Cannes you handle it?

With the close of the film festival and the last Monaco stragglers filtering through Nice customs, this year’s much awaited starlet vacance is over until 2018. I can finally reflect on my mini break with my partner in crime, colleague and bombshell bestie Emily,

Each year, assistants pack up haute couture and glam squads get their brushes at the ready whilst celebs begin juice cleanses to look their best at the magic that is Cannes film festival. Meanwhile, in north London each year I am sat browsing asos for the best celeb style pieces and a special dress in case this year I am whisked off to a premiere (although I am still unsure about sitting in an evening gown in a glorified cinema, it’s a must do right?).

This year’s round-up of celeb style finds:

Wildfox, £145

Asos, £35

Asos, £60

Mango, £35.99

Zara, £39.99

Zara, £90 

This year as spectacular as every, perhaps even more so, we attended the parties, brushed shoulders with the most beautiful and influential, ate truffle macaroni three times in four days, drank our weight in prosecco and minute rosé and shopped boutiques for bikinis, straw and pompomed bags and evening dresses in the form of shreds of lace. My dresses got more than a few outings each and we had many a sunrise uber ride home with a special mention to being approached for a street style photo in the morning in our dresses that we had put on at 6pm the night before- suffice to say we did not oblige.

The one thing about Cannes is the sheer cost of ‘living it up’. It is near impossible to bear witness to numerous of bottles of Dom in every club, the half-eaten lobsters gracing the restaurant tables and the covetable but astronomical dresses on every leggy lady catwalking past without buckling under the pressure and Amex tapping your way around. With this in mind, I have pored through menus and hotspot guides far and wide to present you with the most budget friendly picks without compromising on the star feeling that you deserve over the film festival.

Tea at the Armani café

Perfect for people watching- a must in Cannes not only for the celebrities but also the old men in panamas with their bleached rails of wives teetering in Loubs and trailing Chanel shoppers. Having a slice of cake and tea is the ultimate luxury. Bring some big sunnies to hide your stares.

Dinner at Le Maschou

Le Maschou is famous worldwide as you may have seen in last year’s Cannes post here. There is a set menu payable upon booking so you can forget about it and just enjoy the evening. For a set menu of 49 euros, your table is laden with the signature crudités basket, fire cooked bread, meat, jacket potatoes, dips and you finish with mousse au chocolat, peaches, tarte au citron the list goes on… Be sure to book in advance as a table on the night n’est pas possible!

 A stroll or uber lux down La Croisette

Window shopping (or window licking in French and probably more accurate in my case) is not only free but deliciously satisfying in Cannes. Pick out your dream red carpet outfits and be sure to linger outside to Martinez to catch any starlets.

Hopping on a friend’s yacht

Yes I agree this is highly subjective to you having a friend with a yacht but they are hotly available if you hang around in the right places. Not only is it free but it is the best way to spend a day.

Rosé and nibbles chez vous

Although you may pay hundreds of euros for a magnum of rosé, in the local supermarkets the best is very reasonably priced. Our favourite was minute and if you pick up a bottle along with some olives and crisps, you have yourself a very civilised aperitif or ‘apero’.

Boutique shopping in Juan Les Pins

Cannes is filled with beautiful boutiques at high prices which are admittedly irresistible but if you venture 20 minutes along the main road towards Nice you will happen upon Juan Les Pins, a slightly more budget friendly but equally gorgeous town which is bursting with boutiques. They change names frequently but never cease to consist of finds that will lead to eye rolls when you tell your envious friends they are only available in South of France. We came across the most gorgeous Valentino sandal copies, lacey playsuits, handmade and hand customised denim shorts and a little boutique that weekly ships her picks from stockists in Milan.

Private concerts at Vip Room or Gotha  

Across the film festival every year, there are pop up clubs such as Vip room and guest performances from some of the biggest names, this year being Tyga, Martin Solveig, Fetty Wap and a collaboration with 1OAK. The great thing about these nights is that essentially they turn into private concerts with never more than 25 euro entry. Girls often don’t have to pay and get shoved onto tables and if you are with friends willing to buy a table then even better.

Okay so this isn’t budget friendly but…

Lunch at the Eden Roc

Not only are you sure to spot celebrities but the food is delicious, the surroundings are spectacular and it is well worth the treat. Stick to a salad and share a bottle of rosé and you won’t go too wrong. 

So after catching all the last minute sun we could, we eagerly are awaiting next year...

