Half way through my Basic classes, I learned we had a two week break instead of one. I called my mom and within a couple days, she had her flights and hotel booked. It was almost a year ago that we were both in Paris so I could visit Le Cordon Bleu. My how time has flown.

As her Mother’s Day present, I wanted to take my mom somewhere special for lunch or dinner. Our good friend Carol recommended a caviar and champagne place called Caviar Kaspia near Fauchon. In fact, Carol took my mom there as a treat almost 20 years ago, so I figured it would be fun for her to return. And what a true delight it was.

If someone hadn’t of told me about Caviar Kaspia, I don’t think I would have found the lovely dining room above the storefront. Accompanied by Lani, we ascend the stairs right a noon for a light lunch. Since we are the first to arrive, we are seated next to the window overlooking Place de Madeline. The room feels like an old gentlemen’s club with richly wood paneled walls, lush comfortable chairs, thick drapes and rich fabrics.

We all opt for a two course menu and a half bottle of champagne. As soon as we order, our lovely (and quite handsome) waiter brings us a perfectly chilled bottle of champagne. We toast to our heath and to having completed our basic courses. The champagne is like a thousand tiny bubbles were dancing on my tongue. It is quite delightful.

Our first course arrives – three tiny jars of Sevruga caviar on ice with tiny mother of pearl spoons. The beautiful waiter dabs crème fraiche on our plates and brings us baskets of toast points. The caviar is soft and creamy – I feel like I’m eating black pearls. The salty, slightly sweet caviar cuts through the richness of the cream and makes my taste buds rejoice.

During our lunch, Lani and I admire the view – and not just the one out the window. It seems whoever is doing the hiring has great taste. The waiters all have dark hair, dark eyes and perfectly gracious and welcoming smiles. They treat us like royalty without being stuffy or arrogant. The service compliments the food and makes the whole experience more memorable.

The second course arrives. Our waiter delicately lays a large blini pancake on each of our plates. He then returns with a silver urn of clarified butter. “Would you like your blini buttered,” he asks. Hmmm, is this a trick question?? The answer was definitely yes for all three of us. Using a silver spoon, he gently ladles a little butter on to the pancake and rubs it around with the back of the spoon. I was almost as melted as the butter. Another waiter quickly followed him with a generous slice of Norwegian cold smoked salmon. The a third waiter arrived with a dollop of cream fraiche. But the time the waiters left, I am quite breathless – and I haven’t even taken a bite yet. Needless to say the salmon is the best I’ve ever had, and it pairs perfectly with the champagne.

We finish our lunch with coffee and tea. Accompanying our beverages are little hand rolled dark chocolate truffles. I sneek a few into my purse when the waiters weren’t looking so Lani can save them for later. As a finishing touch, one waiter pours us tiny glasses of cherry vodka. I’m not a big fan of vodka, but taking a sip was like eating the ripest cherry – without the pit. It feels warm going down and causes my cheeks to flush a deep pink.

What a perfect meal. I feel absolutely decadent. Since we are in a caviar and champagne sort of mood, we walk across the street to the Kenzo store I remember my mom raving about this Japanese designer, but I had no idea why until I walked in the store. Everywhere I look I see color and lots of it. Colors and patterns are so daring that they belong together. Fabrics are gauzy, flowery and very feminine.

On a whim, I try on a few things and completely fall in love with a sheer, turquoise blouse. It’s like wearing a cloud. We have a fabulous sales lady who knows exactly how each piece should drape and hang on my body. If I buy this shirt, I’m going to need a team of people to dress me – the shirt is rather complicated to put on. Since the blouse is very see through, the sales lady brings me a gorgeous halter top in the same blue. The straps tie behind the neck and then wrap around to the front so it looks like I am wearing a scarf. It too is covered in flowers like the blouse but instead of being painted on, they are made of fabric. The whole effect is quite stunning, so of course I buy it. I also find two scarves – one for me and one for my mom.

Lani finds several pieces that look gorgeous on her. My mom and I sit an watch in awe as she models several different combinations. She has the perfect lithe body so each outfit fits her like it was made for her. It was like having our own private fashion show.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, we made several more stops and purchases. At 5:00 PM we call it quits since we’re all exhausted. I don’t have too many days like this, so this was a real treat. This day will burn bright in my memory for a long time.

Thank you mom for coming. I’m really glad you were here!

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