dinner with friends

Just came back from watching "the namesake", adapted from a book that I relished . I am, as expected, attracted by stories of loss, longings, identity, belongings, split tongue and minds...... The movie missed in conveying the complex internal emotions evoked by this life choice of exile.The expressions of nostalgia became an exotic travelogue, realities of adapting to a new environment trivialized and reduced to ridicule. Read the book ! But, back to my life ..... Still have a few things to share about my trip: My friend Fra, that I have known forever, is married to Xa, and it is always the sweetest of thing to meet each time. It is often a lunch and some exhibits, arms in arms manoeuvering the narrow sidewalks.This time, after years of renovation on their house,it was time for a splendid dinner in their new digs.It is a couple of metro stops outside of Paris, and when you come out, you find yourself in a quaint, soft smelling village, with quiet streets bordered with individual houses with gardens.lovely! so close and yet so far. Xa is the chef, and for what should have been a casual meal with friends became this lavish, time induced feast. But to start on a simple and original note,champagne was served with thin ,wide slivers of black radish to be dipped in grey salt.followed by a home made terrine of new peas, mint and poached chicken breast...... and that was just the apetizer. the rest of the meal was just as impressive with a fish dish cooked in a big cazuela in the oven with a tomato broth, followed by a splendid apple cake served with the now famous and ubiqituous salted caramel ice cream. We ran to catch the last metro trought the drizzly and empty streets.thanks Fra and Xa for an evening to remember, in a place far away, exept in my heart.