Café Marley sits under the arcades of the Louvre, no more than fifty feet from the glass pyramid. In fact, the terrace provides an elevated vantage point giving diners one of the best views in the city. At sunset the scene is all aglow; glass and metal shimmering against the surrounding basin of water.
The posh bistro serves Continental cuisine, although you can order only cocktails or a light lunch. Tourists and Parisians alike drop in to rest after wandering through the vast art collections.
Months before my trip to France, I began listening to a CD known as earworms : a musical brain trainer.My goal: to become familiar with basic words and common phrases.
I readily admit I struggle with foreign language; found French torturous in high school and college. My brain just doesn't want to think in another tongue.
But, I gave earworms a try.I played the oral lessons, really more like rhythmic tunes, in my office.I honestly didn't study or concentrate on the CD's.However, I listened to volumes 1 and 2 many times.
Guess what?
When I got to France, I actually comprehended some conversation. Menus could be deciphered with a reasonable amount of certainty. I confidently ordered a coffee or a bottle of wine since those were the first things I mastered. My grasp of basic phrases seemed automatic, almost magical.
One morning a waiter spoke to me, just rattling along and when he finished, I casually replied with my room number– in French.My daughter looked at me stunned.How did you understand all that, she wondered?
And..frankly, I did too.Must have been those earworms!
I recently made a trip to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and hate to admit I dug in like a hungry bear. I sampled fried green tomatoes, fried gator, fried shrimp, fried okra and well…fried you name it. I put aside the knife and fork for barbeque ribs and finished plenty messy. Breakfast favorites became blueberry pancakes, syrup and apple fritters
Both towns of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee rest near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. And both towns claim Dolly Parton as their own. The folks in these parts take pride in their country heritage. You can’t help but notice that music, food and family are the heart and soul of the people.
Tourists to the area will find numerous restaurants to choose from. Most proudly serve good-ole down home southern cookin.
Here is a list of restaurants I can recommend for casual dining in Sevierville:
