Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Tate is Back for 2009

The Return of Tate


This is just a quick note to say that just as Arnie warned “Tate is back” and he’s ready and eager to resume the gastronomic scouring of the Vendee to bring to you a flavour of what is available here. This year because of the shocking mess that the world’s bankers have left us in (I’m so angry that every time I hear the word “Banker” I want to replace the first letter), Trevor and I are going to concentrate on eating at lunchtime and searching for the best value for money that we can find.

Trevor himself is looking as fit as a fiddle, although he’s still complaining about his aches and pains. I think his holiday in New Zealand did him the power of good, he seemed to enjoy it there especially the scenery and the winter warmth, and there’s no doubt a few of the local residents were sad to see him go. There are however some woolly residents who I’m reliably informed now baa with a Bristol accent.

As for me I made a life changing decision over the winter, my mobility has been declining for some years and this has left some places totally inaccessible to me. This winter I bit the bullet, borrowed some money, and bought myself a mobility scooter which in itself is brilliant but required a Van to transport it. I call them Thunderbirds after the 1960’s puppet series of the same name. Those of you old enough to remember will get the inference, with the mechanical nature of everything in the programs, including folding palm trees, of course there will be those others of you (Stephen you know who you are) who will point at the wooden nature of the characters and say that there the real likeness lies . Whichever way you cut it both the scooter and the van are fantastic and have transformed my life. I’m now looking forward to scooting around la Rochelle, seeing the seafront at St. Giles and on Friday Trevor and I are visiting the Grand Parc du Puy du Fou, somewhere I’ve only ever been in the evening to see the spectacular as the walking around the Park has always put it beyond my abilities. Since arriving here a couple of weeks ago I’ve visited Brico Depot and Le Clerc, I’ve managed to look around Trevor’s vast property empire (during the course of which I managed wheel spin for the first time and my first wheelie) and I’ve even shopped at Super U on my own for the first time ever. So LOOK OUT FRANCE.

Since arriving with a couple of friends we have eaten out at restaurants on two occasions, both were outside of the remit stated above, one evening was spent at the creperie at the Chateau La Citardiere, which is the subject of a separate review. The other evening was spent at the Pic Vert in Vouvant, a creperie that we have reviewed before. We had a splendid evening there the atmosphere was, as ever, very good as the restaurant benefits from being in Vouvant where English diners proliferate which generally makes the evening sessions busy. The food was much the same as last year which was very good, and the prices had remained unaltered.

The only thing that has changed is the exchange rate which takes evenings such as these out of the easily affordable category and puts them into the rare treat category. This is of course not the fault of the restaurateurs it is the fault of the *ankers, and I personally will take every available opportunity to remind them that through their greed and complete disregard for decency and honesty, they are responsible.

Tate – 27th May 2009