Abracada’bricks, a new Mairie de Monaco-sponsored event taking place in June is set to inspire the next generation of Lego masters.
On Friday 7th June, the Espace Léo Ferré on Avenue Albert II will be hosting an exciting Lego event for children aged eight to 12.
Abracada’bricks will see the community space fully decked out with special Lego building tables and different themed zones. Six instructors and four Lego masters will be present to help the young builders to get to grips with advanced construction techniques and participate in an array of games and challenges.
The event will be inaugurated by Albus Rubrum Monoecus, the headmaster of the LEGO® School, and will conclude with a presentation of the children’s creations.
Parents are invited to attend the event, which will begin at 7.15pm and end at 9.30pm. A snack bar of unlimited sweet treats and non-alcoholic beverages will be on offer for the duration of the Lego session.
Tickets to the event cost €20 per child and can be reserved from Monday 27th May. Tickets will also be available on the day of the event.
The event is targeted at children who are enrolled at a school in Monaco or who are residents of the Principality. For more information, contact +377 93 10 12 10.
The glorious 1960s and 70s inspired Maona Monte-Carlo lounge, bar and restaurant will be reopening for the summer on Friday 24th May, just in time for the Monaco Grand Prix weekend.
Back in July 2023, when Maono opened its doors for the first time in decades, Monaco Life Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Tanti was invited to tour the spectacular open-air destination. This is what she thought…
From the moment you walk into Maona, overlooking Monte-Carlo Beach, the eclectic energy of a bygone era is evoked. Black and white images of business, film and music stars, such as Mick Jagger, Michael Cain, Jack Nicholson and Liza Minelli, enjoying the locale in the 60s and 70s guide you to the reception, showing how the open-air cabaret was clearly the place to party the night away back then.
It is a nostalgia that has inspired the concept for this entirely new restaurant, lounge and bar. The elaborate fabrics and cushions embellished with graphic designs and fringing, and the rattan and bold colours show that Maona Monte-Carlo isn’t afraid of playing with colours and textures.
It is delightfully vintage and all class, without any of the kitsch.
Photos source: Monte-Carlo SBM
The place to celebrate the pleasures of summer
“We’re very true to the concept of Monaco in the 60s and 70s, post-wedding of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, when Monaco became the epicentre of the planet with a lot of Americanism,” Maona Manager Scott Messiah, a Monegasque native, tells Monaco Life. “Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin were playing at Jimmy’z, Mick Jagger and Michael Cain were regular guests… That’s what we’re trying to emulate here. For example, we only play music up to 1981.”
The cabaret features live musicians and singers performing everything from pure Italian classics to American piano bar favourites, while the DJ sets, created by the electro-collective Bon Entendeur, remixes classic hits and satisfies the contemporary need for beat.
The legend of Maona lives on
The name “Maona” is a tribute to two of its regular VIPs: the Greek diva Maria Callas (Ma) and her lover, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis (Ona). About a decade before the cabaret opened in 1962, Onassis had set up his oil company’s office in the villa formerly owned by Marie Blanc. Onassis was buying up large numbers of shares in the Monte-Carlo Casino at the time, and his extravagance and appreciation for Monaco’s opulence knew no bounds.
Whether they came from cinema, music or business, the greatest names in the world flocked to Monaco, and to Maona Monte-Carlo.
Monaco’s favourite open-air cabaret is reborn
This location, which had become a hairdressers, has, for the past two years, been thoughtfully transformed back into an “outdoor experience”.
“What we’re trying to do here is a cocoon,” explains Scott. “We have three different universes: the Lounge Sauvage, which is an extension of the BarSauvage – because Josephine Baker used to do the danse sauvage, and that is a part of our universe. And then there is the main part of the restaurant that features this beautiful open kitchen, which is really important for us so that you can see that everything is fresh and prepared right in front of you.”
Photos source: Monte-Carlo SBM
A menu made by Monaco
The restoration of 1960s Monaco extends to this kitchen, headed by Chef Vincenzo Giordano, where the recipes including Monaco’s national dish of the barbagiuan have been sourced from the people who knew Monaco best.
“We held a competition among the 3,000 employees of SBM and said, ‘Please contact your grandmothers and ask them for their best recipe for barbagiuan’. So, this (pointing to a bowl of deliciously hot pastries) is the best recipe that we found. It is very different than any other you will try in Monaco. It’s literally the recipe of a Monegasque grandmother. We have six or seven recipes like that, including the little vegetables that are stuffed with anchovies, not the usual veal or pork, because Monaco used to be fishing village, and this is the real recipe of the Principality.”
