Café de la Presse

Next to the Chinatown entrance in San Francisco on Grant Street, we discovered a gorgeous Parisian-style cafe on a sunny afternoon in late June. Just like Mrs. Dalloway, I wanted to capture everything around me - the waiter's complacent smile that was ready to fill the coffee cups and water glasses (there's no ice, the water comes in an old glass soda bottle). A yellow sports car was parked near the entrance. There were voices with accents from all over the world. There are so many things to entertain: you can look around, dine at candlelit tables, buy magazines, daily newspapers, bread, sweets. It is a curious American blend, a French twist in the most interesting Chinatown of the West Coast.