What's on guide

There are many events taking place in Mougins in the coming weeks, including an exhibition of the photographs of Marc Riboud who was a photographer with the legendary Magnum agency. It’s on until the 4th June at the Musée de la Photographie André Villers.  You can get details at the website www.mougins-tourisme.fr

There’s a new exhibition at the New National Museum in Monaco. The Mechanical Garden is an installation by Latifa Echakhch which draws on theatrical and exotic garden themes and has been created specifically for the Museum’s Villa Sauber on the Venue Princesse Grace.  It’s taking place until the 28th of October and you can get more details at www.nmnm.mc

It’s the last few weeks of an exhibition called “Occupied Cannes 1942 – 44”.  The exhibition aims to show what life was like in Cannes during the occupation by Italian and German forces in the Second World War and to show how the occupation left it’s imprint on the town’s population. It features many documents from the municipal archives which catalogue the resistance, the liberation and the arrival of American forces and the Croisette during wartime as well as many other aspects of life in Cannes during the war. It’s on at the Espace Calmette in Cannes until the 26th June.

The British Invasion Comedy Club, where several stand-ups from the London scene, come to the Cote d’Azur for a night of comedy, has been such a success in Cannes, that they’re expanding!

At the end of May they’ll be bringing their show to the Holiday Marina Resort at Grimaud in the Var. As always, the standard is very high, and includes Danny Walsh a regular at the TNT Club in London, Robert Hoehn an American based in Paris who is taking his ‘American Refugee’ show to Edinburgh this summer, and Laurence Hebberd whose mix of real-life tales and high energy oneliners got him to the final stages of the UK’s New Comedian of the Year.

Tickets for the show in Grimaud are €10 in advance simply by sending an email to  mademoisellecomedy@gmail.com

It’s coming up to Grand Prix Weekend, and Monaco is buzzing with things to do.

At the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, they have a special Blue Gin Bar with DJs on deck for four consecutive nights.

The famous Crystal Bar and Terrasse at the Hôtel Hermitage will be open from 9am to 1am each day, and if that’s not late enough, head into Jimmy’z legendary nightclub afterwards, with a fantastic line up of world-class DJ’s during the Grand Prix.

If you want to go full-on Grand Prix this weekend, the Salle Belle Epoque has been completely transformed in to an F1 style bar called “the Paddock Lounge” which includes a Formula 1 simulator, or you can get the real thing live from the terrace as the cars scream past the Hotel Hermitage.

Of course, there are many special packages available in all Societé de Bains de Mer establishments for Grand Prix weekend, and you get details of all on the website www.montecarlosbm.com

Saturday 26 May, the Riviera Chapter of the Democrats Abroad are holding a ‘Memorial Day Celebration and Picnic’ at Holy Trinity Church on Rue la Buffa in Nice.  It’s a ‘Pot Luck’ event, so take along something you’ve cooked to share, and enjoy the wide range of other food and drink brought along by everyone else. And if you want to vote in the November mid-terms, the guys have all the forms you need to make sure you’re registered.

The British Association of Cannes are having their Annual Fundraising Barbecue, with an evening of great company, delicious food and spectacular views from the terrace of a beautiful villa near Biot. The BBQ takes place this Saturday evening from 6 to 10 and tickets are an incredibly reasonable €25. To reserve, just send a quick email before Friday to Mandy at the British Association of Cannes .. the email address is mandyakroyd1@aol.com or call Mandy on 04 93 43 74 09

Considered by many to be the new voice of French Jazz, Sarah Lancman makes two appearances on the Cote d’Azur this weekend. One is for a swanky private party in Monaco, the other will be her only performance in Nice this year, at Le Mu venue near the Acropolis. The gig is on this Saturday night, and for an intimate gig with just under a hundred places, tickets are a very reasonable €15. For full details and videos see www.sarahlancman.com

This weekend, bargains and treasures lie waiting for you at a table top sale at the Holy Trinity Church on Rue de la Buffa in Nice. The event will include CD's books, clothing, Ladies handbags & shoes BUT I will be going for some very traditional tea and cakes being served all day !! That’s the table top sale, at the Holy Trinity Church in Nice all Saturday, from 10am to 4pm.

There is a very unique classical concert taking place this Saturday evening at the Church of St Gregoire in Tourrettes-sur-Loup. Featuring sacred music by Bach and Mozart and others, it also features traditional Japanese music, all performed by with soprano Amy Blake and pianist Takako Basey. Tickets are just €13 and all proceeds on the night go toward restoration work on the Church of St Gregoire in Tourrettes-sur-Loup

If you ever felt that there is so much more you want to do, but for some reason you keep holding yourself back, you should meet Irene Menis. Irene is a Psych-K instructor who helps people focus on the good stuff they want, and shows them how to get it. Her last trip to the Cote d’Azur and Monaco generated a lot of interest, so she’s back for some talks and a workshop next week in Nice, Antibes and in Monaco. If you want to take care of yourself, and free yourself from some of the limitations of the past, get online and booked in at www.holisticinfo.directory

One of the all-time greats, Bryan Ferry, is coming to Monaco. The lead singer of Roxy Music, and purveyor of style for decades, will be playing for one night only at the Operá Garnier at the end of May, and tickets are on sale right now from montecarlolive.com

Legendary French signer Charles Aznavour is in concert at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on the 5th June.  You can get ticket information at www.grimaldiforum.com

The Queen of England is rather unusual in that she has two birthdays, and actual one April and an official one in June. The reason goes back to King George II, who was unfortunate enough to have a birthday in November, so he created another birthday in the summer, and it’s a tradition that has stuck ever since. This year, The British Association of Monaco have announced details for their get-together for the Queen’s Official Birthday, which will happen on Wednesday June 13th, upstairs at the Café de Paris at the Salon Bellevue. There will be cocktails and musical entertainment by international duo Paul Spicer and Matt Firth, accompanied by Stuart Barham on piano. Bookings can be made via the BAM website at;  bam–monaco.org

Former Beatle Ringo Starr has announced a live date for Monaco with  his All Starr Band which includes Colin Hay Back and 10cc’s Graham Gouldman.  They’re lined up to play the Monte Carlo Sporting Summer Festival on July 6th, which is a Friday, and tickets are on sale now.

Grace Jones is coming to Monaco this summer. A true global superstar, with no equal, Grace has been selling out amazing shows worldwide and practically guarantees a show you will never forget. Booking details for the show at the Salle des Etoiles are at montecarlolive.com