Stepping Out

I told you that I was going to start the weeklong birthday extravaganza by stepping out with some favorite ladies and gents.   Here are my two French girlfriends from Cagnes sur Mer:  Brigitte and Michele.  

                                                                    Michele and Brigitte

                                                               

                                         and here is the back room of  Comptoir

       We are here to check out Les Comptoirs du Marche, a new bistrot in the old town, and to catch up on each other's news.

As friends, we go way back in art school, 10 years ago or so, when we took classes together.  I met Michele while studying "Graphism du Color" and Brigitte and I followed another color class for several years.  It turns out the two of them were already friends from Cagnes.

 These women were welcoming to me back then when I could hardly carry on a conversation in French.   But we had a common enemy, the instructor.   We endured two pretty tough teachers together.....  the old ballet master type of teachers.... full of insults.

  We laughed today at how much we missed those teachers taking the time and care to scrutinize our work so carefully.  It made us more diligent and exacting .  We don't miss the insults.

About the restaurant, Comptoir du Marche on rue Marche ....highly recommended.  It is the little sister of Bistrot Antoine on rue de la Prefecture.  The food is just as good as Antoine's and the menu is new.    I think they enjoy a larger kitchen here so perhaps that explains the choices.

 Michele had a good magret du canard.  I had an excellent chunk of fresh tuna , done pink to my liking.  Brigitte tried the dorade slices ( a white fish that we all put high on our list of Mediterranean" poisons"), and we all enjoyed the assorted vegetables:  potatoes, celery, artichokes, and cooked radishes that made up the "assiettes."

For a starter we shared a rocket , pancetta and chèvre pizza, very light. 

 For dessert Brigitte and I splashed out on the pot de creme au chocolate....a rich chocolate pudding with a raspberry coulis on the bottom.   With a kir each and a coffee, the bill came to about 27 euros each, well worth the price.

Michelle

Brigitte

 STay tuned for more "cool" women that I admire.   I keep meeting new ones.  It's like collecting good wines or restaurants....you always want to come back again to the good ones.