The famed Le Grill at the Hôtel de Paris was the scene of a discreet and friendly dinner last Friday night between HSH Prince Albert II and the former First Couple, Barack and Michelle Obama. Other than a curiously large retinue of bodyguards hovering near the entrance, not an entirely uncommon sight in Monaco, the reunion went almost unnoticed, allowing the trio to dine virtually incognito.
Le Grill at the Hôtel de Paris, where the former president and his wife dined
The Prince had only just returned that day from a visit to Spain where he had been presenting at the award ceremony for the Spanish branch of the Prince Albert II Foundation, as well as meeting with King Felipe VI. The Obamas, holidaying in Europe with their daughters Melia and Sasha, as well as various extended family members, made a short stopover in Monaco allowing this cosy meet up to occur.
After departing Monaco, the ex-First Family spent a day hiking in Eze, before travelling onto Lake Como where they were hosted by Actor George Clooney and his wife, Amal.
New design revealed for Fontvieille shopping centre
Fontvieille will undergo a contemporary transformation with new plans which have just been approved by the Monaco Government. The current concrete shopping centre will be replaced with a futuristic structure featuring a transparent facade, lush Mediterranean greenery, colour-coded levels and wave-like curves.
World-renowned Italian architects Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksa were chosen for their design, which will integrate the commercial complex into the Mediterranean landscape.
The space will consist of five levels, each defined by a colour representing different landscape elements. The ground floor will be dominated by the colour red, Monaco’s signature hue and reminiscent of the red tiled-houses of the old town.
The first floor will be sea-blue and the second will be lavender, something which is synonymous with the south of France and Provence.
To represent surrounding architecture, the third floor will take on an ochre tone, while the top floor will be dedicated to grey, an ode to the rocky outcrops of the French Riviera. Here, a garden of about one hectare in size will be filled with pines, oaks and other Mediterranean species, as well as walking trails for visitors.
Inconspicuously passing underneath the commercial centre will be the main access road Avenue Albert II, while a new pedestrian crossing will connect visitors to the port.
The project is expected to take over two years to complete and cost around 140 million euros. A start date is yet to be revealed.
The Grimaldi Forum Monaco has been dazzled by the presentation of the Maison Arleoni new limited edition haute couture collection ‘Black Diamond’, signed by the art director Angelica Arleoni.
The Black Diamond Collection of unique pieces has inner roots of haute couture technics from the past through to the future within modernity elaborations which, according to its creator, become master pieces of art. As well the endearing brightness of the Black Diamonds, gender fluidity played a part of the central story in the Black Diamond Collection.
Superb structured shapes captured the eyesight and pieces were revealing from every angle. Sophisticated materials and fabulous elaborations enhanced the beautiful bones of the fascinating diamond cut-inspired patterns.
There was a balanced combination of various shades of black with all the chromatic harmony, characterised by intense and evocative charm as an absolute ”Poésie de l’émotion”.
On show were 32 hand tailored and jewel-like embroidered outfits of the Black Diamond Collection.
Historic collection to go under the hammer in Paris
The entire contents of one of Monaco’s last remaining Belle Epoque mansions will go up for auction on Tuesday in Paris. Affectionately known as the ‘pink villa’, L’Échauguette is currently on the market for a record asking price, but its precious contents will not form part of that highly anticipated sale.
The contents of the villa are being sold separately at auction. Photo: Sotheby’s
If the €110 million price tag for L’Échauguette, a six-floor villa overlooking Saint Dévote in Monaco, is out of budget, then perhaps a French gilt-bronze mounted ebony and Japanese lacquer cabinet circa 1870 for 250,000€ is more appropriate. This stunning piece by Alfred Beurdeley is one of hundreds of lots to be sold by Sotheby’s at auction on Tuesday 25th in Paris.
Titled Vue sur la Riviera – La Villa d’un Collectionneur, or ‘Riviera View – The Villa of a Collector’, the auction will feature fine Russian ceramics and gilt silver from a famous era in the French Riviera.
