It was a dreary, rainy gray day in Paris, and I had plans to meet with my friend Kasia for an apéro. I was glad to have planned on the bar at the Regina hotel which I had yet to discover. It was full of cosiness, on this oddly chilly July afternoon.

Plush blood red velvet brass studded arm chairs and glossy varnished wood furniture beckons you to curl up with a good book, a good conversation or a good glass of something to warm you. A wooden sculpted in-lay ceiling hangs low to hold in the heat, and antique rugs soften your step. The décor is full of curving lines which allow for a softened appearance. the setting entices you and the servers wait on you with a smile. Table lamps and shaded chandeliers cast a soft glow on the rooms, rendering them even more cozy and inviting.

All that is missing is a crackling fireplace.

The apéro drinks you order are served with an assortment of nuts and crunchy things to nibble. I happily picked out all the macadamia nuts, popping them in my mouth with gleeful pleasure. At this level of comfort and plush coziness, I found it somewhat hard to leave. Especially since outside the weather seemed daunting. Luckily Kasia and I seemed to have decent karma and the rain stopped when we needed to go back out into the blustery day. Even luckier since I had lost my parapluie along the way somewhere…