Antibes - its living in a movie set...

After reviewing my blog, I realised its mostly a blog about nothing – goal achieved. So I thought I’d throw a spanner into the mix and write one that might be a bit helpful. Please note I used the word “might”, I’m not promising anything as we all know I get carried away.

So when thinking of what could be helpful I thought I’d start with the thing I love…no not rose but that blog will come I promise you, but that of travelling. After all I have been darting in and out of France for the last two and a half years so why not put some of the fabulous things I have done out there for those who are planning on visiting the fabulous Cote D’Azur.

The Fort Carre

It would be rude of me to not start with my favourite second home, Antibes. An infamous ‘yachtie’ hang out which provides a mass amount of tourists, so you can get away without knowing too much French. However I like to give it a try after all this is their home so make sure before you leave, learn some handy phrases: 

French A-La-Moi: (pardon the spelling)

- Je voudrais un verre de rose avec glacons si vous plait?

- Please may I have a glass of rose with ice.

- Je suis perdu.

- I am lost!

- D’accord

- Not entirely sure its meaning, I just say it all the time, gives everyone the impression I’m ‘worldy’.

- Ou est la bar?

- Where is the bar? Great to be used in conjunction with all of the above, for example; Je suis perdu, ou est la bar et je voudrais un verre de rose avec glacons si vous plait, “Answer”, D’accord.

That’s the basic important stuff I think you need. But once you have you few phrases ready and waiting, walk down into the old town of Antibes and all you need to do is stroll. Go starving, as it’s the perfect little town to stop off at every restaurant and have a nibble here and there.

Beach’s

The Toilet Bowl is its main beach, which by its name isn’t the best and is usually over crowded with ‘naked wrinklies’ and kids not to mention a ‘squat and drop’ toilet – no thank you. 

I’d suggest heading around the corner to Plage Royale, it has a restaurant with lounge chairs and as much Rose as you could drink as well as a larger space if you don’t want the loungers and umbrella’s. Its view is gorgeous looking back on the iconic Old town, so worth that little bit of a walk around for a whole lot more. It is even lovely walk there, past the archaeological museum (not that I have ever been and probably won't go, as on holiday I trade a museum for a bottle of wine and a monument for another bottle unless of course I can do both at the same time.) You also walk past the old boys playing Petanque. Don’t be fooled by the thought of throwing steel balls, it’s a game of ‘Grey haired hero’s’, no young guns in this array of fine athletes, who seem to always be playing at any time of the day – the good old French work ethic, love it. 

Where to go?

For a fancy dinner, go to Latino’s or for a possible star studded meal visit Michaelangelo’s – great food and fabulous vibe. Unfortunately for you ‘backpackers’ out there, Antibes is generally a pricey town and all other restaurant prices are very similar so no need to source the cheapest. I would always look at the ‘Plat du jour’ as it’s usually a great deal. Pizzas are to die for at Pomodoros and treat yourself to a chevre chaud salad at La Voute. Absinthe bar is an absolute must. Live music, lovely owners, hats galore for dress up and of course…Absinthe. Horrible stuff but when the place is that good you can't say no. Prepare yourself for a mean hangover the next day.

 

The Blue Lady is an English pub that serves the most over priced food and drinks on the planet - €7 for a milkshake that is a powder mix and €3.50 for a tiny glass of OJ. It does however have a good vibe and lovely outside terrace for a rose in the sun. But for me I prefer to spend my money somewhere where you’re getting value for it at the very least. Chez Gorgio is a tiny restaurant run by Gorgio himself and his lovely wife, a charming, fun and friendly duo that make without a doubt the best fillet in the whole of France. Unfortunately coming from South Africa I have been spoilt by only the best fillet, so to come here and have to take out a second mortgage and a chain saw to eat one is disappointing at the least. He is always full so you have to book in advance. 

I like to buy some brie, crackers, olives, sundried tomatoes and rose at either the gorgeous market (a must anyway) or even at Carrefour (really cheap and tasty) and take a walk over to the Fort and have a picnic round the back watching the boats come in and out of port as well as a lovely view of the alps.

Shopping in Antibes I would say is usually over priced and you can get it anywhere, rather spend your money on fabulous food and wine. But if you do happen to be there on a Thursday there is a great market that runs right through the town that sells anything from costumes to linen pants at great prices. If not to buy anything it’s a great wonder.

