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Everything you need to know about La Vita Monte-Carlo

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/08/2021

In keeping with its ‘Life is an art’ concept, Monte-Carlo SBM will stage La Vita Monte-Carlo in September with a month-long programme that covers all of life’s pleasures.  
The luxurious Monte-Carlo lifestyle would not be possible without experiences such as drinking or lunching on a terrace, strolling along the seafront, listening to a concert, shopping, enjoying incredible encounters or basking in the thrill of the game.
So, from mid-September to mid-November, La Vita Monte-Carlo will host unique events at various SBM resorts.
It all kicks off on 10th September with the La Vita Monte-Carlo Gala Dinner in the Salle Empire at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. The next day will see the Monte-Carlo Vendanges with three unmissable wine-themed encounters hosted by the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo. La Vita Monte-Carlo will light up autumn in the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group establishments until 10th November with various exciting events.
La Vita Monte-Carlo: exclusive ‘Candlelight’ evening at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
The Salle Empire will be the opening scene for La Vita Monte-Carlo, hosting a candlelit gala dinner with a unique floral backdrop on 10th September at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. During this special dinner, coordinated by Chef Franck Cerutti and his teams, La Vita Monte-Carlo will shine the spotlight on Monte-Carlo savoir-vivre and three talented young female artists: young Monegasque prodigy, pianist Stella Almondo, who, at just 15, will entertain with the classic notes of Chopin which will unfold into Jazz. She’ll then hand over the reins to the young DJ Irène Drésel, a rising star on the new French electronic scene, who will lift the mood with a hypnotic set before returning to close the evening with one last performance. Finally, singer Elodie Frégé’s beautiful and captivating voice will ring out around the Salle Empire during this spectacular evening.
La Vita Monte-Carlo: vendanges at the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
After the music comes the Vendanges Monte-Carlo. From 11th September, real grape vines will run freely in front of and inside the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, passing through the lobby and corridors en route to the Yannick Alléno restaurant.
With special significance at Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, this theme has inspired a number of prestigious events:
Thursday 16th September – ‘Champagne: a new destiny’ tasting convention
Head to the Salle Belle Epoque at the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo to sample the finest champagnes, served by Frédéric Rouzaud himself, Chair and owner of Louis Roederer, who will explain the revolution currently transforming Champagne.
Saturday 18th September – 300% Dinner at the Yannick Alléno restaurant at the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
100% Yannick Alléno, there in person to prepare the dinner, 100% Chapoutier whose excellence dates back to 1808, and 100% Parker, i.e. only wines with the top score, the Holy Grail, from the famous American critic.
Friday 24th September – ‘Creating an original, high-quality wine cellar’ tasting convention
Tasting session hosted by Angélique de Lencquesaing, founder of the Ideal Wine site. An opportunity to discover rare wines and wonders far off the beaten track, and to rediscover the essentials.
La Vita Monte-Carlo: Tropical and Havana Night at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort
The Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort invites guests on a fun and relaxing journey through La Vita Monte-Carlo with two unique events:
Friday 17th September – Tropical Night at the lagoonside
The programme includes a sensory awakening with live DJing by Mr Jaz with support from artist Micael Sene, magical close-ups with Simeon Wolfgang, aquatic ballet and fireworks. Chef Marcel Ravin will take charge in the kitchen, creating daring flavours to tantalise the taste buds and whisk guests more than 8,000 km away from Monaco… to the Amazon rainforest.
Saturday 9th October – Blue Gin Havana Night
With Latin tunes and Cuban flavours. The chance to sip a creative rum-based cocktail, discover the secrets of cigar smoking or take your first salsa steps.
Preview 8th September
Monte-Carlo Beach will host a preview of La Vita Monte-Carlo with a picnic on 8th September at Domaine d’Agerbol, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin – the garden that supplies the starred Elsa restaurant with organic products.
 
 
 

Luxe Pack Monaco goes greener

by: Stephanie Horsman
23/08/2021

Luxe Pack, the “go-to” event for premium packaging for the past 30 years, is returning in September with a new green twist, supported by the Prince’s Foundation. 

Luxury packaging managers from around the world are uniting in the Principality for Luxe Pack Monaco. The three-day conference, which was cancelled last year due to Covid, will be offering creative innovations, sustainable solutions, new designs and digital advances for companies looking for alternative packaging for their products.

