London Pride v Timothy Taylor Landlord
To Covent Garden for a meeting that is postponed, so after some shopping, another sudden downpour, this time accompanied by hail, brings forward and shortens a search for a well earned pint in a pub serving London Pride, the best real ale in the world or, at a push Timothy Taylor Landlord, the second best real ale (about the only thing decent product to emerge from Yorkshire). Imagine my surprise and delight when the nearest pub into which I dash, The White Horse, is serving both!, as one of my pictures shows. However it is a measure of the chasm of class between these beers that the pub keeps 3 barrels and pumps on tap at all times of Pride as opposed to 1 of Landlord. Amusingly the pumps all have caricatures of the leaders of the 3 main political parties. I decide on the Cameron pump as clearly this will be the most used and so the freshest!
taking Pride in our political process
Marooned as I am in Covent Garden for the early evening for a boring meeting with a lawyer precludes the taking in of a show so I must find a restaurant for sustenance thereafter. meetings with lawyers are nearly always boring and always expensive. I well remember when working with my lawyer, Mark Wilkins, who subsequently retired to live in Marbella, I found some napkins bearing the motive “talk is cheap – except when you are talking to your lawyer”. which I kindly gave him as a present. Decidedly, he did not get the joke, although he had previously exhibited a great sense of humour, especially when submitting invoices. You may well take the view that his departure to sunnier climes may have been accelerated by the enormous fees we paid him, others, such as Mark himself will no doubt take the view that the service he provided was worth every penny, I know what I think, but the fear of libel lawyers and wariness of lawyers in general precludes me from expressing an opinion (I am of course joking, he is still a dear friend who has been known to read this blog!)
Dave the fade warns me of the possibility of rain for our next golf outing next weekend at Opio Valbonne, which if bourn out will see me develop a mystery injury preventing me from getting wet, I mean playing.
From right to left, the first and second best real ales in the world
My final picture below shows the good people of Covent Garden enjoying a typical spring day in London, doubtless Mr North is out there somewhere revelling in it.
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
A lovely day in Covent Garden persuades people to go for a run
Barbequeing in Britain in the rain
bbq advice in UK as seen on gmtv, note the scarf and fingerless gloves! good advice indeed
I am awoken once again by an unpleasant noise on my trip to the UK, rain splattering on the velux! I search for some sensible news coverage on the TV of the upcoming election but happen on GMTV by mistake, and am appalled by a feature “How to Barbeque in the rain”. see above. To coin a phrase first uttered by my old pal Paul Kendall aka Ken Poodle, it was fascinating in the same way as a aeroplane disaster.
The obvious question if living in Valbonne or anywhere warm and civilised would be WHY bbq in the rain? Is it any wonder that despite the poor but gradually improving value of the £, at least 10% of the population want to move abroad? The farce continued with a demonstration which was amusingly decimated as much of the taragon that was being chopped blew away in the wind! The fun of live TV! The irony of trying to prepare a bbq whilst wearing a sheepskin jacket and wrapped up in a scarf and wearing fingerless gloves seems lost on the unlucky presenters.
Sunday lunch is one of the few things I miss about the UK, so I thought, maybe Quaglinos, or Langans Brasserie but am depressed to find the recession has caused the closure of many top London restaurants on a Sunday including these. Eventually I settle on Langans Terrace Bar in Old Brompton Road where I lunch with Patty Hills Ridley, widow of Greg the sadly missed founder member of Humble Pie and Spooky Tooth. Once the business is concluded, we chat about her fascinating past, from go-go dancing at Studio Valbonne, befriending various famous and infamous characters from the 60’s and 70’s, and fascinating revelations about boats, cocaine, hash, private jets, and being kidnapped by the mafia! I tell her she should write her book and she agrees but names may have to be changed….
Today I will tog up with galoushes and a sou-wester as I trapse the streets of London searching in vain for a taxi to take from and to and from my various meetings. Having managed to avoid coming to the UK for business hitherto this year, I find myself with back to back meetings, lunches and dinners, I am fortified however at the prospect of returning to sunny France on Thursday where a full programme of lunch, tennis and golf commences from the moment I set foot on dry land, indeed I land at 11.50, lunch is at 1.30 and golf at 3.30, where Mr Gurdon will receive his customary golf lesson from playing with me, with tennis pencilled in for Friday morning. so I leave you today with a picture of warmer and dryer climes
Rocket is in flower with a backdrop of almond trees
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
Morris men wake me up
And so to Oxford to witness the launch of the new Otway book “I did It Otway, regrets, I’ve had a few” in true Otway style a show at 6 30am. I set me alarm for 6am but am awoken by that most curious (and at 6am irritating) tradition of Morris Dancing, as you can see from my picture taken from my hotel in Broad Street, Oxford. It is probably the kind of activity loved by people like Paul North who love all things english including the weather, which as I write this on Sunday morning would be prefect for him, rainy, windy and cold, in fact the wind is strong enough to correct his slice!
Morris men in deep danger of serious physical abuse at 6am on Mayday
Astonishingly the outdoor Mayday early morning Otway show with jis excellent band is very well attended, over 300 poor lost souls got up at the crack of sparrows, some after travelling down from as far into the wilds as Derby (I believe it is an isolated spot somewhere north of Watford and a largely unexplored area of the UK) to help our hero with his launch. The show is enlivened by Otway showering water from the inevitable overnight rain, which had collected in the gazebo (John, that was not a marquee!) over all the power cables, John is thrilled by the success of the launch which given his water antics could have gone with a real bang! and am intrigued to meet his new roadie, rather aptly known as “Deadly”
I suggest that he brings his band to the south of France for the Mougins School Fair on June 19th, but sadly they are already booked. Otway as some may remember played a solo set at Mougins School some 2 years ago. London Pride is on sale so, all is well with the world.
Nothing from Maria, so as I thought the northern upbringing is indicative of somewhat reduced sensibilites as compared with us, more civilised southern folk, and nothing from Mr Duffy, I do hope that he has his pecker back for golf today, judging by the size of it he must be circus sized (Pete, I know you sent that to me, but I m going to pass it off a my own, ok?) lucky the golf was not being played here because after a bright start, the weather has gone down hill, much as my golf does when there is rain in the vicinity (by that I mean within 500 miles)
To London away from the Morris Men to the Half Moon in leafy and damp Putney last night, one of the best shows I have seen in many years, a sell out with many turned away, followed by one of the few joys of Englnad, a dodgy curry at 1pm after a long awaited reunion with local Youngs Special Bitter.
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
An aromatic trip to Nice
Dave the fade in a better than normal position from the tee
And so to the metropolis of Nice to extend the reach of Currencies Direct to the business fraternity. The trip to Nice in a “car” owned by John Balodis” was intriguing in that it took some 20 minutes to identify the aroma emanating from the back, eventually we were able to identify it, Paella! how delightful! Or it might have been delightful if it had not been in the car for several days, a little fishy to say the least. As you would expect we are swamped by applications to affiliate to Currencies Direct and afterward we retire to the seventh floor outside bar for a digestive and a cigar whilst gazing down upon the beatifully lit fountains. Mr Thornton Allen has kindly bought some cigars designed to replenish my stock of Monetcristo No 2’s, however the cigars that he buys are so tiny , I lose them in my pocket! Konstantin from AFA wins the champage draw for guessing the rate at which the eruo closed agains the £, but I suspect his technical misuse of his Iphone helped his guesswork!
To Cafe Latin in Valbonne for “church” as it is known, a regular Friday morning gathering of the faithful on market day for coffee and crossants if you can get served! I bump into old friend Nick Freeman, the lawyer infamous for his abilities to protect the driving licences of such luminaries as Sir Alec Ferguson, Wayne Rooney and various pop stars who seem to have been wrongly accused of drink/driving. This saint is revered almost everywhere, except by the police for some strange reason. He has a house in the area and is down for a few days. He wants to play golf but his handicap of 3 has just been cut to 2, so I am able to relieved to be able to refuse the invitation as I am about to board a plane for the UK. Mr Humphreys is in the congregation, but claims that after I drew attention to his hairstyle, he no longer reads this blog, but I would be very suprised if today he did not sneak a quick look today!
