DINING WITH RUSSELL CROWE AND BODY SOUND BATHS

... IN SEIGNOSSE AND BIARRITZ

Aug 03, 2024

“Does the air smell sweeter right about now?” That was the exact (ego) text I sent, back in June, to all of my NYC best friends who were expecting my arrival in the city. (and in case you’re wondering. Yes, they all did harmoniously respond with an enthusiastic “It does! You’re HERE!”)

This was the same text I felt like Paris could have sent me when I came back a few days ago from my six day blissful beach vacation haze. The city just smells sweeter with these gold medalists HERE!

I was in paradise before I left for my vacation, as you all read in my last EN ROUTE, due to a silent city and my private (and decorated) Île Saint Louis. I was fearful it would be back to business as usual after the Olympics commenced — alas, I am happy to report, I have returned to the same! The city is empty in most areas and those of us who are here, are feeling the excitement in the sweet air.

Even today! En route to the 15th – the new neighborhood I’m givin’ a whirl for the next two weeks – I passed three Olympians on their bikes. Eeep! I attempted to keep at their pace while riding James Chocolatine (she did just have a tune up yesterday after all) – but since she is a 3-speed (with really only one that works properly), we decided to do what we do best and just ring our bell to cheer them on.

FIRST STOP SEIGNOSSE

Caroline and I met in Bordeaux last Thursday (where the streets were smelling sweet there too. They’re holding some of the Summer Games). We rented a car and were southwest bound.

We arrived at Villa Étang Blanc, THE most precious hotel. In fact it reminded me SO much of my old stomping grounds in Montauk, The Crows Nest. An understated chic oasis. We did a quick change and then off we went to find the sun. That was our mission the entire week – chasing the sun. We found her alright! And pulled up a seat to watch her set at La Cabane des Estagnots.

The next day started with an elegant and MASSIVE breakfast for two. We had the best table with the best view of the lake. And, we ordered 17 cappuccinos each in order to wash down our fare of… local yogurt with homemade granola, fruit, eggs, croissants, baguettes with chef David Sulpice’s rhubarb & strawberry jam, jambon ibéique, fromage de brebis, cake… just typing this is making me full!

And yet even after all of that… the Léon market was still calling our names. We shopped around, ordered lunch from Le Jardin d'Ava to take away, bought the yummiest melons, cheeses, baguettes, and gâteau basque (a signature of this area, so I learned), then, we made our way to Cami’s house for the afternoon feast with her and her sweet family — Tomi and Miki.

Before we arrived, I got so excited. “We get to hold a baby today!” I told Caroline, who looked confused. THEN! I remembered … oh! Wait! Cami’s bébé is probably ummmm …could it be? Is he 5??!!!!!!!! I hadn’t seen Cami since she was pregnant FIVE years ago in Biarritz (on another of Caroline and my beach vacations). [Tell me… I’m not the only one who thinks that no-one’s life moves forward unless I’m involved on a daily basis. Everyone thinks that way. Right?!!! I truly was ready to give that baby a bottle. Thought he had been cooking in the womb this whole time I was away from her.]

Miki, her 5 year old, met us at the door. EDIBLE!!!!! I really only wanted him for lunch. I could have eaten him. And kinda did. I kissed his mouth too many times to count. I think he liked it — he kept coming back for more… puckered up!

Even though I 100% fell asleep while they all talked softly in the living room – something about this Southern French air had me Zzzzz-ing often during the days – we couldn’t stay too late. Caroline and I had massages to get to! Well… I didn’t. I had a sound bath.

When I arrived at this master ayurveda guru healer masseuse lady that Caroline had booked us with – she decided that I needed a body sound bath instead of a massage that day. Disappointed at first – you all KNOW I live for a massage. I then got excited. I had never had this before and trusted that she, the “doctor” in this situation, knew best.

She said I needed to “stir up” all that was going on internally and let the vibrations do the “body” work for me. Boy did they! They “worked” for two straight days and nights (she said that could potentially be a side effect… not sleeping. It was for me. Felt electric!) After my session she told me how much she loved my sound. I didn’t understand what she meant until she explained that everyone’s body caries a different sound with the bowls. WILD.

We went to a pub for dinner that night (only place open) and caught some of the Opening Ceremony on the screens. It felt nice, to be honest, that I had missed the mayhem of that rainy evening on ÎSL and got to watch it in the comfort of our dry, calm, barstools.

We practiced yoga the next morning on the grass beside the lake at the hotel. After class, we took impromptu cappuccinos on the deck overlooking the foggy morning. (At checkout, days later, we found out that the staff loved us so much that they gifted those to us that morning … along with a slice each of homemade cake! Caroline insisted it was because kept complementing them enthusiastically while practicing French. And they thought it was cute. Whatever the reason. The coffees were a treat.)

With a quick change in our suite, we were off to chase that sun…

We found her again. This time while we drank smoothies from Le Mango Tree and people watched on Lac d'Hossegor. (Where I refused to go to the public loo. I. Can. NOT! Why is it drenched all the time?! They say it’s because they “sanitize” it after each use. But good lord. It grosses me out on a different level to walk into a soaking wet loo and pretend it's clean. I pride myself on not being “precious” – but if being precious is not using that nasty facility… then call me “Presh” for short. HARD PASS.)

