Shortie/Jules Zante.

[BIG TONY]

Well we've just got back from a very oppressively hot Zante spending 2 weeks with Shortie & Jules and a very nice holiday it was too. For the many of you that have met and enjoyed their company they're doing really well and run an excellent bar/restaurant called the Cosy Corner in the very layback resort of Alykanas. For the whole 2 weeks temps hit 40C+ during the afternoons and rarely fell much below 30C at night. We did'nt expect that kind of heat in Sept but we had a heatwave with high summer temps, the island really needs rain as the all important olive crop is struggling for the harvest in November. Although they have to be at the restaurant most of the time we managed to spend some very enjoyable hours together, even had a few day trips out around the island. Spent many hours in the bar once all meals had been served chatting about old times with G.C. figuring on most occasions. They employ a staff of five and get very busy mid evening. Food there is excellent with traditional breakfasts outstanding as well as a fine assortment of Greek cuisine and Shortie's well known pies. They've quickly established themselves as part of the community over there and the ever enthusiastic Shortie has his eyes on several more business interests, we wish them well and we will certainly be back to see them in the near future. Zante/Zakynthos had a big effect on both of us especially it's very layback culture and simple lifestyle, very similar to unspoilt rural Gran Canaria !!!!!

[roxy]

Thats Great Tony, really glad you enjoyed your holiday !!!!
Cant wait until tuesday when we fly out, but could do with the the temps dropping slightly, i dont know that i could stand 40 degs !!!! lol
Unfortunately we are not actually staying in Alykanas but will definately be going to pay shortie and jules a visit :tinysmile_fatgrin_t

[libbyo]

Tony thanks fantastic to hear. Im please Shortie and Jules are doing so well. GC is a quieter place without them. Did a Shortie kareoke session happen whilst you wrre there.

Now himself is retarded, I think I must nag him to go out and see them too.

[mary]

Now himself is retarded, I think I must nag him to go out and see them too.

We know he's retarded but dont you mean retired!!:blink:


Glad to hear they are doing well and all is working out for them. whoever is next to go - send our love

[redswanlady]

That is brilliant they are doing so well :fatgrin:

[steve]

Good to hear you had a great time big fella, and great to read Shortie and Jules are doing so well too.

[BIG TONY]

Tony thanks fantastic to hear. Im please Shortie and Jules are doing so well. GC is a quieter place without them. Did a Shortie kareoke session happen whilst you wrre there.

Now himself is retarded, I think I must nag him to go out and see them too.

Shortie's far from retired actually works bloody hard in the kitchen and waiting on the tables. "Fortunately" Karaoke is not allowed in Alykanas during the summer season (thank God) only acoustic unamplified music is allowed live in the bars. Shortie being Shortie has the best entertainers at his place twice a week. Twin brothers Alan &Tony and supurb they are too. Ever heard the full version of "Freebird" acoustically, bloody mind blowing musicians to pull that one off, as well as the Verve,Stevie Wonder, Beatles etc, etc !!!!!!

[rab_c.]

fantastic tony but we hope jules loses no more weight or with the location etc we will nickname her olive oil lol.
ps libbyo meant it was handyman that was retired but!! she was right first time around when she said retarded lol.
if you see this shortie/jules well done we are all proud of you and the family over there living the dream

[LisaB]

Glad they are doing so well, I lover their company although didn't realise until recently that they had gone to Zante. We are desperate to start going to other places having lived and holidayed to Gran Canaria for approx 7 years now! Going to think about Zante for next year.
PS defintely retarded and knowing Liz she knew exactly what she was writing..:wink:

[BIG TONY]

Oh well back from another fantastic 2 weeks on the beautiful island of Zakynthos well and truly hosted by our good friends Shortie & Jules. Although the island's tourist figure are down like all the other eurozone resorts their "Cosy Corner" taverna continues to grow from strength to strengh serving tremendous value for money food and drink. Shortie has now mastered the art of authentic Greek cooking and boy is it good. His beef Stifado's (beef pieces cooked with baby onions in a rich sauce) are the best I've tasted as as are his Kefti's (small meatball style patties with oregano & lemon juice). Jules is so much happier this year as we know she struggled being away from family and friends at first. Well the little fella is well and truly a part of Greek life over there and he thrives on it. He has now opened a second take-away in the adjacent resort to Alykanas that is Alykes. Although he spends most afternoons preparing dishes in the kitchen for the coming nights customers we managed a few hours together getting out and about for a spot of light lunch in a panoramic mountainside Taverna, supurb in the hot Greek sunshine. We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary with them and a few other friends we'de met last year in with a huge Greek feast at the "Lemon Tree" taverna owned by Nikos's (we met him in Gran Canaria) mother that is renowned in the area for it's fine Greek cuisine.
Long evenings were spent chatting after customers finished dining, in the Cosy Corner with the wine flowing freely as well as the local Ouzo.
They really have it cracked serving the holidaymakers both English and Greek food, his reputation his renowned throughout the resort and the place was packed both for breakfast and during the evening on many occassions when we were there. Andrew their son is a star loved by all with his splendid sense of very dry humour as is Chris the other bugger l.o.l.
We're looking at a holiday together early next year away from our usual haunts but we'll certainly be back in Zakynthos next year. Our son Matthew with his partner Donna and our beautiful grandaughter Tayla really enjoyed their first taste of Greek culture and are already planning another visit next year also. Shortie showed me several plots of land for sale at remarkably low prices with planning permission, he's already on the case with a new build property for him and Jules to live in. there's just no holding him back over there, great company and great people now free of the stresses of living here. He's got some 40= days of the season left before chilling out through the Winter months doing absoloutly nothing, some lifestyle out there !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chorlton]

It's lovely to see that they are doing so well. 2 genuine and fab people.

[rab_c.]

yes fantastic news great to hear jules has eventually settled and also that you and the family have had such a great time tony.
just ashamed that we have not accepted shorties hospitality and invitations as of yet, but who knows maybe one day we will venture over.

[BIG TONY]

yes fantastic news great to hear jules has eventually settled and also that you and the family have had such a great time tony.
just ashamed that we have not accepted shorties hospitality and invitations as of yet, but who knows maybe one day we will venture over.

Rab you don't know what you are missing mate !!!!

[redswanlady]

Fantastic to hear they are doing so well, always great to hear when nice couples suceed

[mary]

So good to hear that they are doing well. The Greek life sounds like it suits them.

[Holly Dayze]

Tony I've been waiting for you to get back to ask about Alykanas. I'm thinking about going there in October! Found Shortie's website via google and spotted you were out there. Sounds good and I may PM you to pick your brains. :wink:

Congratulations on 30 years of marriage too! xx

[BIG TONY]

All booked up for another visit to Shortie and Jules out in Zakynthos next month. Unfortunately Son Matthew and family are off to Kos to a friends wedding at the end of this month so we'll be on our own, but Chris's sister and family who came over to P. Rico with us in May is showing great interest !!

[steve]

Although we love PR and it'll always be our home from home come what may we're seriously going to try somewhere different soon, we had booked Zante for this year and Big Tony sent me loads of info which was great and much appreciated and we had booked two weeks this september but the call to PR was too strong and we changed it and now we're in Gloria Palace Royal for two weeks on the 20th september.

Good to read Shortie and Jules are making a go of it though....nice people