Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

Ever since I was a little girl, my family and I have spent a significant amount of our vacations in St. Tropez being in awe of the wealthy. This is their playground, after all, and evidence of enormous sums of money are everywhere – from the prices of milkshakes (9€ each!) to the several story yachts docked along the port to the many little luxuries built into every beach, designed solely to spoil the already over-spoiled. Every time we go to L’Esquinade we stare in awe and curiosity as the little tender-boats putter away from the beach to pick up the rich & famous from their glorious yachts. Somewhere in the back of our minds we dreamed of what it would be like to be them. We wished that someday we, too, could be picked up from our trophy, showing off our collection of boats, coming to shore for an over priced meal. Today, that was me.



Tony and I took out the Pointu today, a very traditional French fishing boat. They are a collector’s piece no longer made, a rare token of history and a status symbol of wealth. We sailed around the area, admiring a view of St. Tropez that I thought I’d never see:





We anchored of shore of a chic restaurant in the tiny inlet between Pamplonne Beach and St. Tropez’s harbor. Sure enough, the man came out on his little boat to get us (and the dog) for a fantastic beachside lunch. It was wonderful. I felt very French (taking my dog everywhere) and very wealthy (coming to this pricy place on a collector’s boat).



Yesterday was a day of luxury and fun as well. We went to a little private beach here in les Marines de Cogolin, very similar to L’Esquinade, for lunch. Tony’s captain and housemate, James, was there with his girlfriend and her 8yr old girl. We said hello but immediately went back to minding our own business. Moments later, James came to us and said, “Look, I don’t know what your plans are for the afternoon, but I’ve reserved those four mats.”



“Is there four of you?” I asked, not believing he paid the ridiculous 15€ per mat for not only himself, but also for Tony and this girl (me) that he just happened to meet.

“Well there’s four of us and a kid who doesn’t count. Us adults will sit and drink rosé and the rascal can run around.”

It was amazing – great conversation, lots of fun, tons of wine. We sampled most of the wine list with bottles of Rouillier, Minuity, Pamplonne, Giscle, and the house. Fantastic.



I also ran into the young Belgium girl that I met with Tequila at the café the other day. She remembered me and everything about my dog, so I went over and chatted with her and her family. She played in the water with TikkiDog and I sat with her parents – who were absolutely wonderful – and talked of Belgium and France and boats. All of a sudden, her father turned to me and said, “Wait a second – my daughter told me she met some French speaking writer and her dog at the café. Would that be you?” I laughed.

And in French, I responded: “I guess so!”

And his wife looked at me with a genuine smile and said, “She was right, you do have a beautiful accent. Not American at all!” I could feel the blush in my cheeks from the rosé getting rosier. “She really liked you, you know. She came back talking all about you and your dog.”

I was so flattered. I was even more flattered when they were getting ready to leave and came over to me to say goodbye. “Send us a copy of your first best seller, ok?”

(I actually just ran into them now - and the came over to say hello and be friendly. This family is SO nice!)

It was so nice. People are wonderful. I told them I’d see them again before they left and at least exchange emails so that if I ever do write a book, they get to hear about it. It’s really easy to meet people with a dog.

I take that back – it’s really easy to meet people. I think of all my acquaintances here, people I’ve met at Le P’tit Club or just out and about, and I have to smile. It’s been so much fun. And it is easy. Today at the restaurant, I saw two handsome young men sitting beside each other at a table, enjoying lunch. One wore a Yankees hat (a logo that I see everywhere here, not that most people who sport it even know what baseball is) and the other was wearing none-other than the classic blue Red Sox baseball cap. I almost fell out of my chair with excitement. Someone from Boston?! That’s the first Sox logo I’ve seen here! Save, of course, for when my brother showed up…

Naturally I rushed over to say hello. In French I asked them if they liked baseball and when they couldn’t understand me, I got even more excited. Maybe they were ignorant Americans! So I repeated myself in English. “No,” the man in the Sox cap said, “we’re Dutch.” Oh. But we chatted anyways and I explained to them the rivalry between the Skankies and the Sox and had to even explain baseball. We had a nice, brief conversation and I left after saying that I had come over because I hoped they were from Boston, my hometown.

When we were getting the boat ready to leave after lunch, I heard people shouting. I looked up and on the boat next to us was that same Dutch family. “Hey, Boston!” they hollered at me. “Have a great day! Hope to see you again!”

Me too!

I had a wonderful two days rubbing elbows with people who spend more money daily than I may ever see in my lifetime. But, when I am rich and famous, this is the boat I’m going to buy:


(there’s nothing to give proportion to this photo, so let me tell you it’s well over 50meters, 160feet and every inch is absolutely gleaming with beauty)

It’s funny, though: I’m living the life of the rich and famous, both welcomed and spoiled by great company, and yet I’m not 100 percent happy. Yesterday, after bottle after bottle of rosé, I explained to Captain James why I’ve been hanging around his house so much. He said to me, “Listen, you – we love your company and you’re staying with us until you can move back into your house, got it?!” As flattered and grateful as I was, I realized I was going to kind of miss the bar…

In fact, I’m going to request to go to P’tit Club tonight. I really, really need to practice French.

Bon soir…