There could not be a bigger contrast between the light and sunny summer's day, and the plush and dark atmosphere of the Effet Mer's interiour decoration, with it's gilded mirrors, reindeer furs and black slatted wooden panels..
our table was on a perfect spot, shaded from the sun, but with a wonderful view
As always on Sunday, a buffet lunch was served (loved the lime/chillie sauce that went with the gambas)
and this is what I had as a starter, Tomato mozarella salad, Gazpacho soup, Tapenade (in a 'verrine', a little glas), Mushroom salad, Grissini bread and a roll, some Carpaccio and a green salad
wearing my 'Au coeur de la vie' mousseline in a basic bias fold,
with a floral dress, another case of a clothes purchase for a specific scarf ;-)
There were more delicious desserts to choose from than one could possible eat, so I was concentrating mainly on the macarons..
and this is what DS chose for his dessert
After lunch, we went for a walk on the beach, and then had a coffee on the terasse..
before heading back home, after a lovely day
Effet Mer
Route des plages
Le Grand Travers
34280 La Grande Motte
+ 33 4 67 56 02 14
Edited to add one more pic, for emilyatheart, which shows the bag (Picotin) that went with the look
OH Maitai what a paradise !!! EVERYTHING about the day shouts quality and relaxation ! mmmmm perfect!!The weather in the uk has been fabulous for the past few weeks, Wimbledon really was glorious !! all I seem to be wearing now is tennis stuff hard to H up !! Any ideas ?!!!but enjoying the freedom of outdoor play !Amou
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful luncheon! The pictures seem to be straight out of a travel brochure or book, just gorgeous. The food looks delicious, and the presentation adds even more.
ReplyDeleteThe mousseline is perfect for such an atmosphere. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one to plan clothing around a particular scarf rather than the other way around!
How I long for holidays!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of a relaxing place, gorgeous food and a wonderful ocean! What else can you wish? Thank you for sharing these beautiful moments of your life, dear Maitai.xx M.
Lovely post. You are right- the contrast between the inside and outside is remarkable and very intriguing. What handbag did you carry? Love the dress and love the way you buy for the scarves. That was a good complementing match.
ReplyDeleteLooks like an ideal lunch in an ideal setting.... Thanks so much for sharing the beautiful experience.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend a sunday! The food looks amazing and eating it while watching the ocean must have been lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love ACDLV in this cw and it looks perfect with the dress (or should I say the dress looks perfect with the scarf? ;-P )
Dearest MaiTai, Blue sky, blue sea, sunshine - I'm transported! It must have been an incredible afternoon with your loved ones. Many compliments to the photographer - wonderful perspectives - and indeed, the outdoor/indoor contrast is very unexpected.
ReplyDeleteYou are a stunning vision, my dear MaiTai, with your gorgeous mousseline and floral dress pairing - what talent to find that perfect print to compliment an H scarf! And is that the turquoise ClicClac? - how nicely it brings out the blue tones.
Everything looks so fresh and absolutely delicious. I'm fascinated by your DH's dessert selection - what is the colorful blue item?
Thank you for sharing the beautiful story of your dear mother's shoes - so cherished and treasured.
Have a wonderful week, a big hug xx
Maitai you look divine! That place is heaven. How utterly gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, it ought to be against the law to look this beautiful and live in such a beautiful place and eat such a beautiful lunch!
ReplyDeleteYou look so sunny and relaxed and just plain lovelym and you definitely must have added to the restaurant's ambiance.
Dear Amou, MiaT, Manuela, emilyatheart, SMR, booksnchocolate, Faux Fuchsia, Scarf Enthusiast and Jerrine ~ happy you enjoyed the beach post, and many thanks for your kind and generous comments and sweet compliments. Hope you are all having a great week xx
ReplyDeleteAww.. the joys of Wimbledon week, dear Amou, such fun! Cucumber sandwiches, tea, strawberries and cream and Pimms, I love it all. Re the tennis gear, I can imagine a nice 'H up' with a clic clac bracelet and a Gavroche with a scarf ring. If it's too hot for the silk, the Farandole is a great option too. Happy you enjoyed yesterdays post, many thanks for your kind comment :-)
Dear MiaT, we are guilty of the same habit, planning clothes around scarves! But as the scarf usually ‘makes’ the look, it is kind of inevitable, I guess ;-)
Hope you have a lovely holiday coming up soon, dear Manuela!
Dear emilyatheart, imagine a conversation where someone is saying they know a woman how buys dresses for her scarves, crazy, huh? LOL! I carried the Picotin, and have attached a pic for you at the end of the post x
You are right, dear SMR, it was truly wonderful, in every way <3
Definitely one of my favourite Sunday outings, dear booksnchocolate! It will be the last one for some time though, as it gets too hot and crowded on the beach in the holiday time. Looking forward to going back in September though!
Thank you for your lovely comment, dear FF, happy you liked look and the place (it truly is heaven) <3
Scarf Enthusiast and Jerrine, I don’t know why your lovely comments did not publish, there seems to be some problem with the comment function today. But I got them via email, so thank you both very much x
Dearest Scar Enthusiast, you are so sweet and generous, thank you <3 And yes, I did wear the turquoise clic clac, I would have never thought I’d wear it as often as I do, but it seems to go with so many things I have. The dessert was DS’s.. for the kids they also have a selection of sweets (you can see the glass jars in the mirror image of the macarons) The blue one was some kind of jelly concoction in the shape of a smurf, and according to DS, truly delicious (looked good with the clic clac too, LOL)! x
I'm looking very much forward to spending a highly unlawful time here with you next year, dearest Jerrine! hugs
Oh, so your comment was published after all, Jerrine! I wanted to add that for once I am grateful that time flies <3
ReplyDeleteI always have a bit of a struggle getting a comment to "publish." I figure it just doesn't like what I have to say!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to spend time with you next October and to see this fabulous restaurant would be a wonderful treat. We might need a cashmere GM or two by then, though.
