St Blaise ends in cigar fire
So we popped in to The festival in Valbonne. I met a huge West Indian cricket lover but nearly got a massive beating from him, and all because I said “golly, your tall”.
The festival St Blaise in Valbonne yesterday was a triumph over the weather, which whilst good for the skiers some 20 miles away was less conducive to sitting outside. The snow line is down to about 400 metres with the fresh snow on the hills visible from my garden as I hope my picture will reveal.
The snowy wastes of the Cote d'Azur
During the procession I spotted a man who may replace Mr Humphreys (I have not seen him for some time, I do hope he is free) as my style guru.
I think the daring use of pink and, well, every other colour you can think of in a cardigan like this is inspiring. I have no idea what it is inspiring other than avarice no doubt when Mr H sees this.
Dig that moustache too!
Having to get into the square by midday to secure a table, it was amongst the longer lunches I have been to, and the bill (of over 300 Euros, around £260 at todays worsening exchange rates) reflected not only the time elapsed but the quantity of sustenance consumed between 8 of us. The rare appearance of Mr John O Sullivan at lunch, husband of the well endowed and beautiful Jude, our token Irish man for the day, began the inevitable assault on my travelling cigar humidor. I say inevitable as some people will recall that he has history in this respect, having consistently over the past year denuded my cigar mountain by setting fire to them as this picture shows.
Yet another of cigars consumes by fire, or rather by John O Sullivan
His ability to smoke my stock is matched by his ability never to buy any, or at least never reveal that he has bought any in my presence.
The next REGS golf event takes place next Saturday 7th February at the lovely St Donat golf course, where weather permitting I shall be unsheathing my clubs from my bag for the first time this year. That sounded vaguely exciting when I first wrote it, but the swiftly reached the conclusion that given my swing, there could be not a jot or scintilla of sexual suggestion involved.
There is an old expression “burning the candle at both ends” in other words to overdo the social whirl and which I think can fairly be applied to my lifestyle. Actually I feel like I have cut the candle into tiny sections and lit all of them at both ends since before Xmas, so the prospect now of a reasonably quiet week is very alluring, I wonder if it will come to pass?
Things look a bit tricky in Egypt at the moment, the muslim world is in a process of change. I have an Australian friend who fostered a muslim a few years back and got away with a fine. You see, the can hit the poor fellow on the back of the head while he was praying. Look if you want political correctness, rmove this blog from your reading matter now.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotedazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Website design? http://www.targetcms.com
St Blaise, a festival on fire?
On the train into Cannes last week for MIDEM working hard for Currencies Direct, I was sat one day opposite an Indian lady who seemed to be sleeping, but then she stopped breathing. For a moment I though she had died, but then I saw the red spot on her forehead and I realised she was only on standby.
The festival of St Blaise takes place today in Valbonne which means the stocks of mimosa will be vastly depleted in the hills around Tanneron over in the Var, the down market part if Provence, where the mimosa is ubiquitous. The problem is, if you have any kind of allergy, it can be a nightmare of hay fever proportions, so look out for those snotty nosed kids (which are the feature of my Angloinfo blog, Happy Mondays, which is published each Monday) throwing great bunches of the stuff around as is the local tradition.
It was my birthday recently and one hopes that ones nice lady decorator might have some special treat in mind. She asked me what I would like to do to her body but apparently “identify it” was not the right answer.
The colossal cocker, on the look out for anything else he can eat. the canine version of Mr Creosote
My picture above today was taken on the River Brague just outside Valbonne. Sadly it was ruined by the encroachment of a very fat hound on the left. He is called Banjo, although I have a number of other names for him which to my mind are much more suitable, and none as nice as Banjo, in fact much of the time I would like hit his arse with a banjo, but that’s another matter. It looks in this picture like he may have eaten the proper dog, Max, so fat has he become. I was told, when he entered our household against my strict instructions, that he was a cocker spaniel. Instead he appears to be a cross between a cocker spaniel and a horse, and eats more than a horse would. Definitely a cock-up on the cocker spaniel front.
With fresh snow falling in the mountains nearby, I may have to dump my determination to have a quiet week and sneak up the mountains for a day during the week for a bit of skiing. However, for me, skiing must be accompanied by lunch in the sunshine in order to be enjoyed properly, so the temperance attempt could be doomed to failure. but unless the weather is perfect then today will be my last dalliance with strong drink and cigars for a week.
In any event in a week or so’s time I will be heading over to Limone in Italy for a spot of skiing and a number of lunches with whoever turns up. It is only just over 2 hours drive away and is so much nicer than the hideous concrete jungle that is Isola 2000. Ideally one would want powder snow in the morning and strong sunshine at lunch time, so I do hope whoever is in charge has made a note and will deliver accordingly.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Website design? http://www.targetcms.com
The Flintstones – Abu Dhabi Do
I hear that the Flintstones are not generally well liked in the Arab world except that Abu Dhabi do.
