Back Home Winter 2019/20 — Isabelle & Pierre

The summer is over and we are back in Miami just on time for Grand-Parents Day at Charlotte’s school on October 16.

Charlotte is so happy to show us her new school and we can hardly hide our excitement. We meet the teachers and her classmates. Quite an event, the first of many more, we hope!

Few days later we hop again on a plane to NYC for a surprised birthday party for Guillaume B. who is turning 60!

We have not been in NYC for a while, the city has changed a lot! Especially around the Liberty Tower, the September 11 memorial and the new transit hub where we witnessed a lot of new constructions.

The Hudson Yard in the lower west side has also changed tremendously and seems to be the HAPPENING place. The Vessel is the big Architectural Attraction. It is a new kind of public landmark. Engaging and interactive, the centerpiece of the Public Square and Gardens is meant to be climbed and explored with others.

There are a lot of new amazing buildings, we especially enjoyed the latest Zaha Hadid project in NYC (her very last one is in Miami). The weather was amazing and The High Line was packed!

The skyscrapers grew taller and skinnier. Hence their new names: the pencil buildings.

The MOMA has just reopened, we enjoy exploring the new addition with the “blade staircase” and all the reorganization of the galleries, a true delight. A peek at the Matisse’s… that are especially well presented, we thought.

At The Metropolitan Museum, as always we enjoy The Roof Garden, showcasing a commission by Alicja Kwade, “ParaPivot”. For The Met, Kwade has created two sculptures using steel and stone to evoke a miniature solar system. This is Kwade's first solo exhibition at a museum in the United States.

Back at the beach for the rest of the winter… Pablo is waiting for us…

Just a short trip to Austin for Pierre to check on our developments…

Then: Halloween! The kids are the weather: Danielle, the sun - Arthur, the clouds and rain and the girls, the (resulting) rainbows. We find some cool “Days of the Dead” tattoos that will take two days to remove, we will think twice next year…

The winter weather in Miami is gorgeous as always and we are enjoying the beach and the playgrounds with the girls. Charlotte and Isabelle stay with us as much as possible for sleepovers on weekends.

We get a staycation day with Isa. Yeah!

The Biscayne Bay Regatta season has started, Pierre is happy to join the crew on Joachim’s boat, Loquat, a 34’ First Beneteau. Even winning some of the races, actually only once in a race of one boat in the class…….

Cha gets the Student of the Month Recognition Award! For her humility… Still very proud!

We can’t get enough of our spectacular sunrises and sunsets from our terrace overlooking the city.

Thanksgiving is here and The Triplets, Chris P., John T., & Fritz H., are visiting from Austin TX. We all celebrate Thanksgiving at A&D. The Altier family is also joining us!

We do a lot of visiting, eating, etc.. Having brunch with some other Austinites: Jose L. & Bill P. Charlotte wonders why there is so many boys in our house…

A few days later we are enjoying Art Basel and Isabel W. and Pascale L. who are visiting.

My favorite artist on what I saw (Isabelle’s writing): Hugo McCloud with his big creations made with plastic merchandise bags!

Manolo Vadès is also one of our favourite.

It is all about $$$$! The outfits and Maurizio Cattelan bananas that sold for $120.000 for the first 2 editions and $150.000 for the third one!!!

The girls staying over, we go down Lincoln to the beach to see some of the remaining art installations.

And Les Lalanne at The Raleigh Gardens.

And we find a lot to do on Lincoln Road…Already the Christmas Installations!

Look who has arrived from Paris: Laurence and François L., our long time friends and neighbors in Ars-en-Ré. It is great fun to see them in Miami.

We do a lot of visiting, here the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden with an amazing butterflies conservatory.

The design district, how appropriate… :)

and Wynwood where we have a great dinner at the best Miami restaurant KYU with Béryl & Rex H.

The boys go on a fishing trip, they caught over 30 tunas brought back enough delicious sashimi to feed everyone for weeks. It will be remembered as “La Pêche Miraculeuse”.

Unfortunately it is time for our friends to go back to Paris…

Christmas is around the corner… Charlotte’s School Christmas show marks the beginning of the festivities.

We bake & decorate…

Celebrate Christmas Eve at Bella & Nonno’s.

And Christmas Day at Arthur and Danielle’s.

Danielle & Arthur are going away for a few days so we have the girls over for 5 days, yippee! We celebrate the New Year with them and some friends.

We visited Anne, Guillaume & Family at their beach where they had just set their winter camp.

The girls are adorable. We have a great time!

We close the season with the traditional Kings’ Day Cake!

We keep on having some visitors for couple days like Eric F. or for a lunch the surprise visit of Georgina W.

Sophie & Philippe C. arrived from Paris for a few days. Other good friends and Ars-en-Ré neighbors. More great fun….

Beach time, of course…

We take the usual tour of the Miami Beach hotels, the design district…

And the Wynwood Walls of course!

Educating ourselves about the Miami Art Deco District.

And the crazy scenes on Ocean Drive, our Parisian friends are FLABBERGASTED!

Grand Finale with a sailing day around Key Biscayne on Joachím’s V. boat.

Art Deco in Coconut Grove and the cruise ships in South Point…

Sadly it is time to say bye-bye to the Cottard! But their timing is right: they forecast a couple of “colder days” starting tomorrow…

Léa M St G, Isabelle’s niece and Thomas are here! They can enjoy Charlotte’s School Carnival!

We are so happy to celebrate Arthur’s Birthday with them!

Catherine & François P. visiting from NY and learning how to use a double stroller…and rehearsing baby talk … we wonder why???

We play a lot of bridge together. In a few weeks the Internet will be become very handy to keep playing… remotely…

As every year, we are happy to have Debbie & Joe V. with us for their snow birds escapade.

Pierre’s cousins Emmanuel & Marie-Pascale A. from Paris are visiting their daughter Camille H. and her family in New Jersey and are spending a few days in Florida. Perfect occasion for a family “goûter”.

Véronique D. stops by Miami on her way to visit Augustin in Mexico. She swims, walks everywhere by herself, Isabelle is stuck at home with a sciatica… :( But still great fun to have her here!

Meanwhile the girls go to Disney World to celebrate Charlotte’s 5th Birthday!

Charlotte takes tennis lessons and loves it. Nonno fools around and loves it!

While in Bali, Agathe surfs, and loves it!

Céleste P. & Alban stop by as they finish their trip in Mexico. Always fun to see them!

Marie-Claude & Bernard P… on their way to New-Orleans for a visit. Thank you for stopping by!!!

Also Mariannick G. is visiting on her way to Columbia with Michèle & J-P. A. who throw a dinner party for her with all her friends from NYC who moved to Miami and plus!: Chantal & Philippe S., Jérôme & H., Michèle & Olivier R.

We have plenty time to have the girls on weekends and made plans to have them every weekend before we leave for France. First of what we had hoped to be a series: the Miami Seaquarium