My dear friend had loaned me three books that bring her much joy and thought she would pass on the pleasure. Two of the books were European interiors, also in a language that I could not understand. I reverted back to my toddler days where turning each page and just enjoying the pictures were all I needed to sponge up out of the book. The 3rd book, was in English and my favorite by a mile. Pictures worth a thousand words and a good read no doubt. I thought I would pass it on to any French loving, cafe going, culture club connoissuers!
Bienvenue
The inside jacket reads:
`The French cafe epitomizes the French art of living. Through its timeless glass doors float the aromas of strong coffee and black tobacco, hot milk and fresh croissants. The cafe, open early till late, is both focus and microcosm of society. Friends talk; lovers linger; the white saucers pile up as the world goes by; a lone customer comes in to read the newspapers or for a petit verre at the bar. The French cafe is a refuge, a place to meet, to sit, to see and be seen.
An essential book for anyone interested in French life and culture, here is a wonderfully new and intimate look at a great institution, from the grand establishments dating from the beginning of the century to the small rural bistro, from the workers' local cafes to the legendary Parisian cares where the poets, painters and philosophers gathered. From Directoire decoration to Starck style, this book reveals the rich variety and extraordinary inventiveness of cafe design.'
With 211 illustrations, 194 in color
If that isn't enough to bring you to a seated position, maybe a couple of photographs and captions will do.
`The Grand Cafe, Moulins. Haunt of Rene Fallet and his friend Georges Brassens, of Coco Chanel and singer Boggy Lapointe. All campaigning politicians make a stop here. There days it offers brasserie service and organizes Saturday evening concerts in its theatre-like gallery.'
`The Cafe de l'Industrie, Paris. Gerard Le Flem, traveller and film director, owns this little care of the 1880's which he has enlarged by teh addition of two enormous rooms opening on to a little indoor garden. It attracts all teh young in-crowd of the Bastille district. The design, recreated on the basis of a few surviving features, combines a certain dreamy exoticism with strict economy of means. Dietrich songs are played in the background.'
This book truly delves into the term that we so often throw around "French cafe", or how about "French" or "Cafe" :) It's a history lesson in petit doses with all the staples of a classic French meal that will sit well with you no matter what time of day you crack open this book.
Since today if finally the last day of school, I will officially put this on my list of summer reads, already read. It's 110 pages of a lifestyle 300 years in the making.
Soins de se joindre à moi?
Care to join me?
Have a delightful weekend XO
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