Author: Nancy Heslin

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It’s A Dog’s Life Monaco

UPDATE: Coming September 15th, 2025: It’s A Dog’s Life Monaco! Pre-orders now open.

Compassion for canines is a part of Jessica Fry’s genetic code. “My parents rescued their first dog together on their honeymoon in Bali in the Seventies and flew her back to the UK where she became my Protector-in-Chief when I was born,” says Jessica.

The freelance business developer grew up in the countryside “surrounded by old or damaged or ugly dogs. My parents would adopt the ones no one wanted and they would live out their days with us in a pack of ten or so at a time.”

Little wonder then that Jessica (pictured above with Strawberry) would not think twice in risking her own life to protect her four-legged friends. In February 2017, the Monaco resident needed a change. Cornwall-born Jessica had been working for over a decade in hospitality and events for Amber Lounge, Sonia Irvine’s Formula One VIP party. “It was sort of in the blood. In the Sixties and Seventies, my father had been a racing driver alongside Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart. And his family before him had kept a house in Cap Ferrat, and a boat in Monaco, so spending time in and around the Principality was very much a family thing.”

Then her first rescue dog, Squeaky, died. She decided to head to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands to work with her old friend Chris Smith of Coldwell Banker in their rental department. She was tasked with finding homes for the turnover of office staff from the offshore services sector.

Looking back, the dog lover recalls, “This move represented a whole new life for me. Chris collected me from the airport and the first thing we did, before I even saw my new house in Cane Garden Bay, was visit Brutus, a guard dog that needed to have an eye kept on him. The second thing I did was pop down to the Humane Society Rescue Shelter and see what they needed.”

Jessica knew all too well the animal shelter. During a previous stint in Tortola in 2004 Squeaky had eaten poisoned meat and so when she walked in again thirteen years later, the manager recognised her. He was holding a tiny Squeaky lookalike puppy who had just been found in a trash bag on the road to the incinerator. “Obviously, Strawberry came home with me and we unpacked our new life together.”

Strawberry and Jessica went about their business until early September. “We watched a tropical storm building in the Atlantic. These are a thing in the islands, but usually they veer northwards while still far out at sea and all that happens is a bit of rain. Hurricane Irma, however, refused to budge, she just got bigger and bigger. At work we made the usual hurricane preparations – boarding up the fabulous villas, clearing outside spaces, bulk buying water … and then people started to leave. The international trusts and banks sent chartered planes down from the US mandatorily evacuating their staff and families.”

With her pilot neighbour, they observed their little beach shacks and looked at the radar images. “The eye of this monster storm was already much bigger than our tiny island, and it was still on the path for a direct hit. Not really knowing what to expect, but knowing it wasn’t going to be good, and that we didn’t have much time, we piled Strawberry and her dog Moby plus whatever else we could fit into the cars and zoomed off to a friend’s holiday villa up the mountain which had a basement.” Meanwhile phones were pinging with hurricane updates, evacuation warnings and urgent messages from friends trying to leave.

Curfew was announced as they arrived at the villa in a blizzard of falling leaves and tropical flowers. Island power was deliberately cut as trees started bending sideways. “Then I remembered Brutus, knew his people would have left and I jumped back in the car. Probably one of the more stupid and best things I have ever done in my life. I bombed down dark deserted country lanes with small trees starting to snap around me, and there he was alone at the top of the drive, absolutely thrilled someone had come for him. I threw him in – all 56 kilos of panicky Ridgeback – and bombed back down the lanes with trees falling, threw him in the house and promptly forgot about him.”

On September 6th, the “most powerful hurricane on record” with 250 km/h winds struck the Caribbean Island chain. Irma would have been Category 7 had military equipment not been smashed while recording windspeed.

The largest of the British Virgin Islands was not spared. “It sat on us for 74 hours and obliterated the island,” Jessica describes. “While we were hiding in the basement, 28 people died. Not one tree remained and 90% of buildings simply disappeared. Tornadoes had spiralled off the main walls of the storm and carved trails through the hills. Dead things – human and animal – lay where they had been thrown, along with vehicles, shipping containers, boats. It was carnage.”

Jessica and her pilot friend helped rescue humans from the debris and hiked bodies to the hospital. Animals started appearing. She remembered the pleading messages from friends as they’d been evacuated:

“Jess, please, please find Susie. They wouldn’t let her on the plane so I let her out of the car at the airport, please find her!”

“Jess, I left Noodle at the house with a bag of dog food. Could you please check he’s ok if you get a chance?”

She started hiking all over the island to where homes had once been. One by one, she found the dogs and bought them back to the basement. By the time the Humane Society Disaster Relief crew arrived a few weeks later, Jess had about 30 dogs.

“The crew had bought tents and planned to camp on the beach. But as the island is tectonic, the only place for cemeteries was along sea level which the storm surge had excavated. The crew came back to our basement and we set up the animal rescue control centre. I knew roughly where the dogs might be and they knew how to get them out and match them back with their owners or send them to no kill adoption shelters in the States.”

As soon as the Royal Marines cleared the airport “enough to land”, her boss got his US-based million-dollar clients to send their private jets down with emergency medical supplies and leave with animals. As Jessica remembers, “One stunning cream leather upholstered Falcon jet arrived full of hay bales for the surviving race horses.”

Within the year, Jessica returned to the Principality with her beloved Strawberry and Brutus. The self-described “absolute nut for helping to rescue dogs” now has four rescues at home. “I suppose it’s fair to say that most of us who live here in Monaco are fairly fortunate humans, and in this situation, I think it’s natural to want to give back. Dog lovers are wonderful people usually obsessed with their animals and it’s a relatively easy thing to arrange a channel for the good that they want to do.”

Which is where her charity book It’s A Dog’s Life Monaco comes in. “All dogs are unique, as are their humans. Monaco is also unique. Join these together and you have something quite fascinating. There are highly pampered handbag pooches and also real canine rags to riches stories here. I’ve met and photographed two abused and abandoned rescue dogs in the past week who only ever fly first class these days.”

It’s A Dog’s Life Monaco is a Made-in-Monaco luxury coffee table book designed to support the Société Protectrice des Animaux (S.P.A.) Monaco and its new president, Princess Charlene. The official launch on September 15, 2025, coincide’s with the one-year anniversary of the SPA animal shelter in Peille opening its doors on September 16, 2024.

“Princess Antoinette created the original SPA in Eze over forty years ago and now Princess Charlene and Prince Albert are teaching the new generation, their 8-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella, what it is to love and rescue animals,” says the highly connected author and contributing photographer, Jessica Fry.

