Win a Copy of the 2021 French Country Diary

Every day I hear from people telling me how they can’t wait to travel again...and can’t wait to get back to France. Meanwhile, I thought the newest French Country Diary by Linda Dannenberg might take the edge off the cravings. So I dropped a note to Linda and asked if she’d like to offer me a copy or two of the 2021 edition, to give away here on my blog. In classic Linda style, she came back tres vite: “Oui, bien sur! How about three of them? And I’ll sign them, of course!” 

Linda is one of the biggest Francophiles I know, the author of 12 books on French design, lifestyle and food. She was bitten by the bug early, during a post-grad year in Paris spent working at a couture textiles firm. “I fell in love with the bistros and cafés on every corner, with the galleries on the rue de Seine, with the smell of Gauloises in the air, with the Paris Métro,” she remembers. When her Gallic escapade was over, Linda moved to New York and launched a media career, starting at CBS News and moving on to editorial jobs at Family Circle and Working Woman.

“The jobs were amazing and fulfilling,” she says, “but eventually the Lorelei call of France, and a book contract, proved impossible to resist!”

Linda returned to France to write The Paris Way of Beauty (Simon & Schuster) and more than a dozen books followed, including a quartet of iconic Pierre Deux French Country titles. Her Paris Boulangerie-Pâtisserie was nominated for a Julia Child Cookbook of the Year Award while her book with 3-star chef Alain Ducasse, Ducasse: Flavors of France, was nominated for a James Beard Award and went on to win the Versailles International Cookbook Award.

She’s also written on cuisine, design and travel for Town & Country, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Travel & Leisure, House Beautiful, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and Departures.

And every year, for 33 years now, Linda has published the much-loved French Country Diary, a weekly hardcover calendar showcasing sumptuous interior design, lush gardens, extraordinary landscapes and lots of “poetic art de vivre.” Published by Abrams Books with photos by the Paris- and Brittany-based photographer Guillaume de Laubier, the latest edition takes us to a thatched-roof farmstead in Normandy’s Marais-Vernier to the majestic Château de Montgeoffroy in the Anjou (a time-capsule of 18th-century style) to a gardener's cottage in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Among the amazing private collections featured are 19th-century faience in Bordeaux, Napoleonica in Paris and a home devoted to parrots (!!) near Dieppe. The Diary also notes nationally recognized holidays and observances, with ample space for notes, appointments, addresses and reminders. As in years past, the book is embellished with Provençal textiles from Olivades. It has a cloth spine, a ribbon marker and 58 gorgeous photos.

“My readers tell me they use it as much for decorating ideas and planning French travel itineraries as they do for recording important dates throughout the year,’’ Linda tells me.

Madame Dannenberg, for her part, says the thing she misses most when she can’t visit France (she hasn’t travelled more than 10 km from her home in Westchester, NY since mid March!), is definitely the bistro cooking.

“I miss the ambiance and romance of an iconic bistro such as La Fontaine de Mars in Paris or Le Bistrot du Paradou in the Alpilles,” she says. In place of the real thing, Linda reaches for books filled with evocative descriptions of memorable meals, such as A. J. Liebling's classic Between Meals: An Appetite for Paris, Amanda Hesser's The Cook and the Gardner and Martin Walker's Inspector Bruno series.

“And when I’m truly inspired and longing for Paris,” Linda continues, “I pull out one of my own early cookbooks, Paris Bistro Cooking, and prepare a family meal of classic bistro favorites: a Salade Verte au Chèvre Chaud (Wild Greens Salad with Warm Goat Cheese) from Michel Rostang's Bistrot d'à Côté; Boeuf à la Mode (Braised Beef and Carrots) from Benoît; and a Tarte au Citron (Lemon Tart) from Polidor."

Lucky family!

So speaking of luck...on to the contest! To win a signed, personalized copy of the 2021 French Country Diary, simply leave a comment below and tell us what you miss most about France when you can’t be here...and what do you do to visit virtually. Do you cook French? Lose yourself in French music, movies or books? Do you brush up your French skills with language-learning apps or an old textbook? We want to know! This contest is open to anyone in any country, including France.