So came the email from Mark Gurdon, who reminds me that we are to go skiing in Limone in Italy in a week or so’s time. This is the week I had set aside in my own mind for my recovery time from the excesses of Xmas and MIDEM, so once again there will be a small delay in my returning to the peak of fitness and finely toned features for which I am justly renowned.
My picture today is my last taken at MIDEM last week. It was taken during one of those onerous meetings in the new part of the Palais around the back when I have been enlightening the music industry to the savings they can make on their foreign exchange transfers by getting Currencies Direct to do it for them. What happened to nice small offices square offices with strip lighting and no windows?
Bloody flagpoles, I would have them out in a jiffy if they were mine
Last night to La Kavanou, the relatively new wine bar in Valbonne after a Guinness refueling stop at the Queens Legs, for a relaxed birthday celebration. As the person whom the celebrations were focussed upon was born in late January, it means that his or her birth sign is Aquarius. I read some years ago that Aquarians are “kind, honest, sincere, generous, tolerant and good-looking”, so the persons whose birthday it was clearly exhibits all these traits.
Amongst the miscreants that were floating about was Maria, the beautiful buxom golfer who regularly adorns the REGS and landlubber golf gatherings, who rather naively asked me if I had seen some of the photos on her Facebook page.
Some of you will be aware that the hardest thing about compiling this column every day is often finding a photo that I can use, so Maria can expect at some stage to find the odd photo from her collection appearing here, a prospect with which she was obviously thrilled.
Today will definitely be a day of recovery before Sunday sees the staging in Valbonne of the Festival of St Blaise. This involves a procession around the old village, and lots if music and an excuse to have lunch outside at the Cafe Des Arcades in the old square. There will be much throwing of mimosa, the bright yellow flower that is in bloom at the moment. It is a tradition to throw these flower laden branches at strangers, which was something of a surprise to me the first year I witnessed it, for a few moments I was able to imagine that perhaps I was the second coming, before coming back down to earth when a particularly large branch hit me squarely in the forehead.
Then from Monday onwards, I promise a week of temperance, quiet contemplation and exercise, well, at least until Tuesday when I think we have a social occasion lined up…
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Website design? http://www.targetcms.com
Riviera Woman trap sprung
It was all set up for a roasting. No advance warning of what content would be discussed at the Riviera Woman chatroom video shoot yesterday at Brittains restuarant, no advice, nothing.
For those of you who have not followed the background to this event, I was asked to write something for The Riviera Woman, an on-line magazine aimed at the thinking mans woman of the Riviera. I wrote, and to be fair Anna, the editor, published my piece about woman being crap in business because they were more concerned with what people were wearing or how they smelled and what they were wearing than the nub of the deal.
I write these pieces for various magazines in order to promote my activities with Currencies Direct and it is often worthwhile to write something a little controversial.
.
And so I treated the invitation to take part in a chatroom as a potential minefield with three lucid and opinionated woman circling around a soon to be roasted carcass of male opinion, ie me.
This situation clearly needed defending. As is said many times, the best form of defence is attack. All I was told in advance was that the discussion would be about multitasking, a clear trap as women consider themselves superior in this dark art.
However a little research yesterday morning prior to the event threw up some interest in details; firstly, that multitasking is a myth, we never do 2 things at once, we do one thing and the constantly switch between one thing and another, with women in particular considering that they are multitasking.
A fact that I did not bring up was that Japanese scientists have now created a camera with such an immense shutter speed that it is now possible to take a photograph of a Riviera woman with her mouth closed. (Only joking!)
Another interesting fact is that studies have shown that people juggling several activities at once lose up to 10 IQ points on each activity. Luckily these two facts, and the fact that I was wearing a tie with bananas on it, signifying that I believed it could be a slippery occasion, seemed to do the trick and I think I got away with it. Time will tell if I am going to be stitched up on the editing, but all will be revealed on Feb 1st when the interview will be published.
The British at MIDEM stand in Cannes
With MIDEM finished, I thought it would be nice to show the front desk of our stand, The British At MIDEM where I have been toiling for the past week.