The 340-page hardcover artfully blends high society with heartfelt storytelling. From cobblestone alleys and sun-drenched promenades to hidden gardens and grand residences, It’s Dog’s Life Monaco artfully captures the soul of the Principality through its most pampered pooches—and their doting humans. Each image is a testament to the joy, loyalty, and unconditional love that dogs bring into our lives.

The opening of the book is dedicated to the Princely Family’s long love of dogs, from Prince Albert I with his hunting dog on his shoulders to Grace Kelly stepping off the boat with her poodle under her arm to marry Prince Rainier. (Prince Rainier’s faithful dog followed his funeral cortege as Mourner-in-Chief.)

The book reads like a love letter to Monte Carlo’s four-legged residents from those who most cherish them, with hundreds of photos of people and their dogs going about their daily business in Monaco. “Loving dogs transcends social barriers, and it’s a happy thing to be able to show this in action. There’s a homeless man who devotes everything he has to his beautifully looked after dog, ‘ordinary people’ like you and me, famous people, millionaires, young and old, recognised and not.”

Whether a dog lover, a Princely Family enthusiast, or a fan of fine photography with purpose, It’s a Dog’s Life Monaco offers an unprecedented insider’s view of the Principality, uniting all nationalities for a charitable cause.

Several dog-friendly VIP sponsors got behind the project, including Sir Stelios, the founder of easyPet, which safely drives animals between Monaco, France and the UK. “Stelios has a rescue dog himself and is a big part of making this project possible with his kind support and belief in what we’re doing. I can honestly say easyPet is a genius idea and a huge help to those of us with dogs too big to go under the seat in front.”

Additional sponsors include Lunajets, JV Pastor’s The Maya Collection, Quai des Artistes, la Petite Clinique Vétérinaire, AnimaFit’Azur, Edmiston, Andreas & Vanessa Evans, Romina Manchot, Yana Aintabi, Club Suisse, Westrope Immobilier, Cooka’s Cookies, Cullinan Diamonds, Co2ral Consulting, Gale Force Computing, the Government of the Principality and private individuals.

As Jessica says, “There’s a reason the title is It’s a Dog’s Life. Yes, the book celebrates the joy all dogs bring into our lives but ultimately we are trying to help save the life of a dog, in Monaco and around the world, one adoption at a time.”

Now available for pre-order directly from the Monaco-registered publisher, Carob Tree Publishing; Free delivery in the Principality.

Photos Good News Monaco, and courtesy of Jessica Fry. Article first published October 27, 2023; updated on September 13, 2025.

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Juanita & Taylor Viale

Taylor Viale passed away yesterday on Wednesday, August 20, surrounded by family, including mom Juanita, dad Nicolas, big sister Isabella, grandma Sonia, and her grand aunt Helene.

The family is enormously grateful to the Lenval Hospital Reanimation team in Nice, who did everything possible for a peaceful transition.

They also extend their gratitude and thanks to the Fondation Lenval’s EEAP Henri Germain (Establishment for Children and Adolescents with Multiple Disabilities), under the direction of Mme Drigny, for the years of tender care they gave Taylor. Some of the nurses and caregivers came to the hospital say goodbye to Taylor.

As Juanita posted: “Taylor blessed our lives for 18 years, always smiling, even with a mountain of challenges. She touched so many lives with her pure presence and joy of being.”

The religious ceremony takes place on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at 10 am at the Eglise du Voeux in Nice (2 rue Alfred Mortier). “All those who knew her, loved her, or simply crossed paths are welcome to say their farewells with kindness and light.”

Flowers can be placed on Wednesday morning starting at 8 am at the Athanée de Nice, or directly at the church before 10 am. At the end of the ceremony, a offering box will be circulated. All of its contents will be donated to the Lenval Foundation, to benefit children with disabilities. For messages on Taylor’s tribute space:
https://www.espace-hommage.fr/mon-espace/4102b9a0

With the family’s permission, I am resharing the mother and daughter’s inspirational story, which was first published during the Covid pandemic.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: We have spent the better part of this year staring at Covid figures and graphs, and hearing about how care homes have been particularly vulnerable to the virus. It is easy to forget that it is not just the elderly living in assisted accommodation. The story of Juanita Viale and her disabled daughter Taylor is one of hope.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Juanita Viale was working for a Stanford-funded startup in San Francisco when her dad passed away. She decided to relocate to Costa Rica and settled in Tamarindo on the Pacific Coast, known for surfing thanks to the 1966 Robert August documentary classic, Endless Summer.

By 2007, she was living in San José when her youngest daughter Taylor suffered a brain hemorrhage at birth leaving her permanently disabled. Juanita and her husband decided to move Taylor and her older sister Isabella to France the following year. “My now ex-husband’s grandfather welcomed us with open arms to his 30-hectare vineyard, Coteaux de Bellet, behind Nice, and I stayed there for the next nine years.”

Taking care of the girls, especially with Taylor’s needs, was a full-time job but after a four-year hiatus from the work force, Juanita managed to land a gig in her field of communications and marketing.  “On my second day of work I was already in Monaco on the air at Riviera Radio giving weekly property reports, a vast contrast to being a stay-at-home-mom.”

While her marketing consulting and coaching business grew, her marriage, unfortunately, did not. By the autumn of 2019, Taylor moved into a center for severely disabled children in Saint Antoine Ginestiere, in Nice, operated by the Lenval Foundation, coming home on the weekends. During this same period, Juanita moved around 40 kilometers behind Nice to live in a forest.

“I found my French version of Costa Rica! As I live on a 7-hectare forest my lifestyle is pretty isolated, so when the first lockdown happened, nothing really changed for me since I live and run my business Marketing & Mindset Coaching from home anyway.

“However, the challenge was with Taylor. Under strict confinement restrictions she was not allowed to leave the center since they were all vulnerable. I didn’t see Taylor for two months with the exception of daily Facetime calls. She held out fine for the first month, but showed signs of depression the second month, which is when Facetime calls became a lifesaver.”

While this weighed enormously on Juanita’s heart, the good news was that it was clear that her daughter Taylor was more aware of her surroundings than the family realized.

A few days prior to France’s second lockdown announcement, Taylor was hospitalized during the weekend for fatigue and no appetite. She was tested immediately for Covid with a negative result.

Juanita wasn’t allowed to visit because she hadn’t had a Covid test. Rapid testing is reserved for the patients only so when the hospital offered to give her a regular test, the results wouldn’t be ready before 48 hours. By that time Taylor would already be out of the hospital.

