Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Emily (horrah! huzzah! bravo!) took over the parenting duty and allowed Adam and I to experience some childless luxury. Life didn't magically become like it was before having a child, it actually was better. Before having children, I remember moments of boredom, restlessness, feeling lost...but now that the "me" times are few and far between they are weighted with purpose when they do occur. Every moment of nothingness felt like a warm bath washing over me...it helped that often times the French Mediterranean was actually washing over me.
We began our vacation on the tail end of Adam's "business" trip to Cannes. I put "business" in quotes because while there was a fair amount of networking and Adam was rushing around like a madman at times, overall it's a pretty spectacular place for an industry to host it's annual "conference" -- and Adam won 4 Cannes Lion Awards to boot! We even had time to sneak over the border to Italy for a leisurely lunch and swim.
As soon as the festival was over, we both were officially on vacation! First stop, Theoule sur Mer, a picturesque coastal town where we immediately proceeded to sit by a pool that overlooked the Mediterranean, drink wine, eat little fried sardines with dipping sauce and pretty much nothing else. I read a book. I'll say it again, I read a book! Something I love but specifically haven't done since having a child. We pretty much spent 48 hours doing nothing and it was glorious. Another glass of rose? Oui Garcon!
 |
| Fabulous dishes from La Scene, Paris |
Next we were off to Saint-Paul de Vence. Staggeringly beautiful medieval town perched atop a fortress plateau. This began the art portion of our trip. We paid our respects at Chagall's grave, wandered Renoir's home and property, followed Picasso to his vacation retreat in Antibes and then dined at the famous Colombe D'Or - a Restaurant & Inn renowned as much for it's classic French fare as it is for the art which adorn the walls - many of the greatest artist of the last century traded works in exchange for room and food.
After a quick trip to Eze where Adam zoomed around the narrow hillside roads in a borrowed Ferrari, we were on the bullet train headed towards Paris. I remember those few hours on the train as the French countryside blurred by being especially peaceful considering the last few times I've been on a major mode of transportation I've been wrangling an active toddler. I put my headphones on, blasted some music and let the scenery engulf me.
Ah, Paris. What to say about that magical force. We arrived during the height of a major heatwave but that didn't stop us from go, go, going. To shops (we arrived just in time for their annual 50-70% sales!!!), more art at Picasso's primary residence and museum and of course, food! Paris was the portion of our trip where we dined. First at the Three Michelin Starred, 12th on Pelligrino's top 50 in the World - L'Arpege - Alain Passard's cornucopia of vegetable forward cuisine. As if that wasn't enough, we followed one of Chef Passard's disciples to La Scene where we tasted exquisite works of
art made primarily with butter.
Like all good things, our trip came to a close. But unlike past vacations, the recharge I got from these precious days has stayed with me. Like a flash-back, I find myself back in these French places now and again and I take pause to relive the trip...especially during those chaotic, whirlwind days chasing after my beloved Everest.
