An American in Paris . . .

Let's talk about the coffee! Americans have embraced their morning cup of coffee just like the rest of the world, I'm sure. The big difference is - the size! I don't know about you, but when travelling, I need a cup of coffee just to get down to the lobby of whatever hotel I'm staying at. Morning coffee has been a ritual for me as far back as I can remember - out of bed, feet hit the floor, into the kitchen to pour that first cup, sipping and savoring while I greet the kitties! Oh, yes, I digress . . . back to size. While in Paris last week, more than one restaurant and several patisseries thought that an espresso or cappucino-sized cup should do the trick . . . oh no! I made the mistake of ordering mushroom quiche with "large coffee", which again was cappucino-sized (much smaller than my usual morning mug). So I ordered a second, then a third refill - at 4,70Euro each! Do you know how much I spent on coffee? About five U.S. dollars - times 3!!!!!! Almost $15 for coffee! From that point on, I found the closest Starbucks, ordered a Caffe Americano, and doctored it up just how I like it - one Sweet N Low, and lots of low-fat milk. So when it comes to coffee in Paris - DON'T do what the Parisians do! Find yourself a Starbucks (Paris has many locations), and start your day the American way! Thank goodness for Starbucks!