While Juanita “completely understood” the situation, this was the first time Taylor had to be alone in the hospital. “Even though I have full confidence in the nurses to be with her, knowing she was alone did not sit well with me. However I had no other choice but to surrender that worrying thought and replace it with the gratitude I have for all those doctors and nurses who take such great care of the children at Lenval.”

With this second lockdown that took effect October 30, Taylor is able to come home on the weekends. “Such relief! But for Isabella, 18, who is going to school and doing her internship in Nice, it will be her first lockdown alone. Facetime it is!”

If there is any lesson Juanita Viale has learned from “The Year of Staying at Home” it is to be adaptable.

“The more willing we are to live out of our comfort zone, we strengthen our adaptability skills. It is imperative to keep working on ourselves, challenging ourselves, checking in with ourselves, loving ourselves and developing a positive mindset that will serve as your anchor in a sea of uncertainty.”

Article first published November 3, 2020. Photos courtesy of Juanita Viale.

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Véronique Liesse: the Monaco dietician who helps children develop healthy eating habits

Véronique Liesse is a French-speaking Belgian who came to Monaco five years ago with her husband who was developing his business in the Principality.  

Véronique, who also speaks fluent Dutch and English, splits her time between consultations in nutrition and micronutrients at Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, teaching nutrition to health professionals and providing in-house training for companies to improve wellbeing and quality of life at work. Even with 20 years of professional experience and a company in Belgium, she admits, “It was a new challenge to start my work here in Monaco.”

She understates her credibility. Véronique is also an accomplished writer, having penned four books tackling health – on weight-loss mistakes, hormonal issues, energy foods and immunity boosters – all published by Broché and available on Amazon.fr. Her fifth release “Ma bible pour perdre du poids sans régimes” (My Bible For Losing Weight Without Dieting) came out in March 2021.

“The book is a summary of all the factors that can lead to becoming overweight – and it is not a question of calories. The plate is key but it is much more a qualitative aspect than a quantitative one. Other things that can block a weight loss program include hormones, microbiota, chrono-nutrition, way of life, stress, sleep … and I offer concrete steps to take along with a hundred recipes.”

Growing up, Véronique says that nutrition didn’t play a big role in her life although her mother paid attention to what the family ate. “Nutrition has been a reconversion for me,” she says. “Once I finished my studies as a dietician, I quickly felt that I was missing something and so I trained more in depth in micronutrients, nutrition for athletes, children and adolescents, and in gut microbiota.”

Véronique points out the different nutritional requirements for kids. “They are not just little men and women. Today we know the importance of adopting good habits from a young age because it increases the chances of success and good health in adulthood.”

She says the same goes for elite athletes. “There are so many different sports, with different constraints and objectives, and it is important to know what we are talking about.” 

Photo: Bettina D.

In Monaco and the French Riviera, people are fortunate to have access to a Mediterranean-style diet, which is synonymous with health and quality and with an abundance of choice in local produce. “Marrying health and the art of living is the ultimate goal for Monegasques who are very aware of their health and that precious link that exists between them and their plate,” she describes.

In fact, it is the plate that Véronique examines during consultations. She looks at what people are eating to determine any missing nutrients that could help reduce inflammation and provide the immune system with what it needs to function at its best. “I also have clients who realise that diets simply do not work and in order to lose weight permanently, or for other reasons, they need to be supervised.”

She adds, “Of course, maintaining immune system health at an optimal level is a key element in dealing with this Covid crisis. This can even help to b the effectiveness of the vaccine. Fortunately, specialists are starting to talk about the importance of taking vitamin D. It really could save lives and even for children who are not at risk of Covid, vitamin D is important.”

Véronique, who has her own YouTube channel L’Healthentiel, is adamant that the impact of Covid is largely underestimated. “Beyond the direct link with immunity, our mental and emotional health has also been strongly affected. I am afraid that the damage will not be noticeable until we come out of it all. Not to mention the people who have stopped exercising or who have gained weight …

“Since the pandemic began, doing sports has seemed normal, partly because we have had more time, and partly because we were locked up. But the majority of the population doesn’t see it useful to eat better, mostly due of a lack of information.”

Like everyone, Véronique’s consultations and training came to a complete halt during the first confinement. “We are lucky in Monaco to be supported by the government. Little by little, things have been put in place, even if the situation remains complicated. Obviously, face-to-face training is impossible and has to be done at a distance but learning to adapt and bounce back is always good,” says Véronique Liesse.

Article first published July 21, 2021.

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Rosés of Southern France

Authors Elizabeth Gabay and Ben Bernheim (right).

There are less than 400 people on the planet with a coveted “Masters of Wine” certification. Considered the highest wine achievement in the world, Elizabeth Gabay is one of two people in the Alpes-Maritimes with the accreditation.

As a Provence specialist for the Wine Scholar Guild (formerly the French Wine Society), she is also the main South of France wine writer for Decanter magazine. Her second book, Rosés of Southern France, was published earlier this month.

“I passed the Master of Wine exam in 1998 after four years of intensive study, three after the birth of my son Ben,” says Elizabeth. “The exams involve understanding and being able to analyse viticulture, vinification, commercial business, the role of wine in society and, of course, being able to taste and evaluate wine. The pass rate is low – around 10% – and we do have an amazing global network.”

Back in 2018, Elizabeth wrote the definitive book on rosé, Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution. “I had originally thought of a book on the region of Provence, but with over 80% of production being rosé, it made sense to focus on rosé. As I studied the market, history and different styles the book grew into being a global reach and a realisation that there really was a global revolution happening as rosés were growing in volume – now well over 10% of global consumption.”

When Elizabeth started researching for the book in late 2016, the level of quality rosé around the world was “erratic”. And while quality has improved in the past six years … “a lot of regional styles have disappeared as commercial competitiveness has pushed producers to make ‘Provence-style rosé’. Quality is improving but at the price of losing tradition and individuality,” says the Saint-Martin-Vésubie resident.

Rosés of Southern France is a collaborative cowrite with her son Ben Bernheim, who “has spent his entire life in wine. As part of the wine tasting team at Edinburgh university he won the prize for the best white wine taster competing against Oxford, Cambridge and French students.” After graduating in 2017, Ben helped his mom finish the original rosé book and he worked in vineyards and as a sommelier.

“Working with a 25-year-old is exhausting. He has so much energy,” Elizabeth shares. “I was in my comfy niche of writing and lecturing and he has pushed the boundaries.” In addition to last year’s e-guide and this year’s book really, the mother-son duo also found the time to create their own rosé, Sen, made with a winemaker in Slovakia.

