I make sure to pack a copy in my suitcase – and after arriving in the Big Apple I meet LuAnn for lunch at Lever House, one of the trendiest restaurants in “the city,” as New Yorkers call it. She looks even more gorgeous than usual; in her face I can read the contentment of a woman who has fulfilled all her dreams. And they were big dreams.

The Countess from Connecticut

Born to a large family in Berlin, Connecticut, LuAnn Nadeau grew up with six siblings in small-town America. Her father, who owned a construction company, is of French and Algonquian descent; her mother is French Canadian. LuAnn credits her exotic beauty to this Native American and French heritage –and her athletic body to a love of sport that culminated in the captaincy of her high school varsity softball team. She studied to be a nurse, and did work as a licensed practical nurse in Connecticut before moving to New York to seek fame and fortune as a fashion model. 

Modeling led her to Milan, where Gstaad socialite Brigitta Notz introduced her to French nobleman Count Alexandre, a descendant of Ferdinand de Lesseps, the architect of the Suez Canal.

“It was love at first sight,” LuAnn tells me, as she nibbles on lobster spaghetti at Lever House. “We were married two months later.”

That was 1993. As his fourth wife, LuAnn earned the courtesy title of Countess. She had two children with the Count: Victoria, 19, and Noel, 16. The couple divorced 10 years later. 

But that wasn’t the end of the Countess from Connecticut. It wouldn’t be long before Countess LuAnn – as she still known informally – took the world by storm.

Keeping it real in New York City

Given her exotic beauty and outspoken personality, it’s no wonder that Countess LuAnn went on to find success on the small screen. Always a force to be reckoned with, she is now a household name, thanks to the hit TV series The Real Housewives of New York City. The popular show has been renewed for a sixth season, with distribution in nearly every country around the world.

I can’t help but ask her. “Are The Real Housewives the descendants of Desperate Housewives?”

“We are better,” she says with a smile. “I am joking. We are different. They had a script. I just play myself. I don’t have to learn any lines. 

Neither did her ex-husband the Count, who also appeared on the first two seasons of the show – a testament to their ability to remain on good terms post-divorce.

“Which role did he play?” I ask LuAnn. 

“He played himself, the Count,” LuAnn says. “But he added his unique sense of humor.”

LuAnn would invite all her friends and family to appear on the show if she could. “Today our lunch could have been part of the show –but unfortunately we don’t start to shoot until next week.” Just my luck.

The real housewives of Gstaad?

You can the girl out of Gstaad, but you can’t Gstaad out of the girl. LuAnn is determined to include her beloved resort town in a show sometime soon.

“We are working on that,” she says. “As you know, it is expensive to move a big production. We need to find some sponsors. Would you help me?”

“With pleasure, my darling.” I am so on this!

Despite all the excitement of New York, I know that my friend is often homesick for Gstaad. 

“Do you miss Gstaad?” I ask.

“A lot,” LuAnn says. “I’ve had many of the best times of my life there. I miss the skiing, the family atmosphere, the pleasures of living in a small town. Please send all my regards to …” 

And LuAnn cites an endless list of people … including Mario, the chansonnier at the piano bar in the Hotel Olden, with whom she often sang her cover version of the hit song “Feeling.”

Of course, I promise to do just that.

Life and love according to LuAnn

There’s a glow about my friend Countess LuAnn that I recognize.

“Are you in love, LuAnn?” I ask.

“I am always in love with life,” says LuAnn. “But to be more precise, I do have a new boyfriend. His name is Jack Azoulay, and he’s a wine entrepreneur. We’ve been together a year now.”

It’s no surprise that this real housewife has found happiness. Countess LuAnn believes in living life to its fullest, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. 

As she tells me over dessert at Lever House: “Drive as if your car is a Ferrari – even if it is only a small Fiat.”