ELLE CAFÉ

 

One rainy day before lunchtime, we had a rendezvous with a nice French lady at ELLE CAFÉ. Wanting to make the occasion a bit more special, we made use of the café’s unique VIP room.

The room for six to eight people, with a mirrored wall, small tables and a round sofa is Parisian in feel. It’s decorated with French-ethnic-style cushions and other delightful interior items that you can purchase at the counter. Available by the hour, it can be used for a meeting with someone special, a birthday party, or a business meeting.
As soft sunlight creeping in through the white interior of the café made us forget the dull weather, our guest appeared: Louisa Babaci, the deputy-director of the French Institute in Fukuoka. Louisa studied international relations and Japanese at university in Paris and worked for educational organizations and photo agencies in international cities like Paris, New York, and Tokyo. She was assigned by the French foreign affairs to her current position in 2006. She is in charge of the language school, university cooperation and works on various cultural projects including cultural events, art exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and reception parties.
When she was in France, she had several favorite cafés near her home and used them in turn according to the weather, her mood, and situation. In French culture, a café is basically a place to meet someone but can also be used to read, rest and unwind. “I usually order coffee or latte, but when I meet my friends after work, I choose wine.”
We ordered cakes salés along with a glass of white wine. Cake salés means “salt cake” in French and is more an appetizer with an apéritif. The recipe differs seasonally, regionally and from family to family. “We have it with some drinks with friends before we go out for dinner.”

 

Menu:
Cakes salés: ¥1,176 (with soup and salad)
Glass wine: ¥777
Cafe au lait ¥693

ELLE CAFÉ Fukuoka Hakata
4F Hakata Hankyu, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Tel: 092-419-5832
Open: 10:00 ~ 21:00

 

とある雨の日、ランチにはちょっと早い時間に素敵なフランス人女性とELLE カフェにて待ち合わせ。以前から気になっていた彼女とは、リラックスしてじっくりと話をしたいので、今回はエル・カフェの一番奥にある個室を借りて特別感を演出してみた。

6〜8人程度で利用するにちょうどいいサイズの個室、VIPルームは、まるでパリジェンヌの部屋のよう。鏡張りの壁に円形のソファ、購入可能なフレンチ・エスニック風のクッションやインテリア小物が置かれたプライベート空間は、1時間単位で利用が可能で、特別な人との待ち合わせや、誕生日パーティや打ち合せなど、センス次第で素敵な使い方ができる。
天窓から入るやわらかな太陽の光と、真っ白なインテリアが、鬱陶しい天気すら忘れさせてくれるエル・カフェ店内に、白シャツ姿の女性がふわりと現れた。今回のゲスト、九州日仏学舘副館長のルイザ・ババシさんだ。
フランスでバカンスをすごし、福岡に戻ってきたばかりの彼女。仕事柄、母国フランスとの行き来も多いが、実際に見て触れることができる機会でもある旅行が好きな彼女は、様々な国や地域に時間を見つけては訪れているそう。
フランスの大学で国際交流と日本語を学んだ後、パリやニューヨーク、東京といった国際都市の教育機関や写真関係の代理店で働き、2006年に福岡市中央区にある九州日仏学舘の副館長に着任した。駐日フランス大使館管轄機関であ
る日仏学舘において、フランス語とフランス文化を九州に広め、九州とフランスとの文化交流を目的に、様々な事業に携わるルイザ。フランス文化に関するイベントや講座を企画・主催したり、レセプションパーティを開いては、参加する人たちを繋いでいく、まさしくフランス式文化交流の達人だ。
フランスに住んでいた頃は、自宅近くにお気に入りのカフェをいくつか見つけておいて、天気や気分、シチュエーションで使い分けをしていたそう。本を読んだり休憩したり、自分の時間を過ごすためにも利用するけれど、基本的には人と会う場所がカフェ。「コーヒーやラテを頼むことが多いけれど、仕事終わりに、友人とおしゃべりするために立ち寄るときには、ワインね。」
今回、ルイザが白ワインと一緒にいただいたケーク・サレは、塩のケーキを意味するフランスでは一般的な前菜のひとつ。塩やチーズで味付けをした甘くないケーキは、地域や家庭、季節ごとにレシピがあるという。「友人と食事に出る前にちょっと自宅で飲んでいこう、なんて時の一品に出てくるわ。」
人との過ごし方、文化交流の方法など、ちょっとしたことにもセンスが光る彼女に、ライフスタイルを語るに欠かせないものは?と尋ねてみた。「たくさんの経験をすることが人生を豊かにしてくれると考えているわ。そんな経験やそのときの気持ちを表現してくれるもの、もしかすると相棒でもあるかもね。」そういって愛おしそうにカメラを見つめるルイザ。日々を素敵に積み重ねる彼女は、これからどんな一コマを写していくのだろう。

 

メニュー:
ケーク・サレ¥1,176(スープ、サラダ付)
グラスワイン¥777
カフェオレ¥693

ELLE CAFÉ 福岡博多店
福岡市博多区博多駅中央街1番1号 博多阪急4階
電話:092-419-5832
営業時間:10:00〜21:00

 

멋진 프랑스 여성과 만나기로 한 비 내리는 어느 날. 편안한 분위기에서 오랜 이야기를 나누고 싶었기에 특별히 엘르 카페 가장 안쪽에 위치한 룸을 빌렸다. 6~8명 정도가 이용하기에 딱 좋은 프라이빗한 공간은 1시간 단위로 이용가능. 특별한 이와의 만남, 생일 파티, 회의 등 여러모로 사용할 수 있다.