Their book Rosés of Southern France clearly establishes patterns for regionality and what makes the wines stand out, which is of interest to both buyers and consumers. “Last year Ben and I did an e-guide tasting 1000 Southern French rosés and we realised that the best wines showed originality and we wanted to write more about these wines and estates.”

Elizabeth and Ben sampled over 2,000 rosés during the past year. “Including rosés from elsewhere – it is important to keep an international perspective.”

The book aims to be a classic wine book. “If you love rosé, you can read it and understand the different styles, and how to look for other wines.” At the same time, at the end of August, they are launching their website pink.wine which will be a modern and innovative approach to rosé,” the New Yorker explains.

“Most existing books on rosé either give a list of wines or list estates to visit or are coffee table books with lovely photos. We wanted to treat rosé as a serious wine. We have included maps showing the geology and geography, photos of the soils, grapes, regions. We have tried to show how and why the styles of wine have different styles. The elegance of Sainte Victoire, the robustness of Gigondas, the complexity of Tavel …”

Rosés of Southern France is for professionals, sommeliers, buyers and anyone who likes rosé. “Hopefully it will help consumers when they go into a shop and want to choose a wine. Recently someone mentioned they liked fuller bodied Les Baux rosés and we were able to suggest which regions and appellations had similar styles.”

Elizabeth has three recommendations to look out for this summer.

  1. Les Schistes, Les Maîtres Vignerons de Gonfaron, Côtes de Provence (€7.80): a delicate charming white peach, fresh citrus acidity and a lovely balance of restrained fruit and acidity.
  2. Pierre Amadieu, Romane Machotte, Gigondas AOP 2021 (€17): a juicy, slightly weightier rosé with real Gigondas character filled with fresh cherries, strawberries and raspberry fruit – but also a serious gastronomic wine.
  3. Chateau de Selle, Domaine Ott (€26): red fruit, floral, perfumed, orange blossom. Gorgeous citrus acidity, crisp, citrussy, vibrant well-made, elegant, direct, hint of leafiness on the Rather lovely.

And for those like me who know nothing about wine, Elizabeth says look for rosé in a dark bottle. “I know that is counter-intuitive but colour is not important. Pale does not make it good. The bright sunlight can damage the wine and give it off vegetal flavours. I’ve seen people say they don’t like rosé and then discover they are tasting wine which has been in the sun. An hour on the table in summer is enough to harm the wine.

“Look at the back label. If it says serve at 6°C you know it is best drunk chilled by the pool. Serve at 10°C and above with maybe some detail of the grapes suggests the producer is more serious.”

Warning: Excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to your health

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Parfumerie Edith Harlay

Florence Pronzati founder of Edith Harlay. Photos: Nancy Heslin

Before Covid took over headlines this year, it was announced that the Centre Commerical in Fontvieille would be expanded into a 4-storey glass building with a multiplex cinema, a 600-spot car park and state-owned housing on the top floor. The €300 million project is scheduled for delivery in 2027, and will see the shopping mall expand from 13,000 sqm to 14,000 sqm of retail space, growing from 38 to 70 stores.

The Centre Commerical first opened its doors in 1992 and nearly half of the original shops are still there. One of them is the independently owned perfumery Edith Harlay, created by Florence Pronzati and named as homage to her mother.

Energetic and welcoming, Florence was truly born for customer service. Not only does she have a natural ability to make people feel happy but, in her opinion, “A sale is not a sale unless you’ve spent one-on-one time with a client giving advice.”

As a child, the Monegasque was “always attracted to pretty things and makeup.” She studied to become an aesthetician and in 1987 opened the beauty institute Cristal Esthétique, which she operated for five years. She then launched Edith Harlay in 1992. “I ran the two business for a few years and then decided to concentrate on the perfumery and so I sold Cristal, which is still around today.”

It’s been a tough year for commerce having to close completely for two months during the first coronavirus confinement. “It has been hard but Christmas is coming and we are still here smiling even with a mask,” Florence assures.

And she has noticed a trend as a result of the pandemic. “Consumers are trying to shop intelligently. Before Covid, we’d have 80 people come into the store and 50 would buy something. Now we have fewer customers but out of the 50 who come in, 48 make a purchase because they need something.”

Florence emphasises, “Customers can’t touch anything in the store. We help the client and we disinfect all the time, from the debit card machine after every use to the store itself. For every one or two customers who turn around and leave because they don’t like the new measures we have in place, I have 8 others who say thank you. If one of my employees tests positive, I would have to close.”

Including Florence, the perfumery has a team of five, all aestheticians, who give lots of advice, whether a client wants to buy makeup – “we take the time to show them by example, doing one eye and then letting them do the other”– or perfume. “Whether you want to buy for yourself or as a gift, there are a number of questions we ask to match a perfume with a personality, such as are you an introvert or extrovert, do you live in a sunny climate, what is your work environment?”

The top selling perfume at the moment for women is Libre by Yves Saint Laurent. J’adore remains a hot item, as does any Chanel scent, and Idôle by Lancome, which came out last year. Florence also carries the niche perfume, Serge Lutens (€120), which is hard to find elsewhere.

I did not know this but Florence explains for many French women born in the Sixties and Seventies, Nina Ricci’s L’air du Temps, with its signature dove bottle stopper, was their first fragrance. “It was my first perfume,” says Florence, “and now Les Sorbets by Nina Ricci, part of her Les Belles collection, is what young girls often wear.”

For many French women, Nina Ricci’s L’air du Temps was their first perfume.

For men, Terre d’Hermès is the biggest seller at the moment along with Paco Rabanne’s 1 Million cologne, sold in what looks like a bar of gold.

On the makeup side, Florence says, “I cannot say that one brand is better than the other. Chanel, YSL, Christian Dior, Lancôme … it all depends on what you are looking for but we can help you choose.”

The boutique also has a nail bar (€32 for a simple manicure with massage and scrub) and does eyebrow waxing on site.

There are lots of Christmas gift options “for all budgets,” including gift boxes with a focus on certain brands, fun themed gifts packages starting from €19.80, hand made Acqui de Parma candles and even advent calendars for couples.

“I know I’m repeating myself,” says Florence, “but our biggest strength is that we here to explain the products to the customers and it is really satisfying to hear them say ‘Thank you so much, I really appreciate your advice’ as they leave with a purchase in hand.”

Well, when Grace Kelly, who would have been 91 today, picked up the Oscar for The Country Girl in 1955, she said on the red carpet that wearing Chateau Krigler 12 perfume was her “lucky charm.” Maybe Florence Pronzati can help you discover yours.

Open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 to 7: 30 p.m.

