How many words are there for charming? Everywhere here in the South of France is so darn charming I don’t know what else to call it. The French language seems even more constrained for words that connote goodness, near as I can tell – tres jolie, tres agréable, tres chameaux. Nice is lovely, quaint, alive, bustling but in a relaxed way. The people are well turned out, not dressed up just well put together. Mostly jeans and shirts, jackets, and casual wear but with attention paid to detail. The women really do wear scarves in a multitude of ways and the men seem to have equal clothes savvy, more than once I’ve played gay or eurotrash. In general, you don’t see people wearing track suits or beach clothes anywhere except the track or the beach.
I went to a sushi restaurant this evening (written Saturday, April 23). I was looking for something lighter and I had a hankering for sake. I really, really like sake. And this sake was truly bad. It tasted how I imagine perfume would taste if one were a raging alcoholic on a bender with nothing else to consume. They serve it warm by default, I asked for it cold as that’s how I’ve always drank it. Perhaps served warm, one can’t tell how awful it is. I noticed they didn’t put it on my bill, so they must have some inkling. The sushi was ok but expensive, smaller than what we get in the US, and of exceedingly average quality. Ten pieces of sake, maguro, unagi, and tomago with a small bottle of water was 31 euro. Back to French food, methinks. It was nice to have raw fish and wasabi though.
[apologies to quelqu’un who originally got these words in a letter, at least I’m cribbing my own work]
I’m now happily residing at the Hotel Windsor which is very modest but truly wonderful. The staff is extraordinarily friendly and helpful and ma chambre is large, if not luxurious. Its finest features are the two 12” windowed doors that open onto the petit terrace overlooking the gardens. It’s located about one block down and five blocks into the old town from where I was at the Negresco. It’s funny, the Negresco failed miserably at being a fine hotel, and it showed in almost everything they did (except the art collection which really is something) The Windsor has very chic, modern common rooms and the guest rooms are simple and just a tad worn. But it’s fine because the hotel knows exactly what it is and that shabbiness makes it more charming.
hey Libby ... just caught up on your travels so far; sounds like a fantastic time. Sounds like the trip is so much more chilled than the rate-of-knots-real-world we've got going on since you left !
And listen, perfume on the rocks ... don't knock it until you've tried it.
Best to Thelma, and keep away from the cliffs with the helicopters that loom up from under the horizon. ;-)
Steven
Posted by: Steven Webster | April 28, 2005 at 12:45 PM