To comment, click where it says COMMENTS just below. If your name comes up in the little box, choose that. If it doesn’t, choose NAME/URL from the drop down. (If you don’t have your own website or blog you can leave URL blank.) Please be sure to leave us your email or we can’t contact you if you win. If you have any problem commenting at all, drop me a note (provenceblog@aol.com) and I’ll help. Or send me your name and your thoughts and I’ll be happy to post them for you. Linda and I will choose three winners, confirm your mailing address and send your beautiful Diary right off. (I told Linda I’d be happy to help with shipping and she said “Oh don’t worry...just send me some Herbes de Provence!”)

For those of you who prefer to enter on Instagram, the contest is on my page here. (To follow Linda, her page is here.)

Bonne Chance! And if you'd like to just go ahead and buy the Diary, you'll find it on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Calendars.com and in English on Amazon.fr.

Photos: (1) You deserve to win this more than anyone! Actually if you win and want to give the Diary as a gift, Linda will inscribe it to your giftee and ship it directly to them. (2) Linda and her photographer Guillaume de Laubier shooting a holiday meal in Paris. Photo by Françoise Hontebeyrie. (3) One of Linda's favorite Paris bistros is La Fontaine de Mars. (4) A thatched-roof farmhouse and B&B called Les Cigognes, in the Normandy countryside near Honfleur. (5) Vintage wooden sailboats, for rent at Le Grand Bassin in the Luxembourg Gardens, have been delighting Parisian children for over a century. (6) Le Perche, a bucolic region tucked into the southeastern corner of Normandy, makes a perfect destination for a weekend trip from Paris. An essential stop when you're exploring the area is the lovely hilltop village of La Perrière, where you'll find La Maison de L'Horbé, this restaurant and antiques emporium. (7) Linda writes: "At sunset, when Deauville's vast white sand beach is tinted pink in the rosy light, the large, vibrantly-hued parasols are closed and wrapped with swaths of contrasting canvas. It's a gorgeous time to be on this iconic beach." (8) Hôtel d'une île is a small rustic inn set in the deep woodland of Le Perche, near the town of Rémalard. (9) On a sun-dappled terrace, crusty breads await you at breakfast at the three-star L'Oustau de Baumanière in Les Baux. * All photos, except as mentioned above, are by @guillaumedelaubier and appear in either the 2020 or 2021 edition of the French Country Diary. 

March 19: On your Mark, Get Set, Eat French!

On Thursday, March 19, more than 1,300 restaurants in 150 countries will offer special dinner menus designed to celebrate French gastronomy in all its forms.

Participating chefs include some of the top names in French cuisine — among them Paul Bocuse, GuySavoy, Joël Robuchon, Raymond Blanc and Marc Haeberlin — along with scores of other French and non-French chefs working in France and abroad.

Known as Goût de France, the initiative was spearheaded by superstar chef Alain Ducasse and Laurent Fabius, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development. 

The duo was inspired by legendary culinarian Auguste Escoffier, who launched the “Dîners d’Épicure” in 1912. Escoffier’s idea was to promote French cuisine by serving the same menu on the same day in cities all over the globe.

Ducasse says that Goût de France will "honor the merits of French food, its capacity for innovation, and its values: sharing, enjoying, and respecting the principles of high-quality, environmentally responsible cuisine." (The event is also being called Good France, as opposed to the literal translation of its name, Taste of France).

In everything from rustic bistros to gilded Michelin-starred dining rooms, those lucky enough to get a table will enjoy a set-price French-style menu featuring a traditional French apéritif, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish, meat or poultry, French cheese, a chocolate dessert, and French wines and digestifs.

The chefs are free to highlight their own culinary traditions and culture, but have been directed to base the meal upon fresh, seasonal, and local products, with an eye to lower levels of fat, sugar, salt, and protein.

Menu prices are at the chefs’ discretion, and all participants have been encouraged to donate 5% of their proceeds to a local NGO promoting health and/or environmental protection.

French embassies abroad will also be involved, staging their own Goût de France dinners with ambassadors present. A grand dinner will be held at the Château de Versailles for foreign ambassadors posted in Paris along with other dignitaries.

After an open call for applications, Ducasse and his 40-chef committee chose the finalists based on the “coherence and quality of their proposed menus.”

Here in the South of France, you can see everyone who’s participating by clicking here. Below is just a selection; most but not all have posted their special menu and price on the Goût de France site.

