Française de Film in le Village?

I joined my friend Alla along with two of her friends Saturday night to see a french film at the historic Angelika theater. "I've Loved You So Long", starring Kristin Scott Thomas, was heart wrenching--I can't help but think that the entire dialogue in French probably made it all the more dramatic, as well. I managed to keep from actually tearing up, but Alla said she was crying from the first 15 minutes until the credits began rolling.

The night was unusually warm and so we walked around SoHo for a while before settling in at a Filipino fusion restaurant for some tea and sweet desserts. Cendrillon was a tiny, little shop in a quiet section of Mercer Street, just off Chinatown with a charming ambiance and delicious food. We ordered four of their sweet menu items and shared them around the table. One of the dishes was a black sweet rice (considered a delicacy in Asia) with fresh bananas, dipped in a caramel and brown sugar sauce; it was divine! The chef stopped by our table to chat with us and explained that the rice is only harvested for a short period of time and is served at only the most special occasions like weddings. I felt so special that I got to try the delicious treat.

We stayed and talked politics, literature, and our plans for the holidays. Soon, we were the only ones left and ended up closing the restaurant. What a wonderful evening!