Return to old favorites

This afternoon we took a longer than usual drive back to some old haunts we have not visited in a few years, about five or six. We headed south to Grasse to Fragonard. The last several years I have ordered via the internet and had my selections (including my favorite perfume) delivered to our rental home. This year we returned to the store which is as lovely and busy as always. New products, new sales people, but the store is clean, fresh, and sales staff lovely and helpful.

We then headed into Juan Les Pins for a drive through my husband's memories of his childhood and our early relationship, as well as all of his prior marriages and relationships. We quickly realized that although we still find the town charming and frenetic, we did not want to stay for dinner. It is the same and different, all at the same time. Many of the same stores, restaurants and hotels, with some changes. Our old favorite restaurant, Bodega, is all jazzed up and the street is now only for pedestrians. The stage is set up for Jazz at Juan, and music was playing, the energy was exciting, but not what we were looking for, so we continued on into Antibes, and walked through the main square which has not changed at all, Cameo is still there with the same lovely hostess.

Most importantly, we managed to grab an early table at another old favorite, La Taverne du Safronie, in a back street one block from the ramparts overlooking the water. D. drove like a homing pigeon to find this place, I never do know how he does it. He can't remember what I said one minute ago, but he hones in on returning to for the garlic and basil dished out here. Everything fresh, lovely service, reasonably priced, pleasant environment in a little square with no traffic, no tourists. What more can you ask for in a restaurant. My dinner of moules au pistou was 13 euro for more than I could finish, with crispy, twice cooked (probably baked then fried) potatoes. I can still taste the basic and garlic a few hours later. Avril and D. ate well with a similarly priced beouf au poivre. This spot is a must, but a reserve' is also a must.

I remember years when we would stay in Cannes and the concierge at the hotel would be puzzled about why we would return to this spot, and how hard it was to get a reservation. They would try to steer us to various restaurants in the area which we always found wanting in comparison.

We returned to our home by 11:00 p.m. and sat outside until the wind and the rains began, which will take us into tomorrow, but hopefully clear in time for the fete du paella, in the warm-up to Bastille Day.