Whether it is for jewellery, perfumes, cosmetics, fashion, food, drink or anything in between, the 490 exhibitors at Luxe Pack have a vast array of choice for producer looking to have a cutting-edge look and the most-up-date packaging.

The show has also attracted, in addition to hundreds of exhibitors, more than 70 speakers and expects to receive over 9,000 visitors from 98 countries.

The packaging options are the main attraction, but the event will also provide company representatives with conferences and workshops designed to keep them up on market trends and inspired by successful case studies.

The top speaker at this year’s show is Jacques Playe, the Global Head of Packaging and Product Development at global beauty giant L’Oréal. His speech, ‘Packaging and Plastics: what future in the luxury sector?’ will be geared toward understanding and anticipating the future use of plastics in a world that is increasingly going green.

Luxe Pack’s on-going commitment to environmentally friendly alternatives in packaging, as well as to meet consumer demand in this area, led them to organise the Luxe Pack in green Awards, as part of the convention. Five jurists, including L’Oréal’s Playe and the Vice President of the Prince Albert II Foundation, Olivier Wenden, will select manufacturers who highlight eco-designed solutions and responsible approaches.

Additionally, many of the workshops will focus on eco-friendly solutions, with a big emphasis on sustainable and recycled packaging, lessening carbon footprints and the use of mono-material options.

Luxe Pack Monaco runs from 27th to 29th September at the Grimaldi Forum. The event is for professionals only, and free entry will be given to those who present their electronic badge or programme. All health and safety measures will be followed throughout the show to ensure the well-being of all involved.

 
 
Photo source: Grimaldi Forum
 
 

Prince’s Foundation takes stunning exhibition to Italy

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/08/2021

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s photography exhibition, highlighting the beauty of the natural world and the impact of human activities, will be held Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome from 10th to 20th September 2021. 
The most beautiful photos from the Foundation’s International Environmental Photography Prize will be presented to raise public awareness of the issues surrounding the accelerated loss of biodiversity.
“The choice of theme is significant. It reflects the lessons to be learned from the global crisis we are facing: human health depends on the health of animals and our environment,” says Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Foundation. “The photographs presented invite us to reflect on our relationship with wildlife and urge us to act in favour of global health.”
The city of Rome has given its patronage to the exhibition, which follows on from the first edition of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Environmental Photography Prize. This competition involved nearly 6,000 photographs submitted by around 1,400 photographers from all over the world, in three categories: ‘Incredible Wildlife’, ‘Wildlife in Crisis’ and ‘Reasons for Hope’. The photographs illustrate the contrast between the beauty of wildlife and the terrible impact of human activities on natural habitats.
“It is imperative to raise public awareness of the need to develop a more harmonious relationship with nature. We are honoured that the city of Rome shares this conviction and has agreed to host this event,” says Marco Colasanti, President of the Foundation’s Italian branch.
The exhibition can be viewed online at: https://exposition.fpa2.org/online-exhibition/
 
RELATED STORIES:

The winning photos of the Prince’s Environmental Awards

 
 
 
 
 
Photograph by Evegeny Borisov
 

Hashtag Monaco: “Influencers add the human touch to luxury”

