Wrote today’s letter after splitting a bottle of pet nat + champagne with my roommate and her friend on our balcony. Don’t worry, I edited it in French class. Some of it lives behind the paywall, merci beaucoup! Later in the week, I WILL address the ProPublica 3M piece.
Press Play: jealousy (feat. Rema) by FKA Twigs
People are clamoring for a Shia LaBeouf comeback? Not on my watch! I will play FKA Twigs on repeat until I stop hearing about him. Her career should not be colored by his abuse, and yet…
People can change and apologize (has he, even?), but they are NOT entitled to fame or a public persona. That is all.
Borrow from ur local public library: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Believed to be somewhat autobiographical, Fitzgerald set this story in the French Riviera. He begins, “On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera, about halfway between Marseilles and the Italian border, stands a large, proud, rose-colored hotel.” He goes on to describe a hotel that sounds a lot like Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes), his fave.
Side note: In April, I asked them to quote me for a pre-tourist season price. Their cheapest room? 1,300 euros a night, nice.
It’s a fun Cote D’Azur read! Dick Diver is the protagonist and, in my opinion, also the antagonist. He’s an American psychiatrist married to his hot patient Nicole (also American). Je téléphone à la American Psychiatric Association!
You’d think that would make her his love interest, but he becomes obsessed with a teen Hollywood starlet, who’s also vacationing in Le Sud. I love how Fitzgerald describes her posture, as someone who walks like a ballerina “held up in the small of her back.” Everyone’s rich, duh. Consider this book if you want to read about a man who ruins his own life until he becomes un homme épuisé ("a used-up man"), while his wife becomes a healthy and independent version of herself.
Anti-Algorithm News: “The View from Here: Why Francis Ford Coppola should be cherished for being the last great dreamer in Hollywood” by Sam Wasson (Airmail)
Francis Ford Coppola, the godfather of Hollywood film screenwriters/ producers/ directors, self-funded a movie. He reportedly spent $120 million of his own money making Megalopolis over four decades. When was the last time you worked at something that long? He’s now struggling to find a domestic distributor. Why not? It could make starchitects hot again. Sam Wasson thinks it’s because it won’t make distributors enough money to make it worth it, but makes a plea to Industry Bigwigs regardless. I heard it was booed at Cannes, which is apparently a good thing. It also got a 4-minute standing ovation, which I hear isn’t that long. I’d watch it, I just wish he hadn’t cast Shia (it’s funny to me that the only full-cast photo I’ve seen doesn’t include him). Cancel culture isn’t real.
What I’m up to:
Do you tap into your friends’ networks when you travel? I’m thankful for my friends for many reasons. But, EC is someone I introduce as “a citizen of the world.” Born on a British island in the South Atlantic Ocean that got its first airport in 2015, she has lived, worked, and studied in many countries. Her social reach is hegemonic (complimentary). Because of her, I have friends in both Marseille and Paris, including my roommate this month (MJG). Some of the best bites I’ve had this week were either meals MJG cooked or restaurants she recommended.
Les Eaux de Mars: One of my favorite restaurants in the city! Had a great bao, asparagus egg dish, and strawberry pavlova paired with a chilled natural red wine.
Les 2 Libanais: I could eat here everyday. Some mornings, I wake up craving their za’atar manousheh and spicy muhammara dip
Carlotta With…: I’ve been twice, the first time I had an Earl Grey with their portokalopita. The second, I had a proper brunch. Everything is amazing. If you’re chill, the owner’s dog will lay next to you
Douceur Piquante: For when you want a home-cooked meal without putting in the work. The food is simple but balanced. They offer three options—meat, fish, and vegetarian—all prepared beautifully. And the owners treat you like family.
La Santita: They’re known for their ham croquettes, gambas, and margarita pitchers (classy ones), but I’m partial to their ceviche.
me and the aforementioned ceviche
Straight off the Corsican Ferry, I made it to the last home match for L’OM with my roommate. Her friends were Member Card holders and advised us to chug our drinks because the stadium stopped selling alcohol for safety reasons. We later learned this rule only applies in the Ultra/member sections. The Stade Vélodrome is cool. Designed in the 1930s by French architect Henri Ploquin, it was originally shaped more like a bowl and hosted both cycling and European football. It’s since been refurbished, with the addition of a fiberglass undulating roof reminiscent of a cycling track. As you approach, the Velodrome welcomes you into its shell. An open roof is great when you’re watching the game through the cigarette smoke.
Aside from weekday classes, I’ve failed to stick to a routine here. Is that embarrassing? Excuses abound. There’s always something to see, eat, and do, and I’m in my “yes, chef” era. It’s not all chaos, though. I’ve returned to ballet practice to give myself more structure. It feels good to be the worst ballet amateur in the world. Since last week, I’ve taken four classes in two studios and will attend one last one tonight before flying to Portugal for a week.
I’ll leave you with one last update: I was invited to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, a plot twist that no one saw coming…