Bonjour South of France

 

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend.  We caught up on our sleep.  I whined to told the Mister that I was still battling jetlag, and he gave me an apathetic eye-roll. It's his love language. 

Here is the rundown of our fabulous vacation in the South of France.  My buddy and travel advisor extraordinaire, Sandy Grodsky, meticulously planned every detail. She worked with the Mister by giving us choices of hotels, restaurants, and excursions.  

Sandy also arranged for a greeter to meet us at the plane's door, ushered us through immigration and baggage, and delivered us to our driver, who brought us to the hotel. She also arranged for a driver and greeter for our return trip.

As a side note, we had picture-perfect weather.  It was in the mid-seventies during the day and in the low sixties at night. This is the ideal time to visit the South of France.  

Excuse the double chin... I had a few words with my chief photographer and glam man.

Our greeters on both ends of the trip were very professional and friendly. 

Domaine du Mas de Pierre is a charming boutique hotel known for its beauty and graceful gardens.

The hotel offers 76 rooms and suites.

The lobby is command central for all the comings and goings.

The hotel's walls were filled with beautiful art.

We had a beautiful suite and terrace.

This photo is off their website and is much better than the photos I took.

After we got settled, we took a walk around the property.

The hotel houses a beautiful spa.

There are several pools on the property. 

This one is geared towards the children.

We spent some quality time in this charming room.

We celebrated our safe voyage with enough protein to feed a family of five.

By the way, we found the food at that hotel to be delish.

And the all-around service was exemplary.

Rosetta greeted us every morning with a smile and a cup of joe.  We began every day with an egg-white omelet and the best intentions.  I don't know where that round thing on my plate came from!

This is Chris, our safe, capable driver and well-versed tour guide. Chris has a colorful life with his pet chicken, Fifi, his bunkmate. He entertained us with many stories about the area's history, but my favorite tales centered around Fifi. 

You can get his deets from Sandy.

We toured Saint Paul de Vence.

I guess I should have left my stilettos at home.

Sandy made reservations for us at La Colombe d'or. 

We both had the sole, and it was heavenly.

 If you have a suite, a cabana is designated for you at the private pool.

No seat stealers here.

 

Ready to burn some calories at the pool in my RFP coverup.

We enjoyed our main meal at lunchtime and ended our day with a couple of glasses of wine and apps in the early evening. At our age, it's all about digestion. Luna took excellent care of us.

Some mornings, we would take a stroll through the aromatic gardens.  We stopped at this spot every time, and I asked the Mister the same question.

Do I look fat?

If he said yes, I planned on leaving him for Chris and Fifi.

Speaking of Chris, he picked us up the following day, and we were off for some more sightseeing and shopping.

And then this happened.  

It was Friday the 13th.

The Mister immediately soothed his superstitions in the cookie store.

Here I am, wondering why the Mister is paying more attention to Chris than me.

Dress link.

Sandy made lunch reservations for us at La Bastide Saint Antoine.

Hello Nancy Meyers... have I got a movie set for you!

Our view.

PEN's corporate chef was very excited to try this Michelin restaurant.

The food and service were fabulous.

Off to another happy hour in my all-you-can-eat dress and my Sparkle purse. 

We spent some more relaxing hours at the pool.

The Mister insisted that Malibu Barbie in the background was stalking him.

I love an old man with young dreams.

Another restaurant of note was Villefranche-sur-mer Mayssa Beach. 

Not only did it have a million-dollar view, but also the food and service were excellent.

Happy Mister

Happy Life!

We had another mouth-watering meal at la Cassolette in the old town of Vence.

La Cassolette is a Michelin restaurant located across from the Vence City Hall.

Another fabulous lunch for the books!

Cheers to having my jaws wired next week!

 Dress link.

Back to the best seat in the house and time to pack.

And that's a wrap!

Au revoir, France.  Thanks for the memories.

In closing, if you plan to take a vacation anywhere in the world, call Sandy.  I have recommended her to many friends and family, who were delighted with her knowledge and expertise.

On my first day back, my staff escorted me to my office.