In Princeton, at the James Beard blessed Mistral, with them

We met at Princeton, my brother's undergraduate campus, where many happy memories live. My boy was looking his handsome self in a sunny-day colored shirt. He had stories. Posture. A photograph inside a frame.

Together we discovered Mistral, an exquisite "fast pace, small plates, fresh local fare" establishment, whose chefs—Scott Anderson and Ben Nerenhausen—were both named 2014 James Beard Foundation Award Semi-Finalists. I'd lately been watching Chef's Table (watch this trailer!), the sumptuous Netfix series. I wanted a little of that. And so there we were, and such is fine, great happy for me: memories of my brother on his campus, the companionship of my husband and my son, and a restaurant in which everything we ordered was unlike anything I've ever ordered elsewhere.

We watched them make it. They brought it to us. I could do that again and again.

To those who love. To those who are loved. To those remembering. This day.

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Ana Maia draws Nadia; A.S. King sends on the gift; I love Chef's Table

Yesterday was a wall-to-wall-er. You know how it is. I topped off the day by watching two segments of the Netflix documentary series, Chef's Table, a David Gelb production that can turn any too-long day around.

Chef's Table doesn't just focus on the famous chefs and what they make and how they live. It goes deep into questions about how early failures shape lives. It explores the consequences of the decisions we make. And oh my goodness, does it showcase the artistry of fine minds in kitchens and over flames.

Massimo Bottura. Francis Mallmann. Niki Nakayama. Ben Shewry. Magnus Nilsson. I'm telling you. Step inside their worlds.

I was saying goodnight to the day when I noticed an email from A.S. King. I pattered my fingers. I squinted. I read. To her note was attached this drawing above, from a Brazilian reader named Ana Maia, who had read One Thing Stolen and rendered my Nadia like this.

There is so much to this—so much extreme and gentle thoughtfulness. I am deeply touched.

Ana Maia does this—draws the characters she finds in pages. You can follow her here on twitter: @coloredpins <https://twitter.com/coloredpins

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