1986: My Happy Life in Provence

Chapter 383 Friends, the season for drinking rosé has begun!

In mid-March, the daytime temperature in Nice can reach 17 or 18 degrees Celsius, which is very comfortable.

Although it wasn't quite to the point of showing off one's legs, when Ronan finished packing his things, chatted with his two new roommates for a while, and went downstairs to meet everyone for lunch, he found that all the ladies had changed their clothes, each dressed in a dazzling and colorful way, perfectly matching the atmosphere of Nice.

Compared to them, the black, white, and gray outfits worn by the men seemed less 'fashionable'.

"I told you I'd wear a floral shirt." Buddy proudly showed off a bunch of clothes, speaking in a seductive tone, "Friends, go buy one now, there's still time!"

Team leader Cotillard declined Batty's suggestion and led everyone on foot to the restaurant.
"Not today, my schedule is packed. If you want to buy, you can do it tomorrow afternoon, but we're leaving the day after tomorrow, so you won't be able to wear it anyway. If you ask me, you'll just have to bear with it."

Ronan handed over the task of liaising with Michelin magazine to Cotillard. The group for this trip was too large, and Ronan was not as meticulous as Cotillard. After getting the list sorted out, Ronan stopped worrying about it and only knew the general outline of the arrangements for the next two days, without knowing the details.

Since he had nothing to do on the road, he asked Godia to introduce the itinerary for the next two days to everyone.

"This afternoon we're going to Place Masséna to see the 'Battle of Flowers,' and tonight we'll see the nighttime 'Floral Parade.' Tomorrow morning we have an interview scheduled by Michelin Magazine. I've given you the outline in advance; please review it tonight." Cotillard stopped at an intersection, glanced to his left, and shook his head. "Not this street; it's still ahead."

Cotillard is now like a 'mother' to everyone; artists ask her all sorts of questions, whether or not they are related to art or work.
"Godilla, do you know what the theme of this year's carnival is?"

The Nice Carnival has a different theme every year. For example, last year's theme was 'Cinema', and the entire carnival was organized around celebrating the 90th anniversary of the invention of cinema. Other themes include The Sound of the Sun, The King of Advertising, The Moon and the Stars, Fairy Tales, The Circus, Crazy Times, and Puss in Boots.

Rumor has it that the theme for each year is chosen by a 20-member "Carnival Secret Committee" in Nice, through a vote in the town hall cellar, a process comparable to a papal election.

The patriarch, Gordia, actually went to find out about this year's theme:
"This year's theme is 'The King's Carnival,' paying tribute to the monarchs and legends in French history."

"What a cool theme! The parade tonight is going to be so much fun!" Vivian jumped up, already impatient.

Cotillard stopped at an intersection, glanced at the situation inside, and then waved excitedly to everyone a few times:

"We're here! This is the street!"

The buildings on both sides of the street have a distinct Genoese Italian style, and the cobblestone road leads straight to the sea, which is what countless people dream of their 'vacation' should look like.

Wow, so beautiful!

Codia shook his head smugly.

Of course, I'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly for you these next two days!

Ronan was almost crying with envy as he walked along the road. Almost all the restaurants on both sides were full, and even the outdoor areas were packed with tourists.

Wow, this is a big city after all. Business is already booming even before the tourist season has started.

Zoe keenly sensed Ronan's emotions and linked her arm with his:

"Our restaurant will do even better business in the future."

Ronan looked at the restaurants on both sides and said with a smile:
"By the time we get back this time, we should be able to open up the backyard."

Temperatures are gradually rising, and outdoor areas can be utilized.

Zoe asked Ronan:
"Is it permissible to place tables and chairs in the area in front of your door?"

Ronan nodded and said:
“Sure, Blanco told me I can use the area from the doorway to the old tree.”

Opposite Ronan's restaurant is the landmark statue on the shopping street, and on the other side is a transplanted ancient tree, where he, Cotillard, and Thomas often sit and chat in the shade.

Zoe said excitedly:

"Then let's make use of it. That way we can serve more customers and the business will be even better. I'll go back and see what kind of setup we can make it into."

Thinking of something, she suddenly pouted a few times in an adorable way:
“Hey, once the tourist season starts, your restaurant will definitely have long queues every day, and those few seats won’t be enough.”

Ronan affectionately patted her head:
"You're actually more confident than me?"

Even Ronan wouldn't dare make such a bold statement as "queuing up every day"!

Zoe raised her eyebrows and said:
“I used to miss the food in Nice, but after using your restaurant as my canteen, I’ve forgotten about Nice food.”

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes widened suddenly, and she strode towards a small street stall:
"Ronan, come here quickly! This is my favorite chickpea pancake from Nice, I've been craving it so much!"

Ronan couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the pot of snacks that resembled corn tortillas and smelled strongly of beans.

Didn't you say you forgot?

