The Source: Blithe & Unabashed Bistro Style
Lunch at Le Fontaine de Mars and the unsolvable puzzle of The French
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The Source is a recurring market series on Treehouse, in addition to a living and ever-evolving database of Good Things. This post, for instance, features 16 curated recommendations, but the database has 65 links on bistro style. Posts are free, but access to the database is available to paid subscribers at any tier and is a resource for so much—renovations, gift-giving, self-accessorizing… really, whatever you’re looking for.
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Allons-y!
I just got back from France, where my family—on winter break— went to meet up with some good friends. They skied, I sauna’ed, and, on the way back home, we spent two nights in Paris.
I generally try to leave my kids off the internet, but I had to break my rules this once to share Russ vs Oeufs Mayonnaise. Bless.
From what I can tell, one of life’s most consistent pass-times is puzzling over the French je ne sais quoi. We are, truly, obsessed. According to American popular culture, the women don’t get fat, the way they bring up their bébés is enviable—and swathes of other things, too. Clothes, music, food, culture, politics. Protesting is another category in which they excel heartily.
But here’s the most puzzling part, for me: At times, it appears that the French1 are doing something so enormously corny that any other type of person would simply evaporate from shame—an American loaded down with self-loathing, say. Imagine how brazen you’d have to be to ride a bike through the streets of Paris with an actual baguette tucked under your arm? I would die. Or a beret, for that matter. Or, like, owning a whole bunch of cats. O-kay. But the French don’t care and they’ll pull it off, too. I think it has to do with the wry and matter-of-fact delivery they seem to have down so pat.
This is a working theory and I am by no means a francophilian expert! I came up with this thought when my family and I had lunch at Le Fontaine de Mars, a restaurant near the Eiffel Tower (again, like, OK), which opened in 1908 and whose chef has been there for thirty years. So, not a place that’s looking for trendy extra points;2 a place that’s doing the thing they do and have done for a very long time.
This is true of the food (excellent) and of the décor (infuriating), as well. Why is the decor infuriating, you will undoubtedly now ask? Because the restaurant is peppered through with, hold on to your berets, accents of bubblegum pink.
Honestly! The audacity! Can you even believe it?
And the worst part is—it works. It works so well and it’s so charming.
So, for this week’s installment, I give you The Source celebrating classic bistro style, with a decidedly pink flourish.
1. Brushed Stainless Steel Flatware | 2. Perceval Steak Knives | 3. Ticking Stripe Café Curtains | 4. Cup and Saucer | 5. Linen Dish Towel | 6. Mini Staubs | 7. Side Plates | 8. Linen Tablecloth
9. Mini Butter Dishes | 10. Pewter Serving Dish | 11. Custom Bistro Plates | 12. Peugot Salt + Pepper Grinders | 13. Stemware Water Glass (iykyk) | 14. Water Carafe | 15. Bread Basket | 16. Bistro Chair
What’s that? You’d like to order dessert? (Of course you would!)
Well, you’re in luck—over on Rec League, where I host the Ur-database of Things, there are an additional 50+ (!!) more bistro looks and links for you. Some really great things that didn’t quite fit in this layout. Not to be missed!
À la prochaine!!
Forgive me while I indulge in one of culture’s most cringeful activities: Making broad, gros/gross generalizations about the entire population of France! For the sake of argument and linkable nice stuff, OK??
Despite a quite produced Instagram account!