Die kleine

Meerjungfrau

and Kova Patisserie

Published on January 6th, 1926

Dear Princess,

To open the new year a friend and I arranged to have a date at The Royal Opera House in London to see the latest ballet.

But first, I insisted we visit a japanese-french patisserie that'd opened in my neighbourhood. The interior of Kova Patisserie is bland and uninspiring, a step away from japandi minimalism and closer to millennial grey. Still, the selection of glittering patisseries behind the glass looked gorgeous, and I love places that are irredeemable but for the food, it feels furtive and authentic; an establishment where the sole focus is the quality of product.

I chose a mont blanc and an americano, my friend a slice of strawberry cream cake and a latte. The mont blanc was lovely, with the thick and sweet chestnut paste that glues ones mouth shut. The americano and latte were awful. Do not order the coffee here. The strawberry cake was the best of what we'd got, it was a textbook perfect light sponge and airy cream. I had worried that the out of season strawberry might spoil it, but it was merely a footnote.

I would return for the strawberry cream cake, but nothing else. We took a taxi to the opera house to see the London premiere of John Neumeier's ballet "Die kleine Meerjungfrau" (The Little Mermaid).

My friend and I are strictly platonic, but we both enjoy having a beautiful person on our arm during social events, the looks of envy and admiration that comes our way. It gives us a laugh to pretend we are madly in love, to be gauche with our displays of affection and possession and watch the uncomfortable reactions of onlookers. Our mean little private joke.

The ballet was heartbreakingly beautiful. I was surprised just how much it affected me. One could clearly see how the prince loved the meerjungfrau as a little sister, how painful it was for her. God. I wept openly as she emerged from her wheelchair, dancing at his wedding while each step was as painful as walking on knives.

Afterwards I read the original short story by Hans Christian Andersen and was dazzled once more. I have obtained a copy of Die kleine Meerjungfrau by John Neumeier for my personal collection, and would be pleased to send any guest of The Pavilion of Sugared Blossoms a copy of the file. Leave a message on the guestbook, or write me at pavillion.makona@gmail.com

Love, Makona