Riviera Colors

By popular request more Riviera this and that for hungry travelers 🧳 I loved this huge watermelon 🍉 umbrella in the Cannes pedestrian shopping area.

Tomato red umbrellas in a Nice cafe..so jolly.

Carolyn’s lunch at Le Safari in Nice. We tried the mozza with tomatoes everywhere we went but none topped those at Cafe Hoche in Cannes. Its like that when you travel isn’t it 😊 You keep trying out a particular dish over and over and its never quite as good.

The colors and patterns reminded me of these big paper cutouts in the Matisse museum on the ground floor.

Carolyn wanted a vrai salade Niçoise and it came in a bowl at Le Safari with a big leek on top! Is that allowed? I happily ate her anchovies. I am always available to help out with anchovies.

A small greeny park in Cannes.

Ladurée greens on rue Antibes in Cannes.

I would have loved to go into this Citrons of Menton shop in Cannes but Carolyn was looking for lounge dresses…

Ballerina shop, Repetto in Cannes on rue Antibes.

Tarte Tropezienne is all over the Riviera (originated in Saint Tropez) and not really a tarte but a giant, flat cream puffy thing.

The best sardines in France. Also the priciest but worth it if you’re into sardines. I am.

An essential ‘online’ map of the shuttle train coastline. No longer available in print, so save this for your next trip.

A look in Van Cleef and Arpels window. I coveted the copies in the cheapie shops. Who’s going to know?Carolyn vetoed that idea 🤔

Lovely figure painting at the Matisse museum and a photo of the same scalloped chair in his house.

An older gal sitting next to us at le Safari (not wearing polka dots). I’m off to a preview at the Paris Louvre soon. I almost said the Met. Guess where I am?If you'd like Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox, do take a look in my shop. 

Bon Tuesday PBers🥂🍾☕️🥐Happy Riviera breakfast

Champagne for breakfast / Hotel Carlton Cannes

Yes another Selfie. In Cannes your inner starlet comes out. I hope you're sitting down. Bucket list time.

Yesterday, 3 juillet I gave myself a late birthday presie. Not so petit-dejeuner at HOTEL CARLTON CANNES. I went for the fab breakfast buffet everyone raves about.

Oui, la prix is a steep (45€) But nothing compares to Paris.

And way better IMHO. Here — juice of the day.

Carrot/mango/something or other. Who can remember these things. I forget how many stations there are. Too many to count.

My kind guide gives me the grand buffet tour.

The citron station, everything from wonderful MENTON.

A gazillion kinds of smoked salmon.

Endless jams, always of great interest to me though I had none. Not shown the fromage station - superb chevre from Mere Richard of Lyon. La creme de la creme in France. I ate that.

Jambon station not shown. Nor the Qatar station. Olive produits station? Oui.  

I didn’t touch a croissant 🥐 Patisseries are not so common in Cannes, unlike Paris where they're on every street corner. Les Cannoise watch their ligne. Indulgence means a new pair of shoes not tarte citron.

I didn't eat so much though I got the included glass of Champagne 🍾 (I don't usually drink but sometimes you go with the flow) to accompany my very thick chocolat chaud ☕️ There are discrete signs suggesting you not take-away all the tempting food from the restaurant. I did as I was told (even though a plastic freezer bag lurking inside my purse). Thanks for reading Parisbreakfasts. Feel free to share. 

If you'd like a 🍾champagne watercolor or letters from Paris let me know🥂🍾☕️ 

Much Love❤️ from Carolg 😎 in Cannes🌴

Cannes, Thank you Adrian

Thank you Adrian Leeds! If I didn't get your newsletters, Parler Paris and Parler Nice, I wonder if I would have gone to Nice and the Riviera?

On my last day I took the little regional train to Antibes and last minute decided to stay on onboard for Cannes..just a 30 minute ride from Nice. It was 10 am so the public beaches were not crowded.

The private beaches were empty.

You keep thinking'Roaring 20s' when you're in Cannes

People still wear the stripped jerseys..

Though bare shoulders are IN this summer too.

I'm sure they ate the same big tuna sandwiches back then.

Cream-filled tarte Tropezienne pastry may be a recent invention.

I was surprised how much I liked Cannes. Graceful palm trees line the promenades by the beach.

Big, grand hotels sprawl along the Croissett

Beautiful.

Charming art deco sculptures in the parks dividing the beach and hotels.

The hotel ground floors are filled with luxury chains like Celine, Gucci, Dior. Like popcorn stores lined up one after the other. Does anyone shop there?

More fun to lounge in the park and watch the parade of beach people.

You can pick up a suit in Galeries Lafayette if you didn't bring one. Subscribe to Adrian Leeds letters and maybe you'll be going to the Riviera on impulse like I did. If you'd like to receive Parisbreakfast letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox, take a look in my Etsy shop.

Happy August PBers!

Cannes, les chaises bleu

 

Sorry to say Audrey would not have stayed in my so-called ‘Audrey’ room. Carolyn’s ‘Sophia’ room was somewhat better. C’est la vie. Our big problem was the train back to Paris departed at 4:24pm, but the hotel wouldn’t keep our bags after 1:00 pm 😬 No amount of pleading or flashing of € helped. NO meant no. We were stuck dragging our wheelies around town.

A stroke of luck!🍀  Essential when you travel. I had booked us lunch at Fouquet’s at 5-star grand hotel,  Majestic🌴

We arrived a tad early and the valet service at the door immediately offered to take our bags and hold them until whenever! Instant love👏💋❤️

Lunch was set outdoors among lush palm trees beside the pool under red awnings. 

Everyone looked in the pink.

We got the Formule (35€) a main, dessert, coffee.

I forgot to shoot the main course - chicken with lemon/supreme de volaille fermiere. Petit épeautre parmesan. Pâte de citron aux olives verte (extrêmement delish).

But I did remember to shoot dessert tray . The selection was delectable. I chose the fig and raspberry tarte with cream. Then we waited while they made it up with freshly-cut figs. Yum

Cannes 

I’d seen a sign for a fun exhibit going on up in the hills at Villa Domergue. Carolyn wanted to relax in the hotel and time was running short. 

So I went to explore the beach.

And put my toes in the water = Daina says I will be sure to return to Cannes. Yes please🌴🤸🏾‍♀️🥂

And people-watch along la Croisette in a shady spot under a tall palm in a chaise bleu. 

The blue-striped shirt is a new addition from the morning marché at Gambetta (a 5er) TMI..

Cannes blue chairs /le chaises bleu have their own special story like the Luxembourg chairs.

The armchair was redesigned many times over the years. For example, the 1950 model was reinforced with lower crossbars, TRCC bolts (round head glued square) in A2 stainless steel, cataphoresis paint with polyester lacquer, etc.

 

Watch the charming video, even if it is in French.

Of course I had to paint those blue chairs 🪑 and the gorgeous palm trees 🌴 Please take a look while I pretend I’m still on the Riviera 🌴💋❤️🥂🍾 

Bon Dimanche