5 ms·

It turns out the sobremesa is the perfect word for my own definition of hell on earth. “few pleasures are greater than sharing a table and then chatting nonsen

It turns out the sobremesa is the perfect word for my own definition of hell on earth. “few pleasures are greater than sharing a table and then chatting nonsense for a hefty portion of what remains of the day.” The author must be a masochist if they think this is pleasurable.

technothrasher 6y ago
I generally wouldn't go for such nonsense either, and I typically share the usual US sentiment at a restaurant of getting in, getting fed, and getting out. But I have to admit that on a trip to Spain a couple years ago, where our two guides for the day had booked us a table at a little restaurant for lunch and I then insisted they come eat with us, before I knew it 2pm became 5pm from us just easily talking about nothing. It was actually quite lovely.
- rswail 6y ago
  I remember a week of work in Madrid, where a Spanish company, a US company and an Australian company were working together on a bid for a job. The US people suggested breakfast meetings at 7 in the hotel. The Spanish and Aussie people flatly refused. The Spanish wanted lunch from 2 until 4, the Aussies preferred 1 until 2, the Americans 12-1. Dinner was 7 for the Americans, 8-9 for the Aussies, and 9-12 for the Spanish. We didn't win the bid, but as an Aussie, I much prefer the Spanish daily schedule.
herval 6y ago
The author and a big, big portion of this planet’s inhabitants :) this is a very common habit in a lot of cultures
- 082349872349872 6y ago
  In some cultures, it's even considered rude for a table to be bare, without some sort of food on it, during daylight hours.
lagadu 6y ago
You mean besides being one of the best ways to spend an afternoon or an evening: After a meal talking and laughing away the time with friends with nice fresh drinks always available? When we go out for lunch during the weekend or on vacations if we go at 13:00 nobody expects to leave anywhere before the middle of the afternoon. Dinners often go well into the night too. Going to a restaurant with friends is first and foremost a social event, the food is just incidental. I'm not even Spanish either.

technothrasher 6y ago

I generally wouldn't go for such nonsense either, and I typically share the usual US sentiment at a restaurant of getting in, getting fed, and getting out. But I have to admit that on a trip to Spain a couple years ago, where our two guides for the day had booked us a table at a little restaurant for lunch and I then insisted they come eat with us, before I knew it 2pm became 5pm from us just easily talking about nothing. It was actually quite lovely.

rswail 6y ago
I remember a week of work in Madrid, where a Spanish company, a US company and an Australian company were working together on a bid for a job. The US people suggested breakfast meetings at 7 in the hotel. The Spanish and Aussie people flatly refused. The Spanish wanted lunch from 2 until 4, the Aussies preferred 1 until 2, the Americans 12-1. Dinner was 7 for the Americans, 8-9 for the Aussies, and 9-12 for the Spanish. We didn't win the bid, but as an Aussie, I much prefer the Spanish daily schedule.

herval 6y ago

The author and a big, big portion of this planet’s inhabitants :) this is a very common habit in a lot of cultures

082349872349872 6y ago
In some cultures, it's even considered rude for a table to be bare, without some sort of food on it, during daylight hours.

lagadu 6y ago

You mean besides being one of the best ways to spend an afternoon or an evening: After a meal talking and laughing away the time with friends with nice fresh drinks always available? When we go out for lunch during the weekend or on vacations if we go at 13:00 nobody expects to leave anywhere before the middle of the afternoon. Dinners often go well into the night too. Going to a restaurant with friends is first and foremost a social event, the food is just incidental. I'm not even Spanish either.