26 ° C
Profile

Tag: monacolife

Prince’s Foundation to launch 3rd Environmental Photography Award

by: Stephanie Horsman
28/10/2022

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is inviting photographers to send in their best snaps on topics pertaining to environmental protection and nature, with the goal of raising awareness for the plight, and the beauty, of the world around us.  

Inaugurated in 2021, the Environmental Photography Awards organised by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) is an excellent opportunity for photographers interested in nature and the world around us to show off their talents for a good cause. 

The now-annual contest, which is held in association with Barclays Private Bank and SEK International University, asks shutterbugs to help raise awareness of important environmental issues and encourages them to show not just the beauty of the world, but also the detrimental effects of humanity on ecosystems.  

“Building on the success of the first two editions, we wish to continue to develop the Environmental Photography Award and, through it, the reflection on our relationship with the world and with nature,” says Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the FPA2. “We are pleased to note the growing interest expressed by international photographers, who are participating in ever greater numbers in the competition, but also the attention gained by a wide public through the exhibitions that we have been able to offer in the Principality, but also in Italy, San Marino, Spain and the United States.” 

The contest allows for a broad range of interests and acceptable themes that include Polar Wonders, Ocean Worlds, Into the Forest, Humanity Versus Nature and Change Makers: Reasons for Hope.  

How to enter

Entries will be accepted between 2nd November and 15th January 2023, and can be uploaded to Photocrowd, a dedicated platform for the contest. It is free to enter and photographers can submit up to five photos in each of the five categories of the competition. The link for entries can be found at www.photocrowd.com/fpa2.photoaward.   

A panel of judges, all professional photographers, will select the shortlisted and winning images. The public will also be given a chance to vote for their favourites via the competition’s website for a two-week period starting 3rd April 2023. Additionally, Monaco’s secondary school students will, for the first time this year, be invited to vote on the shortlisted snaps and will be treated to an awareness-raising presentation and discussion on today’s major environmental issues.  

“Photography is a very powerful way to give a voice to endangered wildlife and environment,” says Sergio Pitamitz, President of the Jury. “In the panorama of world photography, there are countless photo competitions dedicated to nature, but few are those that are really committed to the real conservation of nature and the environment. The Environmental Photography Award competition, organised by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, is one of them.” 

5,000€ and the chance to photograph the Ecuadorian jungle

The Grand Prize is 5,000€ and an invitation to visit the Amazon Research Station at the University of Ecuador, where they will participate in a photo documentary of the Ecuadorian jungle.

Winners in each category will receive 1,000€, and both the Public Award and the newly added Student’s Choice Award will receive 500€.  

Winning shots will be presented in an exhibition in Monaco, before touring internationally. They will also be published the Environmental Photography Award catalogue.  

 

 

Photo by Monaco Life

 

 

Podcast: Yannick Alléno and Bruno Verjus take fine dining to new heights

by: Cassandra Tanti
27/10/2022

 

The Festival of the Stars has brought together Monaco’s adopted multi-starred chef Yannick Alléno and two-starred Bruno Verjus for an “only in Monaco” gastronomic experience.  

The Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) may boast seven Michelin stars amongst its establishments in Monaco, but there’s always room for more, especially if they’re some of the brightest stars in the world.

This year marked the second edition of SBM’s Festival of the Stars Monte-Carlo, held at some of the company’s most famous restaurants.

It began at Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris where the man himself, Alain Ducasse, collaborated with his chef Emmanuel Pilon and triple-Michelin star awardee Clare Smyth from the UK for a special lunch and dinner service.

On 7th October, Monte-Carlo Bay’s two-starred Marcel Ravin and modernist Australian chef Shaun Hergatt came together for a “four hands dinner” where both chefs drew on their roots and surroundings for inspiration.

Yannick Alléno at his Pavyllon Monte-Carlo restaurant, Hôtel Hermitage. Photo courtesy of Monte-Carlo SBM

By 15th October, the Festival of the Stars was well underway and it was time for Yannick Alléno, who holds a total of three Michelin stars across two restaurants, and his Pavyllon Monte-Carlo restaurant to take the reins.

The Paris-based chef called on his “very close friend”, two-starred Bruno Verjus, to propose something new for his guests because, as Alléno says, “life is too difficult to waste time not enjoying it and sharing good times with friends”.