Parfumerie Edith Harlay
Centre Commercial Fontvieille

Article first published November 12, 2020.

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Free underwater concert in Villefranche

Looking to beat the heat in a whole new way this weekend and get a dose of culture? On Saturday July 12 and Sunday July 13, the plage de l’Ange Gardien in Villefranche will be transformed into a liquid auditorium as Michel Redolfi presents “The Sea of Sound”.

Michel is the world pioneer in underwater music. “Like most free outdoor concerts, one difference is that some of the listeners will also be floating on their backs in the water,” says the French composer and sound artist.

Born in Marseille in 1951, Michel had classical training at the conservatoire before specialising in electroacoustic composition. At 18, he co-founded the Groupe de musique expérimentale de Marseille (GMEM), which today is a major studio and national centre.

Michel moved to the US in the early Seventies and for fifteen years conducted sound experiments. He was a guest composer-researcher in the studios of the University of Wisconsin, the California Institute of the Arts and Dartmouth College, where he took part in the emergence of the first digital synthesiser, the Synclavier.

The concept of underwater music in the sea and heated Olympic pools cames to him while living in San Diego, California. After a friend gave him an old underwater speaker from the navy surplus, Michel (pictured below) started experimenting.

“It was a fluke,” he says, discovering how certain timbres – what makes a musical note quality sound different from another one – work really well underwater. “The harp, flute and female voices sound wonderful” while “electric guitar and funky bass riffs do not.”

Michel became a specialist of musical cybernetics and sound design, performing large-scale underwater concerts in Europe, Brazil and Australia with his team of computer-savvy musicians and singers. “The sea is the next open space for art … We’ve already seen land art, but the ocean has yet to be explored.”

On Saturday, you can “dive in with the oceanic choirs”. Whales, dolphins and Mediterranean fish will be in dialogue with Michel’s sound textures in a large-scale marine concert: 20,000 sounds under the sea, for a planetary acoustic odyssey.

On Sunday, the voice of actor Jean-Marc Barr (best known for his role in Le Grand Bleu) will guide you through previously unpublished texts by Jean Cocteau, read on the open sea, against a backdrop of ambient soundscapes. “In front of you, the Saint-Pierre chapel, decorated by Cocteau himself. Behind you, the open sea. Inside you, words and music.”

No reservations or tickets necessary. All you need is a bathing suit; mask and snorkel are optional. As Michel says, “What makes the experience particularly tantalising is that the sounds are only audible once you put your head in the water. You don’t even have to get your ears wet, since it’s your bones and skull that vibrate and conduct the sound.

 “It’s really cool – like you have earphones stuck all over your body.”

Access is free from Plage des Marinières, and times are flexible: Saturday: 1pm to 6pm and Sunday: 11am to 6pm. As parking is limited, and it’s a weekend in July, take the train or 600 bus.

Article first published July 11, 2025. Photo and video: Facebook Michel Redolfi. Feature image: Ri Butov from Pixabay.

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Catherine Loewe

Born in Madrid, christened in Paris, and having grown up in London, Catherine Loewe had a very European outlook from day one. “My mother was Viennese and took me to see Gustav Klimt in the Belvedere which started my life-long love of art.”

“She was my greatest influence, as a follower of Jung and Buddhism, and she was obsessed with Gustav Mahler – my father even resembled the composer!” In fact, the Adagietto from Mahler’s 5th Symphony, famously used by Lucino Visconti in his 1971 adaptation of Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice, is the piece of music most associated with her childhood.

Catherine is one of the speakers in Monaco for the “Breaking Boundaries: Women Leaders in the Art World Conference” on July 10, “highlighting remarkable females in the region with the global expertise”.

The independent curator studied Art History when, as she says, it was not really considered an academic subject. “The Courtauld Institute of Art was the only place, but I wanted to leave my family home in London so went to the then ‘Lefty’ progressive University of East Anglia where the emphasis was on radical feminist theory.”

The newly-opened Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts designed by Lord Norman Foster (the architect of the Monaco Yacht Club) was hugely inspiring – combining African, Contemporary and Renaissance under one roof. After university she went straight to work at Waddington Galleries. “I couldn’t believe I was suddenly working with artists like Barry Flanagan, Mimmo Paladino, Elisabeth Frink, John Hoyland and Michael Craig-Martin, who introduced many of the Young British Artist’s from Goldsmiths like Ian Davenport and Fiona Rae.”

Today, she’s an international name in the world of art curators. “An art curator used to be the custodian of a museum collection, but today curators work in a variety of roles – running private or corporate collections or organising exhibitions for museums and galleries. There is a great deal of competition, but each curator has a particular focus and style – they can relate to artists in that respect and at best it is this dialogue that forms the basis of exhibitions.”

Since the pandemic, the art advisor has seen a paradigm shift towards women, African Diaspora artists and global indigenous people. “Hence the big show at Tate opening in July of renowned artist Emily Kam Kngwarray, c.1914–1996, whose powerful works reflects her extraordinary life as an Anmatyerr woman in the Northern Territory of Australia.”

She adds, “The last two Venice Biennales summed up the mood and pushed forward historically overlooked media such as textiles heavily associated with women and domestic work and therefore not deserving of high art status – this is dramatically changing now – Olga de Amaral and Sheila Hicks are superstars. It is a subject that fascinates me, and I put together an exhibition called ‘The Fabric of Life’ on this theme.”

Women closing the art investment gap
Catherine shines a positive light on female artists and the future. “There’s evidence of a closing gap between prices fetched for contemporary male and female artists, and some predict women artists may soon outpace men in overall auction value. Recent years have seen record-breaking sales for women artists – both contemporary and historical. Many have reached the global Top 50, often soaring ten times above high estimates proving that work by women can perform at the top of the market. Marlene Dumas, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Cecily Brown, Julie Mehretu have all achieved multi-million-dollar sales.”

The cofounder of The Eye of the Huntress says despite the suffragettes and feminists it has taken a long time for the male-dominated art world to get here. She points out how Vasari, known for his biography Lives of the Artists on the “great male” artists of the Italian Renaissance, only named four women in his book” Most of whom were lost in the dust,” says Catherine.

Today progress is “incredible”, Catherine shares, with women running major institutions, galleries and collections. “When I started at Christie’s there were very few female directors, and no auctioneers or women artists let alone living ones. Women artists in the 20th century have been famously overshadowed by their male counterparts, only now receiving lavish posthumous retrospectives like Lee Krasner, the wife of Jackson Pollock, or Picasso and Françoise Gilot, and Leonora Carrington and Max Ernst. Many of these women are in the book Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel.”

