Beginning this week, Art Gallery 44 will be hosting a feast for modern art lovers at the Espace 22 that features household names such as Andy Warhol, Basquiat and Jeff Koons as well as up-and-comers from around the globe.
Saint Paul de Vence’s Art Gallery 44 is exhibiting prevailing masters of the genre alongside emerging talent at the Exhibition of Modern and Contemporary Art in Monaco’s Espace 22 from 13th April to 13th May.
In all, there will be upward of 30 works on display from known artists including Arman, Cesar, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Basquiat, Jean Miotte, Joan Mirò, Marc Chagall, Soulages, Yoko Ono and Jeff Koons, who will share the gallery with newer talent from France, China, Japan and Thailand.
The pieces come from private collectors, and many will be up for grabs during the month-long event.
“We have already organised this type of event in Monaco at the Café de Paris,” Charles Lemeny, the director of Art Gallery 44, told La Gazette de Monaco recently. “It turned out to be a success. And if we encounter the same dynamic here, at L’Espace 22, we want to multiply the experience several times a year.”
The exhibit is free and open to the public daily, so even casual visitors can appreciate the beauty and genius of each artists’ works.
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.
Summer reopenings are coming thick and fast. Nikki Beach is the latest to launch its season on the rooftop of the Fairmont Monte-Carlo with its signature vibe and entertainment, and a delicious menu served poolside.
Nikki Beach is the original luxury beach club concept that can now be found in 11 stylish hotspots across the globe, including Miami, Montenegro and Saint Tropez.
In Monaco, Nikki Beach has been marching to its own drum since 2015. The emphasis here is sophisticated poolside lounging with champagne, specialty cocktails and gourmet food.
The globally-inspired menu emphasises fresh seafood, including a generous truffle tuna tartare with black radish, yuzu and black truffle for starter. We also enjoyed the butternut squash topped with vegan feta – a new addition to the menu, says Chef Alessandro Pizza.
The mains are equally generous and packed with flavour: the famous chicken satay and rice, and whole baked sea bass served with artichokes and a chopped tomato and olive salad are among the highlights.
But the chocolate tart, made with 70% Venezuelan chocolate, salted caramel and macadamia nuts, is not to be missed, even if you are in a bikini.
Corporate Executive Chef Alessandro Pizza, photo by Monaco Life
Nikki Beach’s menu follows a long-running winning formula for the resort. Everything is designed to be shared, says the chef, and sushi is always a hit.
Chef Pizza was born in Cambridge, UK, to Italian parents who inspired his passion for food. He has been with Nikki Beach since 2002 and was appointed Corporate Executive Chef in 2022, overseeing all of the kitchens in the franchise.
He opened Nikki Beach Saint Tropez 20 years ago and this is where you will most likely find him in the summer, but he tells us he will oversee Nikki Beach Monte-Carlo throughout the season, ensuring the kitchen maintains his high standards.
Photo by Monaco Life
Music is life
Nikki Beach is known for its live music programme. A global resident DJ curates the danceable soundtrack that guests have come to expect at all of their locations. Afternoon sessions at Nikki Beach Monte-Carlo are no different.
This summer, the rooftop will once again come alive with plenty of poolside revelry.
Every Tuesday in April, guests can enjoy ‘Sunset Rituals’ from 6pm to 8pm, and entertainment on Sundays from 11am to 8pm. Events can be found 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.
Feature image by Monaco Life
Daniel Mulhall goes “Around the World” with Yeats and Joyce
In May, the Princess Grace Irish Library will host former Irish diplomat Danial Mulhall, who will be looking back over his 44 years of telling Ireland’s story using W.B. Yeats and James Joyce.
When fiction and reality collide, it makes for a heady brew. This will most certainly be the case when Daniel Mulhall, a former diplomat who held ambassadorial posts in Berlin, London and Washington, tells how he spent 44 years revealing the nature, identity and long literary history of his country via the works of two renowned Irish authors. He also published his own book, Ulysses – A Reader’s Odyssey, in 2022.
The one-night-only event is being held at the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco on Wednesday 10th May. Entitled “Around the World with W.B. Yeats and James Joyce: A Diplomatic Odyssey”, Mulhall will tie in his nation’s modern history with that of the past, drawing on literary references to explain the complexities of the people, places and events that shaped, and continue to shape, Ireland.
“Mulhall’s deployment of Joyce and Yeats around the world is a masterly example of exercising ‘soft power’ on behalf of Ireland,” says Ted Smyth, a former diplomat and business leader familiar with Mulhall. “Ireland might not have a large security force, but it does have an army of fabulous writers, poets, musicians, and artists who, with our talented diplomats, enable Ireland to punch above its weight in the international arena. Mulhall cleverly decodes all 18 episodes of James Joyce’s famous book while also providing personal and funny insights.”
The lecture will take place at 7pm. It will be animated by actors from the Monaco-Ireland Arts Society, who will do dramatic readings of works by Yeats and Joyce. For more information, please click 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.
Photo source: Princess Grace Irish Library
Latin flair at this year’s Salon International du Livre de Monaco
The upcoming 12th Salon International du Livre de Monaco has a packed schedule filled with some of the world’s best-known writers. A bonus this year: there will be a special focus on authors coming out of Panama, Uruguay and Argentina organised by AMLA.
Over the course of two days, 15th and 16th April, the Salon International du Livre de Monaco at the Grimaldi Forum will welcome a packed house with 177 writers on hand. This array of talent will be holding public discussions and speaking on topics relevant not only to their works, but also to the world-at-large.
As part of this event, a special treat awaits with the presence and support of ambassadors, critics, editors and authors from Panama, Argentina and Uruguay at the Latin American Literature Conference. This will be held on Saturday 15th from 11.45am to 12.15pm at the AMLA stand.
BOOKS… LATIN STYLE
For lovers of Latin America, this is a can’t-miss opportunity to hear some of the region’s great minds speaking on themes relevant to them.
For example, Panama’s Ambassador to Monaco and France, Issamary Sanchez Ortega, will speak on her nation’s unique ecosystem and sustainability goals while González Trejos will recount Panamanian literature, emphasising narrative in the last century and a half, and Miguel Franco will speak on the history of the noir genre both in prose and poetry in Panama’s Republican period.
Uruguayan Ambassador Jorge Luis Jure will hold a talk on Uruguayan Authors and the Sea, Mercedes Rosende will tell crowds about her latest novel called L’Autre Femme, and writer, editor and critic Antoine Barrale will speak about the evolution of Uruguayan literature.
Finally, Argentinian author Eduardo Fernando Varela will be introducing his latest book, Roca Pelada, which is filled with hilariously funny and almost magical moments set against a backdrop of some of the world’s highest mountain tops.
ROOTS OF THE SALON
The Salon International du Livre de Monaco was created in 2012 by Les Rencontres Littéraires Fabian Boisson as a way to present new and established literary talent and ideas from around the globe in an intimate setting.
This year, the Salon will feature, in addition to the Latin American event, novelist and journalist Pierre Assouline, politician Jean-Louis Debré and actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who will tell of how she experienced the storm of controversy around her husband, Roman Polanski.
Entry to the 12th Salon International du Livre de Monaco is, and in past editions, free and open to the public.
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: Nick Fewings for Unsplash
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.
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