It was an invitation that Verjus, who opened his first restaurant at age 54, could not turn down. “When Yannick Alléno invites you, you always feel super happy,” the chef tells Monaco Life. “I don’t really belong to this world of chefs because I arrived to this story only nine years ago, but Yannick has always taken care of me; he was always very interested in what I was doing with food, with the products. What Yannick and I do with food is love, in a way.”

The food writer-come-two Michelin star chef has a deep passion for sustainable ingredients. At his restaurant Table in Paris, the dishes are often dictated by the suppliers and what they can provide that day.

“It means you are not in your comfort zone, always repeating the same story with the same dishes in the same way,” says Verjus. “It pushes my staff to be creative, to think and not just do. It is a super good energy.”

That good energy translates on the plate to Jardin éphémère – a bold and beautiful beetroot “millefeuille”; Bruno’s revolutionary mi-cru-mi-cuit (half raw, half cooked) lobster; and Japanese-style sea bass, hung for three days and enriched by its own natural fats, served with Oscietra Petrossian Caviar.

Half raw, half cooked lobster by Bruno Verjus, photo courtesy of Monte-Carlo SBM

But it is his chocolate tart, infused with capers and topped with caviar, that highlights why “King Bruno” has a three-month waiting list at his Parisian restaurant.

“I love Bruno because he is a fanatic, and he does fanatic food!” laughs Alléno.

Thankfully, there is no three month-wait in Monaco. The Festival of the Stars is a unique opportunity for residents and visitors to try world-famous cuisine without having to step foot out of the Principality.

Bruno’s signature dishes are positioned in a nine-course gastronomic menu that includes Yannick’s Alléno’s delicate tempura Shiso leaf; his signature Badaboum egg with caviar; scallops with rich Jamón ibérico extraction (a groundbreaking technique founded by Alléno); foie gras-stuffed cabbage with lamb rack; and pear galette.

And if that isn’t enough, all the dishes come together right before your very eyes. Seated at the counter, you can watch the chefs “dance” around their stations to form each plate, before the legend himself places it in front of you, cutting open your Badaboum egg to reveal the caviar surprise, or finishing it with a shaving of fresh truffle. You can chat with the chefs, ask questions, praise them and press them for their secrets.

Chou farci au foie gras de canard by Yannick Alléno, photo courtesy of Monte-Carlo SBM

It is one of the drawcards of the Pavyllon Monte-Carlo, a sister to Yannick Alléno’s Pavyllon Paris restaurant. It’s only been open a matter of months at the Hermitage Hotel, but Alléno believes that it has been lovingly embraced by the local community, as has he.

“Today I am a Monaco chef, I feel Monegasque,” he smiles.

Next up at the Pavyllon Monte-Carlo is a “creative” weekend brunch (it wouldn’t be Alléno if it wasn’t creative), a perfect excuse to spend cosy days in this beautifully designed restaurant.

The fourth and final collaboration of Festival of the Stars took place on 21st and 22nd October at Le Grill, where newly appointed Executive Chef Dominique Lory was joined by Italian two-star chef Davide Oldani for a never-before-seen fusion of Riviera flavours and mouth-water “pop cuisine” (cucina pop).

Stay tuned for our next interview and book your place now for the Festival of the Stars grand finale gala on 26th November, when Alain Ducasse, Yannick Alléno, Dominique Lory and Marcel Ravin come together to cook for one spectacular evening at the Salle des Arts at One Monte-Carlo.

To hear the full interview by Monaco Life’s Cassandra Tanti with Yannick Alléno and Bruno Verjus, click on the Podcast at the top of this article!

Click on our Instagram link below to see more…

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Monaco Life (@monacolife_)

 

 

 

Work on Stade Louis II to restart in 2023/24

by: Luke Entwistle
27/10/2022

The renovation of the Stade Louis II has entered its fifth year. Starting with an initial budget of €355m, the next phase of development will get underway in 2023/24 and will last for “multiple years.”

The news was announced by the Conseil National during a 2022 budget review earlier this month. Whilst significant work has already been carried out in the VIP lodges in the stadium, at the Salle Gaston Médecin, on the athletics track and on the swimming pool, further work is to be done.

