Just recently I went on an amazing trip to Paris, France. It was a spur-of-the-moment vacation with a good friend and I couldn’t have been planned a better trip. We stayed at the Hotel Ares Eiffel which is a small boutique hotel and within walking distance of everything. We turned the corner of the hotel and there were restaurants every few feet. The Eiffel Tower and the Seine River was a twenty minute walk. Not far at all. The Metro, their version of the MTA of New York City, was clean and not crowded. I ride the MTA transit system all the time.  As much as I love New York City, you can take me (and my belongings) and place me right in the City of Paris. Forever. I would be perfectly happy.

I heard so many stories about how they don’t like us Americans and they wish we wouldn’t visit their country. I must say that they are the nicest people. They guided us to the right location every time. Most of them spoke English and when they didn’t speak our language they did their best to accommodate us. I love love love Paris and I will definitely go back again someday.

One of the things that we couldn’t figure out while we dined at the restaurants in Paris was whether to tip the waiter or not. After several meals we decided to ask a Frenchman that was also dining. He told us that we are NOT to tip and that it was included in the check. We did so anyway, I guess being from New York City, we felt we should. I will say the waiters were very happy. This brings me to say what’s happening with the restaurants in New York City. Some restaurants are doing away with the notion of the customer tipping…or not.

More New York restaurants are expected to switch to service-included systems in the coming year to help cope with rising labor costs. The state’s tipped minimum wage, which is what waiters and bartenders make before tips, will rise by $2.50 to $7.50 in January; restaurants can avoid the impact of that law by raising prices, banning tips, and paying their service-staff the full minimum or more.

Don’t forget to visit Paris. It was so lovely.

Love,
Rose