Meanwhile, the famous Maona Monte-Carlo version of peach melba is a nod to the illustrious chef Auguste Escoffier, who made his mark in the Principality and revolutionised professional cooking.
There is also a tribute to the cuisine of Monaco’s neighbours on the Riviera, Portofino and Nice, with focaccia, lasagne and pissaladière. It is, quite simply, the best of three worlds.
Photos source: Monte-Carlo SBM
Signature Negronis and real retro cocktails
Snuggled between the lounge and the terrace restaurant is the Bar Sauvage, where expert mixologists skillfully led by Giancarlo Mancino have created Maona’s signature cocktail – the distilled Negroni – served over perfectly carved clear ice.
They’ve even gone to the effort of securing 70-year-old Vermouth, London Dry Gin and Campari for guests to enjoy a truly exclusive 1950s Negroni, a nod to the wedding decade of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace, who married in 1956.
A VIP experience: the Tam Tam Room
For an intimate and unique experience, guests are able to book the Tam Tam Room, located upstairs and reserved exclusively for VIPs. Here, up to 15 privileged guests can enjoy a private space with spectacular views and personal service. It is a unique location to be seen, without being seen; perfectly discreet while being entirely in tune with Maona’s euphoria.
Once again, Monaco’s biggest hospitality group, the Société des Bains de Mer, has knocked it out of the park. Everything here – from the décor and ambience to the food and cocktails – is exceptional. Maona, as a legendary destination, not only lives on, it is forging a new notoriety among a generation of people seeking to enjoy ‘the art of living’.
In summer 2024
The reservation service at Maona is already up and running. Last year, the venue was entirely booked out for several weeks straight after its launch and it is likely to be a similar success in 2024. Call +377 98 06 56 00 or click here to reserve.
Maona will be open every evening from Wednesday through to Monday for the duration of the summer.
The floating party venue of Canua Island has officially made its debut excursion into Riviera waters, but it has not all been smooth sailing as mayors from some 20 different locales on the coast have signed a joint letter opposing the unique vessel.
Last week, around 300 VIP guests, from influencers to members of the media, boarded the 1,700 m² craft, which had dropped anchor out in the Bay of Cannes, just off the coast of the town of Mandelieu-La Napoule.
It was an extravagant affair, a celebration worthy of the six to seven years of work it has taken to get the project in the water, according to those present.
The Canua Island concept, which reportedly cost €16 million, is a floating beach, bar, restaurant and lounge space across two huge decks. It features a pool and a docking station for the private tenders that ferry guests from the shore to the trimaran-style vessel.
Marc Audineau and Tony Philp, the two men behind the project, had been hoping to launch Canua Island back in spring 2023, but came up against fierce opposition from local authorities. Ultimately, their case was heard in court. In August last year, the Administrative Court of Nice ruled in Audineau and Philp’s favour.
But according to France 3, challenges are continuing to come. In a joint statement printed by the newspaper, 21 mayors from towns and cities in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var departments have affirmed their stance against Canua Island:
“This activity can only generate nuisances that will seriously impact the integrity of the natural environment and affect wildlife: aquatic and airborne sound waves, permanent motorboat traffic for transporting clients and staff, artificial night-time lighting, etc.
The risk of pollution due to waste collection, gray and black water recovery, provisioning, onboard activities and weather-related hazards cannot be dismissed… This commercial exploitation of the marine environment directly contradicts the commitments of our coastal Mediterranean municipalities’ signatory to the Pelagos Sanctuary Charter to ensure maximum protection for marine mammals, as well as the Zero Plastic Waste charters and the Commitment Charter for ‘Plages de Caractère’ in the Mediterranean.
It also creates unacceptable economic distortions vis-à-vis year-round open tourism establishments subject to taxation regimes that hinder their operation and development.”
Among those who have signed the letter are Nice’s Christian Estrosi, Georges Botella of Théoule-sur-Mer, Patrick Césari of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Roland Bruno of Ramatuelle and Sylvie Siri of Saint Tropez. Renaud Muselier, the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, also added his signature.
Canua Island’s creators, however, argue that the vessel has been built with the upmost attention to green technologies and environmentally-friendly features.
