Buon Viaggio - Cannes and St. Tropez
My first trip to southern France was incredible. My friend's boss invited me to join them on his yacht. At first I wasn't sure about going since I didn't have a film at the festival and I had nothing to wear.
I like to have a plan. What exactly would I do in Cannes? My friend told me to get a grip as the trip was completely paid for. She had a point.
I'm very glad I said yes. Our host was lovely. Being a good host (and a good guest) is not something everyone knows how to do. I'm not sure why this is as there are a billion magazine articles and books on etiquette.
The attention to detail was impressive. The crew went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable. The chef was OUTSTANDING. I ate well and drank some great wines.
On the first day, the water was extremely choppy. It calmed down by the evening and I had no problems sleeping. it was so quiet (unlike my darn neighborhood). The décor of my en suite cabin (and the yacht in general) was fantastic, very classic and understated. It felt like a home.
[slideshow]
It was nice, and surreal, to catch up with some Hollywood friends. There were multiple celebrity sightings. I did slip into a little funk after one exec said something bitchy to me. My friend and her husband cheered me up and reminded me why I left L.A. in the first place. Also, a good friend back in Rome told me to remember where I was staying and to forget about that miserable snobby person. Which is what I did as I drank some rosé.
On Friday we drove to St. Tropez. The traffic was bananas but it was worth it. We had a delicious lunch at Le Club 55. It was great people watching. Later, I read that during July and August the whole beach becomes quite the scene. When we were there the restaurant was packed with local families looking like the wealthy French version of J. Crew.
The sun came out during lunch and we drove back with the top down. It wasn't a bad way to spend a Friday afternoon.
The village of St. Tropez is charming. I would love to go back and spend more time there.
There were many highlights during my short trip (French bread, excellent bath products, jogging through Cannes early in the morning) but the best thing about it was spending time with my friends.
Flashback: Françoise Hardy - Le Temps De L'Amour
I went to Cannes last week for the film festival as a guest of my friend's boss. I cannot get this song out of my head. It plays during the trailer of the new Wes Anderson movie, "Moonrise Kingdom", which was the opening film of the festival.The first time I saw the trailer I was worried the movie would be too "twee". There's a reason Anderson is one of the most polarizing film directors working in Hollywood today. I bumped into a film critic last week who told me the movie really moved him (after the first half hour) and I've heard the performances are great.My parents had several Hardy records when I was growing up, but I was trying to fit into suburban America and wasn't checking for a singer from France. Now, like many other things my Caribbean parents liked, I get it.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHkm-ELeDsk&w=480&h=360]Here's the "Moonrise Kingdom" trailer.[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7LBojkMo8M&w=640&h=360]