Fish and Flowers-The Foodess Files in Paris

Remember when cameras posted the date in the corner? Remember how nobody knew how to change the date when it was wrong? Remember that time I went to France and as a result of a camera debacle was forced to use one of these contraptions with the constantly wrong date, while eating the greatest ice cream of my lifetime?

I do. But mainly because it was two days ago.

I have been trolling a different set of streets for the past few days. Less freeway, more fromage.

I have been here:

I stood in the long shadow of the Eiffel Tower in the middle of a GreenGrassBlueSky day, and realized I was hungry.

In L.A. when this happens, I usually track down a food truck and have at it. But on this day, in Paris, I sought out a very specific cassoulet that I had read about. It takes two days to make, and you eat it at a table blessed with red and white cloth napkins that make you feel like a real live girl. A lady, even.

Los Angeles means traffic, and heat. Exit ramps, and air conditioning. Paris sidewalks mean fish and flowers.

And sidewalk mirrors meant for quick and easy hot pink lipstick re-application. Or meant for the garbage man to pick up, but I got there first and so he can find his own damn sidewalk lipstick mirror.

So I saw Notre Dame.

There. Now you did too.

But then I ate the best ice cream I have ever had in my life. Salty-sweet butter caramel ice cream a block away. In a lovely glass dish, with a heavy real-deal spoon. My family asked for a taste. I politely declined.

And then demanded to sample theirs. It was Cassis flavored and I couldn't bear not to. I put on my pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease face.

Could I probably crop out the date? Yes. Maybe. But Paris has made me feel like such a lady-eating with real silverware, sitting down, using cloth napkins, taking my time, letting each moment take its time to tick.

And historically, technology makes me feel like a hotheaded profanity spewing maniac. And so I will leave that girl in L.A.

And hold on to this girl for as long as I can.

She can still find a food truck, even in Paris-so all is not lost.

The inaccurate date stays. I am too calm to mess this up.