daily painting....wintery paris - chez paul

just down the street and around the corner is a nice cafe - which corner and which street?  it doesn't much matter.  almost any corner in paris is a nice place to eat and drink.  yes, eating and drinking is not a problem in paris.  reminds me of italy - it is very, very hard to find bad food.  

i love the smell of the small cafes; their gigantic espresso machines making loud sounds with steam escaping, groaning and expelling the most comforting aroma of rich coffee.  one of my favorite treats in the local cafe is to have a hot chocolate with steamed milk.  what's not to like?  

as for food, do you like duck?  mi-cuit de foie gras?  rabbit, goat cheese with mint? steak tartare?  and don't forget dessert....a mouth-melting creme brulee a la violette or any number of other delicious and delicate pastries and creams.

i like the tight cozy rooms with intimate tables near the lacey curtained windows which is made up of small panes of wavy glass.  it's a step backwards in time.  from your seat you can watch foot traffic in the rain and feel the comfort of the warm (sometimes too warm) room with steamy windows.  there is a large hall tree at the entrance of the place with hats, scarves, coats of all kinds and umbrellas.  for me, it is a special pleasure---the smell of wet wool from these coats that mingle with the smell of coffee and french cuisine.  can you tell i am from a world away here southern california?  oh but oui, it's true.