The Air League of Monaco is hosting an interesting event this week, a seated dinner and Q&A with Captain Robert Pearson, the pilot who famously glided a passenger jet to safety in Canada after it had run out of fuel.
On Wednesday 3rd May, guests will be welcomed to a special event at the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation Conference Hall in Monaco, where Captain Robert Pearson will be guest speaker.
Captain Robert “Bob” Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal were flying Flight 143 to Ottawa when the Boeing 767 ran out of fuel, and consequently power in both engines and landing gear. Captain Pearson, also an experienced glider pilot, managed to land the plane on a closed runway that was being used as a race track. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured in the incident. The airliner was forever known as the Gimli Glider, and in 1985, Pearson and Quintal were awarded the first ever Fédération Aéronautique Internationale Diploma for Outstanding Airmanship.
Guests on Wednesday will be treated to a screening of the Discovery Channel’s documentary on the Gimli Glider, a Q&A with Captain Pearson, and a three course dinner. Money raised will go towards the Air League of Monaco, which was formed in November 2013 as a Monaco Charity. It is dedicated to “keeping Monaco and its surrounding area at the forefront of Aviation” and helps young people start a career in aviation by offering scholarships and awards.
It has Prince Albert II as its principal patron, while Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Dame Shirley Bassey, former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen, and Monaco Ambassadors Club president Christian Moore are also among its patrons.
Stay tuned for our interview with Captain Pearson.
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Photos: Prince opens first temporary exhibition at Palace featuring twin city Dolceacqua
Prince Albert II has inaugurated the first temporary exhibition of the season in the Grands Appartements of the Prince’s Palace: a series of works entitled ‘500 Monaco-Dolceacqua’ by artist Julien Spiewak.
On Thursday 20th April, Prince Albert, accompanied by Monaco Mayor Georges Marsan and Fulvio Gazzola, the mayor of Dolceacqua, was shown a gallery of original photos highlighting certain rooms of the Prince’s Palace as well as private places and historical sites of the small town in the Ligurian hinterland.
The photos are part of a series entitled ‘Corps de Style’, which associates a human body, or fragments of naked bodies, with a work of art or stylish furniture.
Prince Albert II of Monaco with, from left to right, Mayor Georges Marsan, Artist Julien Spiewak, Aldo Herlaut, and Dolceacqua Mayor Fulvio Gazzola. Photo credit: Michael Alesi, Prince’s Palace
“This exhibition is part of the demonstrations of the twinning between the Italian commune and Monaco, which will be solemnly concluded on 3rd November, five centuries to the day after the oath of loyalty of the syndics of Dolceacqua to Augustin Grimaldi, Lord of Monaco,” said the Palace in a statement.
The exhibition will conclude in Monaco on 8th May, before moving to Dolceacqua, where it will be held until the end of the summer.
Click on the images below to see more from the opening of ‘500Monaco-Dolceacqua’. Photos credit: Michael Alesi, Prince’s Palace…
After weeks of name dropping, the final line-up for the 2023 Monte-Carlo Summer Festival was unveiled on Thursday, with music heavyweights Robbie Williams, Seal and Chris Isaak now among the headline acts.
Select members of the press, Monte-Carlo SBM and Monte Carlo Live were present for the unveiling of the full schedule in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Paris on Thursday 13th April.
Most of the performers at this year’s music festival had been announced previously – namely Sting, Ricky Martin, Mika, Tarkan and tribute performer ‘Michael’ The Magic of Michael Jackson.
But there were still a few surprises announced by Monte-Carlo Summer Festival Artistic Director Gilles Marsan. Headlining the music festival this year will be singing legend Robbie Williams, who will perform at the Red Cross Gala on Saturday 29th July.
Seal will take to the stage in the Salle des Etoiles on Sunday 16th July, Norah Jones is set to perform at the Opéra Garnier on Wednesday 12th July, and Chris Isaak will also play at the Opéra Garnier on Monday 10thJuly.
