The remote control for the garage has been broken for ages.  It’s a pain to get it fixed and we just haven’t had the time, so, for months now, when we approach the garage, we have the following dialogue.
Me: The garage door is…
Them (in unison): broken.
Me: So Mama is going to get out of the car and go and open it from the inside. What do I not want while I’m gone?
Them (in unison): Waah, waah.
When our Italian neighbours came round at the weekend we were talking about this and S said that he had a colleague who fixed all the remotes and things in his office and he would ask, if the colleague could fix it.  We gratefully accepted his offer and, last night, back he came with the remote control fixed.  Fantastic. We asked whether the colleague would like anything – bottle of wine… and S said not to worry as he had already given him a bottle of Italian wine.  Tell me blog readers what would be a nice thing to get for lovely, lovely neighbours who are rich and have everything?  Also, remember that she is an art historian and their apartment is beautifully decorated.  Am struggling here. Do you think that they would like a picture from the Princess of us happily using the repaired remote control?
a video of you using the remote might almost be considered art. or you could get a nice big flower bouquet from catleya (at the end of ave. louis lepoutre, on place brugman) – surely it would fit the gorgeous decor of your ever so nice neighbours.
I agree, everyone loves flowers. Also, I recall that Mr. Waffle bakes cakes?
Well, if I were an Italian couple, I would like BOTH a hand-drawn rendering of the remote in use, and a lovely bouquet of flowers. What’s not to like?
I thought you should know: in the end we got them breakfast (croissants left outside their door) and a ceramic box made by one of the parcours d’artistes people. But thank you for most useful suggestions which were nearly acted upon before the ceramic box came into our lives.