Dinner and a Movie

Just back from dinner with Brad at "Au Pied du Cochon" (The Pig's Trotter). Here are some delightful pictures -

Delightful pig-themed china.

David, applying his full critical faculties to the Dame Blanche.

Delicious, only slightly deformed porcine meringue treats.

Mmmmm. Confiture de cochon !!

Before dinner we went to see "The Hunger Games". I thought it was extremely well done, though it might not be to everyone's taste.

How was "Uncle Vanya" yesterday? Funny you should ask. As it turned out, I never actually got to see the play. When I got off at the metro station (Ecoles Veterenaires), it turned out that I was way outside the periphery, well beyond where my trusty 20-arrondissement map could be of help. So I did what anyone would do, I put on my most charmingly helpless smile and thrust myself at the mercy of passers-by. Sometimes this strategy works well; sometimes the results can be a little unexpected. This completely charming fifty-ish gentleman insisted on accompanying me to the address where the theater was located. Unfortunately, as we turned down one sidestreet after another, chatting animatedly all the while, it became more and more evident that he actually had no clue where he was going. Neither his phone nor mine had enough bars to help us out. Eventually, at 16:15 (that is, a quarter hour after the play was supposed to start) he looked at me sheepishly and said "I don't think I have been much help to you, Monsieur. But let me make it up to you and invite you to come home for coffee and meet my wife. She would love to meet you and speak English with you." What could I do but accept his kind invitation - we went back to his lovely home, his wife was indeed charming and, all in all, I had much more fun than I probably would have had if I had managed to see the damned play. Which will also be on next weekend, if I really need to see it.

Ain't serendipity grand? And let it never be said that Parisian people are inhospitable.

The end of another great week here in the City of Light. I really am blessed to be here - don't think I take it for granted, I don't.

Until next time.