Since I don’t get to visit Europe often these days, I try to get my fix in Toronto and Montreal, in the neighbourhoods.
I didn’t try a Frappe iced coffee until 2003, in Toronto. Frappe wasn’t something that my relatives in Greece served us on my previous visits. It was a group of Greek Canadians in Toronto who introduced me to really long coffee meet-ups, as well as frappes and fredos.
My family is always on the go when we visit relatives anywhere, in Canada , the States, Germany, Greece, and beyond, so a 2 or 3 hour coffee visit was new to me, 20 years ago.
It’s sort of funny, because my German relatives are into a 2 h coffee and cake at 4 pm, the cowboy cousins will do a long chat with coffee and a slice of pie, my Greek and Italian friends will do long coffees. Relatives married to Brits will enjoy a leisurely cup of tea.
Some of my 3rd or 4th generation Canadian friends have this inner clock, and they can’t do coffee or sit still for more than 45 minutes. I have to remind myself who I’m doing coffee with, and pay close attention to cues that it’s time to go.
That might be technically also the case in Germany, France, Austria and Italy (European countries we have been very recently) but practically that is not the case
1 Like
Harters
( Who put the dip in the dip da dip da dip. DEMAND ANSWERS)
23
You are more widely travelled on my continent than I am, so I bow to your more extensive knowledge.
Funny, in some circles, having a kid has the opposite effect. You are obviously more sensible than those people.
In all seriousness, though, parenthood is great. Wouldn’t change it for the world.
4 Likes
BarneyGrubble
(Fan of Beethoven and Latina singers)
28
Alcohol is a strange beast. I used to always enjoy a glass or so of wine with my meals. Then, about 18 years ago I was put on a “black box” (dangerous) drug that is harmful to the liver, and told that I was only allowed a glass a week. I thought that would be a problem, but it hasn’t been. A liver specialist subsequently told me that in England they say 4 glasses. I stick with one to two.
Yes! He is nearing 19 months and it is true what they say, parenthood is great indeed.
I just want to be completely ‘aware’ and in the moment when we have 1 on 1 time, he deserves that from me. There was one occasion when I came home very late, around 3AM, out drinking, and wasn’t at my best in the morning when we were spending time at a play room. I just felt so guilty!
But at xmas, with a large group of family around, I had like three glasses of wine - but then he is being entertained by so many people, I don’t mind so much.
Yeah, the thing is though that I can handle alcohol really well these days. I wouldn’t say better than ever, but pretty close. Even that morning, I was just pretty tired, not hung over or anything. No headaches.
I’ve learned what works well for me. For example, relatively clean spirits like vodka and gin, and lots of water. I can have numerous Belvedere on the rocks with a splash of soda water, and be fresh as a daisy the next day!
Harters
( Who put the dip in the dip da dip da dip. DEMAND ANSWERS)
34
When the ban was introduced in the UK, the vast majority of hospitality venues applied the new law. A handful didnt but there were always customers who would inform on them to the local council. That would invariably result in threats of draconian action which usually ensured future compliance.
FWIW, the ban has made a very significant contribution to the decline in the number of pubs. In the ten years following the ban (2007 - 2017), there was more than a 20% decline in pub numbers in England (presumably a similar decline in the other three nations of the UK). I understand it’s disproportionally affected small pubs, mainly in urban areas, which don’t have beer gardens or are not large enough to partially convert to food service. That happened where I live. We used to have three pubs in the “village”. Two have outdoor space and are still in business. The third, smaller and with no outdoor space, closed in 2009.
