January...
when days are short and skies mainly grey, it's wonderful to make an
escape to the little fishing village of Bouzigues, famous for its
oysterbeds and seaside restaurants. Last week, we turned Wednesday into
Sunday, and went to enjoy the catch of the day along with a fresh breeze
from the sea.
'Le
Grand Bleu' is our favorite. The service is warm and the food
excellent, no wonder it's always packed... don't forget to make a
reservation in advance.
Although it's a fish restaurant, I can never resist having Pimentos as a starter...they are so delicious.
The perfect wine to go with it..the local Picpoul de Pinet
And of course aioli, olive oil and 'Fleur de Sel' salt from the Camargue
Beautiful soft light after lunch
Capsule wardrobe pieces: grey turtleneck sweater, blue jeans and a camel coat.
Accessories: Hermès Picotin 18 in bleu sapphire, Chaine d'ancre enamel
bracelet and Evelyne gloves in camel
Shoes: suede sneakers
Le Grand Bleu: 13 Avenue Louis Tudesq, 34140 Bouzigues, Tel: + 33 (0) 4 67 78 72 09
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Dreamy, evocative pictures! And so chic as usual 🌟
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the lovely comment!
DeleteThe light is so magical, dearest MT! And the pimentos such a deep, gorgeous green. I'm cautious about peppers, are these very hot? I'm reminded how well camel and blue look together. Thanks for sharing this interlude with us!
ReplyDeleteMuch aloha,
Fifi
The light was truly soft and gentle, dearest Fifi. Everything looked like a painting! The Pimentos were gentle too.. xx
DeleteThanks so much - I was indeed looking for the older blog entries of Bouziques, but couldn't find them. And here you are - new and links to the old! The winter light is magical and the food looks mouthwatering, yummy...Love blue and camel, it's a great combination. Looking forward to more Paris pics, have a wonderful week,
ReplyDeleteKatja
There is something to be said for each medium...as much as I love IG, the linking options/story telling possibilities in the blog format are just wonderful. Here's another (mini) Bouzigues post: http://www.maitaispicturebook.com/2011/02/capsule-wardrobe-29-trip-to-bouzigues.html
DeleteRe blue and camel.. such a fun surprise to see so many blue/brown combinations a few days later at FSH! More Paris pics to come on Instagram in a minute..see you there!
You are absolutely right, dear MaiTai - as much as I enjoy IG, I wouldn't want to miss the blog. Thanks again for more links- I think I need to start planning a trip to the South of France. Just the light is worth it, plus markets, restaurants...
DeleteBTW, am wearing blue & camel today, you inspired me:)
Katja
Same here... IG is great for snippets, but the blog gives room for sharing a story and to get together with all the swans! Hope you can come to the South of France one day soon <3
DeletePS. Still wearing blue and camel ;)
Beautiful…keep it coming, we love your style and your blog
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gill! So happy you enjoy the blog :)
DeleteMaking a weekday into a Sunday is always a wonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteBarbaraG
And we don't do it often enough... :)
DeleteAhhhh, I have fond memories of Bouziques and Le Grand Bleu. And, that lovely camel cashmere coat is back to haunt us.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, MT, and not a snow drift in sight!
Happy Monday (if there is such a thing) to all the lovely swans,
Jerrine
Jerrine, we have such nice get-togethers on the IG-pond...but you are dearly missed! Or I haven't I spotted you yet...? Come join us:)
DeleteThen we can fight for the coat!
Happy week and hope to see you soon,
Katja
Katja,
DeleteI've here dearest, but you're right, I haven't posted on IG yet. I do look and, of course, admire though.
I guess I'll have to remedy this situation soon. And, yes, that gorgeous coat is still haunting me.
Hope you are splendid,
Jerrine
Happy memories indeed, Dearest! Wish we could repeat them right here, right now <3
DeleteKatja you are absolutely right.. without Jerrine the IG swan lake is a mere pond!
I love that you turned Wednesday into Sunday and broke with the usual for a trip to the sea. There are so many beautiful little escapes at your fingertips!
ReplyDeleteI love it when you take us here. Mother Nature's bounties in abundance in Bouzigues!
Your color palette,as always, so in harmony with the surroundings. Beautiful all...
Looking forward to seeing the blue/brown color story evolve after seeing the Paris windows!
Have a wonderful inspired week darling friend, T xx
Good lord, darling MT, I have had a chance to take a closer look at these pics!
DeleteEVERYTHING. EVERYTHING is in perfect sync with your coat and Pico!
From the blue canopy in front of the cafe, the napkin cradling the wine bottle, to the main sail cover and mast on the beautiful sailboat...WOW!
You never cease to amaze me!
Btw...I think you need to stake a claim on that sailboat! It was made for you<3
Happy week to all of the swans, xx
Bouzigues is truly a magical little place, and seaside places are just so lovely in winter. So funny re the color palette, I noticed it too when I started putting the pictures together back home. Makes me think that our subconscious might just play a bigger role when we put an outfit together than we think...knowing we're heading to the sea perhaps 'made me reach' for blue in the first place! Mwahs and have a most wonderful weekend xx
DeleteThe light is so exquisite in your photos--and I love the juxtaposition of the yellow lemons, the green leaves and the rough oyster shells--what a combination! And, of course, you're wearing the coat--the coat I have a coat crush on! It looks like a lovely weekend getaway--we're planning one to a small Mississippi river town in two weeks. And there will be GRITS! (Jerrine and Katja, are you paying attention?!) xoxo
ReplyDeleteYep, Greta, I focused right in on those grits. Just be sure that they have either lots of cheese or lots of shrimp or both. Must compensate for the bland!
DeleteHave a lovely getaway (even though grits will be involved.) And, I assume that you know what GRITS stands for, right?
