It was this time last year when Sonia Irvine first announced to Monaco Life her newest project, Amber Summer, a place to relax where “You can come in your beachwear and have a casual drink, or bite to eat before heading out at midnight to the clubs and return for breakfast.”
Amber Summer returns for its second season at the Meridian Beach Plaza from June 8 and continues until September 30, offering a pop-up lounge, restaurant and cocktail bar and “a summer of fun”.
Described by its organisers as a favourite haunt of celebrities and Formula 1 drivers, Amber Summer provides free entrance all summer long, signature cocktails “made by the cèmer of the Mediterranean’s mixologists, delicious fusion cuisine and live DJ sets every day from 7 pm until 7 am.”
This year the venue has added a new restaurant space and promises creative, tailored and cosmopolitan menus. More information can be found on their website.
Large numbers of small jellyfish have arrived offshore Monaco and in the harbours. These “Barquettes de Saint Jean”, which are a few centimetres in length and look like a small boat with a triangular sail, appear in very large quantities in springtime but since their lifespan is short, soon disappear.
However, their numbers are so high this year that the port authorities are removing them where they are most concentrated, especially inside Port Hercule.
Monaco’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked for a suspended one-year prison sentence and a series of fines of between €3,000 and €5,000 against a former employee of the Princess Grace Hospital, suspected of having hijacked confidential data in June last year.
The IT technician, a 25-year-old French citizen living in the Nice area, pirated 648 workstations in the hospital and handed over the personal data of all employees of CHPG to the elected representatives of the French National Council, journalists and French tax inspectors, including the wages paid, the court was told.
The alleged perpetrator’s motive for the data theft was revenge after being dismissed from his post. The Criminal Court of Monaco will issue its decision on June 6.
It’s hard to believe its been nearly twenty years since Jack Penrod opened the first Nikki Beach – “the original luxury beach club concept that combines the elements of music, dining, entertainment, fashion, film and art into one” – in Miami, Florida.
In the Eighties, Mr Penrod was the largest McDonald’s franchise owner in the State of Florida before founding Penrod’s Beach Club in Daytona Beach, Ft Lauderdale and Miami.
Today Nikki Beach – which can be found in hotspots such as St-Tropez, St Barts, Dubai, Ibiza and nine other locations – has become a “global, multifaceted luxury lifestyle and hospitality brand” comprised of five divisions: Beach Club, Hotels & Resorts, Lifestyle, a Special Events and Nikki Cares, a Non-Profit Charity.
Michael Morlot, Fairmont’s Assistant Director of Food & Beverage
For the third consecutive year, Nikki Beach has taken its rooftop position at the Fairmont Monte Carlo, which last year, won “Luxury Coastal Hotel” in Europe by the World Luxury Travel Awards and “Monaco’s Leading Resort Spa”. Open daily until September from the breakfast hour, the seasonal launch of Nikki Beach made a splash Thursday night with VIPs sipping champagne, downing shots of Sex on the Beach, nibbling on sliders, and of course, taking in the live DJ and views of Monaco.
Entry is always free although the poolside beds for two – Opium (€180/day plus a bottle of alcohol) or Double (€130/day plus a bottle of alcohol) – are pretty tempting, and an ideal spot to take in the multiple weekly themed events held across the summer, from fashion shows to White Parties to “What Women Want” evenings.
Drinks are reasonable considering the location (and there’s free Wifi): a small mineral water costs €6 while a Coke or a cappuccino will set you back €9. By the glass, champagne is €23 or €14 for rosé.
New this year is the Horizon restaurant, a closed-in eating area with air-conditioning and views of the Mediterranean.
Nikki Beach also has a pop-up location during the Cannes Film Festival in May.