I have now eaten at McDonald’s two dinners in a row. It’s because I don’t know how to eat here yet.
There’s a strict schedule for eating in France: you have something at home to wake up, then lunch begins at 1pm, and you must complete it by 3. Which is generous, ample, a little indulgent even, except when you’re me, and you forget about eating until you look at your watch to find it’s too late. Then you’re starving, and those restaurants are closed. Shut. Firme. Not a chance of eating lunch - except at McDonald’s - until 6pm.
Baguettes can’t be bought after 9am or until 5pm - because it’s that important to people the bread be fresh. So there’s no baguette and cheese option either, that’s pure romance if you don’t have your baguette already in hand. And the grocery store closes for lunch too, so the people who work there can eat lunch.
The dinner hour is twice as long as the lunch hour, and still I miss it. I miss it because of rehearsal, or because of a show. Having nothing in the house yet, I dash around Lorient’s “late night” establishments (serving until 11:30pm), only to find myself prostrating myself beneath the Golden Arches. Or, as they call it here, McDo’. Sounds like D’oh.
What a dummy I am. I had a really hard day today - emotionally difficult - and I brought it all on myself. Yes, I miss you. Yes, my mind is tied in knots by all of this French. Yes, it’s hard to be alone again. But it would be so much less hard if I ate. I gotta take care of myself, you know - by like, eating. Duh.
And I get to learn how to do it anew for myself in France, motherland of good eating. Who’s a lucky boy?
Comment and tell me how you think I should take care of myself by eating. Tips, tricks, recipes, what have you. Keep in mind that today, over a full 12 hours, I ate:
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| Morgan makes a mean tomato sauce. |
Chocolate cereal and 2 cups of coffee
Processed ham and egg sandwich, a peach, French Cheetos, and an apple juice
A double espresso
An orange juice
Filet o’ Fish, fries, chocolate muffin, water.
I’m really starting from scratch. No suggestion is too elementary for me, obviously.
As a prize, I will commit to making food blog posts about the things I try, replete with delicious photography.
