Be my guest!

I find myself suddenly hosting a dinner tonight at the apartment. Since F and I moved into this flat last January, our second in Berlin, we've entertained only family and two close friends. It has not exactly been hopping chez nous. F is away for the weekend at a conference, and I found myself spontaneously inviting some classmates from my German language school to come over for dinner. This is indeed a first. Yay, spontaneous me!...I think.

I realized immediately after making the invitation: Must make apartment look safe for people. Then it occurred to me as well: Must learn how to work the Nespresso machine. In case the dinner goes awry, I could at least distract them with decent coffee in pretty cups and a dazzling selection of colorful capsules.

And alcohol. Must purchase alcohol. F has some bottles at home of what I can only assume to be vodka. How is paint thinner written in Cyrillic, anyway?

I'm now about to leave for the market to grab ingredients for my spring menu. Here goes: melon wrapped in prosciutto, lemony risotto with asparagus and shrimp, and, for apéro, rhubarb Bellinis. I am no Martha Stewart, but I am going to try to win hearts and minds tonight using color, so help me God.



{Besides conveying my breathlessness and nerves, I wanted to tell you that a post about Prague is coming up. One week later and I am still so besotted with it. Prague in the next post!}