Travel from the Living Room

It is snowing outside today in Denver. My kids and I are making the best of it - but not going out. This is something I virtually NEVER do. I would prefer to walk to the park, take a hike, go snowboarding, go to the store, visit friends. It is not that I don't like my house. I do. I just have this "thing" about staying in. 

My mom says I come by this  most naturally. My Grandfather purposefully forgot things at the store to ensure that he would "get" to go somewhere later or the next day. My mom is the same - I can recall the checkers at Albertson's near our house counting one day that my mom, dad or either me or my sister were dispatched to the store for one other item (why we couldn't just write a list to include everything I'm not certain). 

Today though, I have spent a lot of time watching the Travel Channel (one of my faves) and perusing my newest copy of Travel+Leisure Magazine to transport me to another place. I have even discovered Pinterest. But then I started thinking about the one thing that I have not been able to find that was touched on in the magazine. 

This month the magazine is titled "The Food Issue" where they tout 100 places to eat like a local. Which is great. I like to eat. And I had recently been asked for suggestions on where to eat in Denver that is really unique to Denver. (I have more than a few suggestions). It talked about how integral eating is to travel. Indeed this is true. 

But what I don't often find is the local customs. I'm looking for something of a cliff-notes version of customs of the daily people in places I want to visit. Things like, Happy Hour in Denver, Colorado is typically something that would be held from 4-7p on a Friday night. On a typical Happy Hour, you will see drink specials (most often 1/2 price on wine, well & draft) and discounts on the appetizers. When a local does happy hour - they don't necessarily eat dinner. OR when in Paris, France don't expect to eat dinner at 7 p.m. and be in and out of the restaurant in an hour. That you will likely sit with others. 

I love the idea that we are not really all that different from those across the world - but let's be honest! We are! We are different and we should embrace that.  Even in our own neighborhoods we are different. We don't eat the same time as our neighbors - or even the same foods. I don't even eat the same thing as my parents anymore. 

How are you different? How are we the same? Would you know your signature dish or your food customs?