No reaction yet from Maria for yesterdays photo, as she is from up north, perhaps that kind of behaviour is considered normal north of Watford?
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
The early morning walk along The Brague
Keeping Ones Pecker Up
If you answer the door late at night forgetting what you are in a state of undress, is that negligent? And it is negligent that I have been with the house cleaning whilst the current Mrs France is away, but she who must be obeyed is back this afternoon and so, much cleaning and scrubbing has had to ensue. I had thought I had it covered, I had bribed my daughter with the promise of copious amounts of spending money for the coming weekend to blitz the place but she had the lack of foresight to become ill last evening, leaving me in the shit! (almost literally), at least one person to whom I spoke on the phone today asked me what all the sloshing about was in the background, and there was a time…..but I digress, I had to admit that it was me mopping whilst working!
Now Maria, who has rather foolishly decided to play golf with Dave The Fade’s group has had ample time to stop the publication of the photograph below. She is clearly not unhappy with its publication – she is of course from up north, so there is the usual problems associated, northern accent, no shame etc. Apprently, Paul Duffy has a cover from one of his clubs which looks like wood pecker, which had been shortened and become known as his pecker over the years. That is as far as I understand the explanation given by Paul after his usual voracious consumption after golf. Why a woman of good standing (despite being from up north) would want to have Pauls pecker stuffed down here cleavage escapes me, Oh to be young again
Maria with strategically placed pecker
And so to Nice for the much anticipated British Chamber Of Commerce presentation for Currencies Direct. Actually, its not called the British Chamber Of Commerce anymore because last year it was discovered it was being run by a dutchman, no one had apparently noticed that Ab Keijber was not a British name, so its now the Riviera Business Club. The Aston Hotel is the venue, so a full report will follow in the days ahead.
A sarastic comment from Peter Lynn alluding to my use of neoligisms, published in the Washington Post. What Peter perhaps does not know is that many of them were submitted by me originally – at least that is what I believe! and I finish today with an example , Is a caterpallor the colour you turn after finding a caterpiller in some fruit you are eating?
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
Cashtration in gloomy England
Another warm sunset, temperatures today and tomorrow pushing the mid 20’s so the shorts are now out until November, and the winter clothes put away. I had to drop my daughter at the Thornton Allan’s at around 5pm, also known here as beer-o-clock last evening, and despite my determination to eschew alcohol for 24 hours at least, I was summoned from my car to join them in a beer and then to try a what they considered to be a very reasonable Cote Du Rhone white that Paul had discovered at ED’s (rather a downmarket supermarket of which I had not been previously aware). If I had not had the top down on the car, I may not have heard him and been able to escape….. Apparently they had bought one of this vintage to try at lunch with the Wing Commander who has an inestimable appetite for wine, though mostly reds as far I recollect and it was declared decent enough to go back and get another case ready for sunset. I am afraid to reveal that they may need another visit today to replenish supplies. Personally, if I am forced to drink white wine then Montrachet or Meursault are acceptable, but a Cote Du Rhone from Ed’s? I am sorry, I could barely finish the third bottle…..
A grim weekend ahead, as I must leave the sunshine to venture back to the dreary UK, partly to witness the unveiling of the new John Otway book. I shall be immediately sending a copy over to my lawyers to demand action to correct the no doubt numerous libels that it will contain, then off to down town Putney for another Otway show. My picture today is from the archives but as you can see I look just as well today as I did then…and as slim. From there to my old stomping ground near Aylesbury for a ridiculously overblown public enquiry about the barn annex in my house in Weston Turville (a mans home is his castle in a manor of speaking). This event will no doubt cost £1000,s and they will end up kicking me in the balls all because the annex is used as a holiday let! Talk about cashtration (Pete, this is deliberate!), Boy, let me at the Govt budget, I could cut billions from it easily! – perhaps source the wine for Government hospitality from Ed’s?
