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Shutting down

There is a very interesting phenomenon that happens in Paris twice a year and I have experienced it both times. In the summer (last 2 weeks of August) and Christmas, the city shuts down almost entirely and it is very interesting to watch. I sometimes think that calling NYC the "city that never sleeps" is wrong. NYC sleeps every day, but if you want to be awake or get a coffee or buy a bagel, you can get it. I often think that title should be relinquished to Las Vegas (which also deserves "Sin City" ahead of NYC). But by comparison to Paris, NYC is as awake as an insomniac. Paris, on the other hand, sleeps nightly and on these two calendar events, goes into hibernation.

First is the prelude. You start seeing some notices about 2 weeks before the closures when stores will be closed. But sometimes you see nothing. The locals know it is about to happen and begin to prepare. You buy non-perishables, you get the wine in advance. You get a little extra cheese to hold you over. Then, one by one, the stores close. You head out to your favorite resto... closed. Go to get a part for the broken toilet? Gone for 2 weeks, try later. 

Very different in NYC. There, you get sales going on before the event, but many things are open throughout the holiday. I remember going out at about 10pm on Christmas eve, to go to the corner green grocer. True, there was a certain silence and many stores were closed. But there was the 24/7 green grocer, the 2 pharmacies, all open and planning to be open all night. 

I am not sure how I feel about this. I do love that people get time off collectively and get to have a holiday. I also love to get what I want when I want it. More and more in the US, the holiday is becoming meaningless and stores seem to want to be open 24/7. Take a look at the hubbub at Thanksgiving: stores are rushing to open and barely have a few hours before the madness of Christmas shopping begins. I would love to see more of a balance.

Helmut and I arrived back in Paris about 8PM on Christmas and we decided to have a little something to eat. Chinese maybe? Closed. How about the local wine shop? Closed. Something at the Tabac? Gone. We did find a convenience store just about to close and got some vegetables and cheese and went home to make some risotto. I was almost ready to have an apple and some cookies and be done with it.

The reboot of the city takes longer than you would think. Stores sleepily begin to get back to normal. Day after Christmas? Don't kid yourself, especially when it is a Friday. Saturday surely things will have to be starting to open. Yeah, right; still closed. Sunday brunch? Maybe in the tourist area, not in the neighborhood. OK, so Monday things get started, right? Nope. Monday is still the day things are closed, so.... Tuesday! Open? Well, not for lunch. Maybe dinner on Tuesday. Some restos begin to open between Christmas and New Years, but begrudgingly. Then, of course we have New Years, so this cycle begins again. Like dominoes, the stores close again.

By Wednesday after New Year's day, we begin to see things as fairly normal. Of course, when are they going to take down the decorations? I am hoping it is better than in NYC, where February rolls around and you can still see some tardy christmas posters or a string of lights or two. We will see.

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