He had spent an hour or so on the internet looking up restaurant review sites, like Trip Advisor, L'internaute, etc. Each site's reviewers gave totally different reviews for all the restaurants he looked up. It became impossible to find one restaurant that had a consensus among all the reviewers, except one, and that one we'd already found out to be booked up for a private party. That's where we're going tonight... La Reserve Rimbaud.
In the end, he booked at Les Bains for 8.30-9pm. My great buddy C asked us over for an apero beforehand so we rolled up in good time and I was delighted to see a bottle of champers as a special birthday treat. We were having such a jolly time that it was with a shock that I looked at my watch and saw it was 8.45pm! YIKES!
We hot-footed it back to the car and zoomed off to Montpellier. Arriving at one of the central carparks, we found a queue, a static queue, a queue that had an inevitably non-moving air to it. It was 9.05pm. Before we engaged the Slope of No Return down into the bowels of the earth, we decided to divert right and try and find a space elsewhere. It was a hopeless quest, Montpellier is a heaving city of entertainment seekers on a Saturday night, and people were drawing blood over spaces... (jk).
In the end, we headed up to Castelnau le Lez, parked and walked into a half-empty restaurant. Upon asking if they had room, we were told no. I looked around at the empty tables. "You wouldn't believe it would you?" said the waiter. "No" we said. They were due to have a huge rush of pre-booked diners in 15 minutes. We eyed him dubiously and left. After calling several other places which were all full (crisis? what crisis?), we headed back to the Bord du Lez which has a number of chain restaurants so ample room even if the cuisine is chain-managed food.
An SUV came out of a space in front of Bistro Romain. I took it as an omen. We shot into it, then entered the restaurant. They had lots of room too, but it was real room not pretend room, so we were showed to a table and had dinner (I had a fry-up of saint-jacques and small gambas - prawns to you and me, he had carpaccio of salmon à volonté, and had 3 platters full, plus chips). As we left, at 11.15pm, a bunch of people who'd been watching the footie started coming in for a late dinner, but as we passed the Castelnau place, it was still mostly empty...
Because of the minor disaster of Saturday, my TWDB said he would re-book for my birthday meal, and he got a table at la Reserve Rimbaud, which is super because it means I get to go out twice in 4 days. I love going out to dinner!
In the spirit of revealing more about myself, here is a meme that I got from Lucy at Being of Sound Mind. It's an A-Z of bits of me.
A - Age
48 just but I don't look my age, so I'm told, and I like to agree.
48 just but I don't look my age, so I'm told, and I like to agree.
 |
| 48? You're joking! (er, yes... me in 1987) |
B - Bed Size
Double, not big enough really, but fine for one who likes sleeping on the diagonal.
Housework, in general. That's why I have a cleaning lady in once a week (that and I get half what I pay her off my taxes - YAY).
D - Dogs
No ta, I'm a cat person. My cat came to work with me today. He sat quietly in the back, I didn't notice until the end of the day when I saw him strolling round outside the front door!
E - Essential start to your day
Yorkshire blend cuppa, except right now I'm deprived as I'm having my teeth whitened, so NO TEA for about 6 weeks (or red wine, or chocolate - takes dedication!).
F - Favourite colour
Um, yellow and green.
G - Gold or silver
Gold looks better on me as I have, now that I live in the South of France, a light biscuit coloured skin which sets off gold nicely.
H - Height
5'3, wish I was more.
I - Instruments you play
I've done a lot of music in my time. I played the violin which I gave up to play the viola. Also the piano and I took exams in the recorder too.
J - Job title
For the roof and food on the table, my job title is Clerk, but I prefer my job de coeur title of writer.
K - Kids
2 boys: 15 (tomorrow) and 10
L - Live
near Montpellier, France
M - Mother's name
Katherine but everyone calls her Mary.
N - Nickname
Sock, came from my big brother.
O - Overnight hospital stays
Two times, when I gave birth.
P - Pet peeves
Ungratefulness, irrational arguments, religious nuts.
Q - Quote from a film
Um... can't remember any, sorry.
R - Right or left handed?
Right
S - Siblings
Two brothers: one older one younger.
T - Time you wake up
The alarm goes off at 7.15am but I've usually been awake on and off for hours. My cat wakes me regularly between 4-5am to go out.
U - Underwear
I have some.
V - Vegetable you hate
Okra - YUK!
W - What makes you run late
My kids.
X - X-Rays you've had
Loads - breast, back, hand
Y - Yummy food that you make
I enjoy cooking so I make quite a lot of yummy things. I make a mean kedgeree and delicious chicken risotto plus home-made burgers with home-made ciabatta buns. Amongst other things.
Z - Zoo animal
I don't like zoos, but penguins will do it for me if I'm forced to go.
If anyone else would like to do this, feel free. I'm not nominating anyone because I'm so nosey I'd note down my entire blog list!
