Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Saturday, May 17, 2008

It's been really funny - I'm staying back at the same hotel we always stay at when we're down south. Some of the older readers might remember that this is where we got mega yelled at for eating in the room and also where how I liked my steak became the topic of discussion for the entire restaurant. But that was before the woo technician came and the owner decided she liked us.

This time around, I've been getting the five-star treatment. I believe this is my fifth two-week stay here, so we've officially become regulars and have thus now worth of their time. When I walked in the door Wednesday, they were all there to greet me and the owner came over and gave me the bises and said "Mais qu'est que t'es belle!! (because apparently we now "tu" each other) Ta nouvelle coupe te va super bien. Et t'es toute maquillée blah blah blah". So I explained what happened, and that I was feeling the need to feel belle and they commiserated appropriately with me re: the injustice of it all (they're about the first French women to do so, LOL). And then we all sat down at the bar and had a cocktail. She also said I should've told her I was arriving at the train station in Dax, because she would've come to get to me (instead of me waiting 1 1/2 hrs at the gare, and then having a 1hr+ bus ride on top of that...all for what normally takes 20 minutes by car).

After a few drinks, she took me up to my room, and decided to give me a free upgrade to a lovely room that overlooks the garden. When we went down to dinner that night, I explained I still didn't have much of an appetite, and for once, she didn't make a huge fuss when she came back and found my plate not 100% empty. I am definitely going to milk this for all its worth, especially when she brings me bloody red meat.

And the chef/barman has been eying me up as well, which is nice for the ego. He's been coming to chat with me while I have my nightly apératif. Last night he sat with me after supper and we drank his bottle of "special" wine his parents had given him. He called it "du vin jaune". Doc, maybe you can help me with this one - he says it's a wine from the Jura mountains - it smelled like Cognac, but was a really dry white wine. Anyways, he's really sweet, but not my type (a little too muscle-y & brawny for me). But that didn't stop me from sitting on my balcony yesterday afternoon and watching him mow the lawn shirtless while I caught up on everyone's blogs. But of course since Fate couldn't just sit by and let me enjoy this, I learned last night that his name was Fab. What are the odds? But at least it's short for Fabien and not Fabrice, right? :-)

They were also all really excited because they planned a "soirée américaine" for while we were here. Apparently there is a French country music band coming in, along with a mechanical bull and an animateur. So we'll see how that goes, and how many people show up for it. They're going to have to ply me with quite a bit of alcohol if they want to see me getting up on that bull, but the owner has promised to let us try out a bunch of the vin moelleux she's testing for her son's upcoming wedding, so we'll see. The technician is promising to take pictures, LOL.

All in all, I'm feeling pretty good about being down here - I was a bit nervous since the nights are usually a little lonely, but we've got a lot of work to do, so that's keeping me busy. Plus, this technician is really chatty, so instead of me spending my nights bored in my hotel room, we spend the evenings talking with each other and/or with the owners, and it's often bedtime before I know it. Pourvu que ça continue.

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13 Comments:

Blogger Racheal Miles said...

Hi, I haven't visited in a while so have only just read about your sad news.

I am thinking of you and wish you well in the future.

Racheal x

May 17, 2008 at 9:11 AM  
Blogger Vivi said...

YAY!! That is so great! We all know it takes Frenchies a while to get used to newcomers - I dealt with the rudeness in Tiny Town for at least a year before they started to crack - but I'm so glad they chose this time to be nice and welcoming!

And hey, there ain't nothing wrong with a little eye candy! And if his name is Fab - meh, you knew there had to be a wrench in there somewhere. If that's it, then it's not so bad! :D

May 17, 2008 at 9:13 AM  
Blogger A Tank said...

i was wondering why i wasn't getting nightly 'i'm bored' phone calls. :) glad to hear this is the reason why!

May 17, 2008 at 9:18 AM  
Blogger Justin said...

Well enjoy the change of pace. Relax and go out and rock your new hair cut some more. You deserve it!

May 17, 2008 at 9:37 AM  
Blogger Leyla said...

Sam tucker (wrong with a bit of eye candy..I wish there was a hunky french man or even an english man would do in my garden with no top on. Instead all I have is magpies and slugs and Paul playing his guitar. Hope you are ok, call me soon when I can open my eyes and actually talk properly. Off out to Liverpool with the girls today for a few drinks nothing as exotic as the drinks you seem to be trying. I remember the pre-enlgish friend and france tucker that didn't like to drink!!!!

Lots of love leyla xxxxxx

May 17, 2008 at 12:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how very nice to be greeted with such cordiality.
muscles, excellent.
testing the wedding wine, excellent.
enjoy.

May 17, 2008 at 1:15 PM  
Blogger Starman said...

It seems like a pretty good trip so far. I'd heard they were into the American bullriding-country music thing in France.

May 17, 2008 at 2:07 PM  
Blogger corine said...

Je suis contente de te voir contente.

May 17, 2008 at 5:23 PM  
Blogger Alison said...

Aww, that's good. I'm glad to hear you're being treated well. :)

May 17, 2008 at 5:50 PM  
Blogger juliwalters said...

Nail him. Seriously. Just do it.

May 18, 2008 at 12:28 AM  
Blogger Kim/Thomas said...

Dax is where Thomas' family owns a bar and pub...its' the party town I hear...once a year that is...:)

Thomas has been working in the pub since he was 13!

ps. can you snap a pic of the chef? (is he a chef did you say??) ha just kidding...well if you can, then do it...that would make for fun reading...we could play the game of giving your future prospects 1,2,3 or 4 stars:)

May 18, 2008 at 6:41 AM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Wow !

Now that is 5 star treatment. Let yourself be spoiled ;)
I do remember your account of this hotel back then.It is nice to see how they are treating you now.

Hummm... a great treat to have a guy give you the eye too!!

Take care.

May 18, 2008 at 10:36 AM  
Blogger Ginger said...

.... God, I American and I loathe the whole Country Western, bull-riding, line dancing bit.

(ducks and covers)

I agree with Jules ... but oki, he younger. Sometimes this is not a bad thing ... *winks*

Follow your heart, bask in the sunshine of new-found male adulation. You're a lady ... you will make the correct choice.

Nothing wrong with a bit of healthy teasing .... hmmm ? *sees you tossing your new hairdo in his general direction*

May 19, 2008 at 2:22 AM  

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