*Gérald Passédat (Le Petit Nice, Marseille)

*Lionel Levy (Hotel Inter Continental, Marseille)

*Ludovic Turac (Une Table au Sud, Marseille)

*Guillaume Sourrieu (L’Epuisette, Marseille)

*Marc de Passorio (L’Esprit de la Violette, Aix)

*Pierre Reboul (Restaurant Pierre Reboul, Aix)

*Mathias Dandine (Les Lodges Sainte Victoire, Aix)

*Christophe Martin (Bastide de Moustiers, Moustiers)

*Erwan Louaisil (Moulin de Mougins, Mougins)

*Ronan Kervarrec (La Chèvre d'Or, Eze)

*David Cahen (Au Petit Gari, Nice)

*Notel Mantel (Mantel, Cannes)

*Alain Llorca (Restaurant Alain Llorca, La Colle sur Loup)

*Yoric Tieche (La Passagère, Juan Les Pins)

*Benjamin Collombat (Cote Rue, Draguignan)

*Paolo Sari (Elsa, Roqeubrune Cap Martin)

*Jean-Francois Berard (Hostellerie Berard, La Cadiere d’Azur)

*Benoit Witz (L'Hostellerie De L'Abbaye De La Celle, La Celle)

*Reine Sammut (Auberge La Fenière, Lourmarin)

*Xavier Mathieu (Le Phebus, Joucas)

*Robert Lalleman (Auberge de Noves, Noves)

*Thibaut Serin-Moulin (Restaurant Valrugues, St. Remy)

 *Johan Thyriot (Meo, Tarascon)

For restaurants elsewhere in France, click here.

And to find a restaurant in another country, click here.

In the US, there were 45 restaurants participating at last count, and you can see them all listed here.

At his three Bouchon Bistros (in Las Vegas, Yountville, and Beverly Hills), Thomas Keller’s Goût de France menu starts with foie gras cromesquis (foie gras that’s been cured, poached, breaded, and fried, like a fritter), then moves on to saucisson à l’ail (garlic sausage in brioche, with marinated vegetables, Dijon mustard, and garden mâche) and selle d’agneau rotie et farcie (herb-stuffed Elysian Fields lamb saddle with spring beans and English peas with mint-scented lamb jus). The cheese will be Camembert Le Châtelain (with rhubarb compote and black pepper pistachio pain de campagne), and the dessert, an opera cake (almond sponge with coffee and chocolate butter cream). The menu is priced at $65, with wine pairings offered for an extra $45. Seats are still available at all three locations. 

“Even though this is a one-day event, for Bouchon it’s all about paying homage to the core values we embody as a French bistro every day,” Keller says. "For Americans, Goût de France is really about discovering an appreciation for French culture through cuisine that’s responsibly prepared with high-quality ingredients and execution. We’re proud to represent the United States in this worldwide celebration.” 

At Jade Mountain on St. Lucia in the Caribbean, executive chef Jeffrey Forrest has infused his Goût de France menu with a wide range of local ingredients. He'll be serving roasted cabbage with toasted farro, christophene and a lime-curry nage; cured lionfish with passion-fruit caviar; fromage frais with papaya mustard; "wahoo aubergine" and a chocolate mousse made from from chocolate grown and produced onsite. (Full menu details are here.)

"Jade Cuisine embraces the French concepts of culinary exploration and the use of fresh farm-to-table ingredients," Forrest says. "Our resort runs its own organic plantation producing fruits, vegetables and spices such as turmeric, cashews, tamarind, mango, avocado, oranges, tangerines, guavas, papaya, coconut, breadfruit, yams and sweet potatoes. Cocoa plants are numerous on the grounds for guest to see and for the resort to produce their own chocolates.  We completely embrace the French philosophy and principles of high-quality, environmentally responsible cuisine."

So why this promo and why now? No one is addressing that exactly, but French chefs have come under fire in recent years, accused of serving frozen rather than freshly made food, high menu prices, failure to keep up with global culinary trends, failure to innovate, and the sin of “aesthetic snobbery” — meaning hiring only the prettiest people and seating guests according to attractiveness.

Ducasse and his culinary comrades have worked tirelessly to counter these attacks through a wide range of initiatives, of which Goût de France is the latest. ''In the space of around two months, we received and approved applications from over 1,300 restaurants throughout the world,'' he says. ''This is certainly food for thought for all those who love to talk about the decline of French cuisine.” (And what will Ducasse serve on this special night? His restaurants and their Goût de France menus and prices are here.)

