Rainy day in Nice - Nothing to do .... no way!

International Club of the Riviera at Mouans-Sartoux

The International Club of the Riviera held their Latin Fiesta at a favorite venue in Mouans-Sartoux. Where is that you ask? For me it was a train ride from Nice to get there which whizzed me past Antibes, Cannes to arrive at the small classically French station of Mouans-Sartoux one stop short of Grasse. Happily I had a ride back that took a scenic sort of route back so I had a peek at the town which looks worth exploring sometime ....... here are the montages from the vent ......

Another great HPN event!

The guest speaker was Cassandra Tanti, the editor of the Riviera Times, supported by the host for the evening Anna Fill, owner of The Riviera Woman web site. Here are my montages:

Dying once and coming back is something! BUT 8 times!!

When someone officially dies 8 times, has seen the 'white iight' and is a famous healer who creates other healers you really have to listen to him given the opportunity - Martin Brofman PhD is the guy.  He took an enthralled group through his journey and provided some insight to how he teaches healing.

One heck of a story. One heck of an evening. One heck of a guy.

Trigger's Broom reincarnated in Nice?

I recall fondly the great nights at the White Hart Tap in St Albans when Trigger's Broom was more often than not the winning team. That was way back in 2009-10.

Can the name Trigger's Broom again be a team name that makes others quiver?  Judging by my performance tonight at Ma Nolan's in Vieux Nice probably not!  Hey, I was on my own, not close to winning but up there - so I will do the scoffing at my abilities svp!!

It is a neat format with 5 rounds of 10 questions in the usual categories, e.g. music, general knowledge (yes, I know it was Da Vinci, please stop going on about it!).  The questions are shown on the large plasma screens.  The sheet for each round is collected then checked, the results are then entered into the computer after which the answers are flashed up. It takes a while - doesn't really matter much as the atmosphere is good. At the end the computer churns out the rankings. All in all a great evening!

The painting on the right is by Leonardo Da Vinci not by Rembrandt .... what was I thinking???  Ah maybe Rembrandt said he wished he had painted it? Any excuse!!

Desperate Houseveuves - Jazz & Comedie - Nice

I like the Jazz & Comedie Club in rue Scaliero, just one of those comfortable places that just feels right. For the Gypsy night the whole floor area was open, tonight they had a dividing wall up separating the bar area from the stage area and half the floor so it formed a mini-theatre.

The show? You had to ask.  It was a piece of theatre interspersed with humour. The characters were colourful, animated and involved. I think the 'piece of theatre' statement sums it up.

Lots of interesting shows coming up so I will be returning!

Laura - Gypsy Night at Jazz & Comedie de Nice

Laura with her new band did some great work on Friday night.  Here are some pictures

Two VERY Attractive Restaurants - Vieux Nice

There are two very cute restaurants in Rue Rossetti just up from Place Rossetti (that surprised you huh?) - Chez Juliette, shabby chic, and Le Bouchon Provencal, French SoF country style. It is great to find them a) open and b) unsullied by the cretinous masses (tourists to you). What's the food like? Oh, is that what they are there for? Seems a shame to go there now particularly as I will then become a member or the cretinous masses (I can hear you you know!).  Truth is I love the shabby chic look, gets my vote BUT will it get my custom???  In the meantime ogle ....

Palais Lascaris - An Italianate palace in Vieux Nice

This is an initial look at the wonderful Palais Lascaris in the old town of Nice.  There are some great antique harpsichords and other string based instruments - alas they are behind rather dingy glass! However the palace itself is just so different and unexpected tucked away down Rue Droite. Lovely.
 

Nice-Photo Meetup gets off to a pretty solid start ...

The Meetup group went pretty well.  After the initial chat we headed off for an initial shoot around the Port area .....

Nice-Photo Meetup page

The Photo Albums page

Some pretty good ideas came up:

• A visit to Liberation MarKet (on the agenda)
• Trip out to Las Planas - the end of the tram line where there is nifty architecture
• Churches in Nice

and so on .....

Yes another Birthday Party!!

Miguel's Birthday Party!

Miguel cooked with his own fair hand a fantastic meal with delights from far away places such as the local Intermarche, Israel and Madagascar (Miguel hails from there so I guess he knows what he is doing!) ..... all in all a brilliant evening a highlight being the guitar jamming session featuring Miguel and Daniel - Great!

First Visit? Which Images?

On your first visit you take away some vivid images, these are those selected by two special first time visitors to

Nice &

Monaco ....

Livres en Francais!

After reading a book by Franck Thilliez, L'Anneau de Moebius, which is very dark and I have to say a depressing,  tres deprimant.  That said it is excellent, well researched and snappily written - fans of the Elephant Man and conceptual issues around time will love it!  Recommended.

To lighten the mood and reduce the volume of pages I chose Stupeur et Tremblements by Amelie Nothumb.  The true story of the author's year with a Japanese company in Belgium.  Japanese is her 2nd language. Very amusing until the end when it gets a bit more into 'thinking about stuff' rather than being funny - pain of being a true story.  Good read.

And finally ... Jean Teule's Le Magasin des Suicides.  Hilarious from the start.  There is a shop where you can go and get what you need, saves all that travelling to Switzerland.  Great lines like "Don't say see you again (au revoir), say "Good bye (adieu) as we will definitely not be seeing the customer again".  Sadly their youngest child is permanently happy, smiles a lot - they try many things to reduce this 'affliction', unknown in their family, one of which is to draw lines down at the end of his mouth so he always looks like he is grimacing!  Brilliant and fun!

You are going to think I am strange ....

Oh, you thought so already! Thank you so much. Well, I was invited to another vegan cooking class - yes, they are slow leaners in these parts - to take some pictures. Which I did.  I munched afterwards.  The food is so good and tasty the absence of meat of any kind goes unmentioned ... until I mention it of course. Anyhow it is good, very good and one assumes good for you. What it isn't good for is your wallet as the food is pretty costly let me tell you. The way around this is to do what the Thai's do, disappointingly, they buy stuff ready made!

Dehli Behli Nice nice? Dehri Berhi nice!

Oh goodness gracious me, a genuine Indian restaurant in Nice and in the Vielle Ville? Could it be? Yes is the short answer.  Not the largest place on the planet.  Good atmosphere.   Good staff.  Good menu. All in all, well, good.  A word to the wise - although there are candles on the tables, a flashlight to read the menu is a great idea either that or maintain a carrot only diet for a week or two beforehand.  Then again, check out the menu before you go?  Too easy huh. Squint away, you have been warned.  I will endeavour to capture a suitable picture ......