Before they even reached the restaurant that Cotillard had booked in advance, Zoe was already carrying several snacks.

Besides chickpea pancakes, there's also a fried dessert called Gans and Nice onion tarts.

“I remember you don’t like fried food,” Ronan asked, looking at the Gans in Zoe’s hand.

Zoe pinched one and put it in her mouth:
"This snack is also called Carnival Donut. It's a must-eat during the carnival. I buy it every year. Try it, it's not as sweet as it looks."

Ronan obediently took the 'Carnival Donut' from Zoe's hand with his mouth and found that it wasn't that sweet, and the taste was alright.

"Not bad, right?" Zoe asked with a smile, then fed the Niss Onion Tower to Ronan.

Ronan took a bite and asked, somewhat puzzled, "This is something you like to eat too?"

Although Zoe is a native of Provence, she doesn't particularly like the taste of onions and garlic; she prefers foods with a sweet and fresh flavor.

Zoe chuckled sheepishly.

“I don’t really like this, but it’s a specialty of Nice that you can’t find in other cities, so I bought a little bit since I saw it.”

After saying that, her eyes, like radar, continued to search for street food.

Cotillard glanced back at Zoe:
"Why did you buy so much? I made a reservation at the best local restaurant in Nice today! Do you even have room for seafood?"

The artists excitedly surrounded Cotillard:
"Really? Really? The best restaurant in Nice?"

"Is the accommodation and food so good?"

"Ronan, could you arrange more of these kinds of jobs in the future?"

Ronan shook his head helplessly.

I'll be working my ass off for the president from now on!

The restaurant was booked in advance by Cotillard, but she didn't oversee the ordering and let each table arrange its own food.

During the carnival, all the restaurants were extremely busy, and it was a miracle if you could even get a table; there was no way to sit at a large table.

Ronan and Zoe were the only couple on the trip, and everyone was worried that sitting at the same table with them would spoil their appetite, so they excluded them.

Ronan thought it was a good thing.

Such a beautiful view is meant for two people to enjoy, far away from those eyesores.

With a beautiful view in front of him, a pleasant sea breeze, and a beautiful woman beside him, Ronan wanted to say a few romantic words. But when he looked up, he saw Zoe, who had just said she had forgotten about the food in Nice, already drooling as she looked at the menu.

"Are you hungry?" Ronan asked with concern.

Zoe only ate a little bit in the morning. She had just bought some snacks and went to the restaurant, but she didn't get to eat much of them before the other artists took them and divided them up.

"It's alright," Zoe said, looking at Ronan. "Are you hungry?"

Ronan stated the facts as they were:

"I'm not very hungry. I ate a large loaf of bread this morning."

Zoe nodded a few times with some regret:

"Then I'll order less."

When Ronan and Zoe ate together, Zoe was always in charge of ordering, since Ronan ate everything.
"Ok."

Zoe raised her hand to call the waiter over, pointed to the menu and said to him:
"This, this, this, this, this... and this, and could you also get us a bottle of Stellar rosé, chilled? Thank you."

Ronan's pupils suddenly dilated.

Honey, are you sure we can finish all of this?
Nice is geographically close to Italy and was once part of Italy. Although it is also a coastal city, its cuisine is distinctly different from that of Marseille, combining traditional Mediterranean flavors with Alpine influences.

Classic Nice salads include olive oil and spices favored by the French, as well as vinegar, a rarity in traditional Provençal cuisine.

Nice is also famous for its seafood, but it is usually stewed with herbs, minced garlic, olive oil and white wine before eating, while local Provençal cuisine places more emphasis on 'original flavor'.

Zoe ordered a lot of seafood, but her stomach couldn't hold it all, so Ronan had to become a ruthless seafood-drying machine.

As Ronan ate, he thought:

After arriving in Nice, Zoe's picky eating habits showed clear signs of improvement.

He might have been joking when he said he'd make money to buy a house here, but now he's actually starting to consider it.

Wealthy people like Ines and Jacques would buy a vacation home in a coastal area, and Lucas also settled down in Marseille.

"Are you enjoying the food?" Zoe asked Ronan.

“Of course, it tastes great,” Ronan said with a smile.

Zoe looked at the two bottles of rosé on the table and said:
"Whether it's the Nice way or the Marseille way, they both pair very well with rosé. If I didn't have other plans for the afternoon, I should have drunk more."

Rosé wine is often served as a summer drink, paired with seafood and barbecue. In the summer, restaurants and bars along the French Riviera are filled with people drinking rosé wine.

Ronan picked up the pale pink cup, took a sip, and said in a complicated tone:

"It's rosé season."

Suddenly, Cotillard's laughter came from behind:
"You guys are drinking too slowly! How come there's still so much wine left? Come on, let's have a drink! After we finish, we'll go watch the flower show. Those 'single dogs' can't wait to see the flower girls!"

(End of this chapter)