Speaking of Myrtille—we discussed (mostly in English, unfortunately, because my speaking in detail like this is horrid) my blog posting on Starbucks (Starbucks Says Have it Your Way 1/15/07) and I got her “take” on my comments and impressions. She says that the real reason the French don’t like to see the big corporations, like McDonalds and Starbucks, move into France is because it pushes out the small guy. This is not so surprising because I remember that same feeling in Malibu years ago. Starbucks began construction on their new store in the neighborhood in which we enjoyed the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf store. A petition circulated about boycotting Starbucks and not abandoning the Coffee Bean store. (Both are still doing strong business there, by the way. Trish and I stop at Coffee Bean, which has moved into a bigger location in that strip mall, every time we’re coming from and going to LAX).But, Myrtille admits, most French people do want to go to America; therefore, entering a Starbucks gives them the feeling that they are in the US. So everyone is torn. Myrtille used to live and teach French at a lycee (high school) in Los Angeles. She moved back to France because she missed the intimacy of the French culture and lifestyle, plus she hated having to drive everywhere in LA! However, she also says that she might return to the US one day because “you can make a good life in America.” The grass is always greener, n’est-ce pas?
PS—I really try to speak French when I’m in a shop. At Starbucks the other night, as soon as I opened my mouth the cashier handed me one of those little green “how to “ brochures! I went through my spiel with the other lady (a very bubbly young lady) and questioned if I should be saying “soja” or “soya” for soy milk—I’ve heard the baristas say it both ways. She laughed and responded en francais, “You say ‘soya;’ I say ‘soja.” You say tomato, I say… I’m going to surprise them and say “soja.”
PSS—By the way, Rolinka mentioned that Americans can not do the French accent. They just can’t and she doesn’t know why. So every time an American opens his or her mouth to speak French, everyone knows they are NOT French. Oh well…
And PSSS—(I just make this up as I go along.) I noticed that few customers at Starbucks bus their own tables. This can't help their overhead and obviously contributes to their more expensive labor costs, which are passed along to us.