Your new London Date Spot

If you are anything like me and as indecisive then this scenario will sound familiar to you. It's your fourth date with a new guy you like, it's been going really well and you've been to some amazing places. This is when the dreaded proposal comes and no I do not mean marriage, calm down! No- this when he says to you, 'I've planned all the dates so far, what do you think about planning one this time?'. A light sheen of sweat starts to form on your forehead as you grit your teeth and say 'sure' through wild eyes whilst disaster scenarios begin to whir in your head...Well, if you don't love me already, you will now, because I have a solution to all your problems (well not all of them, you'll have to keep checking back).

You don't want to seem too keen and over the top, that would come across very badly and even if you don't scare him off, you do not want this whole date planning thing to become regular! On the other hand, it would probably be even worse to come across as boring and uninventive. I have the perfect place for you, not too over the top and not too boring. Drum roll please... Madison rooftop.

Book a table for an hour after you plan to meet easily on opentable here. Meet after work on a warm evening at the bar, just get the elevator straight up to floor 6 and grab yourself some dutch courage in the form of a gingerbread wine. Give a little wave to your date whilst basking in the flattering sun-going-down light! Drink up and go sit within touching distance of St Paul's Cathedral's dome.

A few drinks and giggles later your table should be ready. Head over under the hanging flowers and orange light-bulbs to your table.

You can continue your drinking here and share a few nibbly bits. Truffle fries, the duck burger, macaroni cheese are just a few of my top choices. Unfortunately, my indecisiveness does also stretch to food and I tend to find that most things I would usually order are incredibly uncomfortable to eat on a date- I mean, who wants strings of spaghetti hanging on their chin? Equally nobody likes the serial salad orderer! My top date choice menu would probably be the lemon and green chili marinated grilled chicken, as a complete clutz cutting chicken into small pieces from past experience is my safest bet.

After dinner (and perhaps one shared chocolate and praline fondant later?), you can head back out to look at the skyline in all its illuminated glory.

You have now officially aced your date spot picking. See my best friend and happy date below!

Cannes for the weekend: Day two

We (or should I say he) woke up later than I would have liked for my organised day of fun and I spent the morning making brunch for my boyfriend who needs regular feeding before hurriedly pushing him looking rather dazed out the door and into the car, croissant in mouth.

We head off to the Provencal market in Antibes. Described as 'a festival of fragrances and accents', we do indeed spot 'Jacques the cheesemonger, Dominique the florist, Denis the fisherman, Michel, Marina and Marielle the market gardeners, Tony and his Corsican products' from the website.

I bought myself a pom-pom basket bag for a steal of 20 euros whilst the others I had my eye on fetch over £100. I happily loaded up my basket with local products, salad and provencal herbs, lavender sachets to help me sleep and to keep in drawers, turquoise and gold necklaces and some olive oil and chocolate. I eyed up the 5 euro bouquets of wild flowers for a while before accepting that having a bouquet for day was probably not wise.

For lunch we stop off at a little local fish restaurant where we stuff our little faces with traditional fish soup, salad nicoise followed by carpaccio and an apple tart.

Two full tummies later we decide it is time to venture back to the tranquility of the pool in preparation for tonight's meal. We also make the walk down to a little public beach littered with beautiful old ruins to watch the sun begin to kiss the sea and feel the sand on our skin. My auntie gave us an amazing trick of filming the waves to listen back to when you're sleeping.

This evening, our dinner spot of choice is Le Maschou. The restaurant is set in the cobbled streets of Cannes and contains few traditionally set tables in a stone-walled and inconspicuous cave. There's a fire where they will be cooking much of our meal and it brings a comfortable glowing warmth. Roses and candlesticks dress all the tables. They operate on a 'Formule' or set menu that is internationally famous, often tried and unsuccessfully copied.

We start with a Spanish sangria and bread toasted in the fire with meat juices served with butter and a sourcream dip. We receive a board of melon and bresaola before a huge basket of crudites is plonked on our table including whole raw vegetables and eggs. The sauces are a delicious anchovy, a vinaigrette.

Slowly our next course trickles out fire-baked jacket potatoes come served with the dips and our choice of meats (steak and lamb) which are deliciously cooked to perfection.

Grumbling in happiness but also slight sickness, we pore through the dessert choices, sweet peaches in the summer, chocolate mousse, giant creme caramels and opt for a selection which does not disappoint.

I leave with my complimentary rose and my rather full boyfriend in tow (not included), we head back home sadly as we know a flight awaits us the next day.

Cannes for the weekend has met every expectation...