Niki’s Birthday Luncheon & Jazz

We met at my favorite beach restaurant, Les Pirates in Juan-les-Pins, to celebrate Niki’s birthday today. There were five of us:  (from the left) it was me, Jutta and Christine sitting in the photo, and Monique and Niki standing behind us.  We’re all holding the gifts we received from the guest of honor.  For lunch, both Monique and I had Tartare de Bœuf.  This was the first time I realized that there were two ways to serve it.  My Tartare de Bœuf Préparé was served as a single mound of filet de bœuf haché (uncooked ground filet of beef) with the condiments all mixed into it, sitting all by itself in the middle of the large plate.  Monique’s Tartare de Bœuf Non Préparé was served with small mounds of colorful condiments (mustard, capers, parsley, cayenne, salt, pepper, shallots, etc.) encircling a larger mound of filet de bœuf haché au naturel in the middle of the large plate.  Hers definitely won in the presentation department, but mine was absolutely delicious, so I can’t complain.

  After lunch, we went to a Jazz Workshop where we sat in for the first of several lectures discussing the origins of Jazz.  We got to listen to examples from the 1920’s, such as Bix Beiderbecke’s “Jazz Me Blues”, and Bessie Smith, and Louis Armstrong accompanied by his wife, Lil Hardin, on the piano.  It was kind of fun listening to a lecture about Jazz presented completely in French.