천장에서 내리쬐는 햇살과 새하얀 인테리어가 울적한 날씨까지 잊게 해주는 엘르 카페에 그녀가 도착했다. 규슈일불학관(九州日仏学舘) 부관장인 루이자 바바시. 프랑스에서 바캉스를 보내고 막 후쿠오카로 돌아왔다고. 업무상 양국을 자주 오가는 그녀는 여행을 좋아해 세계 각국을 시간 나는 대로 방문한다.
프랑스의 대학에서 국제교류와 일본어를 배운 후 파리와 뉴욕, 도쿄 등의 교육기관과 사진관련 회사에서 일했고 2006년에 규슈일불학관의 부학장에 취임했다. 프랑스어와 프랑스 문화 보급, 규슈와 프랑스의 문화교류를 목적으로 다양한 사업을 추진 중. 프랑스 문화와 관련된 행사, 강좌를 기획∙주최하거나 리셉션 파티를 열어서 참가자들을 하나로 만드는 프랑스식 문화교류의 달인이다.
프랑스에서는 날씨나 기분에 따라 집 근처의 단골카페를 골라가며 이용했다고 한다. 혼자만의 시간을 보내기도 하지만 기본적으로는 사람을 만나기 위한 곳이 카페. “주로 커피나 라떼를 주문하지만 일이 끝나고 친구와 수다를 떨려고 만났을 때는 와인을 마시죠.”
그녀는 화이트 와인과 함께 케이크 살레를 선택했다. “친구랑 식사하러 나가기 전에 집에서 살짝 마시고 나갈까 싶을 때 이걸 곁들이죠.”
작은 일에서도 뛰어난 센스를 발휘하는 그녀가 라이프 스타일을 말할 때 빼놓을 수 없는 것은? “다양한 경험을 해보는 게 인생을 풍요롭게 해준다고 생각해요. 그런 경험과 그 때의 기분을 표현해 주는 것, 어쩌면 단짝일지도 모르겠네요.” 그녀가 앞으로도 어떤 멋진 추억을 만들어 갈지가 기대된다.

 

메뉴:
케이크 살레 1,176엔(스프, 샐러드 포함)
글래스 와인 777엔
카페오레 693엔

ELLE CAFÉ 후쿠오카 하카타점
후쿠오카시 하카타구 하카타역 추오마치 1-1 하카타 한큐 4층
전화: 092-419-5832
영업시간: 10:00~21:00

 

One rainy day before lunchtime, we had a rendezvous with a nice French lady at ELLE CAFÉ. Wanting to make the occasion a bit more special, we made use of the café’s unique VIP room.

The room for six to eight people, with a mirrored wall, small tables and a round sofa is Parisian in feel. It’s decorated with French-ethnic-style cushions and other delightful interior items that you can purchase at the counter. Available by the hour, it can be used for a meeting with someone special, a birthday party, or a business meeting.
As soft sunlight creeping in through the white interior of the café made us forget the dull weather, our guest appeared: Louisa Babaci, the deputy-director of the French Institute in Fukuoka. Louisa studied international relations and Japanese at university in Paris and worked for educational organizations and photo agencies in international cities like Paris, New York, and Tokyo. She was assigned by the French foreign affairs to her current position in 2006. She is in charge of the language school, university cooperation and works on various cultural projects including cultural events, art exhibitions, lectures, conferences, and reception parties.
When she was in France, she had several favorite cafés near her home and used them in turn according to the weather, her mood, and situation. In French culture, a café is basically a place to meet someone but can also be used to read, rest and unwind. “I usually order coffee or latte, but when I meet my friends after work, I choose wine.”
We ordered cakes salés along with a glass of white wine. Cake salés means “salt cake” in French and is more an appetizer with an apéritif. The recipe differs seasonally, regionally and from family to family. “We have it with some drinks with friends before we go out for dinner.”

 

Menu:
Cakes salés: ¥1,176 (with soup and salad)
Glass wine: ¥777
Cafe au lait ¥693

ELLE CAFÉ Fukuoka Hakata
4F Hakata Hankyu, 1-1 Hakataeki-chuogai, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka
Tel: 092-419-5832
Open: 10:00 ~ 21:00

 

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