by: Rita Meireles
10/08/2021

They document their lives and passions online, and with that comes a new way to showcase Monaco. Olga Lavric and Milana Chigridow are digital influencers, giving their hundreds of thousands of followers a unique glimpse of what life looks like in the fabled Principality.
It’s the perfect destination to post about. Famous architectural masterpieces, luxury superyachts in the harbour, and all those fast cars. Of course, we’re talking about Monaco.
The Principality is a favourite when it comes to social media. On Instagram alone, there’s more than seven million posts with the hashtag “monaco”. But if on the one side there are occasional vacation posts by the hoards of visitors each year, on the other there’s a community of influencers who work all year around to share all-things-Monaco.
Five years ago, Olga Lavric found herself with no job and a suggestion from her husband: “You are following a lot of fashion/beauty bloggers. Why not start your personal blog?”. At first, she was indecisive, not knowing how her work situation would evolve, but then she knew she had to take the risk. “In the end I said: ‘Why not? Better to try than to regret later’. Now I’m more than happy to do what I really love. For me this is a dream that came true,” Olga tells Monaco Life.
Olga’s job goes from answering emails to organising photo shoots, preparing outfits, editing photos and videos or attending events. Apart from that, she drinks her coffee in the morning and spends time with her family and friends, just like everyone else. “I have a normal life as everyone else does, with little exceptions,” she explains.
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But she does not have a regular job. Being an influencer, or content creator as some people prefer to call it, is far from the typical career path. Even though it’s becoming more common, some people still don’t know what it is that Olga and so many around the world do for a living. “For example, my parents are far away from the digital world, they opened their accounts on Facebook and Instagram only because of me, to see my photos. In the beginning it was hard to explain to them what I’m doing,” says Olga, who has 343,000 Instagram followers.
The easiest way she could explain was to say that her job involves doing publicity for some brands on social media and that she’s receiving products to then test and post about with her personal review. Olga considers this the simplest way to explain to someone who doesn’t know a lot about the digital world what an influencer is.
But technically, it is a little more specific. Influence marketing, as it’s known, is different from other forms of marketing because of the target. In this situation, the main focus is on a specific group of followers, with similar interests, and not everyone. Meaning, a beauty brand who has a billboard in a street may reach the desired public or not, depending on who walks that street. But if the brand chooses to work with a beauty influencer, they automatically know that that person’s followers are interested in the topic, making all of them potential consumers.
When it comes to Monaco, Olga says that many brands are keen to collaborate with influencers in the Principality. “Of course, the brands are interested in working with influencers from Monaco. Here you can create very cool content. The place is amazing. We have breath taking views, fabulous architecture, beautiful nature, turquoise sea and white beaches, luxury hotels, luxury cars in the background, so the photo shoots are always spectacular,” she says.
Supporting local business
Swedish-born Milana Chigridow is currently living between Monaco and Paris and has 138,000 followers. The 26-year-old first came to the Principality to do a master’s degree in Luxury Management at the University of Monaco and is now working “with various brands within the luxury segment as a content creator and social media consultant,” Milana tells Monaco Life.
On Instagram, her career started over a decade ago when the platform had just launched. “I always had this profession in between my studies, and I find it a valuable portfolio for me to lean on when I present myself. I was 16 at the time so it is my first and only career so far,” she explains.
And the way she does that is close to magical: “I like to imagine the world as the books I read and the movies I see.”
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Milana chooses to share the ordinary things in life, believing that “people don’t want to see something extravagant or showy, that they can’t relate to.” Her content is simple and familiar. She uses her Instagram account as her diary, a place where all her memories are saved, which results in a combination of places, people, food and architecture.
According to Milana, every place in Monaco is good when it comes to creating content, especially for people with a creative mind. “Personally, I like the old town, and also the polished buildings around the Casino. The view from the Exotic Garden is also spectacular,” she says.
Olga also has some tips when it comes to the best places to create content in Monaco. “Around the Monte-Carlo Casino, Hôtel de Paris, Hôtel Hermitage and Metropole. Also, an option is up at the Prince’s Palace where you have breath taking panoramas. On the one side you have the view of Fontvieille, on the other side the view of Port Hercules. The little streets in the old city also are a good place to find cool content.”
When it comes to the social media market, it looks like there’s a lot of space available, even with so many visitors. “I’d say there are not so many local influencers which is an advantage, for me at least,” says Milana. She believes that “tourist influencers are not essential to Monegasque business owners, it’s better to work with local talents.” She says the ones who live in Monaco already have a community of followers who are also from the Principality, so “strategically it’s better to use them for advertising than someone who is big and international”.

When it comes to partnerships, the Swedish influencer believes the big potential is in promoting hotels and restaurants. “People who wish to experience this want to see what is in store for them, therefore using influencers to share their brand story through posts and videos is a huge advantage.”
Her academic path combined with all the knowledge that she has gained from working as an influencer for so many years has given Milana the right recipe to know how to deal with brand partnerships. Talking about the luxury market that Monaco is known for, the influencer has her own way to do it. “Showcasing real luxury should focus on the feeling and the ambiance a client will achieve,” she reveals. “A clever influencer will transmit this message in a more ‘warm’ and less corporate way than a commercial post made by a company. Influencers add the human touch to the luxury aspect.”
But Milana also has space for smaller businesses, since she believes that “they have the opportunity to grow a lot through word of mouth, more so than big brands”. MOCO Society is one example of a partnership she has done, with the brand sharing its products with her for free in return for exposure. But in Monaco, Milana thinks that “every new startup can earn big awareness by targeting the local influencers”.
Even though this career looks accessible to everyone, it requires a good amount of dedication, creativity and work. Seeing Milana’s daily routine, it can get a bit busy. The day starts with a look around Instagram, then she starts planning her timings for the day when it comes to posts. After that, it’s time to snap some pictures. No, not some, all of them. “I also snap photos of almost everything I do and therefore update on stories. Sometimes I have more material than time to post.”
In the middle she answers emails, comments and propositions. The love she has for the business side of it keeps her away from finding an agency to do that work. She also finds time to work on a consultancy basis for several brands.
But the fun side of Instagram for Milana is “creating a diary that everyone has access to”, something that she likes to call a “come to life book”, that is always available for people to read and be a part of.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