“France is well known as the country of art de vivre,” says Parisian chef Guy Savoy, “and cooking, of course, belongs to that art de vivre. As cooks, our craft is to make our guests happy… and we want to share it, show it, promote it." He adds, “French cuisine is built on ancestral know-how, and is wide open to the future.” Savoy’s menu is here, but the dinner (at 380€ per person) is fully booked.

At the restaurant Pavillon in the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich, Michelin-starred chef Laurent Eperon calls Goût de France an exceptional way to preserve the ideals and pleasures of French gastronomy. “In my humble opinion as a Frenchman, French is the best cuisine of all!” he proclaims. “I’d love to see Goût de France happen annually. The world could always use more French cuisine!” Eperon’s $160 menu for the occasion is here.

Quite a few chefs told me they hope this will be the start of something big, a regular event that will keep growing as time goes on. "I am so happy and proud to celebrate the French gastronomy in the world!" proclaims Laetitia Rouabah, chef at Allard restaurant in Paris. "Good France was able to gather more than 1300 chefs all around the world and that is wonderful ! I sincerely hope that after this first edition, other initiatives like this will follow to promote the French cuisine all around the world." To see Allard's 85€ menu (140€ with wine pairings), click here.

Ducasse, for his part, says the initiative has already satisfied one of his major goals: to illustrate how French-trained chefs are respecting the traditions of the French kitchen while tweaking them to make vibrant, modern and highly personal cuisine. 

“When I look at all the chefs participating,” he says, “I’m struck by their great diversity... all generations and styles of restaurant are represented. The influence of French cuisine can be seen in this human chain of men and women, whose professional roots extend far back into great French culinary traditions. It’s a brotherhood of professionals who share and uphold the same values worldwide." But, he adds, “The main point of this event is generosity and sharing, and a love for what’s beautiful and tastes good.”

For all the info, visit GoodFrance.com. They’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Photos: One thousand chefs in 1300 restaurants worldwide will be serving Goût de France dinners on Thursday night. Top photo: Event organizers gathered for their close up, which in this case was more like a far away. (2, 3, 4) Jade Mountain on St. Lucia, Benoit in NYC and Pavillon in Zurich will all be strutting their best culinary stuff. (5) At Thomas Keller's three Bouchon Bistros, one course will be this herb-stuffed lamb saddle with spring beans, English peas and mint-scented jus. (6) Laetitia Rouabah at Allard in Paris. (7-13) The large number of chefs participating in the South of France include: Paolo Sari (Elsa in the Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel), Olivier Rathery (with wife Sylvie) at Le Gout des Choses in Marseille, Xavier Mathieu (Le Phebus, Joucas), Noel Mantel (Mantel, Cannes), Johan Thyriot (Meo, Tarascon), Alexandre Lechene (Le Roc Alto, Saint Veran) and many more. (14) The logo.

