bordeaux and saint-émilion

During the Euro Cup 2016, Marco and I got away for a long weekend to Bordeaux with some friends.

Marco had a ticket to a match - I went along for the chateau staying, wine consuming, sleeping in, and all around childless general fun.

Marco and I arrived earlier than some of the group whom we were meeting in the city, so we had time to enjoy a nice lunch and catch an Italy vs. Sweden match at one of the more popular Euro Cup viewing bars - L' APOLLO - which randomly made delicious caipirinha cocktails, of all things.  Post match we weathered a summer rain storm and headed over to an Irish pub where it was so packed with Irishmen, they were pouring out into the streets.  As they were so delightfully drunk - dozens of them serenaded me as I walked in.  (Not many ladies make a holiday of the Euro Cup -- mostly a lads trip.)

Later in the day we managed to meet up with the rest of the group and head out the the chateau that we had rented.  Some of us in the group were new to each other, but it was a fun vibe.  And as I dub every group holiday with a lot of adults - this was THE REAL WORLD BORDEAUX.

The next day the rest of the group headed to the Ireland vs. Belgium match after we all grabbed lunch and drinks in town.  I was happy to do some shopping, take photographs of fans in the streets, and then head back to L'APOLLO to watch the matches of the day.  It was a beautiful sunny day where I proceeded to drink a many caipirinhas and reapply my red lipstick too many times.  It is always so bitter sweet to holiday somewhere warm and sunny - it makes me realize how seldom we get those days in England ...

The next day was spent lazily around the chateau - playing bocce, reading, refilling our mimosa glasses, playing competitive games of table tennis, enjoying lunch together, and then an excellent wine tasting course put on by one of the group's own, Rachel who is a sommelier.  (What a talent to bring to the group, btw.)  Focusing on Bordeaux wines, it was such an informative and intimate experience, where it might or might not have ended with some of us in the vineyards of our chateau eating the soil so we could get a TRUE SENSE of the vines.

We ended the trip with visit to the quaint town Saint-Émilion.  What a beautiful and memorable town overlooking vineyards as far as the eye can see.  But what may be more memorable is our George Constanza type parking altercation we got into with a local when he tried to pull into our parking spot. Nope, will never forget it.  I clenched my teeth in awkwardness as the other three in the car with me held their own in french.  

 Santé, Bordeaux

the real world: st. tropez

In the beginning of July our friends Sebastian and Maria who live in London invited us to join them and some of their friends in renting a villa for a week in St. Tropez, France.  Despite our busy summer so far it was impossible to pass up.

I couldn't resist the "This is the true story of seven strangers, picked to live in a house..." comparisons.  As we drove from the Nice airport along with our new friends Ethan, Lindsay, and Christophe; Lindsay and I couldn't help but point out the obvious similarities between "The Real World" and this vacation.  

When we arrived at Villa Tropez, we said our hello's to the rest of the group that were already there and took the grand tour.  We poured some cocktails and jumped in the pool.  (See? The Real World.) On the first night we grilled out on the terrace and embarked on our week long rosé wine consumption and watched the sun set over the mountains while enjoying the company of new friends.

On the first morning, Marco and I took a walk down the hill from the villa and through the vineyards.  I kept commenting on the fact that I wasn't cut out for this 80+ degree sunshine-y weather any longer.   I am getting too accustomed to the cold English weather. 

After breakfast and a lazy morning around the pool, the group got ready to hit the see-and-be-seen beach club, Nikki Beach. The rounds of rosé started and we walked down to the ocean to check out the yachts-for-days views and impress the rest of the beach goers with some waboba playing.  As the afternoon went on time was spent in the Nikki Beach pool which felt like the United Nations of pool parties, the rosé kept flowing, we danced, we asked each other when that saxophone player was going to stop playing along to the house music, and watched a few helicopters take off and land on yachts.  Half of the group may or may not have left with two sets of car keys.  The other half of the group may or may not have befriended five young American dudes with a minivan and invited them back to Villa Tropez in exchange for a ride home. 

One evening we went to the nearby town, Grimaud, for a nice dinner at restaurant L'ecurie Marquise.  It was a cozy and romantic spot.  Stone-walled rooms were dimly lit by wall sconces and littered with original art.  A signed black and white Bridget Bardot print sat framed over the bar by the entrance.  As we enjoyed course after course and bottles of wine, we were charmed by the owner / maître d' / server / comic.       

Marco, Christophe, and I left a few days before the rest of the group so we missed out on some chateau / wine tasting visits as well as a visit to the port and exploration of some beaches dotted around St. Tropez. 

The train ride back to Nice airport wrapped around the south of France coastline with views of Cannes and smaller coastal towns.  I think I speak for the rest of The Real World: St. Tropez group, we could easily get used to that life.  THANK YOU Seb and Maria for thinking to include us.  And to the rest of the group: Jon, Christophe, Ethan, Lindsay, Brett, and Alex - it was so fun getting to know you all.  We may be scattered across Europe and The United States but lets do it again soon.