Jet Spotter, John Otway and myself circa 1977 at Wild Willy Barretts 3rd or 4th wedding
Contact with my old friend Paul Conroy who used to work at Stiff Records (where he once signed John Otway) as I find a former employee of his Fiona Grimshaw hard at work at Savilles in Plascassier. It reminds me of when Paul was Managing Director at Warner Brother Records in London, and Otway had made a Christmas record, a version of Jerusalem. Paul wanted to sign it, but then was clearly overruled by his A & R team, refused to return my calls for several weeks, so we hatched a plan, John pressed it himself with a Warner Brothers label! Result? they gave in and released the record, which was another failed hit record for John.
Do not fret though, faithful followers, I shall be posting from the deep dark depths of depressing drudgery every day so that you can join me in the misery of cloud and rain, so to brighten things up, here is a picture I took over the weekend
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
Spies Turn Against Me
Spring in the south of France
Gallic hippography is the term that refers to that very french, but nowadays very rare french habit of eating horsemeat. It was a practice born out of necessity during Napoleons time when he decreed that his men needed meat in order to fight and there was not enough available. I mention this as I am about to become horsemeat myself as my wife (you will note no longer future ex wife) who has refused point blank to read this blog and has hitherto described my travails on this font of interesting information as “writing stories for my friends” has had someone snitch to her about what I had considered to be humourous reference to her (thanks Hugh!). She will be back in Valbonne on Thursday and I will be leaving for UK on Friday, maybe the dust will have settled by the time I return? If I am allowed to return!
An overnight shower freshens the land but the sun is now back as my picture above today shows, so perhaps another sundowner in the pav such as occurred last night, when Mr Thornton Allan descended upon me, clutching cold beers dragged me kicking and screaming from my winter office, or as I have recently heard it described by my dear friend but tennis rabbit, my Seasonal Oriental Dwelling or SOD for short. As he rightly points out, when my wife tells me to sod off I shall know where to go!
Preparations continue for a big night out at Hotel Aston in Nice on Thursday at the Riviera Business Club event. I will be joined by numerous local luminaries at this event which will have added poignancy by the appearance of our very own Currencies Direct Cheeky Girls, Pippa and Zoe who will be making the inescapable case for attendees signing up to them for their foreign exchange needs.
Off to Mougins to collect a lemon tree from beautiful blond siren Claire Trigger who no longer has need of it. She kindly donates a pottery monkey reading what looks like my blog on a bog! Of course it will have pride of place. Below is a photograph of it, sitting in my SOD where it will remain until my wife spots it….
Monkey reads Valbonne blog
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
My spies are everywhere
Royal Mougins in spring
You may remember I covered an event a week or so ago where a certain John O Sullivan paid his normal respects to my travelling cigar humidor at a lunch at Villa Eagle? John was full of vim and vigour, telling all and sundry how quickly he was going to cover the Nice half marathon the next day, I think he called it a “trot round” which he expected to complete in about 90 minutes, well, it appears from information received from my spies that he never took part at all!! Seemingly the cigars got to him and he stayed in his bed. This fact has been deliberately kept from me to allow John to avoid disgrace, so as he is a dear frind, I will not mention it.
Steve Weston, whose shirt was throughly and rightly castigated in yesterdays blog writes that he thought he looked quite good in the photo, but of course he is mistaken, and claims the Douane (Customs) officers must have had also read the blog ( a fact that I can completely understand but that mystifies my friends Mark Gurdon, the Wing Commander and Paul Duffy who I suspect lack the intellectual capacity fully to appreciate this tome) and have just broken down the front door demanding to see the offending shirt, fearing that it may have been counterfeit (which of course it was) . Luckily, he had just finished washing it and there was nothing left save for a few strands of cotton. So they left with just 10 pairs of Bozz (sic) socks each as a consolation prize….