You would have thought that after the week I have had, a quiet healthy day would follow, and that was what was planned but after an evening game of tennis (modesty forbids me to mention that the MOGsdfdS – the mustachioed old gits – are as yet undefeated in 2011) I was about to head home for an early night when the wingco suggested that we go to Opio for a castloulet, a hearty dish traditional in South West France, and the specialty of the l’Oree d’Opio. Suffice to say that with the baleful influence of the wingco, a very considerable amount of wine, also from the same area was consumed, hence once again this morning I had reason to curse the inaccuracy of the bathroom scales. the wingco is to blame, I had nothing to do with it.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Website design? http://www.targetcms.com
Burns night flames
In my missive yesterday, I did not go too heavily in the detail of the Burns Night supper at Ma Nolans on the port at Nice, because frankly, I expected to be in no fit state to report to you properly after the event, so I know you will be shocked to discover that this column was posted before it occurred.
I think my picture below gives some indication of the carnage that this event wreaked; how can I have one brown and one black shoe? It is fair to assume I have another pair similar to this at home.
One black one, on brown one. I have another pair quite similar at home
The whole of the last day of MIDEM was marked by me having to explain to my various companions with whom I had met extol the virtues of Currencies Direct why I was not wearing matching shoes. The reason was of course clear. I was so drunk I did not notice that the shoes were different colours, and this was the next morning. However, obviously, that was not my excuse, the real reason used was that the nice lady decorator had screwed up, bring an unmatched pair of shoes to Nice, where we were staying overnight at Hotel Suisse.
I had of course had no time to pack given my punishing MIDEM schedule, so as usual I am blameless for this sartorial faux pas as I rely on my assistant to take care of those details.
My responsibility was to book (and of course pay for) the hotel, which I did in my usual exemplary fashion, as my second picture today shows. One tries to make things as comfortable as possible for one’s partner, although the view was only available to us for the ten minutes between waking up and having to check out.
The bay of Nice from the 5th floor of Hotel Suisse
Before attending my final MIDEM meetings yesterday afternoon, there was just enough time to indulge in Peter Mailes’s favorite pastime, lunch. So, that nice lady decorator and I drove over from Nice to Cannes to lunch at my personal first choice lunch establishment, Rado Plage in Cannes
So there I was, later in the evening, sitting on the sofa at home in the evening contemplating the many successes I had achieved at MIDEM for Currencies Direct last night over a glass of wine. That nice lady decorator is partial to a glass of white wine, and has a habit (when her glass is empty, which happens with alarming consistency) of suggesting that I might refill her glass. She is also in the habit of turning her glass upside down by way of illustration that her glass has nothing in it. Sadly, when she has lunched well – this is code for having consumed a skinful – she is sometimes a little premature with this action, hence my crisp white shirt is now in the washing pile.
So the madness of MIDEM is over until next year and I am missing it already, but today, as you read this, I shall be basting myself for the roasting I expect from the three feminists ranged against me for The Riviera Woman chatroom piece about multi tasking. I deserve all I get but will do my nest to argue on the basis of fact rather than that emotive state often employed by the fairer sex.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Guy Fawkes? Burns? its all a mystery to me
We can stand here like the French, or we can do something about it. So said Marge Simpson and that just sums up the French. Getting a taxi other than in Cannes and Nice is almost impossible, and that’s often because of the french legislation about taxis.
For example, there are only 445 taxis allowed in Nice. No black cabs or dodgy Indian private taxis, these are just not allowed. This practice is all about dead mens shoes, the taxi franchise is handed down from generation to generation, and on the odd occasion a franchise becomes available on the open market, the value is set at around 500,000 euros (about £420,000 at today’s exchange rate), no surprise then that taxi prices are ridiculous and all the taxi drivers have new Mercedes. It is a shameful cartel.
When Sarkozy came to power in France, he tried to change the situation but the vested interests arranged an “escargot”; they clogged up the motorway at rush hour for a couple of days and, hey presto, Sarkozy backed down. As Dennis Miller said “What do you expect from a culture and a nation that exerted more of its national will fighting against Disney World and Big Macs than the Nazis?”
But the weather and culture are sublime and the countryside, food and ambience combine to make this country and particularly the cote d’Azur and surrounding Provence unsurpassed in the world as a place to live in my humble opinion, as my picture illustrates;
The waiting room for lunch in Cannes
The penultimate day of MIDEM yesterday and the last day today is usually considerably quieter, a good chunk of the frenetic hordes of thrusting music biz types have departed, leaving a more relaxed end of term attitude, which is just as well after Ma Nolans in Nice last night.
This is where I donned the kilt to join in the celebrations for the Scottish poet (?) Robbie Burns. I have a question mark here because like most of the English population that speak the Queens English rather than some guttural northern dialect, I have no idea what he was saying. I was once doing some voluntary work at a hospital in Scotland. A patient said to me “Wee sleekit, cowerin, timorous beasty, O the panic in thy breasty, Thou needna start awa sae hastie”. I asked the doctor “is this the psychiatric ward?” He said “No its the serious Burns unit”
I don’t recall understanding a single poem of his. Admittedly I have not tried very hard, but I am up for anything that involves putting a skirt and having a party, so I love Burns Night. I guess we have something similar, Guy Fawkes Night, celebrating the anniversary of when he tried to set fire to Parliament.
