CANNES 2017

I have been an actress all my life, becoming professional in 1970. I continue to be a member of SAG-AFTRA (lifetime), The Actors Studio (lifetime), and the Television Academy. I recently did a film in Cannes, “Damien’s Reawakening”, directed by acclaimed American director Maxine Pugh (November 2016). I was a finalist judge for the Television Academy’s 38^th College Television Awards this spring (March 2017). These awards recognize student innovation and achievement in storytelling at a gala that was held this week, May 24^, 2017.  As you can see, I stay active in the Entertainment Industry.   I love it!

Once Steve and I moved to Nice, there were two must-do things on our list – the Grand Prix in Monaco and the Cannes Film Festival.  Last year, we got tickets for the Grand Prix on Saturday, the day of Qualifying. It was great! We resolved to get grandstand tickets next year (2017) for the Grand Prix on Sunday, the day of the Race. We’d wait to go to Cannes. Too much was going on.

This Sunday is the Grand Prix. I will watch it and shed tears and wish I could tell Steve about my day at the Festival in Cannes with Jamie. He would be so happy for both of us. He loved Jamie and knew I wanted time with her. Plus, he said many times the happiest he saw me was when I was acting.  He begged me to continue. 

SO, having waited all my life to go to the Cannes Film Festival, I went!!!  The day was perfect.  I made reservations for the American Club of the Riviera’s luncheon at the Plage Restaurant on Saturday, May 20. When I found out that Jamie and Aymeric would be in Antibes during that time, I invited them to go with me as my guests. It wasn’t Aymeric’ s thing.  Jamie said 100% YES!

SO, last Saturday morning, I was up bright and early putting together an outfit that would be fun, yet comfortable, and doing hair and makeup with gusto – constantly telling myself to calm down. I drove my car to Antibes – Google-maps garbling directions that were incomprehensible.  

Somehow, I found their apartment. Don’t ask me how. Jamie was as excited as I was. So was Aymeric! He guided me and my car into a garage that will be the topic of blog on another day. Don’t know how, but I left my car in their garage (down a car elevator as I continued to tell myself to calm down). Thank goodness Uber took us from Antibes to the Plage Restaurant. 

The Luncheon mixer started at 12:00 p.m. There was a huge turnout. Cocktails of something with vodka. I didn’t dare. Not with French wine on its way.  Jamie and I were assigned to Table 13. Ugh! Thus, I took Daddy’s approach to the Number 13 – it is a lucky number. Everything and everybody at that table – the best! Everyone at the luncheon was older than Jamie (duh). A moment of concern. Would she have fun? No problem.  Jamie’s fun. Everyone at the table found her delightful! So did I.   

Continuing on, the Plage Restaurant is across from The Carlton. I think it is the Carlton Hotel’s Beach Club. I think. I’m not sure. There were sun-bathers (some topless) and guests in beach chairs as well as tables of celebrity-looking people eating lunch. I looked for a familiar face every-now-and-then but found what was going on at our table much more interesting. One couple was down from Paris for the luncheon. Another woman owned a Vineyard – Château des Chaberts – in Var, France.

The Menu: 

• Salade de haricots verts à l’huile de truffes et foie gras
• Filet de dorade, sauce homardine et légumes du moment
• Tarte citron meringuée

Lunch was delicious.  Conversations were stimulating.  Blue skies and warm sunshine.  At one point, Jonathan Lippman spoke about Italian Actresses to reflect the Film Festival poster this year of Claudia Cardinali in 1956.  Very interesting. No one seemed in a hurry to leave. 

At some point, Jamie and I took off to find the Red Carpet. We did a lot of walking and exploring. Photo-ops and gendarmes galore. The police started controlling the crowd around 4:30 p.m. We found a seat in the shade under a tree near the Grand Théâtre Lumière to wait for the 6:30 p.m. screening. Yes, it was a long time to wait, but we thought it was a 5:00 p.m. screening, then 6:00 p.m. screening. But, Jamie likes to “people-watch” like I do. And, there was a lot to see. The Film scheduled for 6:30 p.m. was a 2017 French film, “120 BATTEMENTS PAR MINUTE (BPM (BEATS PER MINUTE)), directed by Robin Campillo. Lots of men in tuxedos and women in beautiful gowns everywhere.

Once the people started appearing on the red carpet, Jamie found a way to get inside a controlled area. From there, we could see people arriving. And, to help matters, there were large television screens showing Red-Carpet activities to onlookers. Neither of us wanted to leave. But, Grandma here got tired. (Sigh.) So, we stayed until we wanted a pizza and a glass of wine more. Plus, master server Jamie (Jamie worked as a server in a sports bar Woodbury Bar outside of AT&T Park (Giant Stadium) in San Francisco during college) knew we should get a table before crowds left the Red Carpet area. 

We found a great little Pizzeria – SAN TELMO – off the main drag. It was on Rue Hoche. We dined outside on pizza and wine, then lingered over expressos – talking non-stop until they chased us away. (They needed our table – long line to get in.) Actually, they were very nice about not getting us to leave sooner. Well……..  I waited a lifetime to do this. Worth waiting for. If the luncheon is there next year, I will go again – unless I’m on the Red Carpet. Who knows, I may get cast in a French or USA or English film that is competing. You never know. 

After dinner, I felt like I had been hit by a truck. We called Uber from the Starbucks at the train station to pick us up and drive us to Antibes. And, true to form, on the ride home, Jamie and the Uber driver Mohammed had a lively talk about how he got to Cannes.

I stayed overnight with them. On Sunday, Jamie and I went exploring in Antibes. Then, after lunch, Aymeric helped me go up the car elevator to the street. Yikes. I took the A-8 home.  What a great memory we made!  A good time was had by all. 

Best, Glamorous Jay