Next stop was the beach at Vielle Saint Girons for the most comfortable temperature day. We swam and fell asleep and swam more and fell asleep more… then, at nightfall we made our way back to the hotel where we ordered rosé and hummus (that we thought our waitress went to West Asia to get the chickpeas for – it took SO LONG) and enjoyed being the most casual ones there lounging beside the lake. Everyone else was in there “Sunday Bests” having a drink before they were to taste that famed Michelin star meal that our hotel restaurant was serving up! We too were headed to a star restaurant of our own for dinner. That is, that three star noodle restaurant we found on Google. It should have been four!

We decided to sleep late on our last day in Seignosse – so we woke up at 7am. I KNOW!

I took some time downstairs to write that morning and be with my favorite staff — practicing my French complements — while Caroline got ready. I then ordered coffee. Lots of coffee.

We took our very jumpy and caffeinated bodies for a walk in Caroline’s favorite forrest promptly after. One time, my friend, and Simon’s sister in law, Maureen, told me that when she goes on vacation with her husband she has to plan outside activities to “take the dog out.” An expression she came up with because her husband has energy that needs releasing – like a Goldie Hawn or, who am a kidding, a dog that actually likes to move. So, that’s exactly what we did that morning. Caroline took her (“precious” I might say) dog (moi) out to release energy on ummmm the SANDIESET hike of my life.

Again, I’m not precious (ok, maybe a little), but what? Would you like sand in your shoes when you aren’t prepared AT ALL. By the time we reached the water, from the dunes we hiked, I was walking as slowly and carefully as a sloth as to not throw sand in my sneaks. Caroline was cheering me on (with a side of laughs and eye-rolls) while getting bit by a massive fly/tick/beetle looking bug. Eeek!!! (The swelling has completely gone down, I’m happy to report. She texted me that news today.)

I may not do sand in my shoes, but Caroline doesn’t do bugs. Like… at all! So we were both in our mini hells – yet in heaven. We were exploring in a sea forest full of pines. It smelled like Christmas and felt like summer – couldn’t have been a better combo!

After working up an appetite, we returned to Le Jardin d'Ava so we could really make sure the curry and the chia teas were as great as we remembered from ummm (only) two days ago. Verdict – They were!

After, we went to chase that almighty sunshine. And she showed up… in full force!

The second we had Caroline’s Fat Boy tent pitched, the sun came out, and stayed out. I, therefore, went in and stayed in. The tent that is. What? Precious girl, precious skin. I fell so hard asleep. Is there actually anything better in life than a beach nap?

Once Caroline had had her fill of nearly, but not quite, sunburn – we made a move to the car – Biarritz here we come!

BIARRITZ

We arrived, similar to how we arrived in Seignosse. After Caroline did the impossible and made a 198 point turn to fit into the tiniest place (we held our breath the next morning that there were no scratches from other cars on our rental. Proud to say. NONE! Caroline is a pro!), we dropped our bags in our hotel room, had a quick shower and change, and then sought out to find her again… the sun that is!

And we did! Just like in Seignosse, we went to a local favorite, Etxola Bibi, for beers and a good surf movie. Ooops, I mean surf watching. It could be a movie the way it locks you in! But alas… it was real! Surfers for days out in the wide open ocean.

Here, we gabbed and cried a bit about all kinds of things (the ocean can bust you wide open sometimes), then we laughed, and then we got hungry! Eating… again? I know! All we’ve been doing is eating I think. But that too happens on vacation. Your hunger NEVER ends. We took our meal at Barranco and then we crashed. The next morning was another early wakeup call. We had pilates at 7:30am!!!!

Proud to say that I got ample “Excellent, Anne Caroline(s)” during class. I may be struggling still in French, but I definitely understood that! And, it was only my 2nd time on the reformers. Just sayin’. Your girl isn’t JUST precious. She’s skilled!

We treated ourselves to a matcha and chai from their studio café and then we really treated ourselves when we entered the Hôtel Du Palais Biarritz – Where they showed us to our table on our PRIVATE terrace. We had cappuccinos overlooking the early soft calm waves. HEAVEN.

Roaming about the town we decided to stop off for an açaí bowl – not a great idea. We could see right in the window of the kitchen and us precious girls saw that they didn’t wash their berries!!!!! Don’t know if this is a “placebo effect” moment, if you will, or… if the pesticides really did make us ill. Alas, we didn’t feel so hot after that and therefore, I am not linking that place for you to discover. I can’t be responsible for my precious friends eating that same gar-bage.

We didn't’ feel so hot maybe… But what did feel hot?! The SUN! She was out and ready for us to come bake again.

We cruised to two beaches – vetoing both due to the heavy fog (Biarritz is oceanic. Therefore, it is quite hot with sometimes very heavy rains and very thick fog) – before we arrived at Plage de l’océan. This has officially become my all time favorite public beach. It’s in Anglet, France. It has huge waves, its sand is really just tiny (excuse the American reference coming your way) dip-and-dot size pebbles – so you never get dirty, and there is an incredible restaurant on the beach, Ozeanoa Anglet, serving the yummiest and cleanest food. I know!! It’s all about the food with me in this one.

