Sunday, July 27, 2014

How Alvin, Texas is Like Paris, France

It's July and you know what that means:  lots of my favorite bloggers are spending the month writing post after post about Paris in July. Posts about fabulous Parisian food. Posts about fabulous Parisian sites. Posts about fabulous Parisian books. Posts about fabulous Paris. On and on.

Before you know it, you find yourself filled with acute jealousy. We can't all go to Paris every summer. And Paris is truly fabulous. Oh, the longing to go there.

But wait. Yes, Paris is fabulous. But my hometown, Alvin, Texas, is pretty darn fabulous, too. And what is that old saying? "If you can't have what you like, then like what you have," right? 

So let's do a taste test and see how my town weighs in: Paris vs. Alvin.

  
Paris has cobblestones; Alvin has paving stones.


 
Paris and Alvin both have great old buildings.

 
Both Paris and Alvin have fun places for children to play.

 
Paris has Shakespeare and Company. Alvin has Laid Back Books



There's art in Paris and art in Alvin.


 
People like to carve in trees in both places.

  
We find fountains near Paris and in Alvin.


 
Outdoor cafes? Paris, check. Alvin, check.

 
It's easy to find pigeons in Paris and Alvin.


 
Of course you can find amazing desserts in Paris,
but did you know there is a wonderful dessert shop in Alvin, too?

 

 


 
Starbucks in both.

 

 


 
River Seine. Mustang Bayou. 


 

 
Water birds nearby.

 

 
More statues.

 
"Viva la France!" "We love America!"


 
Both Paris and Alvin have exceptional restaurants...

 
...and both have exceptional museums.

 
Lots of bicycles in Paris and Alvin.

 
Fabulous markets in Paris; Froberg's in Alvin.

Wine in Paris; wine in Alvin. 
(And we have a real winery just down the road!)


 
Paris may have its Eiffel Tower, but we in Alvin love our oil derricks



Good job, Alvin. Alvin, Texas is like Paris, France, I think. Perhaps some "I love Alvin, Texas!" t-shirts? Coffee mugs? Bumper stickers? 

Ah, J'aime Alvin!





Saturday Snapshot is hosted by West Metro Mommy ReadsTo participate in Saturday Snapshot: post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken and then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky at West Metro Mommy Reads.


Full disclosure:  I took all the photos from Alvin, on the right, and most of the photos of Paris and environs, on the left (though a couple of the Paris photos were taken by my sister and my niece). My husband squired me around during the Alvin photo shoot. For more info about cool spots around Alvin, take a look here: Joe's BarbecueFroberg's FarmLaid Back BooksGordon Street PubNorma's CakesNolan Ryan Center, Helen's Flowers, Alvin Depot, Alvin Historical Museum, Goose GallerySuncatcher Stained Glass, First Presbyterian Church of Alvin, National Oak Park, City of Alvin.





39 comments:

  1. OH MY WORD... I have been working on a piece this summer on this same topic!! I even developed a Blurb book entitled, Olathe, KS: le 21eme arrondissement. Great minds must think alike :)

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    1. How funny is that! Yes, great minds! You go right ahead and post yours, Molly, and I'll link up to it when you do.

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    2. And, oddly, I've been working on this post all summer, too.

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    3. Re-Read today and still LOVE this post :) It's all in perspective, isn't it? It's easy for me to say i don't live anywhere exotic or interesting... but if I take the time to really look, I find a lot to here to enjoy.

      Perhaps I will copy this idea for Paris in July 2017...

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    4. I hope you will. We must all find Paris wherever we are.

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  2. Oh how fantastic is that Deb! I know we all love Paris, but it is important to recognise what you have too.Even if it's not Paris.

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  3. "Love the one you're with," I think, Louise.

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  4. Ha-ha! Love it...but isn't there an actual Paris, Texas? Or did that place turn into a ghost town after the movie? Maybe it was fictional? Now I've got to know!

    Thanks for visiting my blog and enjoy your week.

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  5. What a terrific post! I can see that it would take all summer to pull it together. So fun!

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    1. Thank you, Joy! I loved working on this post off and on all summer.

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  6. Best of all, there aren't thousands of tourists cluttering up Alvin.

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  7. Having spent nearly a month in Paris, I'm going to bet the restaurants in Alvin are at least as good as the ones in Paris. Food in Paris is okay, some is good, some is awful. Really awful. I was shocked.

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  8. That's too bad. Staying somewhere for a month probably is a better way to assess a place than the typical tourist five-day visit.

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  9. Oh my gosh, I loved your post. Alvin, TX, looks absolutely charming! The box wine photo made me giggle. I have one sitting on my kitchen counter. =)

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  10. Yes, I'm afraid I'm not much of a wine connoisseur.

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  11. Ha, ha. You don't have to miss Paris after all, in Alvin!
    Harvee
    Book Dilettante

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    1. I can just walk out my door and---Voila!---instant Paris.

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  12. lol :0) very funny post....thanks for the laugh....sounds like you have it all covered!

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  13. Do you think we all should drive down to Alvin instead of flying off to Paris? How about museums?

    I loved your post !

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  14. cool, what a smart post!! thanks for your shoutt out, and my challenge is not only in July, but all year long you can discover there books on France. Ah, you are reading All The Light We Cannot See. I listened to it, what an amazing book!

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  15. This is such a fun post. Do you have macarons and pastries?

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  16. Maybe I'll change the name of the weekly meme to Dreaming of Alvin, Texas. What great photos and comparisons. I loved it. Thanks for playing along with Dreaming of France. Here’s my Dreaming of France meme

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  17. Fun! What would it look like to compare DC and Paris? I guess Paris would be older by far!

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    1. Yes, DC is not as old, but there are other advantages, I think. If we look for them.

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  18. What a wonderfully fun post. The bayou, fine dining and wine cask gave me a good chuckle!
    And it's nice to be reminded to appreciate what's right under our noses :-)

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  19. LOL love it. That's a fun post and a great way to appreciate what you have close to home.

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  20. What a terrific post! It's obvious that you had fun putting it together -- your comparisons are right on. Now I'm yearning for a visit to Alvin. (Of course, that could be because I'm a native Texan who's living in the Pacific Northwest.)

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  21. Wow, what a comprehensive album of two cities. Most interesting comparisons. Thanks for sharing!

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  22. Very clever. It reminds me of the Wizard of Oz. " There's no place like home..."

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  23. What a wonderful post! I have not been to Paris nor have I been to Alvin TX, but I would like to visit both. Bet I'll get to Alvin TX first! Someday!

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  24. I have to say, Alvin doesn't look half bad! If one can't have Paris I guess we can appreciate what is close to home, right? Nice post and I was thinking as i went through that this must have taken a while to put together- then I saw your comment about working on it all summer. Very nice!

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  25. As an Alvinite I LOVED this post. RAE

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  26. It’s time for July in Paris once again! 2021 style

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