Own a Piece of Monte-Carlo Hotel History

As part of a four-year, €250-million renovation at the five-star Hotel de Paris, its owner--Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer--will stage a major auction of the hotel's fixtures, furniture, linens, tableware and art from January 25 to 30.  Artcurial, the prestigious French auction house, will do the honors; they handled recent auctions at the Hotel de Crillon and the Plaza Athénée in Paris.  The auction takes place in the Hotel de Paris' Salle Empire and will be preceded by a four-day exhibition, January 21 to 24. The exhibit will trace the history of the decorative items and will be displayed in a trail around the hotel.  All told, some 4000 lots containing 10,000 items will go under the hammer, including furniture from two restaurants, the lobby and the garden; furniture from 138 suites and rooms (including the 210-square-meter Winston Churchill Suite); 400 items of tableware; and monogrammed bath linens. Total value is estimated at €1 million. The Hotel de Paris will remain open throughout the renovation, with a limited capacity of 53 rooms and suites. Its famous façade overlooking Casino Square will remain untouched, as will the historic spaces such as the lobby (with its equestrian statue of Louis XIV, said to bring luck to those who touch it),  the American Bar, the Empire Room and Alain Ducasse's Michelin three-star restaurant Le Louis XV. (Attention Foodies: Seventeen pieces from Le Louis XV will be on auction.) "This exclusive sale heralds the first stage of our renovation, which is part of a major metamorphosis of Casino Square," explains hotel director Luca Allegri.  "The Société des Bains de Mer is also remodeling the Sporting d’Hiver, which will bring a new feel to the whole of Monte-Carlo and improve its offering of residences, shopping spaces, gardens and venues when fully completed in 2018." (Allegri, for his part, says he hopes to purchase something from the Churchill Suite, the hotels' most-luxurious apartment. Located on the 8th floor, it offers private access, two bedrooms, two bathrooms...and splendid views of the harbor, the Rock and the sea. Sir Winston Churchill was a loyal Hotel de Paris guest starting in 1945 and stayed several times in this apartment. The penthouse replacing it will be considered the jewel of the newly done property). Built in 1864, Hotel de Paris was inaugurated shortly after the magnificent Monte-Carlo Casino.  It was created by Francois Blanc, the founder of the Société des Bains de Mer, who had made his fortune at the Hamburg Casino. His goal? To give the arid Spélugues Plateau--at that time covered in olive, lemon and orange trees--a sumptuous setting for gambling and luxury which would draw "the international elite." To build it, Blanc brought together some of the most-talented designers from France and abroad; the Belle Époque architecture is the work of French architect Godinot de la Bretonnerie. Eroll Flynn celebrated his wedding here; James Bond stayed here in GoldenEye (1995). Karl Lagerfeld, Coco Chanel, Charlie Chaplin, Salvador Dali, the Prince of Wales, Alexandre Dumas, Baron Haussmann and Prince Napoleon have all been guests. The redo will impact both public areas and guest rooms, with rooms being enlarged and the number of suites increased. A new garden courtyard will be created along with a new fitness, spa and pool area and a “rooftop villa” with private pool and garden. Architects Richard Martinet and Gabriel Viora have been entrusted to do the lavish update while maintaining the spirit and integrity of the original design.  The Société des Bains de Mer now owns and operates four casinos, four hotels (Hôtel de Paris, Hôtel Hermitage, Monte-Carlo Beach, Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort) and 33 restaurants including the Le Louis XV, the flagship of Alain Ducasse's empire. (For my story about the restaurant's 25th Anniversary Party, click here.)  A team of 20 Artcurial employees worked seven months preparing for this sale, with 40 days spent on inventory alone. Leading the sale will be auctioneer and managing partner Stéphane Aubert and co-president Francois Tajan. Founded in 2002, Artcurial staged 123 sales within 20 specialty departments in 2013 alone, generating sales of €178.1 million. (One recently auctioned piece, La Rivière, a sculpture by Aristide Maillol, brought in €6.1 million and was the year's third most expensive auction item in France.)  Based in Paris, they have offices in Milan, Brussels, Vienna and China, and stage travelling exhibits in the US and Asia. To see the full auction catalogue with lots of great historic photos, click here. For the auction details, see the Artcurial website here. Finally, for still more info and other art-world happenings (including the Feb 5 charity auction of Pope Benoit XVI's Harley-Davidson, at the Grand Palais in Paris), click here. Photos: (1, 2) The hotel today...by night and day. (3) This wool-and-silk lobby rug (made in 1962) measures 10.4 x 6.7 meters and is signed "Iran – Daroshtareh – Naïn." It's the most valuable item being auctioned and is expected to bring 10,000 to 20,000€.  (4) Chairs waiting for new homes. (5) Set of 12 “Constellation" plates from the restaurant Le Grill, in Pillivuyt porcelain, marked "Constellation - Le Grill - S.B.M. Monaco."  (6) Teak terrace furniture. (7) Winston Churchill stayed regularly at the Hotel de Paris, starting in 1945. He had his own 210-square-meter suite which he decorated to his own taste, first on the 4th floor and then on the 8th. Churchill often painted early in the morning on the balcony, dressed in his dressing gown. Furniture and objects from the suite to be auctioned include this model boat. (8) A pair of signed "Funny Valentine" chairs by Jean Charles de Castelbajac for Ligne Rosset. (9) You need this grained-leather mini bar, no? (10) This pair of 20th-century "Feuilles" (leaves) lamps in gilded, burnished metal are expected to bring €600 to €800. (11) A set of four lavishly adorned Louis XIV-style torchères, in carved and gilded wood, is estimated at €5,000 to €8,000. (12) More stuff!   (13) Salvador Dali in the hotel kitchen in 1949, photographed by Robert Oggero. (14) Charlie Chaplin lunching on the terrace, 1959. (15)  The hotel and Casino Square in 1910.

American Club of the Riviera Invites You...

