The Country Epicures:  Varian and Gary


     As a married couple without children, we have the freedom to move from country to country, city to city accumulating new memories and experiences.  How, though, to keep those memories sharp?  Where did we have that wonderful 13-course dinner that was mostly vegetables?Where was that hotel with the antique sheet music casually arranged on the piano?  


   As our travels expand, it is useful to have a record of our dinners, hotels, and drives and anything else that strikes our fancy in a particular location.  A journal wouldn't work--too limited; a photo album is good but doesn't go far enough; thus "Country Epicure" was created to be our institutional memory.


     But it has broader purposes as well.  First, our friends and family will often ask us for recommendations about restaurants in various cities, about hotels in countries we have visited or even advice on the countries themselves.  Country Epicure is then a reference for them as well.  We can send them here and they can read what interests them and make plans accordingly.  Secondly, strangers who are thinking about a trip or a restaurant can google it to learn more.  Country Epicure will pop up from their query and they can then read our thoughts on the subject at hand.


     We plan to discuss restaurants, both in the South of France and the Berkshires of the US where we live, but also those we encounter in our travels.  We also plan to record scenic day trips from Nice, taking off in the morning with no particular destination in mind, stopping for lunch and then returning to Nice late that afternoon.  Then there will be hotels, museums and other points of interest noted as we travel.  Some of these pieces will be features and some will be short "sound bites," depending on our whim at the time.  Each piece will be dated so we can remember when we did what and so others can get an idea of how relevant the comments might be when they are reading them.

   
   Finally, we are members in destination club, Quintess, and often stay in their properties for a week here and there.  When we do, we will offer advice that may be specific to the property and of less interest to non-Quintess members.  However, there will be restaurants which are always of use and other general tourist information.

    Some of you may remember an earlier Country Epicure, a joint effort with our friends, Linda and Mike.  They now have their own blog, Wandering Epicures.  They are quite active in both New York City and the south of France and eat many more stars than we do.





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