I am reminded that one of my few golfing trophies is a ball retriever, a useful tool for collecting those errant balls that insist on entering water whenever it is near. It has been pointed out that my balls’s seeming attaction to water if you will pardon the expression, is at varience with my often stated antipathy to rain, and I confess it is a mystery that I fear I will never solve.
Todays pictures are if the wildlife and views from Royal Mougins and St Donat golf courses. I do have in my posession another photograph of wildlife for which I hope to gain publishing approval tomorrow. Maria, I am waiting for your call! but then maybe it should be a case of “publish and be damned”….
The 16th at St Donat
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
Undeveloped Photographic memory
I am often accused of having selective memory. I prefer to think of it as a photographic memory that hasn’t been developed. Take tennis with old pal Dave Worth: I clearly remember the one occasion when I beat him at singles, but have no lasting recollection of the other 100 odd games we played, or the result. And it was like that on Saturday when playing golf at Royal Mougins for Peter Bennetts Blue Water Yachting team against visitors from Moor Park, a group known as the P A A. I remember every nuance of a thrilling and comprehensive victory. Judging by the bar bill before lunch alone, and with the knowledge that the two A’s of P A A stand for Artists Association, it is not a huge intellectual stride to guess what the first P stands for. They have an alter ego though (Paul North, its Latin – look it up) they have their own golf balls with a logo depicting love between a puma and an antelope, thus the Puma & Antelope Association have rather less trouble at border posts and this allusion to (no Paul, its not another spelling error!)potential cross breeding seems not to phase these good, and I must say very generous, paying for lunch and drinks! people who hail from the environs of Watford, where, under the baleful influence of former chairman of Watford Football Club, Reg Dwight, the one on one different breed animal thing does not seems to be frowned upon. Talking of breeding, will anyone spill the beans on the outcome of one certain player’s designs on Martine the house keeper at the house they where they were all staying? I will accept anonymous insider information…and Willy, the usual fiver will keep your identity hidden from all, after all, a man needs a mistress just to break up the monogamy! Generous and thoroughly entertaining chaps that they were, I spotted several very high foreheads and a number eyes rather too close together! But then I also regress if I lose and boy did they lose!
Steve Weston in that shirt before he washes it
Which brings me to Sunday at St Donat where once again I am paired with Dave the fade. The quality of our golf has been higher, indeed one of my pictures today shows Dave in one of the better positions he achieved from the tee, better that is from his competitors viewpoint! We are joined by gorgeous pouting Maria a new member to our group who also had much to say about positions and who has astonishingly thrown her lot in with the Landlubbers golf group. All I can say is that she must have very little entertainment at home, but I suspect Mr Duffy (another who dares to tell me he doesn’t read this blog) has some ideas about how to help her pass the time. Personally I welcome more girls to come and play with us (sic) indeed the winner on Sunday with some 20 points more than I collected was the long suffering Nancy Weston wife of Steve. I say long suffering because she has to put up with his sartorial taste, or rather lack of it as my picture shows. Apparently the shirt was bought in China and cost about $2 and included 200 pairs of socks, I believe he bought the socks and they must have given him the shirt free. Just wait until he washes it!
I hear from Mr Humphreys who was featured in this blog recently, he is understandably thrilled. What I did not mention was his new hair cut which I believe hides a rapidly receding hairline or a “Balderdash” as I think it is known. Finally, I hear from old friend and musician Mike Findlay who is playing in a Police Tribute group called The Secret Police. They fancy playing some shows down here and have offered me the usual 75% commission, so do let me know if you have any ideas!
