An Extraordinary Day

Tuesday, November 13. Write notes to Camille as well as to Vincent, Olivier et Baptiste at L'Alivi.

To Villa des Arts in the 18th to visit artist Paul Collomb at his atelier. As usual, it's a wonderland of color, even on a gray day. Out to lunch at Chez Meng - a sort of Chinese fondu with seafood and two kinds of Chinese "pasta" - with two different kinds of bouillion to cook them in (one for the seafood, one for the pasta). We talk about everything from politics and the joys of aging (!) to Delacroix and Rodin. He tells me an amazing story about developers who bought the Villa des Arts and tried to evict all the tenants so they could renovate it (Paul has had his atelier there for 50 years!) So apparently, the tenants rose up against them and eventually the City of Paris bought the Villa des Arts! After lunch, we go back to his studio, and Paul gives me one of his paintings (OK, it's a small one but still . . . ).

To post office to mail a few little books to Camille. Now I know for sure that I'm in the right country: La Poste has pre-stamped envelopes especially for mailing books. The envelopes are beautifully decorated, yellow and blue, with a gorgeous printed-on stamp, and they come with a thin sheet of bubble wrap inside. And a beautiful little card (that could double as a bookmark) in case you want to enclose a note. How can I possibly be anywhere else?!

One last crepe!

Le Joker. Buy a couple of postcards from Francois and Thomas at the card shop next door. Item in Paris Access about r. de la Verrerie and the dude who is supposed to have invented playing cards for King Charles VI.

Dinner at L'Alivi. I ask Olivier to design the entire dinner, so here's what I have: Foie gras (with a layer of mashed figs) that comes with its own glass of muscat wine; sanglier (so tender I can cut it with a fork) with carrots and chestnuts; tentation aux _____, and of course the house red wine, coffee and liqueur de myrthe. Then I am completely blown away when Vincent and Olivier give me a bottle of Liqueur de Myrthe to take home! Can you believe this? They are just the sweetest young men ever. I'm so grateful that I brought envelopes for each of them.

Apparently, it's my fate to be adored by men either 30 years older or younger than I !!! But only in Paris. Life could be a whole lot worse. :)

Rain off and on again this afternoon and evening. Paris is sad too. Although I have my umbrella with me, it never actually rains when I'm out walking somewhere. This entire sojourn has been a miraculous experience. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.