The announcement will be of great interest to everyone in the Principality, but mostly to AS Monaco and their thousands of fans that attend football matches in the stadium on a regular basis. Fans have been crying out for work to be carried out on a stadium that they have previously described as “decrepit”.

AS Monaco CEO Jean-Emmanuel de Witt has previously said the following: “We are by far the biggest user of the stadium. We hope, and we are in discussions with the Monégasque authorities to envisage works in the stadium, that are already planned. We just need to sort out the details and timings. It is a very important topic for our development. We have seen stadiums that are already way ahead of ours.”

During the budget review, Priorié Monaco (Primo!) politician Nathalie Amoratti-Blanc said that the club should play in a stadium that “is in line with the best European standards”. Her colleague, Marc Mourou, went on to describe the terraces of the Louis II as “quite dilapidated.”

Interior Minister Patrice Cellario has admitted that there remains “a lot of work”, but sought to highlight the omnipresent monégasque issue of space as a factor that renders the task difficult. “The margin for maneuver is particularly reduced,” he said.

Whilst plans for the renovated stadium are yet to be released, there is at least the certainty that the iconic arches will be maintained, although work will be done on them to reverse their decay. “The problem with the arches is a superficial one. They will be taken into account in the stadium’s reconstruction,” said Cellario.

He added, “Reconstructing such a building can’t be done in a matter of months or even years, and that is regardless of how hard we work. The operation is complex to imagine and execute because they must be done whilst the stadium remains in use.”

Change is coming at the iconic Fontvieille stadium, but it won’t come quickly.

 

Photo by Monaco Life

Monte-Carlo Ballet goes live for #worldballetday

by: Elsa Carpenter
27/10/2022

Online and broadcast across six continents, the dancers of the Monte-Carlo Ballet company will be live on YouTube next week in celebration of World Ballet Day. 

From 10.30am on Wednesday 2nd November, Monaco’s extraordinary ballet troupe will be using its YouTube platform to stream a day of artistic excellence to viewers around the world, joining the likes of the Australian Ballet, the Royal Ballet and the Opéra of Paris in this unique online experience.  

Entirely free to watch, the #worldballetday programme will allow spectators to see behind the scenes of their favourite performances, watch interviews with celebrated choreographers and more.  

To get involved: youtube.com/BalletsdeMonteCarlo. 

 

Photo source: Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo

Monaco to welcome new British School in Fontvieille

by: Claire Griffiths
26/10/2022

A brand new and entirely British education establishment is about to open its doors to primary students this November. Monaco Life spoke to the team behind the school to find out more.

 Sapientia in Humilitate (Wisdom in Humility) is the motto of the British School of Monaco, and the motive, say co-founders Luke Sullivan and Dr.Olena Sullivan-Prykhodko, is to nurture kids to be curious, kind, courageous and capable of coping in a complicated world. The motto is designed to guide British School students to become ever-improving and lifelong learners.

The school will follow the English National Curriculum, with a strong focus on Literature and the use of English across all subjects. Significant French lessons will be offered as a first or second language on top of this. Games afternoons will be dedicated to the traditional sports of football, rugby, tennis, hockey, etc.

It adds an alternative and entirely British schooling choice to Monaco families, already served by French and International schooling systems. With an initial intake of 20 students (age five to 10 yrs), it will eventually welcome 96. Headmaster Dr. Stuart Bradley, previously Head of Primary at The Sultan’s School in Muscat, Oman, leads the teaching team.

British born and raised, Luke Sullivan grew up in London and Sheffield,and attended Birkdale School and Bristol University. He is a veteran educational entrepreneur who set up the Monaco-based private tutoring business Modelex in 2016 with his wife and business partner Olena. Olena has a background in law: In 2018 she was National President of the Jeune Chambre Économique de Monaco (JCI Monaco), and in 2021 she was international Vice President of JCI. Luke and Olena met in Monaco in 2014 and married in 2016 in Ukraine.

Luke Sullivan and Dr. Olena Sullivan-Prykhodko, co-founders of the British School of Monaco

Says Olena, “I went to school at Gymnasium 47 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Most people say their best years were at university but for me it was school. It was definitely like a second home for me and I have very fond memories of it. I loved English and I was quite good at Maths. Unfortunately, the school was destroyed a couple of months ago because of the war. So for me, creating a wonderful, nurturing environment with the British School of Monaco is deeply personal.” 

