Dining and Driving with Cats - Alice Unplugged

by Pat Patterson

The power of forward planning and preparation led the main protagonists in this story on a journey that I think I might actually quite like to undertake myself, although having their feline friends with them certainly added to their trip…I’m not so sure that I would feel the same. Not, that I am a cat hater, far from it we have our own moggy at home, but taking him on vacation isn’t something I have ever given consideration so the premise of the book caught my attention from that single point alone.

I found the book detail rich and loved that the attention that was obviously lavished on the facts, it was impossible not to be impressed with the work the author had obviously put into researching the story and because of that I thought that the author was able to ensure that my attention never wavered.

Their trip was a gastronomic tour of all the places that they have either already tried and are keen to return or the establishments that they have been itching to visit but never gotten round to it and this trip is their opportunity. I loved their culinary comparisons, the author is obviously a connoisseur of not only fine food but fine wine, and after finishing the book, I think I have picked up on a couple of tips, I may not have their refined palate but I found some of the points raised by the author enlightening!

But going back to the story and taking all the food, wine and cats out of the equation, what was at the core of the book was a couple that adored each other, it was such a sweet romance and Pat and Alice were great, the author allowed me the opportunity to see who they were, how they came to be together and the life of love that they had spent together, their trip was what the story was about but it was them that stole the show.

A break from the norm…and a welcome one at that.