Chris France
Dave the fade takes an intresting route to the green
www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
The moulin at Opio
The commune of Opio starts just behind the Queens Legs running north past the village of Opio itself. Being a little further to the north it is inevitably a little nearer to the mountains and it is a fact that for every 100 metres above sea level or every kilometre north, house prices drop, and frenchness increases at a constant ratio, hence by the time you get to the edge of Chateauneuf there is a distinctly more rustic french feel. There is an olive windmill between Opio and Chateauneuf called the Moulin De la Brague . From November to February the locals pick their olives and then deliver them to the windmill, and from what I can make out they just recieve some olive oil in return, no money seems to change hands. It is a very social time for the french which is unusual as they do not seem to socialise like the Brits. I would love to have some olive trees so that I could go up deliver my olives and chew the cud with the locals over a glass of pastis, however all my trees are almonds. Talking of pastis, the last time I drank that evil fluid I was quite rightly accused of testiculating (waving ones arms around whilst talking bollocks). It was at MIDEM a few years ago with a particularly thirsty client (still a client, so cannot reveal the name, but Toni Marriott, may well know who I mean). I had left my wife at Rado Plage in Cannes in the company of said anonymous client after lunch having myself consumed far too much for coherence, but they continued through the afternoon whilst I attempted to work. I indistinctly recall an altercation with a taxi driver who was trying to overcharge me and I remember everything I said but it didn’t come out that way. After much waving of arms and gesticulating we parted firm friends but I cannot remember exactly why!
Regular readers will remember the triffid pictured some days ago, it is apparently according to my old friend Moya, an agave, from which the mexicans make tequila. She kindly sent me some sorrell seeds, I think perhaps she is concerned that with this new found knowledge I shall be harvesting the agaves for my 2010 tequila vintage and is trying to divert me!
A meeting (on a Saturday – work can be so irksome-) at the very relaxed Cafe Latin with John and Jane Balodis is interrupted by Mr Humphreys, who rather like his namesake in “Are You Being Served” is “free” at the moment being unable to get the quality of work that has hitherto been his forte. Of course I know nothing of what he does, he began to explain to me something about government contracts but I glazed over and nearly lost the will to live, except to say that he is an expert in all things Cafe Latin and is or was a magistrate. Neil (for that is his name) is accompanied by his delicious wife Helen, who is a presenter on shopping channel QVC, the media hub that is Valbonne expanding every day….
the feature hole, the 2nd at Royal Mougins
My picture today is from the magnificent Royal Mougins Golf Course. More on my golfing weekend and characters in attandance tomorrow!
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
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The Grapes of Wrath
Mutant lavender
Oh dear, my gradually nearing demise, which hitherto I had regarded as way over the horizon maybe steaming into view. At least that is what my friends seem to be saying in code. With the future ex wife away in England sampling once again those delights of wind and rain that Mr North holds so dear (see earlier blog entries) I had sent out a coded message to all my pals that I was ready and willing seriously to consider offers of activities that are usually avoided when we are en famille as the french say, but what do I get? an offer from my Scandinavian friend Terje to visit an art exhibition in St Paul De Vence and an offer of a pitch at the Mougins School car boot sale! No mention from anyone about a late night visit to the flesh spots of Cannes, down town Nice or a trip over to St Tropez or Monte Carlo, the kinds of things that I had in mind, where, o where are the likes of Nigel Hindle, Rupert Scott or Mac Mackay when you need them?
Our nearest restuarant when we settled in this house 2 years ago was Adele’s, about 300 metres away down the hill as the crow flies, about a 400 metres stroll down for lunch but seemingly about 2 kilometres and requiring crampons to get back after languishing over a Marc De Provence on their sunny terrace. Sadly, Adeles husband, a white rasta from Senegal who was great fun, passed away suddenly and the place closed down. It reopened early last year for a couple of months as something else but closed down again shortly afterwards, but now, a new sign has appeared, Les Temps De Mets looks like opening soon, I will keep you posted. As you know, there can never be too many choices for a luncheon venue, there being only 25 or so within the village environs, and only 2 of those awarded Michelin Stars. However if one was happy to venture as far as Mougins about 4 miles away, one could probably consider another 50 or so options…
To the driving range at Victoria Golf Club in Valbonne this afternoon, the interesting, improving but ultimately only 50% of a proper golf course having only 9 holes. Practice is required so as to try not to embarrass myself too much at Royal Mougins this afternoon. Lunch before tee off is always a welcome idea, especially when one is not required to contribute financially but can wreak havoc with the golf in the afternoon, beware the wrath of grapes!
