Laura visits (Sola brunch)

I'll blog the dinner Allan and Paul prepared separately - the two gentlemen deserve their own entry. Instead, a short entry to comment on the visit from a friend from home.

Laura used to live in my hometown, but the economy there, well, stinks. She and her BF have recently relocated to northern Alberta and are in the process of settling in there for at least a few years. It was good to see her - it's been a few years since last she was through town. And she looks wonderful, of course.

Saturday was a grey, dreary, slightly wet day for her arrival.

Conrad and I did our best to brighten the day, he in a shirt I like to steal from his closet, I in a bold Hawaiian print.
Dressed to whisk her off for dinner at Allan and Paul's. We had only the drive back in to town to catch up on things before dinner, and when we got home that night, I didn't last too long, I'm afraid. The drawback to an early morning run and a long day after that.

I was up early the next morning. Coffee from Starbucks. A batch of golden raisin scones in the oven. When they were done, the three of us got caught up and looked at photos. And I have to admit, it really hammered home how bittersweet an experience it was, having Laura stay. I've lost touch with so many people from my hometown, and they, in turn, have lost touch with me. A two-way street, though I often feel guilty about it.

We made our way over to Sola for brunch at noon before returning Laura to O'Hare. Conrad and I had been there once before for dinner, and we'd enjoyed it. Brunch proved quite good as well. His smoked salmon was fine,
and my Black Forest omelet was good, too.I rather liked Laura's huevos benedictos - I kind of coveted them.Best of all? The malasadas - little sweet fried bread (like doughnuts), Portuguese style, served with a mango coulis and a raspberry coulis. Yum!