Fancy a dance?

Well the Hop Store is an Irish pub riddled with drunken ‘yachties’ and tourists, but if you’re amongst the drunk then it’s most definitely a fun night. Try Le Happy face for daily bands and Dj’s (The Blah Blah’s are one of the best I have ever seen) which has always proven to be a mad night. Usually when your horribly drunk everyone heads to L’Equinox, a small club that buzz’s all night long. Be warned…you need to be drunk to go in here.

You have to find this alley way too

The beauty of Antibes is that it is an ideal location to pop over to Juan Les Pins or Cannes or even to Nice as the train station is easily accessable. Its accommodation is pricey but totally worth it, walking the quaint streets is something out of a fairy tale. It is worth a stop-in if you do travel to the South of France, I call it home and fell in love with it the second I arrived.

Hope you enjoy it, and if you have been - post a comment here so anyone who travels to Antibes in the future will get the best out of their holiday.

Informative Stu – Signing out

P.S AWLAYS LOOK OUT FOR DOG POO.

Petanque Old Boys club

Salade Chevre Chaud - Yummy!

Go on...I dare you!

I think its important to remember that its not only possible, it is in fact common, to have something amazing, delicious or fabulous come from – how do I put this…a f*ck up. Strange I know, to bring this topic to mind but I’m sure the poor guy who left the tomatoes out in the sun way back in the ‘olden days’ didn’t get his deserved pat on the back. Sun dried tomatoes, who new would taste like a small slice of heaven, a f*ck up that has changed not only my fridge contents but my life for sure. Yes a small thing such as forgotten about tomatoes out in the sun just shows that no matter your f*ck up – play it right and you got yourself a fabulous bruschetta topping (to name one, I could go on for days). Hell, I figure dare to make mistakes, be bold, who knows you could be the next f*ck up legend!

What about the guy who left the corn on the hot rocks and boom you got yourself a tasty movie snack – who new, a legend in his own right.

The poor gatherer who only came back with kiwis to his tribe, family or pack with these hairy poo shaped balls. Imagine the “aHHH hAAAA” sounds coming when they cracked that bad boy open.

Or while cooking the peppers for a simple dinner Susan* over cooked them (Names used in this story have been changed and are fictional, any similarities are mere coincidence) and burnt the outer skins – a f*ck up. But wait; peel that off and now a cooking genius (some would say).

Have you ever eaten a dragon fruit before, if you have you know what I mean when I say the first bloke to pick that off the tree and eat it had guts :). Wow, its gloriously bright colours and thorn-like green leaves give it the impression of being highly poisonous. Perhaps too pretty to eat. Imagine that first mouthful of worryingly refreshing goodness, which I’m sure he was waiting for his insides to erupt. A surprise to all I’m sure when he was fine – its like I always say; you got to risk it to get the biscuit. This is obviously not always the case with some good-looking fruit in history. “OOOO what a lovely tasty looking wild berry”…dead in a few days (how dramatic, but we have all seen Into The Wild, and it didn’t end well for him) He might have dared too far.

Now its not only food that I focus this “Dare to f*ck up” philosophy on, I reckon that the tall girl who had outgrown her lovely jeans was ridiculed at school but really they were just Capri pants. Or those questionable farmers whose jeans got too cut up on the farm – trendsetters, you pay a fortune for ripped and faded jeans now. I also like to believe that mini shorts were a mere accident, one that I have profited from for years now.

Take a slit in ladies ball gowns, evening dress’s, work skirts, you name it, it all stemmed from one lady over – stepping you could say, and the rest is history.

What about crop tops – a simple washing machine malfunction that has given dancers their wardrobes since the beginning of time.

Even the simplest of things like shaving your legs, I guess it was sharp enough to kill a goat so used the right way could rid you of those cave man under arms and hairy legs. Perhaps even laser was a f*ck up on a monumental level, meant for a different cause with a side affect of hair loss – marketable much??

I’m sure if we put our heads together we could figure out that many many fabulous, wonderful or tasty things that have come from a f*ck up. This might be my way of glorifying all my many f*ck ups, but hey, if the glass is half full … MORE ROSE PLEASE!!!

 

Ready for my next f*ck up – Your truly…Stu!