I do believe we have reached some new low today :( - I saw that Jason's - the travel guide experts - have a new section on their website which they were very proudly letting everyone know about today - yes, they have a searchable restaurant database for - wait for it - French dining!! Yes, I kid you not.
I immediately had to have a look so jumped onto their link (http://www.jasons.co.nz/) and searched under my home town of Auckland -North, french-restaurants and what did this database tell me?????
My two fine dining options for authentic French food are..........
A cafe in Albany and horror of horrors.... Valentines Restaurant - yes apparently the Glenfield Buffet at Valentines is also known as being the place to go for French dining - oh noooooooooo
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Tour of France on TradeMe
Just spotted an interesting TradeMe listing by Sue and David Sweet operating under the seller name of 'devine'- they are offering 18 days touring France. They offer small personalised tours - only 6 people - and it sounds great!!
If your interested check out their TradeMe listing under number reference 361559008 or their heading of "18 days touring France" (category Travel, events and activities, holiday packages, international)
If your interested check out their TradeMe listing under number reference 361559008 or their heading of "18 days touring France" (category Travel, events and activities, holiday packages, international)
Monday, March 14, 2011
Book Review - C'est la Vie
Book Review - Cést la Vie by Suzy Gershman
I loved this - started reading it and before I knew it, I was stopping every 5 minutes to do another chapter. The author is an American lady who has obviously travelled extensively around France but at 52, finds herself suddenly widowed with the opportunity to live her dream - to settle in Paris for a year.
Shes funny (paying for her husbands funeral with her credit card to get the airpoints), honest (none of the French clothes fit her) and certainly gets out and about. I enjoyed hearing about the nightmare of finding an apartment, the things she learnt and her first post husband romance.
And shop... my god, she does not stop!! In her 'real' life Suzy Gershman is the author of a range of travel guides aimed at shopping - "Born to Shop"and so now I know all about linen, furniture and clothes shopping. Its light weight and might even offend some people but as she says at the end of the book "I have eliminated the depressing parts. You won't miss them at all".
She sounds like a very gutzy 52 year old lady - I should be so brave
I loved this - started reading it and before I knew it, I was stopping every 5 minutes to do another chapter. The author is an American lady who has obviously travelled extensively around France but at 52, finds herself suddenly widowed with the opportunity to live her dream - to settle in Paris for a year.
Shes funny (paying for her husbands funeral with her credit card to get the airpoints), honest (none of the French clothes fit her) and certainly gets out and about. I enjoyed hearing about the nightmare of finding an apartment, the things she learnt and her first post husband romance.
And shop... my god, she does not stop!! In her 'real' life Suzy Gershman is the author of a range of travel guides aimed at shopping - "Born to Shop"and so now I know all about linen, furniture and clothes shopping. Its light weight and might even offend some people but as she says at the end of the book "I have eliminated the depressing parts. You won't miss them at all".
She sounds like a very gutzy 52 year old lady - I should be so brave
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A romantic dinner for eight...
And from the Southland Times newspaper a great (or should I say grate...) article about two French cooking types who have had the clever idea of cooking their way around our country. Two Parisian chefs highly trained in traditional French cuisine who wanted to fund a holiday have struck an idea that has taken them the length of NZ - they offer their professional cooking services to in-home diners.
Serving up to 15 people a three course French themed dinner, the couple have travelled from house to house around Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough. They are now in Queenstown.
Not only has their innovative idea earned them travelling funds, they have kept in touch with many people they have cooked for and these links have provided the introduction to further cooking engagements.
Serving up to 15 people a three course French themed dinner, the couple have travelled from house to house around Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson and Marlborough. They are now in Queenstown.
Not only has their innovative idea earned them travelling funds, they have kept in touch with many people they have cooked for and these links have provided the introduction to further cooking engagements.
Want to learn French?
Found a great website the other day {sorry I have not posted for a while - been a bit sick :( } - there are some clever people out there that just see a business opportunity and develop it - this website helps you find a tutor for a whole range of things including, you guessed it, French language tuition. My first impression of the site is that its got lots of foreign language students looking for some extra pocket money whilst over here in NZ and that there are heaps of people in the deep south offering their services - yippee, its not all Auckland focussed!!!
Check it out if your interested in learning French (or any other topic for that matter - it had heaps of tutors listed)
www.findatutor.co.nz/
Enjoy!
Check it out if your interested in learning French (or any other topic for that matter - it had heaps of tutors listed)
www.findatutor.co.nz/
Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
War memorial for Kiwi Soldiers in Le Quesnoy
A lovely article today in the news about New Zealand soldiers (the NZ Rifle Brigade) who died in active duty near Le Quesnoy, 93 years ago in WW1. Heartbreakingly, their sacrifice took place just a week before the War ended. 122 kiwi soldiers died.
They have not been forgotten by the locals at Le Quesnoy, a small town near the Belgium border.Yesterday it was announced that a new memorial museum and hotel is to be built in their honour. Described as a "NZ hotel in France" by Military historian Herb Farrant, the hotel and museum commence construction in about a years time.
One of things that draws me to France is the history of people who have died on French soil defending all that is good and fair. I believe my grandfather on my mothers side was wounded in WW1 as a member of the British Engineers Corp. I hope some day to stand where he might have stood and pay homage to him and his generation.
They have not been forgotten by the locals at Le Quesnoy, a small town near the Belgium border.Yesterday it was announced that a new memorial museum and hotel is to be built in their honour. Described as a "NZ hotel in France" by Military historian Herb Farrant, the hotel and museum commence construction in about a years time.
One of things that draws me to France is the history of people who have died on French soil defending all that is good and fair. I believe my grandfather on my mothers side was wounded in WW1 as a member of the British Engineers Corp. I hope some day to stand where he might have stood and pay homage to him and his generation.
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