Jill got up early to plan the day. Since it was supposed to rain, we thought we'd go somewhere where there was a great museum, so we'd be inside for part of the day. We agreed we'd go to St. Paul de Vence where the famous Fondation Maeght Gallery of Modern Art is, and then go to nearby Vence, another charming little village. But first we must go to ground zero, the Gran Cafe in Beaulieu.
We arrive in centre ville and it's the big market day, so we have to drive around a little til we finally find a parking place. When we get to the cafe, none of our lady friends are there and all the outdoor tables under the awning are taken...it's a busy morning. So we obligingly go inside.
It is pretty crowded inside too, but we find a nice table next to two gentlemen. One is reading a stack of mail and lo and behold they are speaking English, American English. Jill decides to say something to them about what brings them to this small town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. The one reading his mail says because he lives just in the neighboring town of St. Jean Cap-Ferrat...that's Bernie Lind, our age, a Wall Street guy who retired 20 years ago, travels the world, and bought this place about 13 years ago because they love the area. The other guy, Vance Johnson who is 73, is a good friend of Bernie, and retired many years ago from the FBI-CIA, lived in St. Jean Cap-Ferrat for 16 years, where they all met some years ago. He just moved to Dallas 4 months ago and is back here on vacation, a place they love. Then their wives arrived, Sonja, Bernie's wife, is much younger, born in Domenica, a small Caribbean island, and was a trader on Wall Street, she is joined by Linda, Vance's lovely wife.
We continue talking and they say they are going to the restaurant Byblos in Ospedaletti, Italia, just across the border. One thing leads to another and before you know it they invite us to join them for lunch. Marty and I look at each other and think, you don't have to ask us twice! This is an opportunity to go with some 'locals,' and we wanted to go into Italy at some point anyway, so why not today! We decide to ditch our plans about the museum in St. Paul de Vence...we'll do that another day.
We get on the autoroute going east, and right after Monaco we cross the border into Itay, something we knew we wanted to do on this trip. We pass Vingtimiglia and get off the autostrada at Borsighera, a town we never heard of. we then wend our way on local streets to the town od Ospedaletti, another town we don't know, and arrive at Byblos, thanks to our "trusty” Garmin GPS. Bernie comes out to meet us on the parking lot.
Byblos restaurant is in a quaint little town on the sea in a not too spectacular structure. When we get inside our new friends see us. The place is hopping with Italian families, a regular local place that specializes in fish baked in salt. We are loving the whole atmosphere and are so glad we changed our plans...this is exactly the kind of thing we love to do...spur of the moment, and with new people. The food is simple but spectacular! We start by sharing spaghetti alla bottarga (tuna roe), followed by a huge Bronzino covered in a mound of salt which is baked and cracked open with a knife and they filet the delicious fish for us...it melts in your mouth.
Vance and Linda Johnson...he's the retired FBI-CIA guy, and they lived in St.-Jean Cap Ferrat for 16 years...we're so jealous!
Bernie and Sonja Lind...he's a Wall Street guy who retired 20 years ago, travels the world, and bought their place in St.-Jean Cap Ferrat about 13 years ago...it's a dream!
During the lunch we down bottles of Proseco and red and white wine and we get to know one another better. All six of us seem quite compatible and around the same age, although Sonja is much younger while Linda seems a shade older than her. The restaurant staff are very familiar with our new friends and we all get the royal treatment. We are loving it. About three hours later we say our good-byes to the wonderful staff and exit this gem of a restaurant. We are all family now.
We decide to all go to Ventimiglia, Italia, for cafe as it's on the way back to Beaulieu. We follow Bernie who is driving the 4 of them, going through little towns along the coast with lots of traffic. When we get to Ventimiglia there are no parking spots, so we decide to just follow them all the way back, through Monte Carlo and all the craziness because there is the Rolex Masters international tennis match going on there, and then back home.
The table next to us was a family party celebrating Nonna and Papa's 50th Wedding Anniversary!
During the lunch we down bottles of Proseco and red and white wine and we get to know one another better. All six of us seem quite compatible and around the same age, although Sonja is much younger while Linda seems a shade older than her. The restaurant staff are very familiar with our new friends and we all get the royal treatment. We are loving it. About three hours later we say our good-byes to the wonderful staff and exit this gem of a restaurant. We are all family now.
Arriving at the border going back into France...
Approaching Mention, the first big city at the French border...
Menton has a beautiful seaside area.
Approaching Monte Carlo, the next big hub on the Côte d'Azur...we're just driving thru...
Bernie is an excellent driver and he knows all the shortcuts, so takes us on small curvy roads through towns and into many tunnels under Monaco to avoid the city traffic...it's a wild and crazy ride but Marty's a good follower so he enjoys it all...if you aren't a good driver here, you're in for some challenges!
One of the many underground thoroughfares in Monaco...they even have roundabouts under the city...it's wild! But without these underground routes, you would never be able to get around.
The Linds invite us to join them at their home for a pick-up dinner. The Johnsons are staying in a small studio on the main floor where the Linds live that they also own. So we stop for bread and Marty buys a roasted chicken to supplement the pick-up dinner. We go back to our place first to freshen up and gather some other things to bring to the dinner...cheese, tomatoes, wine, etc. They all make us feel very much a part of the scene...that's what's so wonderful and what we are loving about this trip!
We get directions and go to the apartment in St. Jean Cap-Ferrat. We discover that the Linds live in a magnificent villa behind a huge gate, with beautiful grounds and a wonderful swimming pool, and you can see the sea and Monaco in the distance...all to die for! We all help to put the dinner together, and then dine leisurely and chat the night away.
We get directions and go to the apartment in St. Jean Cap-Ferrat. We discover that the Linds live in a magnificent villa behind a huge gate, with beautiful grounds and a wonderful swimming pool, and you can see the sea and Monaco in the distance...all to die for! We all help to put the dinner together, and then dine leisurely and chat the night away.
Entrance and grounds of the Linds' villa...pas mal!
The Linds tell us all about the area, and that now the billionard Russians are buying up all the luxury real estate and rebuilding enormous villas. The Russians all keep to themselves, and don't even socialize with each other, because they are very secretive and don't want anyone to know their business, especially their comrades.
It is about midnight when we exchange contact information, say our kiss-kiss goodbyes, and finally leave...a truly magical day and evening. We could not have dreamed up a more serendipitous day....meeting such fun, open and generous people as the Linds and the Johnsons. It seems sure that we will meet again soon. In fact, the Linds are coming to their East Village flat in New York in late May/early June. We have a heavy schedule then but will try to get together while they are in town.
We never did get to that museum as originally planned...WHAT JUST HAPPENED TODAY??!!
We never did get to that museum as originally planned...WHAT JUST HAPPENED TODAY??!!
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