The villa spans six floors and overlooks Port Hercule. Photo: Sotheby’s
According to Sotheby’s, when the owners renovated the property in 2008 they followed the tradition of previous aristocratic owners in perpetuating the same Belle Époque ambiance.
“In an atmosphere of quiet elegance they sponsored musical evenings, talks about art and entertained royally. They aimed to recreate the mood and feel of a grand Belle Époque villa with only the best of what the exciting industrial age of the 19th century could produce in furniture and decorative arts,” reads the auction description.
A French gilt-bronze mounted amaranth, sycamore, mahogany, pearwood marquetry and parquetry commode, after the model by Jean-Henri Riesener. Estimate 30,000€ — 50,000€. Photo: Sotheby’s
They scoured salerooms and catalogues, met antique dealers and collectors, searching for the very best of paintings and furniture made by furniture makers such as Linke, Dasson, Zweiner, Sormani. They dressed vitrines with splendid ceramics with imperial provenance and sumptuous Fabergé silver, and added Imperial silver gilt services that the Tsarina Catherine might once have dined upon.
A Silver-Gilt and Niello Tea and Coffee Service, Pavel Ovchinnikov and Vasiliy Semenov, Moscow, 1875 and 1876. Estimate 30,000€ — 50,000€. Photo: Sotheby’s
But now they have decided to move on and let others share the fruits of their passion for collecting and love of these astoundingly energetic periods in the history of decorative art.”
Photo: The property has been on the market since February Sotheby’s
The neo-classical Villa Échauguette is one of the last of its era in Monaco, and the asking price of €110 million is exceptional even for the Principality.
The villa’s former owner, François Blanc, was a French casino mogul who invested heavily in building Monaco’s casino industry. He helped transform the tiny city-state into an international destination for the wealthy.
For a full list of auction items, visit the website here.
The Monaco government has issued a health warning as the temperatures soar across Europe this week.
Forecasters are predicting temperatures in the low to mid 30’s this week as a heatwave spreads across Europe
Forecasts show Monaco reaching the low 30’s by Thursday, and possibly higher later in the week. With these hotter temps comes a higher risk of heat-related complications, such as dehydration and sun stroke. The elderly, children, the ill and pregnant women are affected most.
But there are steps that can be taken to lessen the stress that heat puts on the body, and the health department has issued some advice.
They are: avoid being outside between 11am and 5pm, which are generally considered the hottest hours of the day. If you must be outside, wear lightweight, light coloured clothing and hats and avoid strenuous exercise. Spend at least two to three hours in a cool place and take regular cool, not cold, baths or showers. Drink at least 1.5 litres of water and don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Stay away from alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks, as they speed up dehydration in the body and avoid being around concentrated sources of heat like ovens.
It is important to keep a special eye on loved ones and friends who are at higher risk, so reach out regularly to them to be on the safe side. If someone you know or you yourself are suffering from extreme heat, contact the fire brigade on 112 immediately.
By following these easy guidelines, everyone can enjoy summer fun-in-the-sun, without stress.
Monaco introduces first local history book for children
Learning about local history just became much more fun! The first in a series of books teaching kids about Monaco’s history has just been released. Titled Monaco, My Story, the book documents the earliest history of the Principality, covering the topics of prehistory and antiquity.
The book was created using information collected from the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology and was written by Armelle Borro, head of the Pedological Training Centre, and Caroline Leroy, Pedological Advisor., and was prefaced by Prince Albert II.
This kid-tested interactive book for CE2 classes is a first for local schools.
Prince Albert, Patrice Cellario, Government Counselor-Minister of the Interior, and Isabelle Bonnal, Director of National Education, Youth and Sports were among the many distinguished persons in attendance at the unveiling presentation.
Monaco, My Story will be introduced in the 2019-2020 school year and will be followed by two more volumes for CM1 and CM2, covering the Middle Ages to the Restoration and the Contemporary Era, respectively.
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