Talking of fire, by the time many of you are reading this column tomorrow, I will be roasting slowly on the spit of the Riviera Woman chatroom debacle. We will be debating multi tasking which men do not do well, as they prefer to get things done correctly, and science (and common sense) says multi taskers do nothing that they try to do at the same time well. However, three feisty feminists are ranged against me, hence the roasting I am expecting. It is just the tonic I need after 4 days of MIDEM with a Burns night in the middle.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
King of the trolls at MIDEM
MIDEM always throws up some colourful characters and they are not all northern comedy lawyers like Al Yiddley. Having bought him dinner on Saturday night, I am fully expecting a bill for the 3 hours it took for me to spend 300 euros (about £250 at today’s exchange rate). That will push it nicely past a grand, nice work if you can get it.
Anyway, more on MIDEM’s ability to produce colourful characters; I found a couple of vikings outside the Palais Des Festivals yesterday from the band King Of The Trolls, a heavy metal outfit from Lapland pictured below.
I am sure their mothers love them
Bizarre clothing and big beards must be all the rage up there, I took my kids to see another bearded weirdo in Lapland a few years ago. Father Christmas was out of the same mould, huge, hairy and very scary. Quite how you manage to form a band and rehearse in such an obscure place defeats me, and quite how they can call themselves trolls when one of the band is the size of the guy on the right is also a mystery. Are trolls not meant to be small scary things? Maybe this guy is a mutant troll or maybe a giant troll? So there you go folks, when they are representing Lapland in the next Eurovision Song Contest, remember you saw then first here.
Another grueling day at the biggest independent music market in the world. I worked out that first time I came to MIDEM was 1982, and I have been every year since, so I have been coming for 30 years. Sounds like an overlong porn film.
Again lunch yesterday had to be taken on the beach. Rado Plage was once again the venue and from my seat I took this picture. As you can see life at MIDEM is not all a bowl of cherries, after all I had to keep my jacket on.
The dish of the day board, nicely framed by the Mediterranean
For once, a quiet evening, not usual during MIDEM, but I looked at the handful of party invites, thought of the carnage that was likely to be wreaked on my constitution tomorrow night at the Burns supper at Ma Nolans on the port at Nice, thought of my bed, and before I knew what had happened, I was on an inescapable tractor beam towards my bed. I must be getting old. Luckily the tractor beam weakened enough for a restorative pint of Guinness at the Station Tavern in Cannes on the way home.
Day 3 of MIDEM today and already I can feel the on rush of those normal symptoms that this show produces. It’s not nice and it’s not pretty. That perhaps should be my epitaph.
Talking of not nice and not pretty, I stopped off at the bookshop on the way to the station on the way home last night and asked the young lady assistant,”Do you have the new book out for men with short penises?” She replied, “I’m not sure if it’s in yet.” I said that’s the one, I’ll take a copy.
So the kilt will be dusted off today ready for this evenings festivities. It is always a delight for that nice lady decorator when I wear the kilt, she goes all giggly and girly, and if you believe that you need therapy. There are certain things about wearing a kilt that a good Scotsman cannot reveal but as an Englishman who for some obscure reason is entitles to wear the Stewart tartan, I can reveal that its true that… Edited due to lack of space.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Lawyer to get legal?
I had some feedback from my lawyer (who after a few drinks turns into his alter ego jewish northern comedy lawyer he calls Alan Yiddley) about my use yesterday of the word irony. That nice lady decorator believes that irony is the state of mind you reach when you feel able and willing to attack the pile of ironing (with her new I-ron), but my lawyer professed some hurt at yesterday’s entry surrounding the irony of me taking him to dinner despite his enormous fees. The laws of libel were discussed and if you notice any amendment to yesterdays piece then you will know what has happened, I will have received a letter from lawyers acting for my lawyer..
So, the first day of MIDEM is over, and so far injuries are light, some damage to the liver, some reddening of the eyeballs and a dull nagging headache (actually nagging headache could be a good description of that nice lady decorator on her off days), but still there is that familiar mixture of excitement and foreboding for the days ahead.
Today’s photo is taken from the train on my way into Cannes to work. I do hope it does not offend all my friends back in England.
