Recently in Nice Category

There are certain times in life when everything seems to be coasting along nicely in a certain direction and life is predictably sweet. The heavens are aligned and everything seems to be falling into place. Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the universe throws you a curve ball and you're left scrambling as you try to make sense of your current reality.

Gobsmacked, punch drunk, dazed and confused are but some of the words that spring to mind.

Well that's been life, as we've known it for the last four months or so. You see we were set on a certain path and that journey looked something like a permanent relocation to San Francisco. Needless to say, Stephen was excited about expanding his career into North America and I was looking forward to farmers markets, the Napa Valley and getting to know and hanging out with Denise, Lenny, Sean and Alison.

 I won't bore you with the tedious, bureaucratic details, because there are many and it's complex. But suffice to say that when one door closes another one usually opens and behind that door is immense creativity, infinite possibility and incredible satisfaction if you so choose.

This year is going to be huge for the Johnson, so before we launch into it we decided to pack ourselves off to New Zealand for a couple of weeks to bask in the sun and play in the surf, whilst diligently upholding the art of Aperitivo. Hence, I have absolutely no intention of blogging, writing or being online whilst on Waiheke Island, but rather I plan on working on my tan and getting through a book or two.

However, I have packed my camera, so when I do resurface I promise to share some of what I have seen and eaten with you!

To this day it still puzzles me why there is a date inscribed next to this old tap in Cannes. What was it with 1807?

Cannes is a place for the beautiful people, even when you're well and truly gone!

We were only in Nice for a couple of nights, yet there were two very important things that I wanted to accomplish in that short space of time. Firstly, I wanted to visit the Cours Saleya Market in the heart of Old Town and secondly, I desperately wanted to fall into a heavenly big bowl of Moules frites.

That morning while we were at the Cours Saleya Market we just so happened to walk past a very, chic looking bistro called Le Pilou. Yet it was not the brightly painted interior or smart looking waiters that prompted me to make a dinner reservation right there and then. What sealed the deal for me was the humongous bowls of Moules frites that were being rapidly consumed by the satisfied and content looking patrons.

So later that evening just before dusk Gillian, Brendan, Stephen and myself walked along the Promenade des Anglais and headed towards Le Pilou au Cours Saleya. The reality is, you could have blindfolded me and I would have still found my way to Le Pilou as I could smell the intoxicating aroma of the Moules à la Marinière a mile off!

We were only in Nice for a couple of nights, but we were immediately won over by her beauty and charm. I was instantly smitten by the Promenade des Anglais as I have never seen a more lovely stretch of water. The Côte d'Azur at sunset is completely beguiling.

We were only in Nice for a couple of nights yet I had several things on my 'to- do-eat' list. High on the list was the Cours Saleya Market in the heart of Old Town. Hence, this popular meeting place and open-air market sells fresh flowers, outstanding produce, artisan products and live poultry sourced directly from neighboring farms.

I'm sure there were lots of lovely fresh flowers at this world famous market, but I was there for different reasons. I was on a mission for the perfect croissant to go with my café au lait. You'll be pleased to know that not only did I find the perfect croissant, but I also managed to find an abundance of cheese, freshly baked bread, locally cured olives, forest mushrooms, fruit confits and marzipan and a whole host of other utterly divine edible treats.