The Hungry Student
3 total works
Rose en Marche is the third title in the delightful 'rose' series by Jamie Ivey, and involves Tanya and Jamie selling rose in French markets. They rent a flat in Saint Remy de Provence and work in the town's market as well as three or four other local markets. There is, of course, the odd flying visit from their old friend Peter Tate. In La Vie en Rose the Iveys had set up and run their own rose bar. However, they discovered that a French alcohol licence cost about 30,000 euros. On top of this, legislation meant it was impossible to set up a new bar within 50 metres of an existing one. All the viable locations already had plenty of bars, and to succeed they had to look at buying one of them. Given these unexpected costs the Iveys had to recognise that the whole project was too expensive and risky, but they still wanted to stay in France, and still wanted to be involved with rose. They decided to set up a rose shop, but rejected the idea. Streets which had a lot of people passing along them also had expensive leases. Finally they realised that the busiest time in any French town is market day.
Rather than take the risk of buying an expensive lease, they needed to set up their own market stall. Able to rent space in any market in France, they opt for the exquisite Provencal town of Saint Remy. Rose en Marche will enchant and attract all the readers who are still in the pink from the first two 'rose' volumes.
Rather than take the risk of buying an expensive lease, they needed to set up their own market stall. Able to rent space in any market in France, they opt for the exquisite Provencal town of Saint Remy. Rose en Marche will enchant and attract all the readers who are still in the pink from the first two 'rose' volumes.
A chance conversation with a Provencal vigneron leads to the most unlikely of quests - a hunt to find France's palest rose. Extremely Pale Rose is a richly entertaining and informative account of the travels of Jamie, his wife Tanya and their ebullient friend Peter Swift, as they take up this challenge. Giving up their lives in London, they quickly discover an unfortunate truth - the French won't treat rose or their quest seriously. Rose is seen as a poor cousin to red and white wine, drunk largely as an aperitif or to wash away the taste of spicy food. In bars, boulangeries and boucheries from Bordeaux to Bandol, Jamie, Tanya and Peter are recommended diverse vineyards to visit and as they travel they encounter the beginnings of a rose revolution - French attitudes to pale pink wine appear to be changing, but is it too little too late to help them succeed in their quest?
In Jamie Ivey's sequel to the delightful Extremely Pale Rose he finds out whether it is possible to run a successful rose bar in France. French friends think it's a crazy idea. The customers will be largely men; rose is seen as a woman's drink; rose is a seasonal drink and Jamie's trade will vanish come September - and most bars make their money from food, and rose isn't supposed to accompany food. And yet, France seems to be on the brink of a rose revolution. Red and white wine sales are stagnant but rose sales are booming. If Jamie can find a small bar in a pretty square and chalk up a daily selection of different roses, then a rose bar could be a great success. What he needs to do is find the right bar. After a little persuasion, bars in Uzes, Aix en Provence and Nimes agree to help Jamie sell some rose, and by working in these bars, Jamie discovers what the French attitude to rose really is. Are gnarled old men discarding their pastis and sipping pale rose? Is it just a myth that the French don't drink rose with food? Are the young the real reason for booming sales?
Jamie set off at the beginning of June to visit some of the vignerons he met in the first book on his way south. He has bought a bar hidden in the hills of the Luberon, and will do it up over the winter months. He will then try to sell enough rose during the summer to tide him over to the spring. For all who enjoyed Extremely Pale Rose, and envied Jamie and Tanya Ivey's researches, La Vie En Rose is the perfect second glass.
Jamie set off at the beginning of June to visit some of the vignerons he met in the first book on his way south. He has bought a bar hidden in the hills of the Luberon, and will do it up over the winter months. He will then try to sell enough rose during the summer to tide him over to the spring. For all who enjoyed Extremely Pale Rose, and envied Jamie and Tanya Ivey's researches, La Vie En Rose is the perfect second glass.