Back to work again, I do so hate the commuter life style
Lunch must be taken on the beach if its sunny during MIDEM, its the law, and as I consider myself broadly a law-abiding citizen, I felt I must obey. Rado Plage is my personal favorite and as always it was exemplary, the Coquilles St Jaques in orange butter with a puree of 4 vegetables was wonderful, in fact here a picture of it;
The MIDEM version of the works canteen
There were so many new music business customers for Currencies Direct, delighted at the prospect of robbing the banks of the 3-5% they customarily take on poor exchange rates, that I can’t count them.
After a long hard days slog, I was looking forward to getting back and putting my feet up ready for Today, but that nice lady decorator had other ideas and I was not even allowed to go home, my instructions were to go to the Thornton Allans for drinks. This of course extended into more drinks and eventually it was midnight before I retired. I suggested (incautiously) that I was getting a little old to be burning the candle at both ends, and predictably I was described a s boring old fart and told there would be plenty of time to sleep when I am dead. She has such a gentle touch with language, it is so heart warming.
Just three more days to go, and a Burns Night to go to on Tuesday means I already feel no benefit from the 4 day fast that I withstood last week, so head down and roll on Thursday, when I am going to be beaten up metaphorically by three girls in the Riviera Woman’s Chatroom.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Lawyer not cheap surprise (irony)
And so the first serious partying of MIDEM got underway last night, with me having to buy dinner for my lawyer, Nigel Davies at Davenport Lyons who charges a mere £400 an hour (that’s about 470 Euros an hour at today’s exchange rate), so clearly must be in straightened financial circumstances. Apparently, my buying him dinner was because he reduced one of his many bills significantly, but so far I have been unable to detect any deduction whatsoever. However, he is such a nice chap, I don’t begrudge it at all (he said with fingers firmly crossed). Luckily I was able to talk him out of the appallingly over rated Moulin De Mougins, and had my eye on Cafe Roma, a cheap and cheerful lively Italian restaurant opposite the Palais in Cannes, but we split the difference and went to one of those restaurants in the old town where he attempted to sink my budget for the whole week in one meal.
My picture today is the one I wanted to show yesterday, after I had given my blackberry a serious talking to, and in its presence alluded to how nice the new models were, it decided to co-operate and send the picture eventually.
The view from my garden up to the old perched village of Opio nestling in the morning sunshine yesterday morning.
Today the MIDEM market gets under way properly, so I will diligently going about my music and currencies business in search of a nomination for an OBE as received by one old friend and business associate Ellis Rich OBE, so richly deserved (perhaps for his “work” as Chairman of the Performing Rights Society, where his duties seemed to involve much lunching and attending junkets seminars), it was a surprise to everyone, not least his wife and himself. Ellis has a holiday home in the old village of Valbonne, so can often be seen mopping up the red wine at the Cafe Des Arcades.
Before that, my worst fears were realised when that nice lady decorator did indeed buy some very substantial plants, which, as I feared yesterday, required the digging of big holes for planting, but then, my fairy godmother appeared, in the shape of my son needing to earn cash to go to Le Village nightclub last night, so it was he who dig the holes, although it cost me dear.
Clearly my alcoholic fast has ended as it would be frankly impossible to attend MIDEM without going to several of the parties that surround the event, and I felt it only fair and reasonable to try to catch up with the week I had lost. In this I was particularly successful as can be attested to by the state of my eyes this morning. And if you think I look bad, if any of you see that nice lady decorator today, please do not consider removing those dark glasses, they are there for a reason.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Digging for a OBE?
So, to Cannes last night for a meeting with Ellis Rich, newly endowed with an OBE for, apparently “services to music publishing”. Anybody who has had dealings with Ellis over the years, as I have, will realise that this honour was as much of a surprise to him as it was to many others who have worked with him in his long career. To be endowed with an honour of this magnitude is clearly an impressive achievement, but, given his err.., shall we say circumspect religious background, and his subsequent attention to the finest financial detail and his reputation for tough contract negotiations, one will always have a sneaking suspicion that a deal was done somewhere.
If Ellis can get an OBE, perhaps I might be next in line? Perhaps for services to journalism?
The queue for tickets for the NRJ awards was truly impressive, stretching from the Palais nearly half a mile down the Croisette in Cannes. Being English, I almost decided to join it. The attraction? The Black Eyed Peas appeared to be the most popular, after all, who would want to see James Blunt?
Today’s picture was to have been of the old perched village of Opio, taken from my garden this very morning in the bright sunshine, but because my blackberry seems to have given up the ghost, and in deference to MIDEM, the music festival, I have decided on a music biz picture of me with Noel Redding, Jimi Hendrix Band bass player, when we did some business a few years before he died. Any suggestion that it was this business that killed him will be met with a furious response from my lawyers, Screwam, Thaiem and Kickum.
