tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post172301377175778461..comments2023-10-14T18:34:30.879+02:00Comments on Lost in Arles: Vintrépide, my new favorite restaurant in Aix-en-ProvenceHeather Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-78188731758863004692013-12-12T03:46:05.824+01:002013-12-12T03:46:05.824+01:00Oh my goodness, this is just down the street from ...Oh my goodness, this is just down the street from my friend and business partner! I was there in June and saw the beginnings of some new enterprise, and this is it..I'll have to ask if she has eaten there. I most certainly will on my next trip! Small world indeed. Libby https://www.blogger.com/profile/11556491482494737313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-85386740582514335542013-12-11T20:35:30.581+01:002013-12-11T20:35:30.581+01:00Then perhaps we have to make it happen? I know a v...Then perhaps we have to make it happen? I know a very good French chef, he cooks simply but it is not bad...Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-51865534050102568202013-12-11T20:34:28.618+01:002013-12-11T20:34:28.618+01:00Sara! I thought of you about this. You really need...Sara! I thought of you about this. You really need to make the trip down. Hopefully I haven't built it up too much but I don't think I did!Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-42382339887794331152013-12-11T20:33:22.314+01:002013-12-11T20:33:22.314+01:00David, I just reread all of this in realizing that...David, I just reread all of this in realizing that I hadn't responded and can I add that I am glad that you clarified the context? Merci. <br /><br />And yes, Aix never disappoints.Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-56627772811658521862013-12-11T20:28:51.456+01:002013-12-11T20:28:51.456+01:00Merci Jackie! Merci Jackie! Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-2495880363260539582013-12-11T17:01:12.956+01:002013-12-11T17:01:12.956+01:00You nearly had me falling off my chair Heather...t... You nearly had me falling off my chair Heather...that menu! As much as I love Vietnamese food...and we have quite a few good French restaurants in Saigon as well..there is nothing like the 'real deal'. To be in Provence or anywhere in France...eating French food...I would be in heaven! xxJeanne Henriqueshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07986759909478180763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-39861617333971135042013-12-11T10:59:15.428+01:002013-12-11T10:59:15.428+01:00Yep, yep, yep, I will definitely be eating here! x...Yep, yep, yep, I will definitely be eating here! xSara Louisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06058056977783867772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-24499366186988066632013-12-10T20:30:48.843+01:002013-12-10T20:30:48.843+01:00P.S. I know....I'm jerking this thread off-co...P.S. I know....I'm jerking this thread off-course, but I think you'll enjoy this, Heather.<br /><br />I was just recalling that, as I stood there in the gallery talking to (listening to, for the most part) that haughty, gold-laden woman, Herve stood behind her and, atone point, kept pointing at her head and mouthing something. Now, I'm reasonably fluent in French, but I can't READ LIPS in French.<br /><br />Turns out he was crossing his eyes, pointing his finger down at her head (he's 6'1", and she was about 5'1", at most), and mouthing "ANCIEN REGIME!!!! Look Out!"<br /><br />----david terry<br /><br />david terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18009130338123162371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-81958852335790268132013-12-10T20:19:51.997+01:002013-12-10T20:19:51.997+01:00Oddly enough (and I may have told you before now, ...Oddly enough (and I may have told you before now, Heather)?....Herve and I have been to Aix en Provence only twice. Each time, we emerged from the Cathedral (I love that wacky, ancient, cobbled-together joint) to find ourselves in the middle of a bigass, 150-or-so guests, Iranian wedding reception (Trust me...I can tell these folks are Iranian, perhaps because, when I ask them, they reply in perfect, clipped Oxford/Cambridge British accents that they're originally Iranian). In each case (and these were, rather obviously, not exactly desperate, starving refugees), we extricated ourselves from the celebrating crowd and had lunch on the periphery of the square. Looking at the matrons?.....I've never seen so much gold in one place except for the time I visited the Cathedral treasury in Seville. I've always assumed that they're the sort of Iranians who high-tailed it (along with several truckloads of jewels and gold) out of Tehran along with the Shah. How they ended up in Aix, I suppose I'll never know.