Movie

Tuesday afternoons are becoming our cinema session. This week, the well-dressed vowels at Downton Abbey entertained us with precise dialogue, plush optics and excellent pacing. No CGI, just a clever satisfying well written plot and polished acting. The entire cast was brilliant, Maggie Smith sharp one lines had plenty of spark. Jim Carter’s Mr Carson was imperious and Michelle Dockery’s Lady Mary was all steel and silk. If you haven’t you must.

Cinema Castillet
9.50€ Concessions available

Music

Saturday night we made our way to Pl Rigaud. After dining on spring roll starters, superb buckwheat galettes and ravioli fait maison at the modestly priced Du Nord Au Sud (14 rue du Théatre, tel: 06 50 72 95 88) we found a small space near the stage at L’Atmosphere for the first of three Xmas season performance by John Serry’s trio.

New York quality modern jazz as it should be played. Easily the best jazz trio in Perpignan, possibly in the region. They not only owned the room, they owned the entire square. The venue was pleasantly full, the sidewalk was fun. Traffic had to creep through the overspill on the road. There will be two performances in December, details TBC.

Coffee and Nougat

We have a corner of the lounge room that gets the low afternoon winter sun. Even when wet and grey it just seems that little bit brighter. Perfect for an afternoon book, fresh ground coffee and nougat.

Only exposed to stiff, stale ancient Xmas leftovers we were never big nougat fans until we received a thank you gift of freshly made treats from Torrons Vicens. A regional icon, crafting treats since 1775. Try the burnt egg yolk and marzipan then try and not go back for more. Impossible.

Also try the wares from La Cafetière Catalane, Rue De L’Ange. Coffee roasted in house, teas and hot chocolate. The soft Guatemalan is perfect.

Voting Registrations FYI

Two weeks ago we contacted our London local authority via email to register to vote in the 12th December general election. Once received it took less than a minute to complete the simple declaration and put it back in the post box the same day. Mid week we received confirmation we were on the list. Done and dusted, soup to nuts in 10 days.

Armed with our passports and Carte de Sejour we visited our local Mairie. If you have a previous French address take those details as well. Once seated at the guichet it took less than five minutes to be registered for local and European elections.

Snow Chain Time

We can explore the ocean depths. Fly around the world non stop. We build quantum computers and devised the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern cricket method yet we can’t seem to be able to invent snow chains that don’t require the strength of Hercules and the mental acuity of Steven Hawkins to put on.

Regardless put them in the boot today, you never know!