It’s just gone 9 pm – Monaco time. I have been up since 0500 and strangely enough I feel ok.
SO after a stuff-up with the cabs I finally meet the boys at The Columbus; they are not happy.
0800: Meet up with local architect Jean-Michel Ughes. He has designed several new builds in Monaco; no more belle époque for them! He has just won a competition to build the National Council Building. He takes us to Port Antoine, the Opera House, and then finally the “Circus building” an exhibition centre in Fontvieille. He’s an excellent guide.
0900: Arrive at The Fairmont. The excellent PR Claudia Batthyany is waiting for us. Knowing that we have to film another hotel today, she whizzes through our review – learning how smoked salmon is smoked, how to make Barbajuan – Monaco’s “national dish” and interview the GM, Xavier Rugeroni. We also review suite 4002, which overlooks the Fairmont bend from the front window on the F1 circuit. From the back you can see Monaco, France and Italy which is 18 kms away! The hotel is the largest on the French Riviera – 619 rooms!! It may be huge but with Xavier and Claudia, it has a prosperous future assured.
1500: Meet up with Guillaume at The Mirabeau. In the 1970’s (yes, I am that old) my family used to go on an annual driving trip around Europe. One year on July 28th, my mom’s birthday, we were driving through Monaco. Her name is Mira and when my papa saw The Mirabeau, he insisted we stay there for a few nights. We were on the 4th floor and I remember not being allowed to raid the mini-bar OR jump into the large swimming pool below (the largest in any Monaco hotel… the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel is in France btw) this hotel has great memories.
Interviewed the General Manager, Jean Marie Marcadier, one of those brilliant old-school GMs who is a hotelier first and accountant second. I could have spent days talking and learning from him.
Then filmed two great features (one at the spa ) a facial that will look excellent on TV and a “chef’s table” with head chef Monsieur Franques. He served up an excellent fish dish for my dinner. With the help of Marion, the intern, we breathed through the afternoon.
Shattered today and tomorrow we come home! Whoo-hoo!!!!
Weather: Sweaty
Tune of the Day: Life’s what you make it (Talk Talk)
SO after a stuff-up with the cabs I finally meet the boys at The Columbus; they are not happy.
0800: Meet up with local architect Jean-Michel Ughes. He has designed several new builds in Monaco; no more belle époque for them! He has just won a competition to build the National Council Building. He takes us to Port Antoine, the Opera House, and then finally the “Circus building” an exhibition centre in Fontvieille. He’s an excellent guide.
0900: Arrive at The Fairmont. The excellent PR Claudia Batthyany is waiting for us. Knowing that we have to film another hotel today, she whizzes through our review – learning how smoked salmon is smoked, how to make Barbajuan – Monaco’s “national dish” and interview the GM, Xavier Rugeroni. We also review suite 4002, which overlooks the Fairmont bend from the front window on the F1 circuit. From the back you can see Monaco, France and Italy which is 18 kms away! The hotel is the largest on the French Riviera – 619 rooms!! It may be huge but with Xavier and Claudia, it has a prosperous future assured.
1500: Meet up with Guillaume at The Mirabeau. In the 1970’s (yes, I am that old) my family used to go on an annual driving trip around Europe. One year on July 28th, my mom’s birthday, we were driving through Monaco. Her name is Mira and when my papa saw The Mirabeau, he insisted we stay there for a few nights. We were on the 4th floor and I remember not being allowed to raid the mini-bar OR jump into the large swimming pool below (the largest in any Monaco hotel… the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel is in France btw) this hotel has great memories.Interviewed the General Manager, Jean Marie Marcadier, one of those brilliant old-school GMs who is a hotelier first and accountant second. I could have spent days talking and learning from him.
Then filmed two great features (one at the spa ) a facial that will look excellent on TV and a “chef’s table” with head chef Monsieur Franques. He served up an excellent fish dish for my dinner. With the help of Marion, the intern, we breathed through the afternoon.
Shattered today and tomorrow we come home! Whoo-hoo!!!!
Weather: Sweaty
Tune of the Day: Life’s what you make it (Talk Talk)
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