I've been in that McDonalds a number of times, and it's usually crowded. And not with Americans. I kinda wondered why, until l was eating in a place a few blocks away, and got the bill, and I thought, "Oh, that's why." If you need calories, you get them at McDonalds. If you want haute cuisine, there's lots of places to get it, but you pay. And Paris shop girls don't make a lot of money. I'm not big on B&W anymore, but you really nailed that fashion show image.
John, The first time B. and I went over to Paris together, way back in 1986, we were staying with friends who lived close to the original Paris McDonalds on the Champs-Élyseé and one day we were goofing around and decided to give it a try. It had opened just few months earlier (I think) and they had a seating hostess who was wearing a very nicely finished, navy blue, cashmere sweater with a demure McD's logo on it. The food was the same as everywhere but the service was clearly elevated. It soon tumbled back down to the general, international baseline... We also were in Rome a while later and happened to be there for the 10,000 person protest of the opening of the first McDonald's in the "Eternal City"; just a half a block from the Spanish Steppes. The protest happened on the day before the grand opening. The next day, during the grand opening it was packed. We especially liked the addition of a huge and ample salad bar, the dessert station with tarts, cakes and other delicacies and, of course, the choices of wines. Certainly made McD's feel a bit more upscale.
Hace muchos años, during a visit to Hong Kong (back when the Brits were still running the show), I ate breakfast every morning at a McDonald’s outlet near my hotel. The location was convenient, and in those days you couldn’t easily order in other local restaurants unless you spoke Cantonese or at least could read Chinese characters so you could point to what you wanted on the menu. The McD menu was illustrated, and very similar to what you would find in the States, but everything I tried tasted ... ahh ... fishy. I figured the oil was probably being repurposed—maybe from the dinner the staff cooked for itself the night before. The joint was always packed in the morning, by the way, and at the counter I inevitably found myself seated literally elbow-to-elbow with other customers. My wife, who is of Chinese descent (albeit northern Chinese), assured me that “people who live in Hong Kong are used to close quarters.”
"If you want to do photography at a level that really satisfies your soul and your ego you'll need to do it alone. Forget having the spouse or girlfriend or best friend or camera buddy tagging along." As Emeril would say "BAM!" I have never been to Paris (I have no desire to go to Paris), and I am not a 'street photographer' by nature. I did that a few times in NYC in my 20s but it wasn't 'me'. I do what you describe in the woods, and climbing mountains in the Adirondacks. From A practical standpoint, I should always hike with at least one other person. At least that is the recommendation, but from a photographic standpoint, it's always better if I am alone. My connection to the world immediately around me is not encumbered by consideration of someone else's presence or agenda. I can be totally present, totally me.
You drove an ELEMENT!! Loved the post BTW. Great images and even greater prose. APX100/400 was my go-to with the Blad. Magical combination.
ReplyDeleteEric
I've been in that McDonalds a number of times, and it's usually crowded. And not with Americans. I kinda wondered why, until l was eating in a place a few blocks away, and got the bill, and I thought, "Oh, that's why." If you need calories, you get them at McDonalds. If you want haute cuisine, there's lots of places to get it, but you pay. And Paris shop girls don't make a lot of money.
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on B&W anymore, but you really nailed that fashion show image.
John, The first time B. and I went over to Paris together, way back in 1986, we were staying with friends who lived close to the original Paris McDonalds on the Champs-Élyseé and one day we were goofing around and decided to give it a try. It had opened just few months earlier (I think) and they had a seating hostess who was wearing a very nicely finished, navy blue, cashmere sweater with a demure McD's logo on it. The food was the same as everywhere but the service was clearly elevated. It soon tumbled back down to the general, international baseline... We also were in Rome a while later and happened to be there for the 10,000 person protest of the opening of the first McDonald's in the "Eternal City"; just a half a block from the Spanish Steppes. The protest happened on the day before the grand opening. The next day, during the grand opening it was packed. We especially liked the addition of a huge and ample salad bar, the dessert station with tarts, cakes and other delicacies and, of course, the choices of wines. Certainly made McD's feel a bit more upscale.
Delete+1 for photographing alone. That approach widens my field of vision.
ReplyDeleteHace muchos años, during a visit to Hong Kong (back when the Brits were still running the show), I ate breakfast every morning at a McDonald’s outlet near my hotel. The location was convenient, and in those days you couldn’t easily order in other local restaurants unless you spoke Cantonese or at least could read Chinese characters so you could point to what you wanted on the menu. The McD menu was illustrated, and very similar to what you would find in the States, but everything I tried tasted ... ahh ... fishy. I figured the oil was probably being repurposed—maybe from the dinner the staff cooked for itself the night before. The joint was always packed in the morning, by the way, and at the counter I inevitably found myself seated literally elbow-to-elbow with other customers. My wife, who is of Chinese descent (albeit northern Chinese), assured me that “people who live in Hong Kong are used to close quarters.”
ReplyDelete"If you want to do photography at a level that really satisfies your soul and your ego you'll need to do it alone. Forget having the spouse or girlfriend or best friend or camera buddy tagging along." As Emeril would say "BAM!" I have never been to Paris (I have no desire to go to Paris), and I am not a 'street photographer' by nature. I did that a few times in NYC in my 20s but it wasn't 'me'. I do what you describe in the woods, and climbing mountains in the Adirondacks. From A practical standpoint, I should always hike with at least one other person. At least that is the recommendation, but from a photographic standpoint, it's always better if I am alone. My connection to the world immediately around me is not encumbered by consideration of someone else's presence or agenda. I can be totally present, totally me.
ReplyDelete