when life hands you lemons...

i've noticed a kind of disturbing trend lately.  many of the cafes we frequent are changing from places we go, to places we used to go. 

one place hired one too many rude people.

one place changed ownership and fell apart.

one place... well... they just changed.  they quit having several of their "signature" dishes on the menu.  they quit making gelato.  they quit making muffins.  actually, they quit making dessert altogether and started buying dessert from a commercial vendor.  they even completely overhauled their decor; instead of looking like a cute little outdoor italian cafe, they look like a swanky big city american restaurant.  when we inquired as to the reason for all of the changes, the reply was "well, we have to change, don't we?" 

um... no?

i mean, was it change just for the sake of change?  was business declining?  were they were trying to hook in the big city folk who come in to their little town on the weekends?

maybe i'm old-fashioned (i know i'm old fashioned).  maybe i'm a creature of habit (i know i'm a creature of habit).  but i don't understand "we have to change" without some kind of reason. 

i'm not afraid of change.  i'm not opposed to change.  i think change can be a really wonderful thing.  but i also have a great love of tradition.  and i think it's nice to have some constants in life.

now, instead of traditions and constants, we have memories.



at least there's still starbucks.

********
you capture