About Us

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RĂ©ans, Armagnac, 32 Gers, France
Our objective is to promote friendship between women of all nationalities living in Gascony, SW France, to share our interests and to offer help when needed. The Club started in 2008, with twenty English ladies living in Gascony, using a foreign language and experiencing a new life. Since then, several different groups have been added and our membership has grown into the hundreds, with new ladies moving to the area and ladies who have lived here a while, who have discovered us, who want to make new acquaintances and discover new areas of interest. Today we have eleven nationalities, and our speaking/working language is English. The GLC meets on the second Tuesday of each month, excluding July and August.Every member receives an email each month, giving the name of the restaurant, the chosen, menu and a booking form. In 2014, we became a non-profit making Association, known as Ladies Lunch Club de l’Armagnac and was re-named in 2019 to Gascogne Ladies Club. Our annual subscription fee of 10 € is payable in January each year. Each member of the Club may participate in some or all of our various groups

Saturday 27 April 2013

Nogaro films coming shortly

                    The cinema in Nogaro has two English language films coming up.

                                                      On Tuesday 30th April at 2100

                                                                 "Promised Land"


                                                    Promised Land Poster (2012).jpg
                                                                                  Image couresy of Wikipedia

       The film stars Matt Damon, John Krasinski and Frances MacDormand


The plot focuses on small town life in Pennsylvania where the residents are approached by a mining company to sell rights for gas and mineral extraction.The proposed method of gas extraction is the highly controversial "fracking" method and highlights a sensitive issue whose long term effects are still not fully understood.

                                   The second film, showing on Tuesday 7th May at 2100
                                                                               is

                                                                        "Quartet"

 Quartet-Poster.jpg

                                                        directed by Dustin Hoffman 

                                                                            and
                                                                        starring 

                 Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins   
                                                and Michael  Gambon                                      
                                                                 This film tells the story of the efforts of a group of retired gifted musicians and opera singers to raise funds to prevent the closure their struggling retirement home.Billed as a comedy drama it will appeal to everyone who enjoys good music and acting.

                                           Thanks to Julia for continuing updates and information.

Thursday 25 April 2013

Plaisance cinema


At Plaisance the cinema is showing on Tuesday 30th April

the 

John Cassavetes classic 1977 film 

"Opening Night"


starring Ben Gazzara Gena Rowlands and Joan Blondell


Openingnightposter.jpg
Poster reproduced from Wikipedia

In the film, Broadway actress Myrtle Gordon rehearses for her latest play, about a woman unable to admit that she is aging. When she witnesses the death of an adoring young fan, she begins to confront the personal and professional turmoils she faces in her own life.


The accident scene provided the inspiration for Pedro Almodovar in his film
"All about my mother" 

Maybe see you there?

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Art and craft exhibition at Reans on 22nd April

A number of our ladies were present at this event.



Photos of some exhibits below.


Cards


  
       Jewellery                      


Fabric necklaces


Patchwork quilts

Most of these items were for sale, but also on offer were

art courses

There will be a further exhibition and sale of craft and art work

on November 2nd and 3rd at Chateau Millet


A meeting of the art&craft activists will be held on 

Sunday 21 April 2013

April 2013 book review and May book choice

Next bookclub meeting is on May 16th with


Front Cover


"To involve oneself with the infinitely deprived means you take on a weight of guilt. They need so much: you can give so little. This is one of the hard facts that attractive, intelligent magazine editor Janna Somers has to confront when, for the first time in her life, she allows herself to become involved.
For most of her forty-nine years, all Janna's energies had been devoted to presenting an efficient and capable face to the world, to concealing her own vulnerability. And she had succeeded remarkably well: her smart career flourished, while the deaths of her mother and her husband - and with him an emotionally sterile marriage - left her feeling blank and detached.
The, one day, Janna meets a tiny bent old woman called Maudie Fowler in a chemists shop - and from this chance encounter grows an extraordinary relationship between the two women." read more here


For more information about any of the above or our next meeting and venue, please contact:

Ladieslunchclub secretary: 
lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com



April 2013 book review for 

Death Comes To Pemberley

P.D. James

It’s interesting, in the aftermath of our discussion from 18th of April, to re-read the flyleaf of the book and compare it to our opinions:

“In a pitch-perfect recreation of the world of Pride and Prejudice, P.D. James elegantly fuses her lifelong passion for the work of Jane Austin”. 

Most of us felt her pseudo-Austen style didn’t work well and it had been quite a responsibility and, indeed a gamble, to try and pull off.

“She weaves a compelling story......her readers have come to expect: psychological and emotional richness of characterisation and a credible and superbly structured plot”.

Not so compelling a story – some readers found a chore to finish.  
Her characters had very little of the strength and humour of those in Pride and Prejudice and lacked the irony Jane Austen brings to her characters.  
A lot of us found the plot rather weak and one dimensional.

We all agreed that  P.D. James (at the age of 93) is the grand old dame of detective fiction which is why we had chosen this book.  
Perhaps she had wanted to weave her admiration of Jane Austin into one last challenge!
Thank you again to Pam and to Sylvia for the chocolate fix!