In August, in addition to Mika on Friday 4th, it was revealed that Nile Rodgers & Chic will play on Saturday 12th, Eros Ramazzotti on the 8th, and finally Tarkan will hit the stage of the Salle des Etoiles on Saturday 19thAugust.
Photo by Monaco Life
New this year is ‘Billionaire’ from 31st July to 22nd August. Described as a “nocturnal adventure offering luxury dining paired with nightlife, consisting of special shows and spectacular entertainment”, the Flavio Briatore-conceived concept will grace the Sporting Monte-Carlo, after experiences in Dubai, Porto Cervo, Doha and Riyadh.
It will be the last year that Gilles Marsan is Artistic Director of Monaco’s largest musical festival. After four decades with Monte-Carlo SBM, Marsan is retiring, and he was full of emotion as he thanked everyone involved in the making of the Monte-Carlo Summer Festival, an enormous effort that takes a full year to put together.
Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.
Photo of Monte-Carlo Summer Festival Artistic Director Gilles Marsan during Thursday’s press conference by Monaco Life
NB: This article was originally published on 13th April 2023
Lego and street art amongst fun new workshops for kids at A Fàbrica
The A Fàbrica centre at the Princess Antoinette Park is hosting several new children’s workshops starting in April, giving kids a chance to hone fresh skills and learn something new.
A Fàbrica centre at Princess Antoinette Park has long been a favourite for parents in the know, offering cool monthly eco-fun workshops. Now, the Principality’s Community Entertainment Service is adding some events that are sure to draw both parents and kids alike.
Atelier Lecture: ‘Mon p’tit poulailler’
First up is a reading event in collaboration with the association La Valise à Histoires. These 45-minute sessions are perfect for children aged 18 months to six years, and consist of a facilitator run story-telling part, followed by a time where little ones can handle the books themselves, instilling the idea that books are special and need to be looked after with care as well as with amusement.
The sessions are organised by age group with events running at 3pm, 3:45pm and 4:30pm. The first meeting will take place on Wednesday 12th April with the reading of Mon p’tit poulailler. It’s a free event, but reservations are required and can be made on +377 93 15 29 33.
Atelier de Briques Lego
Next up is a Lego workshop in association with Bricks 4 Kidz. This reservation-only event focuses on using creativity to build and construct, and is based on an amusement park theme. It will be held on Tuesday 25thApril at 2pm and 3:30pm for kids aged six to 13. To book a free spot, ring +377 93 15 29 33.
Atelier Jardinage
Co-hosted by a speaker from the Monaco Media Library and a gardener from Princess Antoinette Park, a gardening workshop, Atelier Jardinage: Médiathèque Hors les Murs, will take place on Friday 28th April from 9:30am to 11:30am. Kids will be able to handle seedlings and be taught how to nurture plants, giving them the joy of watching them continue to grow. This free event requires a reservation to be made by calling +377 93 15 29 40.
Atelier Street Art
Finally, for the budding artists is the Atelier de Street Art, hosted by @jess9art. Kids aged seven to 10 can join on Saturday 13th May from 9:30am to 12:30pm for their shot at creating some awesome street art, followed by another session for kids aged 11 and up from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. Reservations are required also for this free event, and must be made at +377 93 15 29 33.
Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.
Photo source: Unsplash
Em Sherif reopens in Hôtel de Paris with renewed menu and live music
The acclaimed Em Sherif Monte-Carlo has returned for a new season in Monaco’s most famous hotel, featuring a refined menu by Chef Yasmina Hayek that combines luxury and tradition.
The internationally-renowned restaurant, with its origins in Beirut, opened its doors in the Hôtel de Paris in April 2022 and quickly forged a reputation among locals and international visitors as a culinary destination in Monaco.
The menu is a celebration of Lebanese culture and cuisine with moreish staples like hummus, falafel, beef kibbet and Fattoush among the mezze.
