Chic C'est La Vie

Everyone of you have already figured out that I love to work very, very hard, and of course I play hard as well. France is a very important place for me because that is where I went to school.  I have wonderful memories of that country, so I go back often.  One of my favorite places for this, especially in the summer, is the idyllic beach resort St. Tropez.   And one of my favorite hotels here is Le Yaca.

Le Yaca is a beautiful place, full of old world charm and tranquility.  The food is divine and the staff is so friendly it makes you wan to live there.  But the hotel is not the only place that is amazing.  So many other things make St. Tropez a fabulous place to take a break.  Here my top 5.

1. Spoon at the Byblos Hotel:  The floating glass spoons are just the beginning. Alain Ducasse 's fun establishment has satisfying food and stiff drinks.  Perfect for people watching, celebrities abound here, an apres plage snack, and chit chatting with the locals.


 2. Le Club 55:  If you like champagne, lounging in the sun and a long relaxed lunch, then this is the place; I love this beach club.  Like Spoon, its a great place for people watching (I once saw P Diddy there), and in my case jewelry watching.  I have never seen so many beautiful jewelry outside a museum or gallery as I did at Le Club!  It was epic.  The crowd is very tan and very chic, very St. Trop, casual and extravagant at the same time.  Hint: if you go, make a reservation and dress the part.  I would wear a colorful sarong, straw hat and some serious jewelry like the pieces below.  Its a very popular place and a very chic scene so it might be difficult to get a reservation without some months in advance.

Gorgeous and fabulous pink sapphire ring and diamond ring, in 18kt white gold.

3. L'Annonciade Museum.  St Tropez does not have a lot of culture like other places like Paris or Rome, but what it does not have in quantity it has in quality.  My favorite little museum to visit there is the L'Annociade Museum.  With great displays of art from the region of Provence and the French Riviera, you can find here works from french masters such as Matisse, Braque, Seurat, Bonnard, etc..  I find it a necessary stop to balance all the glitz and glamour of the St Trop scene.



4.  Maison des Papillons:  This smaller and quainter museum, is set up in a charming old house, and holds a collection of beautifully preserved butterfly species.  My favorite display is the collection of butterfly themed jewelry that they exhibit.  Butterflies have long been a theme in jewelry design, and their delicate wings and feminine attributes are always a great inspiration of mine, as you can see in my piece below, which I even wore to visit this great place.  Very inspiring indeed.

St Trop inspired! J'adore this fantastic papillon statement ring in sliced cut diamonds, orange and yellow sapphires and 18kt gold.

5.  The Citadel:  For a beautiful and historical view of the coast, the Citadel is the perfect place.  An hexagonal structure, with a huge interior courtyard, this ancient structure is truly a thing of beauty. If it's not too crowded it can be very peaceful. An added bonus are the beautiful trees that flank its gardens.

St Tropez is a wonderful place, however if you are looking for a low profile vacation, this isn't it.  It's a scene, a very elegant and glamourous scene that recalls sexy women like Brigitte Bardot,  Penelope Cruz and Kate Moss.  When I'm visiting I always dress to the nines and accesorize to the max.  In my own jewelry of course.  I would recommend pieces with lots of colorful gems and nature motifs, like the Papillon ring above or the Fleur necklace and the graphic bracelet below.

I adore this graphic bracelet reminiscent of the impressionist painters I saw at L'Annonciade. My version of Matisse is in black quartz, navy blue quartz, and purple amethyst, finished in diamonds and 18kt white gold.

Purple reigns! Flower are everywhere in St Trop, so naturally I chose to wear pieces reflective of my surroundings.  This beautiful fleur necklace is lovingly made in18kt white gold, with hand carved amethyst and orange sapphire petals, yellow sapphires, diamonds and rock crystal.

Funky and fab. Lanvin bag and Metier hat.