Noel Redding seen here in better days, and some dodgy geezer alongside
Following registration for MIDEM, we sauntered back to Valbonne for a late drink at La Kavanou, which had not changed at all during my long (4 day) period of abstinence. It was like walking back into the embrace of an old girlfriend from long ago. I had forgotten some of the allure, but the excitement was there again, just like the last time I was there.
I am now off to the garden centre, where my presence is required, which sounds ominously like large plants being bought. This is alarming for two reasons; cost obviously, as I doubt that nice lady decorator will be using any of her money for the purchases, and if whatever she is buying requires me to lift it into the car, that would suggest something large, which by definition would imply a large hole has to be dug. Now call be superstitious, or of having second sight, but I suspect I may be required to fabricate said hole, and that means my least favourite pass time, digging.
On the odd occasions when that nice lady decorator can be bothered with meaningful paid work, I never see any of the proceeds. It is, as usual, a case of what is our is our sand what is mine is mine
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Magnanimous in victory, surly in defeat
Yesterday was my first tennis outing of the year, with my fellow mustachioed old git (“mog”), the wingo, as my doubles partner at La Vignale, a tennis club near Plascassier run by the most miserable old matriarch I have ever come across. It could be such a good club, but frankly it is not.
The Mogs were as usual in the ascendency winning the first set of the year 6-0 before the impressive air of superiority underlined by my partners (very considerable) presence at the net was slightly undone by the fact that his newly vast presence was a little slower after an initial burst of activity. The wingo always lunches well, and has a prodigious appetite for red wine, often of dubious quality. In fact, it is quantity rather than quality that moves him, but I fear the recent festive season has see him reach new heights, or rather new circumferences, and as a result his movement became a little restricted.
Whilst I treat my body as a temple and I am currently at worship, at least until this evening, the trouble with not drinking means that you tend not to go out, and then nothing happens and then I have a blog to write, but the wingco and our now to be regular opponents Greg from Cote d’Azur Villas and young whippersnapper Milstead have given me something to write about. I am sure they are licking their wounds and I suspect not enjoying reading here about their thrashing. Magnanimous in victory, surly in defeat, I want this put on my grave.
My picture today is of the lovely Auberge De Provence in the square at Valbonne, nestling in the winter sunshine. English residents, please note the tables set for lunch outside…
Close to lunchtime in Valbonne square
With MIDEM upon us, and my work with Currencies Direct this week to the fore, and with my meetings starting in an impressive way at The Carlton in Cannes this evening, music is upper most in my mind. There was a time when I licensed a live Gary Glitter recording, in the days before his rather unpleasant sexual tastes became widely known, but now I hear that instead of making music he spends much of his time as a fan of Aston Villa, who have in their line up Young and Bent.
The NRJ Awards on Saturday are staged in Cannes and televised live on prime time on French TV (if such a concept exists in France; if you have seen French TV you will know what I mean) . Amongst the artists appearing are the Black Eyed Peas and James Blunt but I am more interested in seeing The Guillemots at the British At Midem Talent Night at The Martinez on Monday. In the past, I have been lucky enough to see early performances by Amy Winehouse (before she found gin) Tori Amos and Jamie Cullum, but the two highlights over the years were The Stranglers (whom I once had booked in 1977 at The Swan in Leighton Buzzard before the ballroom was condemned 6 days before) and an ageing but still fantastic James Brown with the full band about 15 years ago. So onwards and upwards, fresh from a week of abstinence….
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Right click on the I-ron
That nice lady decorator has an aversion to new technology. She is convinced that whenever she turns the computer on (now there’s an interesting concept) something goes wrong. I don’t try to hard to disavow her of this opinion, otherwise she might start reading this column and spoil my fun, but she had an Ipod for Christmas, or rather a new Ipod because her old original one from 4 years ago kept freezing. This has had the dangerous effect of getting her a little more used to technology and so discovery is almost inevitable given time. In the meantime I can still have some fun here.
Given that she is now reasonably content with her I-pod, I felt she might want gradually to be introduced to some more technology. My shirts are not often ironed, so I have suggested a new I-ron. It has a very large mousepad and two switches on to so she can right click or left click, just like a real piece of technology. I have stopped short of suggesting an I-clean, or an I-work yet but the I-wash would come in very useful. Unfortunately I believe all these come in a bundle including the I-nag application.
My picture today is once again of The Brague but is unfortunately ruined by the presence of a disastrous diabolical dribbling dog Banjo.
The stunning beauty of the river spoiled by a stupendously stupid dog.
