The waiter here put his face ucomfortably close to mine when getting my order. There are quite a few Americans here, and the waiter happily rushes around saying "magnifico" and "no problem" several times. On the street, a New York Fire Department firetruck passes by with siren wailing and an American flag hanging off the back, a precursor to its participation in the parade tomorrow.

The tables are wooden, and the chairs are wooden with violet seat cushions. The sugar is powdered in a blue tube. The ashtray is small, circular, of clear glass. The front of the café is open, and across the street book vendors line the low wall overlooking the Seine.