La Chèvre d’Or: Fine dining with soul and authenticity

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/08/2021

It’s what legends are made of, a mystical medieval village perched high on a rocky cliff face, mythical beasts and a golden goat, food that allows you to travel through the centuries, and a panorama that takes you to the heavens.
But La Chèvre d’Or is no fairytale. It is a very real oasis hidden in a sweltering, tourist-filled Riviera, and it’s just 20 minutes-drive from Monaco.
In 1953, investor Robert Wolf fell in love with Château de La Chèvre d’Or and turned it into a restaurant. According to local historians, Walt Disney convinced Wolf to acquire a cluster of private houses in the village and transform them into hotel rooms. The hotel later became associated with the prestigious Relais & Châteaux, and today La Chèvre d’Or has 45 rooms and suites, surrounded by beautiful, manicured layered gardens.

La Chèvre d’Or in Eze Village, photo provided

At its heart remains the restaurant of the same name, which obtained its first Michelin star in 1975 and its second in 2000. Since 2016, that distinction has been maintained by Executive Chef Arnaud Faye, who was awarded the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2019.
Each year from April to October, 42-year-old Arnaud creates intricate dishes that are deeply researched and considered interpretations of the Riviera’s regional and historic cuisine.
“When I arrived here from the Domaine de Chantilly, my vision was the same as a tourist,” Arnaud tells Monaco Life. “I toured Eze, Nice, Vence, Saint Paul de Vence… to see what guests here expect. For me, it is important to have on each plate a different touch of Riviera cuisine, but with a more modern vision.”

Views of the Eze coastline and St. Jean Cap Ferrat from La Chèvre d’Or, photo provided

That vision manifests itself in the classic Mediterranean entrée of tomatoes and mozzarella. With this, his signature dish, Chef Arnaud Faye fills sweet cherry tomatoes with rich, creamy burrata. It is finished with a tomato infused water, fennel sorbet and fig leaves for a summer dish that is laden with history, flavour and texture.
The same theory is played out with another peasant ingredient, rabbit, a notoriously dry protein which the chef cleverly manages to turn sumptuous through a technique of sous vide and roasting on a bed of wild herbs. This is served with smoked octopus, eggplant prepared two ways, and jus with girolles, lending depth, richness and fragrance.

Chef Arnaud Faye’s signature cherry tomato and burrata dish, photo by Monaco Life

In magnifying the produce of the Riviera, Arnaud pays particular attention to the vegetables, something he developed a passion for while working the gardens of his grandparents in Auvergne, central France, as a child.
“For me, this is very important, because it is always possible to cook beef or veal, but what I find really interesting is the vegetables,” says Arnaud. “I work the vegetables to create different textures, tastes and aromas. I only use seasonal produce from local producers, so I have a farmer near Villefranche who grows my cherry tomatoes, for example, and I get my courgettes from Nice.”

La Chèvre d’Or and the golden goat, photo by James Pouliot

Arnaud’s cuisine is an obvious celebration of the terroir that stretches from the rocky foothills of the Mercantour to the intense blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
Lamb, he adds, is sourced from the local countryside, while the ‘catch of the day’ depends on what the fisherman have brought in on their boats that morning.
Each dish shines with technique, soul and authenticity.
The play on textures is also embraced by Pastry Chef Julien Dugourd, whose dessert of white and yellow peaches with verbena is a sophisticated masterpiece. A wide variety of Chef Julien’s exquisite desserts can also be enjoyed in Les Remparts, a terrace restaurant where guests can choose from an extensive Mediterranean menu prepared by Chef Benjamin Zannier, in collaboration with Executive Chef Arnaud Faye, surrounded by arcades of jasmine, ivy and bougainvillea, and immersed in that extraordinary view.