Last night to a house warming in Nice with a new acquaintance Pierre Dumait, a former city trader who has wisely eschewed the bond markets to join me in spreading the word of how to save money on foreign transfers and tenderly returned to ones nest by the lovely Pippa and Gerald, who gallantly do not mention my snoring on the trip back!
My picture today from some nights ago with the lovely Lucy Bird having a bit of trouble with the cheese…
Lucy Bird wrestles with overripe mascapone and truffle flavoured brie..
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Secret supper club www.red-radish.com
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com
A website by public demand
waiting room for my summer office
Due to the astonishing success of this blog, read on 5 continents, you may now read my daily ramblings at www.valbonnenews.com Wayne Brown, inspiration of FR2DAY and brilliant at all things internet decided over dinner last night that the blog should become a website. 10 minutes later it was done. Wayne, despite appearances and his support for some dubious North London football team who look like putting the boot ino the mighty Liverpools chances of Champions League involvement next year, is as sharp as a knife and very internet savvy which is why fr2day is such a success. Somewhat less successful was when I took him to play golf last year, I was reminded of this when I received an email from the writer of “How To Line Up Your 4th Putt”. Apparently he is about to publish the follow up “When To Regrip Your Ball Retriever”, maybe it was him in that same golf course at the same time? I hope he did not see Wayne “the Stig” Brown when driving the golf buggy destroy those low hanging branches, or that fence, or smash into the wall (he called it a graze), run over that nice Germans ball, or get the buggy stuck in the lake….which reminds me of a round of golf last year at The Grande Bastide with Rupert Scott. Of aristocratic blood he may be, but when that nice frenchman when trying to make the point that Rupert had hit his ball rather close to them and ran over his ball, burying it in the grass I had to restrain Rupert from attacking his buggy with 5 iron.
Frances Thompson has been in contact, she is staging a Japanese Super Club in Valbonne on Friday 7th May, for the menu and bookings email supperclub06@live.com
Have signed up to continue the education of the public to the use of the services of Currencies Direct, at the Career and Lifestyle Exhibition in Valbonne on 29th and 30th May. My bet made over dinner last night with Mr Thornton Allan that the euro will be 1.25 to the £ by the end of the year is as good as in the bag, poor soul, he has bet that it will go the other way….
I think a brief sojourn to the Queens Legs, unless Mr T A comes around again clutching beers, (his Altzheimers will have erased his rant about never sitting in the Pav again by now) and perhaps I will be persuaded to join him, after all it is also my summer office.
No sign of the Wing Commander to arrange tennis, and no sarky comments from Peter Lynn recently despite a few typos yesterday so will have to concentrate on golf this coming weekend. Clearly this golf appointment is networking and thus I would contend is work, so Mr Taylor, my accountant will doubtlessly be expecting a series of receipts from me to start our regular monthly argument
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com/
http://frenchriviera-properties.com/
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? http://www.valbonneonline.com/
Secret supper club http://www.red-radish.com/
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Top quality interior designer? http://www.marineguigue.com/
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The Pav, a cause of Altzheimers?
The Pav, home of Altzheimers
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An invitation extended by me to take rose in the pav ( our thai style pavilion overlooking the pool shown above) is rudely rejected by Paul Thonton Allan who claims that whenever he visits, he can remember nothing the following day. He tells me he will complain to the MairieI and ask for it to be codemned as a health hazard. I tell him that it is Altzheimers creeping in, come over for a drink and we can discuss it but then I forget how I was going to finish the senta…what was I saying?
