Elisabeth

The happy, sunny town of Cannes, located 2 hours from Italy by train along the French Riviera, is alive at last, thanks to summertime and the Cannes Film Festival. Before May, and especially before February, Cannes was at rest - some streets with every fourth or so store closed, boarded up without even a sign on the door. Many clubs discos dont bother opening for more than the weekend. After all besides the year round yaghtees (young men who work on the boats) or maybe the americans from the Collège International Cannes, who would stop in? The chance for hoardes of people buying drinks were slim.

Now things are different. Every bar and disco in Cannes is open and freshly vaccummed.  Just- a -minute ago-non existant -stores full of beach gear line the boardwalks. Prices at restaurants and cafes have been raised. Yaghts and boats in the harbor are uncovered and in action. More boats fill the bay. Every hotel is booked. And once quiet night time streets now are strongly clashed by hustling and bustling streets full of not only the chicly dressed, young (or old) and beautiful going out for drinks and dancing, but families! At eleven pm moms walk with strollers, families of four or parents with kids on their backs walk down the boardwalk, all enjoying the still warm termperature, the excitement in the air, and the chance to see a star.

The occasion for all this hub bub: the 2007 Cannes Film Festival commenced yesterday and is now full in action. Now on a daily basis Cannes is full of: more than two thousand journalists, people who work for film, and of course stars, people who work for the stars, and people who want to see the stars. This occasion of seeing a star is not unreasonable. Last night two local young women students, who were dressed 'bcbg' for the occasion, got into the hottest club in Cannes: Baoli. Soon enough they had caught they eyes of two french men who offered them spots in the VIP area, and from there were mingling amoung Jude Law and his crowd- celebrating after the premiere of the Wong Kar Wai film "My Blueberry Nights."

two appropriately dressed pedestrians ready to walk the red carpet if the chance arisesEvery night stars and film geniuses walk the red carpet around 7:30 pm for different nightly premieres. The Festival ends on May 27th, but until then this sort of mega excitement will continue. Since tickets to these certain red carpet premieres are sometimes available the last minute, men in full tuxes and shiny shoes and women in gowns walk the streets of Cannes in hopes of eventually reaching the red carpet. If youre on the French Riviera, want your own chance of walking the red carpet, but need the finishing touch of your tuxedo- no worries. Right now the local supermarkets ("Monoprix" or "Champion") sell bow ties for around 10 euros each.