The American Club of the Riviera hosts luncheons and dinners throughout the year, featuring speakers on timely subjects. If you don't know the group you might think about attending one of their events or even joining up. The ACR welcomes anyone and I hear their events are terrific. The Club has roughly 100 members, about half of whom are American. The rest come from France, the U.K. Monaco, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Canada and more. 

The next event is March 22nd, starting at noon. This one will be at an elegant 19th-century manor in Mougins, a few hundred meters from Picasso's last house (which is currently for sale for 150€ million.*) Le Manoir de l'Etang is a hotel set on four hectares, overlooking a small lake. Guests will enjoy a three-course lunch with wine, bottled water and coffee. Afterward, a panel of experts will discuss "Africa Today" and the challenges and exploding potential of what many consider one of the most exciting emerging markets of our time. For more info on this event including profiles of the speakers, your menu choices and more, click here.

Pre-lunch drinks on the terrace are at noon and are included in the event price of 45€ members; 55€ guests. The suggested dress is smart-casual. 

The ACR was founded in 1962 as a successor to the US Propeller Club, an American association formed in 1927 in Washington to support and promote the American Merchant Marines. The club was first based in Marseille, before moving to the Martinez Hotel in Cannes and then to Nice, where it has its HQ today. One of the Club's most popular events is its traditional Thanksgiving luncheon at the Hotel de Paris in Monte-Carlo, which has been attended by H.S.H. Princess Grace of Monaco, H.S.H Prince Rainier and all their children. Several American ambassadors and high-ranking military officials have also attended Club events. Today the ACR is one of the most-active associations on the Cote d'Azur promoting the historic Franco-American friendship. The current President is Burton Gintell. The group's next event will be a guided visit at Villa Regina Margherita in Bordighera on April 12, with lunch to follow in a beach-side restaurant.

To RSVP to the Africa Today event on March 22, call Cy Todd at +33 (0)6 17 71 71 70 or click here and register with PayPal, wire transfer or check. 

For general info about the ACR, click here: americanclubriviera.com

Photos: Le Manoir de l'Etang in Mougins will host the ACR's March 22nd event. Chef Mathieu Soler runs the kitchen and his cuisine gets high marks.

*Have a look at the Picasso house, being sold by the Belgian art dealer who reportedly paid between 10€ and €16 million for it in 2007.   Formerly known as Mas de Notre-Dame du Vie, the 35-room villa was Picasso's home from 1961 until his death in 1973. 

You're Invited: A Côte d'Azur Thanksgiving

Once again, the American Club of the Riviera is hosting a gala Thanksgiving luncheon on Thursday, November 28 at the Hotel de Paris in Monaco. (Capacity is around 170, there are 30 seats left and Monday is the deadline to sign up.) The menu includes all the traditional holiday dishes and the event kicks off with a Champagne reception. The Hôtel de Paris is, of course, where Alain Ducasse has his sumptuous Michelin three-star restaurant Le Louis XV.

The Thanksgiving guest list includes members of the US Air Force, who are spending this quintessentially American holiday serving their country far from home.

This year's speaker will be Dr. Os Guinness, who will discuss "What Made America Great?" Dr. Guinness was born in China--where he witnessed the end of the Chinese Revolution-- and educated in England; he holds a Doctorate in Philosophy from Oxford. He has written or edited 30 books including The Free People’s Suicide … Sustainable Freedom and the American ​F​uture. Dr. Guinness has worked for the BBC and the Brookings Institution; he's spoken on scores of university campuses, including Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and Stanford. In 1759 his family began the Guinness Brewing Company in Dublin, but today he lives with his American wife Jenny, just outside Washington D.C.

Details:

*Reservations and tickets: Click here. Last call is Monday, November 25.

*Venue:  Salle Empire at The Hôtel de Paris, on the Place du Casino, Monaco (location and directions here).

*Date:  Thursday. November 28th, 2013. Champagne reception starts at 12:30, followed by lunch and presentation.

*Dress: Jacket and tie required.

*All-Inclusive Prices: € 80 per person for members of the American Club of the Riviera and their immediate families. € 90 for members of affiliated clubs. € 95 for non-members.

*More questions? Contact ACR president Burton Gintell: bgintell@aol.com, 06 20 40 11 28.

Photos: The Restaurant Salle Empire and the splendid Hôtel de Paris in Monaco.