LAST DAY

Since all of our kitchen things are packed up, we treated ourselves to breakfast at Pain & Cie in Vieux Nice.  The bread baskets were just delightful!  Pas de surprise.

On our way back to the residence to start packing, there was a slight deviation for some bath salt shopping.

The afternoon was spent in free time or beach time or last minute shopping time.  It's sad to say goodbye to a city that's been home for a month.

And here's our final group dinner.  I've run out of clever things to say.  So I'll just say that these students were a delight and I'm grateful to have had the chance to meet them and to have shared this experience with them.

And for one last time, Fenocchio ice cream.  Some students, all girls I might add, got four or even five scoops.  I was so proud.

Tomorrow some of us are going to Paris, some of are going to other exotic destinations and some of us are going home.  Bon voyage à tous.  Quels beaux souvenirs que nous apportons avec nous.

Le staff vous remercie tous!

NICE 2015 OUT!!

COUNTDOWN...2 DAYS

Arg!  What is happening?  Where did this month go?  It seems like only yesterday we were watching an in-flight movie and now we're talking about packing our bags.  Double arg!!

This morning for a special event, we went to the theater.  That's right-the theater (in a British accent please).  We saw a one hour, one man production of Le Petit Prince.  This story is universally known and adored and is classiquement français.  For those of you who are not familiar with the story, there's a new movie version coming out today and looks super sweet.  (Here is where I would paste the link to youtube so you could watch the trailer, or bande annonce, but the residence blocks youtube.  Charming.)

I'm not sure if the students liked the play as much as I did, but the theater (remember, in a British accent please) was air conditioned, so everybody won!

And now for our parasailing.  It was not to be.  The sea was angry my friends.  While not the best pictures, the huge waves are quite visible.  Nick and Holden jumped in and were tossed around like a salad for a little while until all swimming was called off.  The girls took a more 'let's just get splashed' attitude.

I must say that the second failed attempt to go parasailing has totally knocked the wind out of my (para)sails, and honestly am quite disappointed for the group.  We're going to try one more time tomorrow.  On croise les doigts. 

For our last residence meal (insert sniff here),

I thought a dégustation des pâtisseries would be appropriate.  Regardez!  

No trip to France would be complete with a smorgasbord of pastries.  Everyone got to taste what they wanted and I assure you, there was nothing left.

For our second to last night in Vieux Nice, we decided to do some shopping for gifts in the marché.

One more full day.  Bags must be packed and tears must be shed.  So goes life.  A demain, pour la dernière fois.

COUNTDOWN...3 DAYS

This morning we visited a boulangerie bio as a small group outing.  Nous sommes peu nombreux...

We enjoyed des croissants, des pains au chocolat, du jus d’orange et de pomme, mais aussi des pains spéciaux, des fondants au chocolat, du gâteau de fruit et des muffins aux poires et au chocolat. Tout était délicieux!

A little birdie told me that Holden had five croissants and pains au chocolat.  I believe it.

Cyril took his conversation club to the Meridian Hotel's terrace (si chic) to converse and Jacob's photography club visited the Villa Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.  Que c'est beau!  It is the villa built and inhabited by Beatrice Rothschild Ephrussi.  It's beautifully situated on top of the Cap with splendid views of the coast and the gardens ares superb.  This house gives me serious heiress envy,

Anna Rose and Nick were tasked with taking photos of flowers up close with manual focus.  Talk about being focused!  Get it?

For dinner, the students tasted, maybe for the first time, gigot.  Miam, miam!

And then we were off to bowling.  Yes, yes, I know it's rather American, but it's also rather fun!

Not the winner, but very excited!

Also not the winner, and seeming somewhat confused as to why.

Again, not the winner, but confident nonetheless.

Enfin!  Les champions!  On vous félicite!

Cross your fingers that tomorrow's parasailing goes up without a hitch!  A demain!

COUNTDOWN...4 DAYS

I will devote today's blog to our two night time activities - an atelier crêpes and night painting.
(We were scheduled to visit la Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, but it was so stinking hot today - 95 degrees - the kids asked to go to the beach instead).

So the crepes.  Pauline made all the batter, la pâte, and then she gave a demo in the downstairs kitchen.

Then we sent all the kiddos upstairs to their rooms armed with some batter, some butter, some fillings (ham, turkey, cheese, sugar, nutella, bananas, whip cream) and a pan.  I think it's safe to say that they're all master crepe makers now.

I love this one!

For anyone who'd like to try at home, ahem Holden, here's the recipe for the batter:

2.5 liters of milk
1 kilo of flour
6 eggs

The night painting was super interesting.  Jacob used a long exposure coupled with a slow shutter speed while the students used the flashlight feature on their phones to painting words. C'est de la magie!

Tomorrow is a morning visit to a boulangerie followed by electives and then a new activity at night for us.  Stay tuned.  Bonne nuit!