old world charm

This year, I seem to have been remarkably oblivious to the holiday season. That is, until a little lightbulb went off in my head a few days ago and I realized that there were presents to buy and a Christmas dinner to plan. So off I went on another one of my glorious days off to do my part in stimulating the economy.

After a morning of successful shopping, I paused to rest at Le Pichet, a little French bistro that I pass by frequently. I had a hankering for Caffe Vita coffee, so I found a spot at the bar and plopped down with my bags, intending to just get my caffeine fix and move on. Charmed by the bistro chic, I decided on a whim to stay for lunch. With my frequent solitary wanderings over the past few weeks, I've gotten used to eating alone, with my Kindle for company :)

There's something very satisfying about the simplicity of bistro fare - a brightly colored salad with just a few well-dressed ingredients and topped with some cheese-y croutons was spot on. Add in free coffee refills, and I was a very happy camper. Incidentally, I discovered that the owner of Le Pichet also owns Cafe Presse, of which I was also a big fan. He really knows how to run a great French bistro!

It seems that I am one of the few people staying in Seattle for the holidays - best wishes for a merry Christmas and new year wherever you are!

Le Pichet
1933 1st Ave