Not only is the school entirely English speaking, it is also family run,explains Luke. “It is 100% run and owned by Olena and I,” he says. “Everything we do, we pour our hearts and souls into, and with every single member of staff we hire, we are looking for that particular individual who will fulfil the key role within this brand new school.”

Academically ambitious with a curriculum strongly focused on literature and literacy, the admissions process is designed to ensure that families are certain the school is a good ‘fit’ for them. Says Luke, “We have a straightforward conversation about the school with the family and hopefully there’s a good meeting of minds and everyone understands each other’s approach to education and values.”

The student assessment is not, says Luke, a high-bar academic entrance exam, but a way to understand the pupil. “It’s a way to get to know their level and make sure certain fundamentals are in place, because you do need those in the early years of a new school, and then making sure there is a good click between the student and the teacher.”

Along with the school values – integrity, responsibility, respect, kindness, courage, curiosity – the school aims to encourage self-reflection, resilience, adaptability and balance in its students. “In each lesson we want to focus on the ability of the student to reflect on themself as a learner and the ability to adapt success, to overcome hurdles: If they get knocked down, to get back up again stronger. We live in an increasingly polarised world with increasingly extreme views on either side of debates, and the ability to hold a balanced view seems to be getting lost in the midst of all that. We want to put this front and centre for our students as they develop their own views and opinions,” says Luke.

British School of Monaco interior design rendering

To create this nest of nurture and values-focused learning, the founders believe there are certain things they need to get right from the outset, and that starts with the dress code: the uniform. The pair believe it is important particularly in a place like Monaco with such a diverse range of cultures and nationalities.

The British-style uniform of navy and grey is emblazoned with a blue, gold and white school logo: a sword-brandishing lion rampant, an image that commonly symbolises courage, nobility and strength. The design incorporates both traditional and modern elements, reflecting the strong traditions that the school draws upon alongside its forward-thinking curriculum and approach to education.

Explains Luke, “One thing we want to be very clear about is the values of the school, who we are, what we stand for, so that all the parents understand what they are buying into and what they can expect from their kids’ education. Part of that is the uniform. If all kids wear the traditional British School uniform, it’s a way of standardising their appearance. This is important to us because it means the conversation can shift from what they are wearing and how they distinguish themselves through their clothes, to how they distinguish themselves through their character and behaviour. We want a school that focuses on human qualities and human characteristics.  Having a uniform is a way of moving the conversation onto those elements. It also helps students to feel part of a team and part of a community, with a strong identity defined by a clear set of values.”

The uniform includes a British School of Monaco watch designed specifically to help pupils learn to tell the time.

Attendance in the specially designed classrooms at 8am, avenue de Fontvieille, is another non-negotiable. Students need to turn up on time and attend school 100% of the time, says Sullivan. “Sloppy attendance and punctuality degrade the values of the school and set a badprecedent to other families. Once values start to degrade the institution loses its backbone, so for us we are very strict on attendance because a cornerstone of education is turning up.” There is a process in place forthose who frequently fail to make-it to the school gates on time.

The development of the school has been swift, says Luke, after years of building the foundations and refining their approach to education. “Since tutoring back in 2009, I have always just taken the most positive next step I could find. And if you always take good next steps the journey will take care of itself.”

After meeting Olena in 2014, the idea of creating a British school together began to form, and the rest of that story will now one day be part of Monégasque history.

 

 Photos source: Modelex

 

Princess Charlene in her new role as animal shelter president

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/10/2022

Princess Charlene has made a public plea for people to support their local animal shelters after a tour of SPA l’Abri de Monaco, of which she is now president.

The Princess shared a photo of her emotional visit to the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) of Monaco in Eze on her Instagram page, with the caption: “Went to visit the Monaco SPA. Please support a local SPA or animal shelter near you. Thank you. Merci. With all my love ♥️”

She was patting a hound called Lizzie – one of the many dogs and cats who are available for adoption at the shelter.

Princess Charlene was announced as the new president of the SPA in August as she and Prince Albert laid the first stone for the new animal shelter in Peille, which is due to be completed by the end of 2023.

To see more animals that are looking for a new home, visit the refuge’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/animalrefugemonaco/

 

SEE ALSO:

Prince and Princess lay first stone at future SPA site

 

 

Photo above source: Princess Charlene’s Instagram page