Textures of white and yellow peaches by Pastry Chef Julien Dugourd, photo by Monaco Life

There is no outdoor terrace at the two Michelin starred restaurant La Chèvre d’Or. Instead, large floor to ceiling windows frame the azure waters that is dotted with luxury superyachts, capturing an image of the Riviera as if it were frozen in time. It also adds to the intimate, elegant ambiance of the restaurant, which seats a maximum of only 48.
As anyone who frequents La Chèvre d’Or will tell you – especially habitual guest U2 frontman Bono – visiting this restaurant is like being welcomed in to a home, despite the perfection that comes with being a two-starred establishment.
Restaurant Director Marc Piquet is a seasoned professional, whose warmth and knowledge sets the tone for a truly memorable experience. Maître d’Hôtel Pauline Gachet won the prestigious Georges Baptiste Cup in 2019, and Chief Sommelier Phillipe Magne has been perfecting his craft at La Chèvre d’Or for 32 years. His charm is matched only by his extensive knowledge of champagne and wine. When the restaurant closes in October for six months, Phillipe tours the country in search of fine labels to serve his guests, accumulating a reserve that now remarkably boasts 26,000 bottles.
“I always propose different houses, the large and famous ones like Moët & Chandon and Taittinger, but also smaller producers who are sometimes better than the big houses,” Phillipe Magne tells me from behind his intriguing display of chilled champagnes.
Guests can choose from an extensive wine list that extraordinarily includes 45 wines by the glass, or they can, like myself, put their trust in Phillipe to make the perfect pairing.

The view from La Chèvre d’Or is just like looking down from the heavens, photo by Monaco Life

In the end, it is easy to understand why La Chèvre d’Or is honoured among celebrities, politicians, royalty and the elite.
But it is a destination for all who wish to experience the true flavours, heart and hospitality of the French Riviera, a vibrant reminder of how powerful time, place and story is when it comes to food.

The ‘From rocks and waves’ lunch menu is a five-course gastronomic experience for 160€ per person, or 90€ for three courses. The eight-course ‘From rocks and waves’ dinner menu includes langoustine, crab and pigeon, and is priced at 260€, paired down to five courses for 220€ (prices exclude wine).

Top photo of Executive Chef Arnaud Faye by Cassandra Tanti for Monaco Life, all rights reserved. 
See our gallery below for more pictures:

 

“Life is Beautiful” with artist Houda Bakkali

by: Stephanie Horsman
06/08/2021

Monaco’s Le Pinocchio restaurant will be featuring private viewings of the works of artist Houda Bakkali this month, inviting guests to experiment with augmented reality as they admire her special brand of visual art.
Barcelona-based Houda Bakkali wants us all to look at the world the way she does: in a positive light. After a year and a half of bad news, the artist is asking people to remember, through her latest exhibition at Le Pinocchio restaurant, that “Life is Beautiful” and to be grateful despite all the difficulties life presents.
“With the new graphic series ‘Life is Beautiful’, the international visual artist Houda Bakkali launches a universal message of optimism and hope, more necessary than ever in these strange dark times that humankind is experiencing due to the global pandemic and the unpredictability of its evolution,” Juliet Art Magazine said of her exhibition. “While the whole world is sick, disoriented and frightened by the future, the Spanish artist concentrates on the digital canvas, all the most vibrant and incredible colours that nature and pixels are able to offer to create a real explosion of joy of against which it is impossible to remain neutral.”
It would, indeed, be hard to stay neutral upon seeing the works on offer by the vibrant Bakkali, which will be on display from 9th to 22nd August. Loaded with imagery depicting strong females and representing iconic feminine themes such as flowers, curves and colour, her work is much like the artist herself.

Le Pinocchio restaurant is located in the old town of Monaco, photo provided

Le Pinocchio has hosted the artist in the past. She had a show in the midst of the pandemic back in October of 2020 where she displayed her Africa series as well as debuting a new piece at the time called Crazy Heart.
“At this very particular time that we live because of the pandemic, we must find new ways to continue sharing our creativity with the public,” said Bakkali at the time. “My art is essentially digital, so this virtual presentation is a perfect option to bring the public closer to my creative process. In Monaco, I feel at home. It is a country that I love and being able to show my work in such an emblematic place as Le Pinocchio is a great honour. I am very grateful and happy for this opportunity.”
Bakkali is an international visual artist and has exhibited around the globe, including in Paris, Madrid, Cannes, San Remo, New York, Barcelona, Córdoba, Biarritz and Lorc, as well as in the Principality.