s when he was living in Cannes was our wondrous host who welcomed us with open arms.
We met at the Radisson 360 Rooftop for an apéro hour as the sun was slowly setting on this calm breezy Sept evening. I knew the summer was winding down and my heart was heavy because our 2 month long sabbatical was ending but this last night in Cannes was everything. The view was just breathtaking as a number of yachts were perched on the shore under the crescent moon as the fabulous boat show was done for the day as well. I fell in love with the view, with the moment, and knowing that the need for travel, adventure and quality of life was more important than anything.
Max LeFrancois, Adrien’s mentor and I made a toast as the sun disappeared into the horizon and we spoke about life in the South of France. Our dear friend Max, a reputable and well known hospitality professional who runs the show at Le Roof in the Five Seas Hotel was filled with so much enthusiasm and joy as the two reunited after some time. We spoke about the breathtaking essence of the city as well as our travels returning from Mallorca, Spain. I even mentioned that I would even consider moving to France when the time was right. Well, nowadays it seems that the time is now. I pictured myself trotting around in a Vespa to run an errand around town.
The way of life in the south of France is just so much more relaxed; it’s a completely different mentality but Cannes was my favorite city by far. Walking through the streets and witnessing Max high five almost every person in the street felt like I was in a movie or some flash mob that was about to start. He knew everyone!
After apéro hour we had an amazing dinner at a bistro named you guessed it, New York, New York.
I loved everything about the ambiance, it was fast, fast fast like where I’m from. I chuckled understanding why it was named that. It was a busy outdoor seating bistro that was so alive for a Wednesday evening on September 11th. It was vibrant as tables were ordering rounds of beer and food runners were right behind the servers to drop a bunch of hot plates. There was a hustlin’ bustlin’ vibe and I appreciated it because it’s fun to sit and be in the midst of it all.
This was the rush! I like the chaos it’s so hands on. I ordered a steak frites au poivre like the guys but I had a foie gras terrine to start. Everything was superb. I’ll never forget the sips of the Medium bodied Pinot noir and how it paired so lovely with my appetizer and I kept saying in my mind, “life is good!”I can definitely bring myself back to that moment in time.
Even though it was just 8 months ago I can’t come to terms with the reality of COVID 19’s domino affect of disaster till this day.The busy, outdoor seating atmosphere that makes a place thrive is going to change a ton as we expect. I know in California, one county lifted the ban as people can finally dine at restaurants. Will they enjoy themselves? That must feel so surreal. As things are attempting to get back to normal, all we can do is just be receptive with these adjustments. Let’s cross our fingers and remain hopeful. I look forward to going back to Cannes and seeing its glamour once again. Until then I’m certain that it’s just 2020. After this year let’s just hope we can have a normal one.
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