In a statement published on social media to mark the launch of the vessel, the Canua Island team said, “The world finally gets to see this nomadic island – the first and only one of its kind in existence. The Canua journey has been an emotional roller coaster not only for us but also for anyone who has followed our story. Now everyone can enjoy this unique piece of paradise even though she will operate initially as an events venue only… A special thanks should go out to the town of Mandelieu and the mayor himself, Sebastien Leroy, who has been a staunch supporter of this innovative destination since the beginning… Canua island was conceived respecting the environment, which is fundamental in today’s world and is consistent with the vision and philosophy of the two founders, who are two sailors in love with the sea [sic].”
The famous freediver, Pierre Frolla, has retrieved the chequered flag that will be used at the Monaco Grand Prix from the Mediterranean seafloor. Following the race, it will be auctioned off for charity, with all proceeds going to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation.
At 10.30am on Wednesday 22nd May, Monegasque freediver Pierre Frolla dived down more than 40 metres to ‘rescue’ and retrieve the chequered flag that will feature during the upcoming 81st edition of the Monaco Grand Prix.
Watching on was Princess Charlene, who congratulated the storied four-time freediving world record holder on his feat as he reached the surface with the flag.
49-year-old Frolla, an official ambassador for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, signed his autograph on the monochrome emblem before handing the pen to the Princess. Eventually, the flag will feature the signatures of all Formula 1 drivers competing in the 2024 World Championship.
Following the waving of the flag on Sunday 26th May, it is to be auctioned off for charity. The proceeds of the auction will go entirely to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation and its various drowning prevention and educational projects in the Principality and around the world.
In an event that will be one of the weekend highlights, world-famous rapper Travis Scott is set to headline the official closing party of the Monaco Grand Prix at Lilly’s Club pop-up located at the Fairmont Monte-Carlo.
Lilly’s Club, synonymous with one of the most prestigious nightlife experiences during Monaco’s Grand Prix weekend, will feature a four-night residency from 23rd to 26th May. Travis Scott will headline the Monaco Grand Prix closing party on Sunday 26th.
The club has a reputation for delivering exclusive performances, having previously hosted Scott’s first club performance in Paris during Fashion Week Fall Winter 2017.
“We have been fans of Travis’ work for over 10 years. We attended his first-ever show in Paris in 2015, and it’s an honour to have him back at Lilly’s to close out our third season in Monte-Carlo,” said Hugo Dutheil, Co-Founder of Lilly’s Club.
Last year, Scott’s performance at Lilly’s Club was a sensation as he extended his stage presence and played unreleased tracks.
“Everyone had an absolutely incredible time last year, and we are thrilled to produce a part two. It will be an electrifying way to close out the festivities,” said Adam Demarle, the club’s co-founder.
The Grand Prix weekend at Lilly’s Club will kick off on Thursday 23rd May with performances by The Martinez Brothers. It will be followed by headliners Rampa from Keinemusik on Friday 24th May, and Peggy Gou on Saturday 25th May.
The man of the moment, Formula 1 driver Lando Norris, made a surprise appearance at a McLaren event Wednesday night honouring the legendary driver Ayrton Senna, during which the McLaren Senna -Ultimate Model car and the special Senna inspired livery, titled Sempre, were unveiled.
The event officially introduced the McLaren Formula 1 team’s Ayrton Senna-inspired livery for the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix. The ‘McLaren Senna presented by OKX’ campaign, supported by the crypto exchange and Web3 technology company, commemorates Senna’s legacy 30 years after his tragic death and features the vibrant yellow, green, and blue colours of his iconic helmet.
Senna is McLaren’s most successful driver to date, and his association with Monaco is particularly strong. He earned the title ‘King of Monaco’ with six victories, including five consecutive wins from 1989 to 1993.
During a dedicated event on Wednesday night, McLaren Automotive also unveiled a special version of the McLaren Senna car, named Senna Sempre, with only 500 units producaed globally.
Formula 1 driver Lando Norris (left), Haider Rafique Chief Marketing Officer OKX (middle), and Formula 1 driver Oscar Priasti (right). Photo by Monaco Life
McLaren Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made a surprise appearance on Wednesday in their Senna-inspired overalls. “McLaren has really done an amazing job with this campaign and the new Senna Sempre car,” Lando Norris told Monaco Life.
Regarding this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, Lando told Monaco Life, “It feels so special to race here in Monaco, a place filled with Formula 1 history and my home.”
Lando Norris won his first Grand Prix victory at the Miami Grand Prix on 5th May, and there’s no doubt all eyes will be him, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on Sunday.
Monaco Life was there! See more in our Instagram video below…
