Sunday with Madame V

Sunday's in Paris are all about relaxation; family and friends, big lunches and long walks, and of course, art! I had a rendezvous with Madame V for lunch and a visit to our favorite atelier on this fine Sunday morning, a tropical and balmy day seldom experienced in this particular parallel. We met in her "quarter", and it was pleasant to stroll to le "Butte aux Cailles", (Quail Hill) and lunch in what Madame V would call a "veree sympatique" café known as "Le Café du Commerce". Cozy, unpretentious, and sensibly priced, it is a little gem, and Madame V and I lingered over our dessert of apple crumble and tea until our perky serveuse prompted our departure delicately (by stacking chairs from outside). My saumon was delicious and cooked to perfection, and they even had "mashies" and offered a basket of whole grain bread! V always knows the best places to eat, and I am highly recommending the Café du Commerce to anyone searching Paris for something good to eat. Well fed, (perhaps too well), I followed my expert guide through the historic, narrow, cobbled streets, the sun warming my skin as the wine warmed my belly, and I realized we had arrived at Place l'Italie - I am still connecting the dots! After a rather unpleasant ride on the metro, (the unseasonably hot weather has caused the trains to reek of "B.O." two months earlier than normal), we emerged into the fresh air and onto Rue de Rivoli, and voila! Our funny atelier, with the giant red and white polka-dot culottes hanging from the front of the building. I love this place! We perused, laughed at the quirkness of certain pieces, and were entertained by "Francesco", a piece of work if there ever was one. It's a joy to support the arts, and Madame V and I bought little thumbnail aquarelles for each other, signed on the back with a bonus tableau and a flourish by Francesco himself. A fine Sunday afternoon, Merci, Madame!