Institutional shows have had a huge impact on women, like Joan Mitchell at the Whitney 2022 and Fondation Vuitton. Since the Zwirner Gallery has taken control of her estate, no less than 13 out of 14 lots have exceeded $10 million at auction. The artist now holds 12th place in the world, ahead of Mark Rothko and Cy Twombly.

“I am keen supporter of women artists, particularly emerging ones which does not necessarily mean young women. This is what the textile exhibition The Fabric of Life was about, many of the women who were overlooked as they worked quietly in the background for years before social media and influencers came along, like Isabella Ducrot who is 94.”

Catherine was invited to speak at the Breaking Boundaries conference at One Monte-Carlo Monaco (5pm; €40) by Alessia Corsini, who runs Maison d’Art and created the One Masters event, and Valentina Colman of the Monaco Women Forum.

“Inclusive means all women from all socio-economic backgrounds, all nationalities, religions, gender and ages,” says Catherine. Now we see women supporting other women, like Tracey Emin and her Margate studios.”

One Masters Monaco takes places at One Monte-Carlo: July 9 (2-10pm) and July 10 & 11 (2-8pm). Photos: Good News Monaco.

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Svetlana Berezovsky

Svetlana Berezovsky met her husband Igor at a chess tournament in Ukraine. The couple moved to the Principality in 2013 to start a business and they have both since ranked as Monaco chess champions in their respective categories.

Svetlana teaches at the local chess club – Le Cercle d’échecs de Monte-Carlo – which has around 100 members and their two sons and two daughters also play the game, with their youngest, 14-year-old Fiorina, once holding the distinction of Monaco’s youngest chess champion five years ago.

While the close-knit family has fully embraced nearly a decade in Monaco, they are deeply attached to their roots. Svetlana was born in Chernihiv, a city in Ukraine with a 1300 year-long history. Today the city is under a heavy bombardment. “I lost two of my relatives who were hiding at their village house not far from Chernihiv. Two more young people from my extended family were severely injured during that terrorist attack. They are in a hospital in Kyiv at the moment. Next week we want to get them to the West,” says Svetlana Berezovsky

The 50-year-old adds that her father-in-law is in Odessa. “It is his city and he will not leave regardless. And, of course, we have many young friends – mostly men – who are in Ukraine, protecting the country.”

For the Berezovskys, the nights following Russia’s invasion on Ukraine were without sleep. “We had the feeling that if we fell asleep, we would wake up to an occupied Ukraine. So we watched the news non-stop, texted and called friends and relatives all over Ukraine.”

Svetlana describes the brave Ukrainians defending their country as “an incredibly free spirit” and emphasises “it is really a fight of good and evil without any semitones. Evil will not succeed. Ukrainians will remain free.”

Concerned about their homeland, shortly after the invasion Svetlana and Igor started to organise support for refugees coming to Monaco. “The solidarity of people in Europe is mind blowing, particularly when you think that Poland has accepted more than 2 million Ukrainians. There is practically no border between Ukraine and Poland today.”

According to UNHCR, as of April 2nd, 2022, 4,176,401 refugees had fled Ukraine since February, 24th with 2,429,265 arriving in Poland.

“With other families, we do our little bit to help – like organising temporary apartments and rooms in France, Monaco and Germany for incoming people, mostly women with kids. When people are here, we are trying to support them in any possible way. We see also that while Ukrainians are very thankful, they all want to go back home after Ukraine wins the war.”

For Svetlana, “Everyone can help, be it by supporting Ukraine financially, helping with temporary accommodation, with medical supplies, food and other things.” What is especially important at the moment is accommodating people “even if just for one month.”

She articulates that it is “critically important not to do business with Russia. Every penny Russia gets on taxes, goes directly to war, directly for killing Ukrainian children. And the Kremlin’s appetite is not limited to Ukraine … they are speaking openly about that.”

Article first published April 3, 2022.

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US Naval Academy Midshipmen Meet Prince Albert

Anthony Cervini, Richard Kang, Susan Feaster, Prince Albert, Arianna Lexie Ruiz
Jessica Bakken and Nicholas Feaster at the Monaco Yacht Club Library. Photo: Axel Bastell.

On Wednesday, March 15, Prince Albert II met with five Midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at the Monaco Yacht Club Library. The Midshipmen presented their USNA Challenge Coin to Prince Albert.

Prince Albert, who is Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guards (the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince) in which he actively served from 1986 to 2005, returned the gesture by offering the two female and three men Midshipmen his official coin. It is tradition when military and foreign leaders meet to exchange Challenge Coins as a symbol of respect for each other’s commitment to service at a high level.

What is the Challenge Coin? USNA Midshipman Nicholas Feaster explains the history Video: Caroline Mindus.

Additionally, the Prince bestowed from Monaco to the Naval Academy a plaque of the country’s Coat of Arms, as well as a work of art from his private collection, the bronze sculpture “Oceans 11” by local artist Carol Burton, as a symbol of the importance of Ocean Sustainability.

On behalf of the USNA, the Mids had presents for 8-year-old twins Heredity Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella – USNA t-shirts and the USNA goat mascot. And, as Prince Albert celebrated turning 65 the day before, on March 14, he was surprised with a slice of cake as the group sang Happy Birthday. He was gifted a special Top Gun Maverick F-18 Lego to mark the occasion.

USNA Midshipmen wish Prince Albert Happy Birthday.

During their convivial hour together, the Mids shared stories about determination and dedication to service with His Serene Highness. The Prince recalled the time at age 17 when he took an admissions tour of the Naval Academy with his mother, Princess Grace. He chose instead to attend Amherst College in Massachusetts. (Grace Kelly’s first cousin John Lehman Jr was former Secretary of the US Navy from 1981 to 1987.)

The USNA was honourably represented by Jessica Bakken (Julian, California), Anthony Cervini (Vineland, New Jersey), Richard Kang (Columbus, Indiana), Arianna Lexie Ruiz (Greenville, Pennsylvania) and Nicholas Feaster (US residence, Arlington, Virginia).

Nicholas, 20, was educated in Monaco from a young age (Cours Saint Maur, FANB) and is the first graduate from Lycée Albert 1er to receive an appointment to the US Naval Academy. He was also a member of the choir, the Petits Chanteurs de Monaco, for five years and interned at the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).

Report on Monaco Info.

The Mids have been visiting the Principality for five days over spring break and are leaving Saturday. On Wednesday morning, they visited the IHO headquarters on quai Antoine 1er with IHO Director Admiral Luigi Sinapi. They also had the opportunity to meet Monaco resident Keith Chapman, the creator of two blockbuster animation series, Paw Patrol and Bob The Builder, and Bernard d’Alessandri, General Director of the Monaco Yacht Club.

