Cafés of Paris

Returning to Paris after vacation felt a little like coming back home.  

...to a home that I don't like so much.

Part of the problem is the food.  It's not that the hotel restaurant is bad, but no one wants to eat every meal from a single menu for six weeks.  I don't usually care much about food, but French cuisine is particularly unappealing to me.  Breads are boring, sauces are too rich, and proteins involve parts of the animal that I would never consider eating.

My mindset about being back in Paris changed a little when I was working in a meeting room earlier this week, with a great view of Le Palais Royal.  I stopped to look outside the window and ended up spending about five minutes just watching the activity at a nearby café.  It was fun to watch people enjoying the nice weather, while they sipped coffee and watched the activity around them.  The waiters were clad in black vests and bow ties, which added to the Parisian feel.    

Hard to concentrate on work with this view 

People enjoying a beautiful day at the café

When I looked back at my computer, I realized that I had been focusing too much on work and failing to appreciate the my prime location within one of the finest cities in the world. I may not love the food in Paris, but I do love looking at all the cafés and markets that line the streets.  On Saturday morning, I meandered through the streets and took pictures of anything that attracted my attention. 

Produce market

The Dog That Smokes (who comes up with these names?)

I'll just grab a rotisserie chicken from the sidewalk!

Each chair is lined up perfectly

This place was decorated for the holidays

Each café I saw was unique, yet similar.  They all try to maximize sidewalk space with little round tables crammed together.  Heat lamps were blazing, while a few brave souls continued to eat outside.  Weekly specials are almost always written on the chalkboard by the entrance so passerby's can contemplate the menu.  Onion soup, steak with frites, and chocolate mousse are commonplace in Paris.  The city is so steeped with history and culinary traditions are an important part of that.  

Walking back to my hotel, I thought about restaurants in the United States.  Even the smaller towns have a greater variety of food options than what is offered in Paris.  This is probably a reflection of the diverse American population.     

I often look at Europe with admiration, but I need to give credit to the United States when it is deserved.  Food choice is definitely one of those areas.  I never really think about food at home because I can buy almost anything I need, whenever I am in the mood for it: sushi, pizza, mexican, thai, italian...you name it.  

The cafés and markets in Paris are definitely picturesque and meandering down every street is like walking through a postcard.  However, I don't want to eat a postcard and I also don't want to eat what most of these cafés are serving.  Maybe I should open a Mexican restaurant in Paris - just to see what would happen!