But this is Monaco, so Chef Yasmina Hayek has delivered on expectations, elevating her spice-rich offerings with prime ingredients like wagyu hummus, Lebanese beef tartare, and a delicate marinated yellowtail with green chili and citrus dressing. The starter menu has no less than 30 mezze plates, a veritable smorgasbord that is destined to be shared.
Em Sherif offers an extensive menu that mixes luxury and tradition. Photo source: SBM
The main plates follow the same philosophy – last season’s best selling dishes like slow cooked lamb shoulder and whole seabass stuff with caramelised rice sit alongside semolina pearls with caviar or lobster, wagyu beef skewers, and Beluga caviar served with katayef Lebanese blinis, homemade sumac chips and lebneh.
“You will always find the basis of Em Sherif wherever you go, such as hummus, mutabbal, fattet, and fattoush… real staples of Lebanese cuisine,” Chef Hayek told Monaco Life during a special opening lunch on 4th April. “But you will also find new additions to the menu that we didn’t have last year like the grills, more salads, and different mains. We also introduced luxury products like caviar, lobster, truffle, wagyu beef, and raw fish to have a more balanced experience.”
The desserts are a celebration of the rich, sweet flavours of Lebanon, including Em Sherif’s signature pistachio baklava, an éclair with date cream infused with black tea and salted caramel, and a light citrus semolina cake with almond milk ice cream.
Em Sherif baklava, photo source: SBM
Where Lebanon meets the Mediterranean in a luxurious hotel
It is a culinary journey to the homeland of Chef Yasmina Hayek, who trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse and who now has a leading role at many of the family restaurants first initiated by her mother, Mireille Hayek, in 2011.
While Em Sherif Monte-Carlo lie sleeping during the cooler winter months, Chef Hayek was busy opening a new Em Sherif in Doha. It was hot on the heels of a restaurant opening in Abu Dhabi and London, with further expansion planned throughout the Middle East.
The mother-daughter team is clearly a winning formula. The restaurant group received the ‘Art and Hospitality Award 2023’ earlier this year, and is ranked ‘No. 20 Middle East North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023’.
Chef Hayek says she is proud to bring her heritage cuisine to both those who love it, and others who are discovering it for the first time.
“The biggest challenge is to satisfy both clientele: those who know Em Sherif worldwide and come for the cuisine, and those who don’t know Lebanese food but come to feel satisfied and have a good time around the table,” revealed Chef Hayek.
The Em Sherif terrace overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and The Rock. Photo source: SBM
New this year: Live music
If the food weren’t enough to plunge you into the divine universe of Lebanon, then the sounds of international artist Faylasuf surely will, with his electronic influences and Arab-Andalusian inspirations.
From now until 30th September, Em Sherif Monte-Carlo will be featuring a brand-new musical programme with DJ, percussion, saxophonist and female vocalist performing to the rhythm of Faylasuf.
There’s also a Chicha Lounge and signature cocktails to round out the exclusive oriental experience.
Em Sherif Monte-Carlo is open from Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. Bookings can be made online, by phone on +377 98 06 88 75, or email emsherifmc@sbm.mc
See more in our experience at Em Sherif in our Instagram video below…
Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.
Harp concert and lecture at Princess Grace Irish Library
The Princess Grace Irish Library, with the support of the Irish Research Council,is set to host an evening of harp music and a lecture by Dr. Helen Lawlor from TU Dublin.
Dr. Lawlor’s performance on the harp will be inspired by some of the titles in the Princess Grace collection of music scores.
Dr. Lawlor is currently undertaking research of the collection and is organising a symposium in Dublin in June with experts presenting, including Dr. Fintan Vallely who catalogued the library’s collection and who performed for Prince Albert II of Monaco last month to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
To join in this unique event on 13th April and discover more about the music and symbolism of the Irish harp in musical practice, literature and cultural representations, reserve your place on info@pgil.mc or buy your online ticket here.
Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.
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