Pasticceria Robiglio - 10.03.06

I don't fully understand the Italian method of eating breakfast. I mean, I have no objection to the light-breakfast concept; coffee and a pastry is fine with me. But I don't get their tolerance for the typical breakfast-acquisition method, which goes something like this:

1. Enter pastry shop/coffee bar.

2. Fight way to "bar" portion of counter; typically this is a narrow sliver comprising 1/4 or less of the total counter area in the store.

3. Flag barista and order espresso or cappuccino.

4. Throw elbows at your neighbors while grabbing for the sugar.

5. Option A: remain at bar drinking coffee, impeding coffee-commerce for all others. Option B: step back from bar, stand in center of shop with cup in hand, and consume, impeding all shop-entry and egress.

6. Throw dirty looks at anyone who gets in your way.

Today we are getting this full experience at Robiglio, which we entered just about 10 seconds ahead of a wave of customers. We have hesitated and so are nearly swept away in the crush. Meena fights her way through and delivers four cappuccinos and some pastries. We are standing in the middle of the shop with hands full, and nowhere to put down our cups and saucers or our pastries. We are, in short, at a breakfast impasse. There is nothing to do but wait until the current carries us to a little sliver of open counter where we can stand and consume. Dan finishes first and flees the shop; the rest of us follow as quickly as we can, breathing deep like freed prisoners as soon as we reach the street.

Total trauma. Emotional devastation topped with foamed milk. I just want to go back to the hotel and start the day over.