I don't want to leave any of the lovely swans in the dark, so here it is. If you capitalize grits, it means Girls Raised in the South, aka Southern Belles.
And, yes, Greta, that wonderful coat is back. It's haunting us, isn't it!
Have fun,
Jerrine
GRITS?? I'm on my way- have to try this!!
DeleteYou've described the pictures in such beautiful words, I'm in awe...
Enjoy your getaway!
Katja
This Southern Belle will be enjoying her grits with plenty of cheese--life is too short for boring foods! We're actually running away over Mardi Gras holiday (I know, everywhere else in the world, it's just another Tuesday!) since my husband has a few days off from school. So we're off to our favorite B&B where they know us so well they give us a room with two televisions--one so Andy can watch the Superbowl, and one so I can watch Downton Abbey!
DeleteI'm sure everyone else is too young to remember, but grits immediately makes Flo from the old TV show Alice spring to my mind--"Well kiss my grits!" I just thought she was the funniest thing even though I had no idea what she was talking about!
xoxo to you both--
Greta
You ladies and your grits make me laugh! I absolutely love the acronym. Alas, I am not a GRIT, always thought it would be cool to be one. I'm a IAGRINY (Italian-American Girl Raised in New York). Or a IAHGRINY if you squeeze in the Hawaiian. Greta, have a wonderful trip!
DeleteBon voyage,
Fifi
Fifi, GRITS are the coolest, but everyone knows it's those Italian-American girls that really know their way around the kitchen. And Hawaii? Well, at this time of year, could you ask for anything better?
DeleteStay warm, everyone!
Greta
Greta, should we make Fifi an honorary GRIT? I think so. If we do, I'm betting that she might share some fabulous Italian dishes with us. Maybe Katja would like to be a GRIT, too? Katja, what are you offering :)?
DeleteYou are most wise for escaping Mardi Gras all together. I think it's only enjoyable at this point if you're a college student, love to swill beer and Jell-O shots and don't mind having half a dozen drunks throw up on your feet. Definitely not for me!
Enjoy yourself, and yes,
Kiss my grits,
Jerrine
Y'all heard Jerrine--GRITS membership is open to all who bribe us with food!
Deletexx, Greta
Greta,
DeleteI remember Flo! Also, what comes to my mind are the "grit" scenes from My Cousin Vinny. I'll admit my favorite recipe for cheese grits is by the fabulous New Yorker, Ina Garten.
Have a wonderful trip,
Rebecca
Rebecca,
DeleteI will eat anything she makes! I listened to an interview with her the other day (on a PBS podcast) and she was speaking on opening her store in the Hamptons--and how she just wanted every day to feel like a party! I loved that--is it a New York attitude, I wonder?!
Greta
H. scarves would be acceptable barter, as well, Greta.
DeleteIna is fabulous isn't she, Rebecca? (Love her Paris cookbook.) She's also an Hermès aficionado. How could we not like her? MT is going to have to make her an honorary Swan.
Best to you two,
Jerrine
Oh wow, I missed all the food talk! I remember Flo too, and the grits scene from MCV, a movie I enjoyed tremendously, though I never met any Italians like them. Ina Garten makes it all look so easy. I would love to go to her beautiful house for lunch. Meanwhile, y'all, I accept the honorary title of GRIT with a sense of entitlement that screams, "True GRIT!" I promise to wear my magnolia wrist corsage with pride. I'm sure I can dig up an old family recipe that doesn't involve frozen food "doctored up."
DeleteCiao bella, y'all,
Fifi
Greta, Jerrine, Katja, Fifi and Rebecca.. you are the funniest GRITS I've ever known, you had me rolling with laughter. Don't think the Alice show aired in Europe, but we certainly had Bonanza! The Cartright family might have even had grits for breakfast. Must google Ina Garten! Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and Greta a most fun and fabulous time away! Grits hugs xx
DeleteAll these wonderful photograph have such similar colours to the SS Hermes - taupe, brown and blue... Maitai your are a genius... ❤️
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is the seaside where Hermès'designers got their inspiration from this season..<3
DeleteSo lovely - the food, the light, that coat. Heavenly...
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to know you enjoyed the post, thank you!
Delete:-) You just make me want to leave rainy Vienna and take a trip to the sea…
ReplyDeleteIt looks so peaceful and quiet and yet alive.
The food…yum!
Have a very HAPPY week, dear MaiTai! :-)
So well described, this is exactly how Bouzigues is...in winter! I've never been in the summer, it gets probably quite crowded. Have a lovely weekend ahead!
DeleteDearest friend, I'm fascinated about the beautiful light, your stunning figure, your camel coat, the magical photograph of the light shining on the water...
ReplyDeleteI can almost smell the sea like when I am home, in Porto. Bouzigues is such a wonderful place! I'm so happy you 'take' us with you there my dearest Mai Tai.
To you and all the girls, have a great week ahead! Warmest hugs, Manuela xx
I can imagine how the pictures of Bouzigue make you think of your hometown, my dearest Manuela! Porto must be so beautiful, I very much hope to visit one day. Friendship hugs xx
DeleteI hope you do, Dearest. <3 Mxx
DeleteI hope you do, Dearest. <3 Mxx
Deletegorgeous post, love the oysters, the sea, your hair, the lot x
ReplyDeleteThank you, dearest FF x
DeleteTrès bel endroit que j ai connu grâce a toi .Merci .
ReplyDeleteTrès chic même en décontracté .J'adore tout du manteau au picotin surtout que sa y est j'en ai eu un pour mon anniversaire .
Bonne fin de semaine a toi et au cygnes du salon
Bises Myriam
Joyeux anniversaire chère Myriam et félicitation sur ton nouveau sac Picotin! Passe un merveilleux week end. Bises
Delete