I hinted yesterday that another major estate agent in Valbonne had promised to affiliate with Currencies Direct and I am delighted to say that Riviera Home Finders are the first estate agents in Valbonne this year to see the light. I knew straight away when I met co boss Jeroen that I would like him because his name sounds like rather a lot of champagne, and once he suggested that we celebrate in La Kavanou, I knew this was going to work. Sadly my temperance resolution (which last until my first MIDEM meeting at 6.30pm in the Carlton in Cannes on Friday evening) cannot be broken, so the celebrations must wait.
Some weeks ago, I was asked by on-line magazine Riviera Woman, to write something for them, which I happily did, along the lines that women were crap at business because they were more interested in a meeting in what people were wearing, or how the smelled than the business itself. It is fair to say that they believed that I was writing with my tongue firmly implanted in my cheek and a plethora of comments from “wimmin” followed. The charming editor, Anna, however has trapped me into agreeing to be a “chatroom”, whatever that is, on Thursday with three other women, and I suspect I am being lined up for a bit of a roasting. It is a little unfair, because, going back to my piece about Ipads and the like above, I will be at a serious disadvantage in a chatroom as I was not fitted at birth with the Ichat application that all women are. – Discuss
That should provoke a few comments flying in!
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://www.currenciesdirect.net/chrisfrance
Latest local news? http://www.fr2day.com/
Best Estate Agency in Valbonne? http://www.riviera-home-finders.com
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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Bank rip off? Coutts unimpressed
That nice lady decorator has got wind of what I have been saying about her, and like John Cleese not mentioning the war in Fawlty Towers, I think I got away with it.
The fact is that she has focussed on was the falling out of bed incident on Saturday evening whilst in London. She has obviously not got the full story, so she must have heard something rather than read it. She was sufficiently, shall we say, alcoholically loaded, not to feel the pain of the fall, and to awake with a vague notion of pain in her back and shoulders, but no idea how it could have occurred. She could have believed that she had slept in an uncomfortable position until she got wind of what I had written. The fact that she has not fully challenged me with laser beam eyes on stun, means that she is not quite certain of the facts, and this is what has allowed me the hope that she will forget and I can continue alluding to her misdeeds as one way of entertaining my growing public following for this column.
So back to the sunshine, I took my usual morning constitutional down to the Brague where I took yet another fantastic photograph. Unfortunately it didn’t come out so I have had to use this one;
Banjo would love to fetch a ball if I threw it from the top, I am sure
So back to the grindstone thereafter, frantically making appointments for MIDEM. The way that last sentence read, one might assume that it was I making the appointments, but, well, that’s not strictly true, I have press ganged my son into sending emails out for me in batches of 50 from the MIDEM guide. That was all going splendidly whilst I was doing some lateral thinking in the hammock (or reserve office area as I like to call it), but then I had an email from Coutts and Co, The Queens bankers, saying they were not very interested in meeting to discuss their foreign exchange requirements because they were a bank. Perhaps the wording of the email, or specifically “Don’t get ripped off by your bank” was the phrase that caught their eye? anyway, suffice to say that my diplomatic skills were so effective, I have now been invited to the Coutts cocktail party.
A meeting today with a renowned local estate agent, so local that he is in Valbonne concluded with a sound promise that his company will affiliate to Currencies Direct, mainly it has to be said, in return for a very much sought after and valuable plug in these pages and a link below, and as soon as I receive the signed affiliation forms, then this will occur naturally. I cannot name the firm involved at this stage but Jeroen will know to whom I refer. His offices are in close proximity to La Kavanou, the wine bar in Valbonne will make of course it too embarrassing for him to backslide and not to go through with his promise.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
The France Show, a triumph
The Sunday night meal in Earls Court after the closure of The France Show was enlivened by successful failure John Otway and his plans for his 60th birthday, which, as usual, revolve around getting one over on the media. He has history here; when the BBC ran a competition in the year 2000 to find the best song lyric of all time, Johns fans (who is fair to say were marshalled superbly) managed to orchestrate, some might say hijack, the vote and succeeded in getting get his preposterous song “Beware Of The Flowers Cause I’m Sure They’re Gonna Get You, Yeah” voted the 7th best lyric of all time. It even made the front page of The Sunday Times. “Yesterday”, The Paul McCartney classic, was voted number 6 by a whisker. His new scheme is not quite ready for unveiling, indeed it must seem like an ordinary campaign, but as usual I will get sucked in to it at some stage.
London gave us a fabulous send off yesterday, lashing with rain and blowing a gale, so it was a delight to land at Nice airport yesterday afternoon in sunshine and sensible temperatures, now I must have 4 days of recharging before the madness of MIDEM in Cannes descends on me from Friday onwards. Before that, I fear The Atkins Diet is the only way to get those bathroom scales to see sense. I have long suspected that the nice lady decorator has been recalibrating those infernal things every day, that is the only way I can explain why my lithe form can register such monstrous figures. It is so inaccurate I think we need new ones.
