France in SoCal

My new office is just down the block from Santa Monica and Westwood Blvd and within walking distance of dozens of restaurants. Though I try to bring my lunch to save money and my waistline, there are some days that I just have to get out of the office for 45 minutes. I sit in front of a computer all day and a walk somewhere usually does me good. As does a little "me time". You know what I mean - just a few minutes when you don't have to be at the beckon call of clients or bosses or subordinates, when you don't have to pick up the phone if you don't want to or immediately read the email that just came across your desktop.

My first day on the job I took a few minutes to myself, to recompose, to slightly decompress from the morning. I walked out the back door to Westwood and thought I would just find a sandwich shop or something similar to grab a bite. Just past the Starbucks was a little hole in the wall advertising a half-sandwich and salad lunch combo. Perfect.

I suddenly found myself in a tiny cafe in rural France, greeted by a lanky French gentleman, an old upright piano in the corner, a half dozen mismatched tables and chairs strewn about, an overly large displaced church pew against one wall, and the French equivalent of NPR broadcast across a laptop. I ordered a dry sausage sandwich and salad and took my seat in a rather rickety chair by the front window. Several minutes later my plate arrived.

The baguette - arguably my favorite bread on the planet - was wonderfully soft inside and deliciously crusty out. The sausage was flavorful even though there were only a few slices. Tiny sweet gherkins pickles were sliced lengthwise and added a nice cut of acid to the rich bread and meat. The salad was fresh, crisp and delicious, romaine lettuce dressed simply with a bit of oil and vinegar. The tomatoes were sweet and the cucumbers tasted like summer.

I've only been working two weeks and I've already been back to my small haven in the city, this time sitting outside on the front porch and devouring a smoked salmon with tapenade sandwich and arugula salad. In less than an hour I felt rejuvenated and ready to take on the rest of my day. It is amazing how a simple, delicious meal and a serene atmosphere can restore one's perspective.

I hear they have an unbelievable pâté that I can't wait to try next.