When Paris isn’t what you expected, go to a cafe

[View this email in your browser]( Hi all, Paris holds a special place in the hearts and minds of travelers. The sights, the food, the wine, the fashion, the overall day-to-day feel -- seemingly everything about the City of Lights inspires thoughts of a romantic excursion. Yet as anyone who travels knows, it’s near impossible for the most talked about destinations to live up to the hype. This can lead to what’s been named “Paris Syndrome,” a type of culture shock that happens when a city fails to live up to a person’s expectations so drastically that it causes travelers to seek therapy. Paris Syndrome was first described by the French psychiatric journal Nervure in 2004. It’s admittedly an extreme manifestation of disappointment the vast majority of people will never fully understand. Being disillusioned, however, is something anyone can feel, even in Paris. Thankfully, Matador’s assistant food and drink editor Elisabeth Sherman has a simple solution: ditch the itinerary and sit in a cafe. A slowly served coffee (and perhaps a glass or two of rosé) can refresh your perspective and make you fall in love with Paris all over again. Elsewhere in the world, Oktoberfests are in full swing. Writer Christopher Osburn takes us to Hallertau, the largest hop growing region in Germany, for a taste of the beer culture there. Maria Iotova reports on the classic street food of Athens (Greek yogurt does not make the list because, well, it’s not technically a thing in Greece). Finally, it’s near harvest time for wineries around the world, and producers in upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region have a plan to deal with climate change in a sustainable manner. Take some time to dig into some food stories for Wednesday and all Wednesdays moving forward in Matador’s new weekly food email. Enjoy the rest of your week and eat all the eats, Nickolaus Hines, food and drink editor FOOD + DRINK [When Paris isn’t what you expected, go to a cafe]( [In her 2001 memoir Comfort Me with Apples, restaurant critic Ruth Reichl recalls the tastes that, for her, embody France: soft white bread and pots of bitter coffee. At the time, her ideal morning in Paris was spent sitting in a cafe. It’s mine, too, and it should be yours.]( [STOP AT A PARISIAN CAFÉ]( LATEST ARTICLES --------------------------------------------------------------- FOOD + DRINK [What it’s like to drink beer in the motherland of hops]( --------------------------------------------------------------- FOOD + DRINK [7 must-try street foods in Athens, Greece]( --------------------------------------------------------------- FOOD + DRINK [No, Greek yogurt isn’t from Greece]( --------------------------------------------------------------- FOOD + DRINK [Climate change is here. Finger Lakes winemakers have a plan to fight it.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- FOOD + DRINK [Forty-four percent of travelers say they’d fly, train, or road trip just for a restaurant]( MATADOR CITY GUIDE TRIP PLANNING [The Ultimate Guide to Athens]( Athenians are the first to admit that their city isn’t the typical European capital with acres of parkland, bicycle lanes, and well-thought-out architecture. Rather, it’s compulsively spontaneous, full of energy, and brimming with dualities -- bohemian versus mainstream, classical theater versus bouzoukia (nightclubs with live folk music), protests versus festivals. You can explore the mythical world of ancient deities and heroes then stumble across graffiti art in downtown alleyways. Beneath the 2,500-year-old Acropolis, where some of the most pivotal foundations of Western civilization are rooted, lies a city that can be as exciting on Monday evenings as on Saturday nights. Athens means something different to every person who gets to know it, so forget everything you have heard about it, and make it yours. [EXPLORE ATHENS]( ADVENTURE [Who Knows Where in Vietnam]( [Two and a half weeks. 2000 km. One crash. Moderate chafing. Follow your favorite new travel host Monet Izabeth on a hilarious motorbike journey from Saigon to Hanoi.]( [WATCH THE FILM]( FOLLOW US AND FIND YOUR NEXT #TRAVELSTOKE [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( [Pinterest]( Copyright © 2019 Matador Network, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website. Our mailing address is: Matador Network PO Box 7775 #40021San Francisco, CA 94120 [Add us to your address book]( Need to change something? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from our newsletter](. We'll be here when you need us!