<br /><br />A few years ag, such a person showed up at one of my openings (in Durham, North Carolina, of all places). Turns out this regally hawk-nosed, imperious, somewhat-elderly, and bejewelled woman was the mother of a doctor at Duke. She lived in Paris and was visiting. We all quizzed her as much as possible and basically learned that she wanted us (Americans in general, more accurately) to attack and bomb Iran, presumably so that she could go back there and kill any survivors and get her stuff back. Ithought she was just sort of charmingly eccentric/cranky, but Herve (who, as member of Doctors Without Borders, is, as you might guess, rather more informed about such matters than I am)explained to me, after the opening, that I had just spent twenty minutes talking to A Very-Very Bad Person.<br /><br />In any case, I think Aix is beautiful.<br /><br />---david terry<br />www.davidterryart.com<br /><br />----david Terry<br />www.davidterryart.comdavid terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18009130338123162371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-28567379312890368062013-12-10T16:53:20.048+01:002013-12-10T16:53:20.048+01:00Oh Heather you have such a lovely way with words t...Oh Heather you have such a lovely way with words that you've dished up another mouth-watering post for us all. And I do have to admit to being a bit green at the thought of spending an afternoon sipping and dining with my favorite Provence blogger. . .Bon Appetit!Jackie and Joel Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14074129927177165084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-2990185771557573482013-12-10T15:21:23.300+01:002013-12-10T15:21:23.300+01:00Effectivement c'est un peu loin, Silke...un pe...Effectivement c'est un peu loin, Silke...un peu. :)Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-75171010674694192192013-12-10T14:34:24.526+01:002013-12-10T14:34:24.526+01:00Ahh, quel bon tuyau. Ce sont les choses dont on a ...Ahh, quel bon tuyau. Ce sont les choses dont on a besoin. Cela a l'air delicieux et beau. J'aurais envie d'y aller toute suite...mais avec une distance de plus de 1000 kilomètres ... une autre fois!Silkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18227231314673040029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-80128929662095964972013-12-10T14:10:09.500+01:002013-12-10T14:10:09.500+01:00I would love to Francine. :)I would love to Francine. :)Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-58199366173569333852013-12-10T13:34:48.076+01:002013-12-10T13:34:48.076+01:00I never thought of you as a food writer...but more...I never thought of you as a food writer...but more of a poet traveller....but of course anything through your words will capture the reader...My mouth is watering ...Lets' finally meet there during my next visit to Provence.Francine Gardnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02042631088215474109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-39217360727322165362013-12-10T11:15:30.118+01:002013-12-10T11:15:30.118+01:00Absolutely, David. You are completely right. We le...Absolutely, David. You are completely right. We left satiated but not in the least feeling overly full. The plates were so fresh and balanced--nothing was there as "filler"!!! And thank you for your compliment. I really love writing about food but just don't often get the occasion to do so. I will admit that it takes twice as long as my "normal" writing though. And I have Jenn to thank for the photos--she helped light them with her phone, something I would have never thought to do. Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-90417079892578133502013-12-10T11:10:07.058+01:002013-12-10T11:10:07.058+01:00But I love that it was unpretentious too!But I love that it was unpretentious too!Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-42902181637868772472013-12-10T11:01:23.562+01:002013-12-10T11:01:23.562+01:00I agree! Everything in Arles has gotten so expensi...I agree! Everything in Arles has gotten so expensive, it is out of hand. If this were closer, we would go!Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-45522454578353879812013-12-10T11:00:35.089+01:002013-12-10T11:00:35.089+01:00It was! But they also have a wine cellar area in t...It was! But they also have a wine cellar area in the back that would be nice for a romantic dinner for two. Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-41833349058729424792013-12-10T10:59:48.038+01:002013-12-10T10:59:48.038+01:00Julia!! It has been ages and ages! It is soo good ...Julia!! It has been ages and ages! It is soo good to hear from you and I want to get caught up with you and your beautiful family. :)Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-91864630341581503742013-12-10T10:21:00.500+01:002013-12-10T10:21:00.500+01:00It was V. And as David rightly guessed below, it w...It was V. And as David rightly guessed below, it wasn't heavy at all. So we left feeling just good but not overly stuffed. We had a nice walk around Aix after and it was perfect. We have to get you to Aix one of these days!!!Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-90858304457986474802013-12-10T10:19:31.808+01:002013-12-10T10:19:31.808+01:00I would be there with bells on! Are you kidding? :...I would be there with bells on! Are you kidding? :) Definitely your kind of food, Jeanne.Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-57951473520067635512013-12-10T10:18:50.876+01:002013-12-10T10:18:50.876+01:00I do believe I am right about all of the above, wo...I do believe I am right about all of the above, wonderful lady! Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-15098342322190167512013-12-10T10:17:37.407+01:002013-12-10T10:17:37.407+01:00Well hello! What an amazing adventure you are on w...Well hello! What an amazing adventure you are on with your daughters--the trip of a lifetime! How fun to imagine typing to you just a quick walk away. I hope that you are enjoying your time in Arles. It is beautiful at this time of year. Do you have the rental right on the Arena? It is going to be lit up for the holidays on Friday. And the festivities for the "Droles de Noel" are always a treat as well. One other thought, the midnight mass at St. Trophime on the 24th is very special as at the end there is a true Provençal procession in the church with women in the Arlesienne costumes (beautiful) as well as sheep pulling carts--a living manger scene if you will. <br /><br />Ok, on to the Christmas tree. I would suggest that you wait until tomorrow if you can. Then you can go to "my guy" at the Wednesday market (across from Monoprix but the trees are in the parking lot across the street, you will see them). I wrote about him here: <br />http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2011/12/monster-in-my-living-room.html<br />But he has small trees too! ;) The other folks have a nice selection of holly and the like for decorating. <br /><br />Don't hesitate to write me a robinsonheather (at) yahoo.com if you have other questions, I love to help and there are traps to be avoided in Arles (such as eating on the Place du Forum). And if you see a redhead out walking two Golden Retrievers--that is me! So please do say Hi...<br />With my Best from a couple blocks below,<br />Heather<br /><br />PS. Have you eaten at the Cuisine du Comptoir yet? Do! It is super fresh and the best deal in town:<br />http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2013/06/the-cool-tourist-at-cuisine-de-comptoir.html<br />On the pricier side (we go for lunch) but similar to the restaurant in Aix is L'Autruche:<br />http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2011/09/color-and-crunch-in-arles.html<br /><br />Enjoy! Heather Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01316279029849503437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-53266966015064192362013-12-10T08:52:10.571+01:002013-12-10T08:52:10.571+01:00Well,Heather......despite what you obviously think...Well,Heather......despite what you obviously think, I happen to think you ought to add "Food Writer" to "Travel Writer" in your self-description; that's the most enticing blog posting I've read in a while (granted, the photographs were as compelling as the writing).<br /><br />Sitting here at my kitchen table in North Carolina, I was just struck by a slight pang of wistfulness....recalling how wonderful it is to have a succession of small dishes, and to spend three hours having (in contrast to merely eating) lunch in a French cafe/restaurant....and to walk out afterwards, absolutely sure that you'd had just the right amount of everything.<br /><br />I'll admit to wondering, this past Thanksgiving Day, if I'd become an irretrievable snob. The fact is that I was born and raised in Tennessee, but I nonetheless sat there at a friend's table, looked at the HUGE plates everyone had giddily served up for him/herself.....and I wondered how in the hell folks were going to eat, in the space of perhaps 45 minutes, a mound of mish-mashed food as big as his/her head. They all did it, though. After that, they immedaitely plunged into pies....and, yes, everyone was encouraged/cajoled into having a piece of BOTH types.<br /><br />Well, I wouldn't be the first to have noticed that one of the greatest charms of the French table isn't necessarily so much what folks eat, but HOW they eat it.<br /><br />Thanks for the good posting,<br />David Terry<br />www.davidterryart.com<br /><br />david terryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18009130338123162371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498719763759636773.post-24387833661653889112013-12-10T08:31:22.979+01:002013-12-10T08:31:22.979+01:00Heather,
I recently found your blog while doing a ...Heather,<br />I recently found your blog while doing a search for Arles blogs. I've enjoyed reading through your posts. My daughters and I are in here for the month of December and my parents are joining us on the 22nd. We have been traveling through Europe since the beginning of September and this is our last stop before heading home to the US.<br /><br />Could you recommend a place to get a small Christmas tree? I've seen some at the Monoprix. I do not have a rental car so it will need to be a place I can walk. We have a rental near the Amphitheater.<br /><br />This restaurant in Aix looks great. Thanks for taking a picture of the outside to make it easier to find.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16876551128264748775noreply@blogger.com