The Challenge Coin event was organised by the US Ambassador for Yacht Club of Monaco President, Susan Feaster.

USNA and other military academies first accepted women in 1976.  According to USNA’s website, of the 1,215 graduates in the Class of 2021, 27% were female (327) and 37% minority (451) midshipmen. It is worth noting that there were 16,299 total applications that year. Each USNA candidate must receive a nomination from a member of congress, who are limited to five constituents attending the Naval Academy at any time. 

Prince Albert gives his Chalenge Coin to Midshipman Richard Kang. Photo: Axel Bastell.
On behalf of USNA, Midshipman NIcholas Feaster accepts Monaco’s Coat of Arms from Prince Albert. Photo: Axel Bastell.
Prince bestowed from Monaco to the Naval Academy a work of art from his private collection, the bronze sculpture “Oceans 11” by local artist Carol Burton (right) as a symbol of the importance of Ocean Sustainability. Photo: Axel Bastell.
Richard Kang, Jessica Bakken and Arianna Lexie Ruiz present Prince Albert with
USNA t-shirts and the USNA goat mascot for his 8-year-old twins
Heredity Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. Photo: Axel Bastell.
Arianna Lexie Ruiz presents Prince Albert with a piece of birthday cake. Photo: Axel Bastell.
Prince Albert is greeted by Arianna Lexie Ruiz, Jessica Bakken, Richard Kang, Anthony Cervini and Nicholas Feaster at the Monaco Yacht Club Library. Photo: Axel Bastell.

This article was first published on March 16, 2023.

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Gabrielle’s Zest 4 Life

Anyone who knows the benevolent Gabrielle Crump will not be surprised to learn that her childhood in Oundle, Northamptonshire, was a happy one with a “fantastic group” of school friends. “My parents sent me to a school that I loved and bought a house in the centre of town, enabling me to walk to all my lessons with my books under my arm and have an incredible level of freedom,” she says. 

Gabrielle – affectionately Gabby to her friends – remembers how her mother prided herself on having a big garden full of vegetables and beautiful flowers. “She used to garden in the dark with very strong lamps. It was her way of managing the stress of running a food manufacturing business with 50 staff and loads of responsibility.”

From a young age, her mother would encourage Gabrielle to find joy in whatever she chose to do with her life. “If that meant scrubbing toilets, then Mum would be happy for me. I never felt as though I had to fit into a box.”

Clearly, she did not, as her eclectic life story shows. Bilingual Gabrielle was born in Grasse, grew up in the UK and met her husband, Russell, at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2000. He was showing the smallest boat at the show; she had just started in the industry. This was the beginning of a long journey guided by the desire to help others. Later this year they will be celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the non-profit Chances 4 Children Foundation, created by the couple back in August 2014. “This is a huge moment for us considering where we started from,” Gabrielle voices. “Russell had always wanted to run aid to Africa on a truck but was unable to due to his Type 1 diabetes. When an opportunity came along, we saw it as a sign.”

Opportunity came knocking in 2013. The stepbrother of a close friend of Gabrielle’s (“and my first love at the age of 14!”) spent two weeks of his gap year volunteering in Uganda at what was then called His Mercy’s Outreach Centre. “Uganda is the world’s third poorest country and during this time James’ mother appealed for funds and we stepped in to help,” explains Gabrielle.

Chances 4 Children with Martin Male and Russell and Gabrielle Crump.

The centre was run by Martin Male, an AIDS orphan who had saved 60 children from the slums in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, and it was Martin’s story that tugged at the Crumps’ emotional chords. Martin’s promiscuous father died having contracted HIV AIDS, and his mom was selling her body to ensure that Martin would be fed and attend school. After her death, young Martin hitched a ride on the back of a coal truck from his village to the city in search of an aunt. Unsuccessful, he wound up on the streets for years living and sleeping in unimaginable conditions. One day, a local businesswoman, Jayne, asked how she could help and he said he didn’t want money, but rather to attend school to honour his mother and be able to stand on his own two feet. “Mummy Jayne” – who had three daughters – took Martin in for the night and he never looked back. “Fast forward and Jayne has been behind Chances 4 Children each step of the way helping everyone find their way in life. 

Martin’s humbling story – single-handedly determined to giving kids an education, hope, safety and a sense of belonging to the Chances 4 Children family (with Gabrielle and Russell’s support) – led to the Sponsor a Child Program, which has been running since 2016. “Our sponsors provide a literal lifeline for these children who went from having no hope – or underpants! – let alone speaking English, to going to school, eating three square meals a day and stepping onto a stage in front of hundreds to sing, dance and speak their truth with passion and integrity. We now have seven youths in higher education and our first ‘daughter’ will start university in January. As well, four youths are currently in Saudi Arabia for three months dancing in the Disney production of The Lion King. We are beyond proud as this is our first major step towards self-sustainability. Paying for an entire year of education with these funds allows these four young people a chance to open a bank account and save for their future.”

Gabrielle adds that six children are currently in need of a sponsor. She shares the story of a lady she came across in the slums of Kampala, the country’s largest with some 20,000 people. “She reached out to me and tried to give me her child. Clearly, she was hoping I could give this little person a better life. Walking away from them was heart-wrenching. I never knew her name but this image will stay with me until the end. I would love to hear from anyone who is interested in stepping in to give these children a chance in life.”

Mother in Kampala slums offering her child to Gabrielle.

Uganda’s mud and brick homes are a world away from the pristine life in the Principality. “My biggest personal challenge living in Monaco is the way that so many people put on a brave face when the chips are down, be it financially or for family reasons. I truly feel that living in ‘Tinseltown’ it is important for those who are facing tough times to have someone to turn to and not be expected to ‘keep calm and carry on!’

“Especially on a mental wellness level, I think there is a lot of work yet to be done in Monaco especially among the thousands of expats that struggle without family support. As a coach – and as a friend – I have witnessed this first hand.”

Gabrielle recently pivoted and became a certified integrative health coach, specializing in emotional eating, nutrition and holistic stress management. “Like many during Covid lockdown, I did a little soul searching. I always dreamt of becoming an actress but as my parents had their own business while I was growing up, being an entrepreneur was very familiar to me. I had spent years involved in sales and marketing, starting my own property business when I was 21.

“When I discovered the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I instantly knew it was for me. It connected everything I was passionate about into one career –helping people and my passion for food but not as a chef.”

