Hello from Socal!!!

Ive been a longtime reader for few yrs but never bothered to write. Its time I could give back and maybe provide help.

I missed the bread and pastries of Europe specifically in France. I missed walking and grabbing the newspaper, smelling fresh bread and arriving at the corner facing the beautiful facade of an old Patisserie building.Neither the baker nor the establishment invites you, instead you gravitate towards the smell! The old wooden interior from hundreds of years ago is beautifully adorned with an endless array or size and shape of different types of bread against the wall. The patisserie shelves are fully stocked with a mind blowing variety of colors with labels my dog could forget barking.The infusion of the coffee aroma creates a very complicated sense that raptures my medulla oblongata. The decision what to purchase was excruciating, it was like walking through the turning tunnel from the six million dollar man! When I was ready to order, I noticed all the customers were all standing in front shelves and displays following the shape of the counter. Forget the line! A customer starts yapping to the saleswoman about a neighbor's affair when "we" (about 10 people) were waiting for our turn! You maybe surprised but Im the only one that looked awkward and felt out of place while the rest of the locals easily blended in and joined their very interesting conversation. I suddenly injected 2 notches from my baseline voice "un pain chocolat et cappucino". Honestly, it wasnt a scream but similar tone when my 7month daughter tried to crawl upstairs! Pain chocolat is like a croissant that is infused with chocolate. The saleswoman then tells me 13Euro! I starred at my coffee and petit pain for a longtime and maybe waiting for additional stuff that she may include but my mind was beginning to dictate  a "WTF" moment. I suddenly woke up from this nightmare with my mouth slobbering. 

Good morning and have good weekend!