Tear man out of his outward circumstances; and what he then is; that only is he. — Johann Gottfried Seume

It is a wonderful and rare thing to encounter people of immense wealth who aren’t assholes. Last night we had for dinner a few of David’s parents’ friends who happen to be my favorite of all of their friends, because they exhibit that infrequent combination of worldliness and social grace, while maintaining a down-to-earth disposition and a dry sense of humor, the latter of which makes me feel comfortable enough to be myself, knowing that more often than not, my quips will amuse rather than appall. They remind me of that pleasant and hospitable couple we met while traveling through Europe, Nicole and Pierre Guenant, the ones we first encountered in Venice, then met up with at their vineyard in Provence, and finally, whose daughter (Berry) later guided us around Paris. You know, nice people, even though they don’t “have” to be. It’s just nice to find, is all I’m saying, because I frequently run into their antithesis.