It's because of Netflix

Because it's on Netflix, I've picked up watching No Reservations. Although I've watched that show numerous times on the travel channel, it's not exactly the kinda show I watch religiously, nor frequently. But for the sake of boredom and needing something to watch as I get ready in the morning, it suffices.

He was in Paris. Now, if you know anything about Anthony Bourdain, you know he's "no holds bar". He says what he thinks and could care less who doesn't like it. Sort of a  Dwight Schrute meets James Bond....Ok. Bad example. Let's leave those to the clever people...

Anyway, the French get a bad rep ::insert terrible, poorly timed joke, here::

His whole idea behind this show was to show "Why France doesn't Suck". Also, to prevent seeing Paris the tourist way. Throw away the guidebook, as it were.

While I won't go into details on the entire episode, he did make a few points that have sat with me all day. He mentioned the things France does right. Food, Art & Wine. His major point was that if you look at the way the French do food, it's about the food. It's not rushed. They're not trying to come up with new ways to flavor a risotto that no body has seen before (though I'm sure those antics happen). In the heart of Paris, it's about the food. The raw flavor of it. It's about the people you share it with, or the time you spend with it. There are no health codes, there are no etiquette. The places don't get shut down because someone touches some food. The meat is sliced, salt and peppered, wood oven cooked, and served on the same tray it's cooked in. It's simple. It's about the food.

At the end of the show, he was sitting at an outside cafe and looked around and noticed that people there do it right. They make it about an afternoon. To sit and have a cup of coffee and a ham sandwich. But really HAVE a ham sandwich. They have their newspapers. They're books. Or they're quizzical, people watching eyes. They spend time enjoying the food and enjoying time spent by themselves or with their closest friends.

It got me thinking....when was the last time I did that? When was the last time I found a small park or local cafe (i'm not talking Barnes and Noble or Starbucks, Tony would disdain at that) and sat and ATE a ham sandwich. And read the paper....and not the paper on my ipod. I mean, really took an afternoon to enjoy those simple things.

Those are things I used to love to do. And it's the simplicity that I'm trying to bring my life back to. Starting with that...