Two things that are related: Parisians are truly the best people to watch, and I’m really coming to understand the European fascination with drinking coffee in cafés. I dislike coffee; I generally think it’s disgusting and when I drink it’s because I’m trying to keep myself awake. That is…for American coffee. I’ve discovered that I can tolerate – perhaps even more than tolerate – French cafés au lait (that’s just coffee with milk mixed up really, really fast, to the Yanks). Although I can’t manage the hours of coffee drinking and people-watching, I really do like to sit in the window of a café with a coffee or hot chocolate and just watch people go by.
I’ve been studying boots. Nearly all Parisiennes' boots have buckles, and they are always ankle height or just below the knee. I like the buckles, even though I’m not normally a buckle person. I wound up getting some without buckles.
I’ve also mastered the art of European scarf-wearing. It’s not as hard as it looks; mostly you just need to make sure you’re not choking yourself by wearing it too tight, and if it’s a thick, woolly material, you must tuck it into your jacket, not leave it hanging out.
With the boots and the scarves, I have been able to cleverly disguise myself as a Parisian. To wit: I was surprised the other day when I was walking home from the Metro and a young woman came up to me to ask for directions. She was clearly French herself, so must’ve thought I was one too, and a competent one at that. I had no idea what she was saying, but was pleased nonetheless.
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