What Do You Do With Restaurant Business Cards?

I was cleaning out my wallet today (because I tend to stuff receipts in it) when a few restaurant business cards came tumbling out. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to throw them away. With apps like Zomato and other restaurant review sites transforming the digital "foodie" scene, it's easy enough to bookmark restaurants I've been to and want to try again.

But what about restaurants abroad? As you can probably tell from this blog, I really enjoy food and eating out - particularly when I'm on vacation. So, I tend to slip restaurant business cards in my wallet when I'm picking up the bill (although, let's be realistic: usually John picks up the bill - oops - I just collect pretty cards).

For example, the restaurant card from Depur reminds me of our weekend trip to Paris last year in December. We browsed the Marais for Christmas presents and stayed at the gorgeous Hotel 123 Sébastopol before settling in the courtyard of Depur for dinner, which had been decorated with twinkling white Christmas lights and mini Christmas trees.

And the card from Casa Gioli in Taormina, Sicily conjures memories of us strolling along the romantic (but overpopulated) Corso Umberto after dinner while sampling the local gelati. When I look at it, I remember what it was like to swim around the 100-year-old palm tree jutting out of the luxurious pool at Hotel Villa Belvedere and closing my eyes in the sun.

Food fuels memories; some of my greatest memories are of my travels abroad. I'd love to buy a shadowbox frame and keep these souvenirs inside as reminders of where I've been and how well I've lived.

I'm curious: what do you usually do with restaurant business cards when they appear with your bill? Take them? Leave them? Keep a select few? I'd love to know.