The Yellow Vase

There are many places in life that I love to go, some I would like to visit more often and those that I will not see for a long time. Unfortunately the places I will not see for a long time, possibly never, are places like authentic French cafes. Really, we all know that it is not truly authentic unless it's run by people who are of that culture or you are actually in that specific country. One of my favorite things to do when I was in France a few years ago, was to go to a little cafe and just sit and watch the people pass by and chat with friends. The experience was heightened with a perfect pastry and cup of caffeinated beverage in hand. Ahhh yes, I can picture those memories now. It makes me want to shout Oui, C'est bon!
So I have been on a mission to find anything French that reminds me of my time there. I have black and white photographs lining my room, signs that say "Paris," and prints of French inspired scenes. One of my favorite artists is even French, Renoir!
Onward to the food! My mom took me out to eat the other day to a lovely little cafe called The Yellow Vase. The outside is a delightful yellow with tables on the patio and inside it is brightly lit because of large windows, they have various wares they sell conveniently located right as you walk in the door so you can browse before ordering and a lovely display of gorgeous pastries. You walk up to the counter like you would in any little cafe in France and order. My mom and I split a sandwich, 2 Almond Lattes and a Black and White Cupcake. Mind you I have never eaten here before and I was like a little giddy child getting to pick out my cupcake.
We decided to dine outside as it was a sunny day and perfect for chatting and people watching. Our sandwich came(my memory fails me on the name), and it is served with a little field greens salad. Then the almond lattes and piece de resistance---the cupcake!!! Everything was complete perfection. The baguette was perfectly crisp outside and soft inside. The chicken salad mix for the sandwich filling was delightful and the almond lattes were SO worth every penny. They even make little designs in the foam. Then I dug into the cupcake. The frosting was not that sugary, gunky stuff many places serve. It was creamy and vanilla goodness! The chocolate cake part was the gooey moist texture that you desire in a cupcake. It turns out they use all organic and natural ingredients in their cupcakes. They even have a chart listing the days they have each cupcake so you can plan your French journey accordingly. They even open at 7am so that you can go before work and get a treat...should you so desire...which is crazy, but I am just that crazy! So now I know that when I require a little authentic French boost, I can count on The Yellow Vase to take me back and I will pretend I am oh so sophisticated and shout: "Oui, C'est Bon!" Okay maybe I'm not that sophisticated, but I do what I want. Je t'aime Le Yellow Vase!