Felinity on la Côte d'Azur - Week's End

[altered post from 24 August 2008; stripped of some extraneous html & 5,000 all rights reserved notices; it is all rights reserved but obviously we didn't know what we were doing last year. Thanks again to Jilly, who is so very generous & has given the go-ahead again for these 2 great pix. Please do visit her Menton, Riviera Daily, & Postcards from Milou photography blogs. We do, every single day. Lovely sites with excellent prose as a welcome bonus. More information about her life is in the post below. We hope you have a wonderful weekend & we hope to be back next week.]

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A breath of fresh Mediterranean air from GG Central.

Earlier this month, we had heaps of basil bestowed upon us by the munificent Maria Caterina di Perugia, Hermione the Cool Cat’s human-maman). GG’s editor dragged out an old recipe for Soup menton. Then, choses Menton (and all things southern French—from west to east) began to pop up.

A few days ago, one link led to another, to the Menton Daily Photo, & we just had to go. A beyond-adorable cat was the Thursday, 21 August 2008 Daily Photo. GG was entranced, as was her editor. The tabby-tiger resembles our late, dear Teddy & Oliver in their mischievous-but-sweet, pink-nosed splendor. Beyond the cuteness factor, note the elegant shot & the colors in both photos; anyone with thumbs can take a photo of a cute cat. This is different….and all due to the skill & empathy of photographer/hotelier/writer Jilly Bennett.

Also in the MDP, meet Woolite the Swimming Sheep (yes!) & Manon, the baby donkey at the Fête Patronale de la Saint Barthélémy.

Jilly’s main website is Pension Milou, “…PM... is a 5-star 'pension familiale' for dogs on the Côte d'Azur. The dogs who come to stay, live in the house with me - no kennels or cages. Here you'll read stories of their lives and mine on the French Riviera."

To round out her empire, Jilly publishes Riviera Dogs & Monte Carlo Daily Photo. They are lovely--a mini-holiday. It is well worth a drop-in for a smile, a recommendation to friends, & a thought about our friends–human & animal–across the sea. Read here about Jilly's life & work with animals in the South of France in Real Life Stories from Provence. She's an inspiration.

We plan to visit Menton Daily Photo every day to maintain our sanity in a world gone mad.

Cheers & ciao-meow to all!

© 2007 - 2009 · Jilly Bennett · Menton Daily Photo · All Rights Reserved/photos used by permission of photographer

A little Provence, a little Silver Spring

Bread, some Fourme d’Ambert, mixed with a bit of sweet butter, nuts, olives, & a slightly chilled dry rosé make for a lovely late summer’s evening. (It’s still summer as far as GG Central is concerned.) Above is a label from a bottle we enjoyed last summer…nothing fancy, just right.

GG Central’s friend Bibi came to dinner a few weeks ago. She brought a delicious rosé, a Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, ‘Sabine,’2007 (Syrah/Grenache). It’s very affordable, so run out & get some if you can. GG’s editor served rare slices of magret on wild greens, cannellini vinaigrette…The delicious wine (& grand company) kept us at the table long into the evening.

Tonight, a different sort of Provencal evening; some lavender bath gel & a smidge of L’Occitane lavender hand cream. Stress in GG Central continues. The Bach Rescue Remedy is not enough, so we’re calling in Provencal lavender reinforcements. The good work of the L’Occitane Foundation also conjures soothing thoughts.

Though GG has lots of work tomorrow, she’s looking forward to seeing two of her favorite people, Isa & her bambino, le petit P.

Two weeks ago, GG’s editor & Isa had fun watching P. bravely encounter the Silver Spring fountain. That’s him in the photo above, performing with the dancing waters…he’s adorable & already has his maman's panache…especially when he speaks Franglais. GG’s editor delights in the honorific ‘Tata’ to this petit lapin.

GG pouted as she was left behind. GG's editor has decided that as soon as appropriate accessories are in hand (halter, lead), GG can make some field trips. For that, we must borrow a camera!

Sweet dreams, nos amis.

Bisou, xoxo, GG

Provence

By Tony of Vence.