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition was started by Joshua Rosenthal, who first came up with the idea of health coaching 30 years ago. It combines nutrition with psychotherapy-based coaching techniques and with a functional medicine approach – identifying and treating the underlying cause of a person’s condition with a particular emphasis on the gut-brain connection. “We also studied nutritional psychiatry, the emerging field about the effect what you eat has on your mental wellbeing. I am continuing to read more on this as I am fascinated by the subject. I love understanding how people tick and helping them to overcome obstacles.”

Gabrielle admits that as a kid she was the student that was a pleasure to teach but never top of the class. She laughs, “From the get-go I was a communicator and as a small kid I would chat to strangers on the bus in London!” So, choosing to go back to school and study at Institute for Integrative Nutrition was a big decision but not a difficult one.

“Every Monday morning, opening my laptop to see what we were going to learn, it was like Christmas. I absolutely loved every minute.” The “tough part” – as she outlines – was having to work three part-time jobs – managing a large villa renovation for a Monaco family office, tutoring English, and running the admin and newsletter for the British Association, as well as running Chances 4 Children – which meant Friday afternoons and weekends were taken over with study. “I had almost no time to rest. You see the irony!

“I rarely came up for air. My husband was very tolerant and cooked most nights, as well as helping me to revise for my tests. He helped me study so much that he could have passed the course himself. My mother, in a big way, also stepped in to take the pressure off the day-to-day charity operations, which was a big task and for which I will be eternally grateful.”

Yet managing all of these things taught Gabrielle that “I am extremely focused and that with discipline and consistency, I can achieve whatever I set my mind to.” Still, her moves on the dance floor and passion for the outdoors (“Mad fact – my favourite hiking buddy is my husband’s ex-wife!”) had to take a back seat to her studies. “My social life went out of the window entirely but I accepted that it wasn’t forever.”

In February 2023, she launched Gabrielle’s Zest 4 Life under her maiden name Gabrielle Achilleos. “It has taken me to get to my early forties to know exactly what I want to do with my career but I am very proud.” 

She describes herself as an integrative health coach specialised in emotional eating, nutrition, holistic stress management, but what exactly does this mean? “Emotional eating is when someone leans on food to fill an emotional void that they are not ready to face, similar to using any substance, be it alcohol or drugs. It is a way to numb or suppress negative emotions – such as stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness and loneliness – to avoid leaning in to what’s really going on and unpacking it. This can be very uncomfortable as for many people it is a lifetime’s habit.”

Her holistic stress management approach helps develop habits that regulate the nervous system, taking it from Fight or Flight mode to Rest and Recover. “So many people wait until a big holiday or a spa weekend to finally wind down … by which time all the cumulative stress has built up that they often get sick as the body has stopped running on adrenaline. New habits can be something as simple as locking ourselves in the toilet for 10 minutes for some peace – if you have young kids! – to committing to regularly getting out into nature, exercise, journaling or doing a short meditation.”

Gabrielle’s Zest 4 Life focusses on small daily lifestyle changes combined with complementary therapies for a holistic approach to well-being. “I look at the entire person – mind, body, and spirit – by addressing underlying factors as opposed to fixating on the symptoms. I focus a lot on blood sugar management to keep energy levels stable throughout the day instead of falling into the caffeine, sugar or alcohol rollercoaster.”

She works 1-on-1 with a limited number of clients who decide what they want to achieve and the pace that suits them. “I am there to ‘hold the torch’ and help them to stay focused and committed.”

This involves an hour coaching session every seven to 14 days, either online or in person. “In between, however, is where the magic happens! I check in every day so they have constant accountability and a cheerleader. I also do pantry purges, helping clients swap out foods that may not be supporting their health, as well as meal planning for those with food intolerances. And food prep is also a big hurdle for some people so I have a bunch of tips to help make that less time consuming and more fun!”

Of course, the big news is Gabrielle’s Zest 4 Life collaboration with Conscientiae. (UPDATE June 3, 2024: Michelin starred chef Sebastien Sanjou takes over Conscientiae with a new restaurant.) Not only has she created the restaurant’s seasonal Superfood menu – but has also helped to launch their international breakfast menu with something for every type of eater – carnivores, vegans and vegetarians. “When Stars’n’Bars announced they were going to close, there were rumours of a healthy restaurant opening. I nervously approached Annette Anderson and told her that I really wanted to be involved however I could. I met with the new dynamic team at the opening last August and the Superfood Menu was born early November.

“Since then, we sold 200 menus in six weeks and the feedback has been super. There is a new starter and main five days a week, and all ingredients are both local and seasonal. I have to be creative when it comes to using the same ingredients in a variety of different ways but Didier is very strict about this and I respect the fact that he is really walking his talk with the ethos of the place.”

Somehow, in addition to her non-profit and starting a new business, Gabrielle has found time to run “Disconnect to Reconnect” hikes. “I have partnered up with Anne Fabienne Raven for these ‘Zest and Zen’ outdoor events. The concept is that twice a month, we take a group of up to 10 people on an easy hike with no phones so that we can reconnect with nature, and each other. During the walk, we enjoy a yoga class al fresco by Anne Fabienne, as well as some breathwork and a mindfulness practice. I provide a healthy picnic and also do a wellness talk. We will be mainly focusing on tips and tools to reduce stress and ‘find our Zen’ again. It will be a safe place for people to share their challenges and support each other. What goes on the hike, stays on the hike, as they say.”

The road to here has taken sacrifice and commitment on Gabrielle’s part but she wouldn’t have it any other way. “Although I enjoy lunches and going to exercise classes, this would never be enough for me. I could never imagine not working, but I would rather work crazy hours for myself and be my own boss then go to a 9-5 job that pays the same wage every month for the sake of security.

“It’s the most exciting empowering journey but you need to expect a transition period from your old life to your new one. And starting a business on your own can be a lonely journey so surround yourself with a ‘board’ of friends and like-minded people on a similar journey.”

Her tip to other women looking to rebrand themselves and start something new is not to give up your “day job” until the income from the new business can just about support you. “’If you aren’t reliant on the income in the beginning then don’t hold back. The worst that can happen is that it doesn’t work and you stop… but as my mum always says, “It’s only life!’

Gabrielle lays bare her truth. “I have had to dig deep many times to maintain my mental wellness, and I am not ashamed to share that as I think it’s important, it becomes less taboo. 

“If I could give my younger self a piece of advice it would be that instead of thinking Why me?, think Why not me? It’s amazing what we can achieve when we believe in ourselves.”

Contact Gabrielle Achilleos on 06 58 22 21 82 or see Gabrielle’s Zest 4 Life website.

Article first published January 13, 2024.