Neither of us knew if it was because it was our last day, or because we just nailed this beach… but it was both of our favorites! It was a prize!!

Caroline and I spent our last night in Biarritz with Russell Crowe eating mussels. (Pretty sure it is 100% not the season to eat these. But when in Rome, eh?! And, I’m a Crowe and crowd follower. Everyone, even Russell, was doing it. So. I did too). We’re actually also 100% sure that it wasn’t him – it was his doppelgänger. But we certainly stared enough to make him feel famous (or uncomfortable. One of the two). And we took an obvious photo of Caroline, just to get him in the frame! He was stirring in his seat. Poor thing. I don’t think the real Robbin Hood would have done that. He would have signed his mussel drenched napkin for us.

Before dinner at Casa Juan Pedro, we had wine and cheese at Harremanak. Bliss!

In Biarritz, our chic hotel went by the name of wait for it.. wait for it… Best Western. Yes, that’s right! I can hear my family’s audible gasp. Again… I keep saying I’m not precious. But maybe I am!! I am a travel snob. That, I know for sure. Part of the fun, in my opinion, is where you stay when you go somewhere new. I’m not one of those people who are like “Oh, who cares. We won’t be in the room long anyway.” Nah!!! I’m the opposite. Sometimes I even choose to GO to said place BECAUSE of the hotel I want to stay. Ok… so c’est la vie. It was PRESH … and I don’t mean that in the term I’ve been using for myself in this EN ROUTE. Everything was white and red and friendly.

And… actually… I must admit. I need to eat my words. All of you who agree with the above quotation. You’re right this time, Ok!!! I guess sometimes you don’t need the bells and whistles when you’re not in the room AT ALL. Caroline and I may have spent a full 18 hours total in that room that we had for three days and two nights. So, ok.. In this ONE case – you’re right. It didn’t matter where we stayed since we had the BEACH.

We walked the city very early on our last morning in search for coffee – which we found at LOBITA Marché in the center market (we also found crepes and carrot cake! Things that our bathing-suit-season-bodies didn’t need, but somehow demanded on vacation) – then we hopped in the car and bolted to Bordeaux belting Celine Deon (can you handle her performance for the Olympics?! We had it on repeat. Caroline teared up every time) and Adel’s “30” album. We thought we were guests on Carpool Karaoke.

I was happy that we wheeled into the train station parking garage with only minutes to spare for my departure... this way I could smooch my French bestie quickly and hop out before I got emotional – no time for tears.

I got a voicetext today from her “I miss our time together so much!” Today, I had time for them – so the tears came. I miss our time together too! It was a dream!

GREENLIGHTS

While on the trip I got a call from Jen, my friend who is renting me her apartment, in August, in the 11th so that I can explore another possible FUTURE AC area. She said “AC I have bad news. I can’t go to my house in Burgundy until the 12th now. Therefore, I can’t start renting to you on August 4th like I said I could.” Uh oh!!!—You’d think. Alas, as the universe would have planned it… it wasn’t bad news at all! It was actually a GREENLIGHT for us both.

My dear friend Miranda, who is out of town with her sweet family, had offered me their GORGEOUS, classic, Parisian apartment with all the modern upgrades that you’d ever want as a precious girl (I mean their kitchen is the size of a Pétanque court to put it in Olympic (and French) terms, and their bathtub is what my dreams are made of) until they return on wait for it… wait for it… August 12th!!!!! If that isn’t flow… what is?! Jen was over the moon that she wasn’t putting me out and I was over the moon that I got to stay in this home of a best friend for longer. I like to explore different areas – but lord I like to be settled sometimes too. I’m not meant to be a nomad. After all – I’m precious, remember!?

And!! While we were still in Seignosse, we picked up a sweet hitch-hiking girl. She was hustling to make a train and was dragging her two-wheel-suitcase on the highway. She looked pitiful. I looked over at Caroline and said “we MUST pick her up.” She agreed, so she pulled over and I yelled out “As tu besoin d'aide?!” (do you need help?) She did. GREENLIGHT for her. And for us — a highlight of our trip.

BACK IN PARIS

Since coming back, I’ve had a beer at La Brasserie de l'Isle Saint-Louis (my watering hole when I pretend to take residence there) before I unlocked James Chocolatine and biked her off the island to see Jen for dinner at Brasserie Martin. I have gotten to go for two long runs (and lift weights – I mean, watch out all you gold medalist! I’m training too. or just trying to lose that carrot cake that I ate on the train). I’ve toured a sweet apartment (not taking it – I wasn’t in love with it). I’ve seen Mel for lunch, sat on the canal, had THE best night with three of my favorites – Miranda, Nico, and my boodle Margaux (who, I’m just sayin’… runs for ME when she sees I’m in the room now. We’re in love!) – at the Olympic SWISS house for beers and then home for a tapas spread and spend the night party, and I have accepted an invitation to watch part of the Olympic bike race later today with a new friend and her family.

All in all… it was a great vacation week and Paris is smelling sweeter and sweeter upon my return!

xxo