June 20th with 


The Long Song paperback cover


"From the critically acclaimed Andrea Levy, Orange Prize winning author of SMALL ISLAND, comes this breathtaking, hauntingly beautiful, heartbreaking and unputdownable novel, shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and longlisted for the Orange Prize.
July is a slave girl who lives upon a sugar plantation named Amity and it is her life that is the subject of this tale. She was there when the Baptist War raged in 1831, and she was present when slavery was declared no more." 


Caroline will be suggesting her 3 choices for the 
July meeting.


For more information about any of the above or our next meeting and venue, please contact:


Ladieslunchclub secretary: 
lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com


or you join the blog here:
(click on this link if you want regular info)

or our facebook page (see widget on the blog)




Garden group visit May 2013 at Simples Jardin Bars


              Our next garden visit will be on 


Thursday 2nd May at 10:00h


to the 




Simples Jardins - Madame Dorothée Benich-Godard



Find more details here:

http://www.biogis.fr/simplesjardins-plantesaromatiques-tisanes-bio-gers/



This garden offers a wonderful  display of some 140 aromatic and medicinal plants grown organically on 2.5 hectares of ground 

In the morning there will be an opportunity to see how the herbs are picked and preserved.

We shall then share a picnic lunch and be able to see more of this process.

             Plants and herbal teas etc will be available to purchase.

Hope to see you all there.


Please, will you inform us if you want to participate for venue and directions please contact the LLC secretary

<lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com>

Sunday 14 April 2013

April 2013 lunch report and May luncheon

wonderful turnout for the lunch venue at the Tour de Termes





In all a record 50 ladies sat down to lunch



Our menu was a delicious and unusual mustard soup



followed by the main course of chicken with spicy peppers and rice




and dessert of rich chocolate mousse with orange strips



All prepared and cooked by Boyd and Jetske and ably served by the 
hardworking duo of Paula and Dee.



Whilst coffee was being served we were given an informative, interesting and amusing talk on the history of Termes and the tower by a husband and wife team - Fiona and Olivier. 




Questions were asked on the talk and the answer had to be signified by hands being placed on the head or raised. 



It seems we had all paid attention (or at least followed the lead of the Mayor of Termes) as we got the answers correct (mostly!).

Thank you to Boyd, Jetske, Paul, Dee, Fiona and Olivier for making our lunch such a great success and thanks too to Ginster and Ping for the photos.






will be held at 









Picture

La Bonne Auberge is a charming hotel and restaurant owned by local legends Chef Joseph "Pepito" Sampietro, and his wife, Pepita.

The restaurant, consistently recommended by the Michelin Guide for over 30 years, features a seasonal menu that deliciously showcases the specialities of the region, including foie gras and Armagnac. A la carte prices range from €12 to €36.


Menu details and cost to follow 

but 


please note limited numbers at this venue.

Hope to see you all there, Dawn, Jane, Sue, Pippa and Sue.   register: lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com

Monday 8 April 2013

April 2013 lunch in Termes d'Armagnac

The April Ladies Luncheon will be held on 

Tuesday 9th April 

at the 


Tour de Termes at 1230pm.





The caterers are Boyd and Jetske Besse: the menu is:



Starter/EntrĂ©e:  

Mustard soup 

Velouté de moutarde


Main Course/PlĂ¢t principal:

Spanish chicken leg with peppers and rice

Cuisses de poulet espagnol avec poivrons et riz

Vegetarian/Végétarien:

Mexican wrap with peppers, kidney beans, corn and rice  

Wrap ('enveloppe') mexicain avec poivrons, haricots 

rouges, maĂ¯s et riz

Dessert/Dessert: Chocolate mouse with orange 

Mousse au chocolat Ă  l'orange

Coffee/Café

Wine/Vin: Red, white, rose/Rouge, blanc et rosé

Water, Eau

16€ 

Entry to the Tower of Termes d'Armagnac is included 

                                  
and

we shall have a short 15 minute talk 

after the lunch, 

 in English and French, 
                         
on its history 

by Fiona Mcdougall and her husband Olivier.


Would you please respond by Saturday 6th April 


if you are able to join us and state your preferred 

main course of chicken or the vegetarian option.

Hope to see you all there, 


Dawn, Jane, Sue, Pippa and Sue.

Monday 1 April 2013

LLC recipe book project - LLC international cookbook

We are now compiling a recipe book and would like you to let us have your favourite recipes. 

We shall be testing these on any willing victims (unsuspecting family and friends – or failing that committee members J) and then including in a 


Ladies Lunch Club





 international cookbook


This will be available to buy later in the year, with profits being shared between Helping Hands and the Knitting Group

We know there are lots of wonderful cooks out there so please do share your special recipes (cakes are always welcome!) with us – especially anything a bit unusual – but old family, tried and tested and standby recipes are welcomed too. 

All recipes will be credited so if you want to see your name in print…………. 


Just send us a recipe!



You can send in via email at any time to 


lunchclubgascogne(at)gmail.com 

or bring to the next two lunches in hardcopy, whichever suits you. 

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