Dinner, July 7

For dinner Saturday, I had French champagne. At the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C.

A friend from grad school invited me to join her and her French National boyfriend, and a blind date, for this year's Bastille Day party at the Embassy. She and I suffered through Research and Writing Methods together last semester, and I really came to like her - a novelty to make a new friend in your late 20s. So I was just delighted at the invitation.

My night at the Embassy turned out to be kind of like a fairy tale, with the most charming Australian guy I'd ever met (another novelty - for me to meet a guy who can hold my attention). We started off the night with introductions and champagne at her place, and then headed to the Embassy where they served a very nice French dinner. I was particularly taken by a beef burgundy dish and a stuffed eggplant. For dessert, crepes were being freshly made at a stand outside, just like KF and I enjoyed in Paris in 2001. I had a lovely peach-filled crepe for dessert. And more champagne.

I'm still not sure if last night actually happened or if it was all just a dream...