But First, Coffee: L’Improbable Café

This past week, I met up with my friend Ruth at a café that she couldn’t believe I’d never been to. Indeed, I couldn’t believe it either since I had chased the five year old I au paired for last year down that very street more than once (her on her trottinette– French for scooter- and not listening to me when I said to wait for me to cross the street). What a misfortune to have spent a year working so close to this little haven so many times and never gone in!

From the converted minibus that serves as a kitchen to the cozy nooks to the electic decor to the hanging wicker chairs in front of the bus, everything about L’Improbable Café seems like the perfect place to bring your laptop or a book on a rainy fall or winter day and curl up for a few hours amongst a pile of pillows.

We, of course, each tucked into a deliciously strong café crème and a dessert of choice. Ruth went for the chocolate chip muffin while I opted for the pistachio-raspberry financiers (which are like little almond-based mini pound cakes). Had we come for lunch, we might have opted for a pistolet, a sandwich in a round roll (there are both hot and cold options) or a salad, or both!

Rather than discuss the food, however, we did what any normal 20something (unmarried) girls tend to do over coffee: talk about boys. It’s been fascinating to both of us to experience the difference between French and American men, and agree that American men could really take a page out of the Frenchmen’s handbook in being direct and knowing what they want. In both of our dating lives in Paris, we’ve experienced men from every end of the spectrum, but they all had one thing in common: they all told us straight up what they wanted. Whether that be sex, a girlfriend, whatever, they were up front about it from the beginning. We then proceeded to the next natural topic- shopping! After scouring a few vintage stores (and learning that Ruth had found her adorable leather jacket at a vintage shop for 10€), I have a renewed determination to find one for my fall wardrobe. If wherever I find one has a good selection, I’ll be sure to report back!

Have you been to L’Improbable? Where’s your favorite cozy spot for a rainy day (in Paris or otherwise)?

L’Improbable: 7 rue des Guillemites, open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-9pm