Would have gladly swapped places with you on Sunday, MaiTai - was digging in the garden for the whole day!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a beautiful restaurant, frequented by especially beautiful people :)
Lovely, lovely, lovely!! The bag was perfect! Merci Mai Tai...You add such beauty to my daily round of blogs...
ReplyDeleteDearest MaiTai, I came back and there it was - a gorgeous indoor shot! In gentler light, the colors of your dress are amazing - so lush. Also, your pendant is just so lovely, dear MaiTai - I love that you wear your H scarves with it (I think you also wore it with the Lena necklace some posts ago?) I also wear a similar style pendant with H scarves - very special together. And oops..I meant your DS ;-) You're right, the blue dessert went well with your ClicClac - I'm impressed how the colors on his plate go so well with your outfit!
ReplyDeleteHave a grand week, hugs xx
PS Sometimes my comments don't appear right away, but it seems to eventually make its way - very glad to know it made it to you today <3
What a beautiful place and you look stunning! Who else, but you, could mix patterns in such a chic and easygoing way? And the picotin is just perfect ;-)! Those pics are wonderful and such a treat - thank you so much for sharing another one of your family outings with us. Have a great week, <3, HM!
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing!! Thank you for sharing this, wish we were there. And I love your mousse with the dress, very pretty and perfect for summer! xx
ReplyDeleteOh what a lovely day you had and the food looks fab too!
ReplyDeleteLol, Jerrine! Be assured that my comment box loves what you’ve got to say! The beach restaurant however, gets completely dismantled by the end of September, only to be rebuild each April. There is only sand left in the winter.. but no worries, I can think of plenty more highly unlawful pastimes for us!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday, dear MonSacHermes, and a fun time in Paris! Please report back on FSH’s latest, I love hearing reviews. I hope too we will have that toast one day soon, we might have to upgrade to a bouteille though!
So funny, dear sushi queen. I am certain, that your day has been so much healthier than mine, I think I NEED to swap places! x
You are very welcome, my dear emilyatheart, anytime <3
Great to see you back again, my dear Scarf Enthusiast! So true re the pendant, very special in combination with our beloved scarves indeed. I have only recently got around to replace the chain, the one I had previously broke. I still don’t understand how it could have happened, and luckily the pendant did not get lost. Something good came out of it though, as the new chain is completely smooth, and works so much better with the scarves. Re DS’s dessert, I too noticed how well it went with ‘the scheme’...who knows which tiny bits of information or images influence our subconscious when making decisions, he might have overheard me remarking on how well the greens, blues and turquoises go together. Remember how I got inspired by a heap of garlic bunches quite recently ;-)
Thank you, dearest hair-mess, so happy you liked the post. It must have been your recent fabulous Sunday brunch pictures that inspired me to go out, so all thanks to you, my dear!! Have a great week too <3
Welcome back, dearest DD!! I wish so too, and there is always another time. It was so so lovely to see you, and I very much hope that we will soon again xx
Thank you, dear Scarf Addict. So nice to see you stopping by, have a great week :-)
ReplyDeleteWOW how absolutely delightful and your starter is making me drool
ReplyDeleteSorry to be so late to post,butI have just seen this latest post about a fantastic Sunday lunch at the beach!Oh,my... the scene, the people and the food almost defy description!
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful outfit worked around the mousseline is TDF and your beautiful,relaxed smile makes it so heartwarming.
I love the contrast between the bright sun and the amazingly dark,cool interior...so unexpected!
I am so happy that you get to create these long lasting memories for your DS and so grateful to you for sharing them with us.
XoXo T
Thank you for sharing the wonderful pictures of your day by the sea. You look terrific!
ReplyDeleteThe restaurant decor is inspired. Given the colors of the rich dark interior, would that inspire you to put together an outfit? The textures alone would be a delight to play with.
I loved DS's choice of dessert too. That put a smile on my face all day.
Dearest dogbiskit, your lovely comment reminds me that we must get a revival of our Aix lunch together, I very much hope it will be one day soon. Miss you!!
ReplyDeleteSo great you joined the party, dearest Trudye, it would not have been the same without you! We really ought to have a blog party in that restaurant, wouldn’t that be fun! I love that place, for all the reasons you've described so eloquently. Hugs x
Dear Kathleen, so happy you enjoyed the post! And yes you are right re the outfit, knowing the place, I chose a summer dress with a dark print.. not really a typical beach look! DS’s dessert choice charmed me too, it looked so carefully selected :-)
I am up for the party at the beach!
ReplyDeleteIt would be way too much fun:-)
Xo T
Ay caramba!! Had to borrow this line from dear Diva, who I will see tomorrow. Hop on the plane quick, dear Trudye, and join the party !!
ReplyDeleteYou look divine - not many people can look that gorgeous effortlessly! I particularly love that gilt silver mirror - what a spectacular piece!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind and lovely comment, Miss Kitty-Cat :-)
ReplyDelete