More art for you today in the form of my photograph below taken around the new year. Skiing must be back on the agenda after MIDEM I hope.
Note the Lichfield like use of light and colour. I should have been a photographer
Before that however the madness of MIDEM, the biggest international gathering in the world of independent music biz types which I have attended every year since 1981, so this is my 31st. You would think I have grown out of it by now, but no, it’s that same moth to a flame weakness that I exhibit whenever another foolhardy Otway scheme looms out of the mist. It takes place from the coming Saturday through to the following Wednesday and surrounds the NRJ awards which are broadcast live at prime time on French TV and this year feature the Black Eye Peas amongst many others. In the past Madonna, James Brown, Christine Aguliera Sir Elton John and many many more have featured, however it is usually a very dull affair to attend, and something I have only been twice. The real buzz is around the international market and in the town especially on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights, which is why I must fast this week, to prepare.
Chris France
Buying a house in France, moving money? http://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
Rent a private villa in Provence? http://www.cotdazurvillarentals.com
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/
John Otway’s New Book? http://www.johnotway.com
Modular portable exhibition system? http://www.creative-village.co.uk/web_ads/bigger_picture.html
Living France, Le Blog http://livinginfrance.mon-coach-langues.com
Best Estate Agent in Mandelieu? http://www.chrisma.com
Ceramic Cafe in Biot? http://www.latassedecouleur.com
Rent a villa in Cote D’Azur? http://www.myperfectvilla.com
Find A House in Cote d’Azur? http://www.frenchrivierapropertysearch.com
Monthly Riviera News? http://www.rivieratimes.com
Local ex pat information resource? http://www.angloinfo.com
Yacht owner? http://www.yachtownersdirect.com/
Kentucky Fried Chicken shock
I trust that tonight, after our return from gloomy and inhospitable London where we have been attending The France Show, that my sleeping patterns will not be enlivened by that Nice lady decorator falling out of bed, drunk as was the case last night.
So determined was she that I see the results of her shopping frenzy yesterday that, upon reaching the bedroom at some time after 2am (I had retired hurt myself after a long day of Currencies Direct missionary work at The France Show. This concept, of leaving a gathering before the last person has left, being thrown our or before the wine is exhausted is an alien concept to her) that I was awoken in order to have explained to me rather volubly, no that is too polite, excitedly, loudly and incoherently the various virtues of the many items that she had purchased. Not only that, but he wanted to invite Linda Robertson, her drinking party, in to see the purchases, but as I was naked I managed to avoid that particular danger area.
This was a triple whammy for me. First I am woken up with a start, secondly, I am made to confront the financial implications of letting that nice lady decorator loose in London with my credit card, and finally I am subjected to drunken droolings over the “very wise” purchases she had made. I say very wise in inverted comments as it is a statement with which I have little or no empathy, perhaps subjective is the right expression.
Then, her falling out of bed some 20 minutes after the enthusiasm for her buying up most of the clothing stock in Regents Street had waned sufficiently for her to consider sleep, was, as you can imagine, not entirely welcomed by me.
My picture today of Otway was taken last May at the Oxford May Day Festival
My old lunatic pal John Otway in typical pose
After a final days tireless efforts to educate people buying houses in France to use the almost philanthropic services of Currencies Direct, I meet up with all pal and rock n roll legend John Otway to discuss his next doubtlessly doomed plan for world rock and roll domination. My last conversations with him last year revolved around a plan to get himself elected as the next entrant for Song For Europe. This is a concept to which I was irresistibly drawn like a moth to a flame with almost entirely the same outcome, ie considerable effort taking the shape of going round and round in ever decreasing circles whilst drawn to something that looked wonderful before crashing and burning spectacularly. I am talking about his idea for the world tour with a difference, taking your fans with you, at £3000 a pop, but this magnificent wheeze was ultimately too difficult to achieve. At least the efforts regarding Song For Europe involved me in no work before being abandoned, but more of thi tomorrow. I want to leave you today with this; who was it that having been to a wedding party on Saturday night, and having not eaten, discovered a large box of Kentucky Fried Chicken in their room? Only when they found some remnants of their late night meal actually in the bed did they recall the drunken solution to their late night hunger. I cannot for reasons of delicacy, reveal the names of these miscreants, but if anyone at the France Show caught the unmistakable whiff of Kentucky Fried Chicken near Pippa Maille French Business Development Manager for Currencies Direct, they should not have been surprised.
Chris France
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