Luxe, Calme et Volupté

“There, all is order and beauty,
Luxury, peace, and pleasure.” Baudelaire

We entered the weekend leisurely. My parents were visiting to celebrate… major milestones, family, and life. Committed to resting and relaxing for a change, we were resolved to do only what we wanted to do: engage with beauty in all of its forms and each other. We began in my Black Garden with watermelon lemonade “spiked” with nonalcoholic gin. We peppered our conversations with updates on family back home, travel, the economy, my parents’ childhood memories, and more. We sipped cappuccino and enjoyed neighborhood pastries. It was luxurious.

We drank sparkling wine, enjoyed meringue mounds swirled with chocolate and pecans, sweet and salty pie, and my dad’s favorite, pizza. We listened to the melodic voices and stirring percussion of Black Monument Ensemble and then danced to Hip Hop, Stevie, and R&B. So much art.

My mom remarked that it was so nice not to be running from one place to another. So calming to be present, right here, right now. It was luxurious.

We ate our favorites and reminisced about pizza in Naples, Chianti in Florence, whites in Val d’Aosta, shellfish in Sicily, and tiramisu in Venice. It was pleasurable.