It’s a beautiful thing, the coffee culture found in cities
around Europe. It’s a “grab and go” that is actually about staying.
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| Taking a coffee break in Annecy, France |
Here’s the scene: a walk-up counter, standing room only in a
small café, a fresh pull of espresso in a quaint mug, a neighbor bumping elbows
with you as they sip, the smell of coffee and croissants in the air, a man an
hour into animated conversation with his friend.
This provides so much more of a “takeaway” than any carry
out I find in America. Because in Europe, they carry in. They bring time, and
leave the rush. They bring conversation, and drop the smartphone. They bring
quality in a small cup of espresso, and drop the 64oz Big Gulp chugged while on
the run. They stand, but because they want to and their purpose is to linger,
not because they’re irritated that their order is taking more than three
minutes.
What do you think? Would you be up for a different sort of “grab
and go?”