The invitation to play golf at Royal Mougins on Saturday is confirmed. I am to be the guest of Peter Bennett, Managing Director of Blue Water Yachting in Antibes and a fellow resident of Valbonne in a Ryder Cup style competition. To continue yesterdays theme of golfing sayings, I hope that I do not experience an “Adolf Hitler”, which is where one takes 2 shots from a bunker (Konstantin, it is only an english joke!) or indeed when one either hits the ball so it skims along the ground know as hitting it a a bit thin, also known as a Kate Moss (a bit thin but otherwise just about perfect) or a bit fat, when you hit too much ground at the expense of the ball, a Kate Blanchett (a bit fat but otherwise about perfect)
The future ex wife is defying the volcanic rumblings and flying off to blighty for a week so, and expecting a numfight at Nice airport, 20 mins away, but reports that it is almost desterted! so now I am available for golf, tennis, poker and any other debauchery that my poor old body can still stand should anyone be in need of a companion of dishonour. I shall be in UK from 30th April for a few days, firstly to witness the launch of the new John Otway book, in which once again I will be seriously libelled. John is one of my oldest friends and over the years has cost me a lot of money. Recently I persuaded him to come over and stay with me and he played a set at Mougins School. A cult hero following his hits in 1978 “Cor Baby That Really Free” and his follow up top 10 record “Bunsen Burner ” in 2002, he is a regular at Glastonbury and is a great admirer of the square in Valbonne. His book lauch will take place at a gig at 6am, yes 6 am in Oxford, where he tradionally takes advantage of an archaic law that allows pubs to open early on May Day. Must dash, have the exciting job of digging holes for new lavender plants, can’t wait!
chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Secret supper club www.red-radish.com
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Valbonne Tourist Office http://www.tourisme-valbonne.com
Triffid and golfing stories
Triffid? ....or morning glory?
This has got to be a triffid, right? anyone any ideas? looks like a gladdioli thats out of control. Its growing in my garden in a number of places, flowers about now then dies back, a bit like my golf. I am reminded of a story I was told at the weekend by a dear friend who does not want to be named, it involved playing around with Ian Woosnam, at least I think that is what she meant…..no, really she got to play a round of golf with welsh golfing legend Mr Woosnam whilst in Antigua, but apparently managed to hit him on the forehead with a golf ball, I wonder what that would have been called?, maybe a Woosy? Golfers have a number of great expressions for golf shots, for instance, when you have hit the ball too far, it is known as a “Princess Diana”, ie, when you shouldn’t have taken the driver, when you should have taken the driver and should not have, it is known as a “Princess Grace”. My two current favourites are a Salman Rushdie, which when one is trying to size up a very difficult and undulating putt (an impossible read) and a Douglas Bader, which is where a shot looks good in the air but doesn’t have the legs. There are dozens of others, in fact I may now include a “golf expression of the day” in this blog. An invitation to play Royal Mougins about 4 miles from Valbonne on Saturday from Dave The fade, at least the inviation was offered and then, nothing. Royal Mougins is a sensationally expensive golf course, some 60,000 euros for a debenture and 250 euros to play a round. It is of course quite special but it is not 3 times as good as St Donat which can be played for under a third of that price.
Some reaction to my allegedly intemperate remarks about that dog Banjo, who is, to my disappointment, much improved today. I am sure many people find him adorable, but I wish we hadn’t found him at all!
I am being dragged off to Ikea near Toulon tomorrow to add yet more clutter to the house full we have already – yes you are right, I hate shopping, almost as much as I hate B..but enough of that, I am sure the future ex-wife will enjoy it tremendously and it will be Ikea meatballs for supper (Mark Gurdon eat your heart out).
Charlies social life is now officially over
My other picture shows my daughter Charlie in the pool, a bit too chilly for me just yet, and in her words “my social life will be over if you put my picture in your blog” . Luckily, like most of my family, in fact all of my family she wont read it anyway! Please Mr North no sarky comments, you will betray the fact that you do read this regularly if you respond. By the way, all comments welcome, just click on the comment button!
Chris France
buying a house in France, moving money? www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? www.fr2day.com
Best Esate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.rivierarealty.net/
Best French Riviera Property Agent?
http://www.afa-international.com
http://frenchriviera-properties.com
rent my house in summer? http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/p412514
Best on line resource in Valbonne? www.valbonneonline.com
Secret supper club www.red-radish.com
Wedding reception? http://www.bastidestmathieu.com/
Chris France's Blog 