last reminder of the month

She may be slowing down - we definitely are noticing more and more that she's not the young dog she once was (are any of us?) - but she's still the cutest, prettiest little girl.  Television date night at Van's last night, and when I arrived, there was much time spent on the Couch of Love, as we call it.  She jumps up and demands (and gives!) affection until she is done with us, and last night that was a goodly long time of making sure Olive was given the love she deserves.

Happy August ahead!  I look forward to spending time next month taking care of her while Van and Conrad go on a road trip. 

56, apparently

So, yeah.  As of earlier this week I am another year older.  56.  I hope I wear it well.

A very low key birthday for me.  A good, long morning walk (just shy of 8 miles), decaf and oatmeal at home, and then to campus because I had an in-person obligation that afternoon, one I couldn't get out of.  Back home in Pasadena after work, I had time to shower and change and head to dinner.  Van picked us up, and we met Rick and Jacque at the restaurant.  Celestino was my choice

- I hadn't been there in years (well before the pandemic), and I liked the look of the menu.  Nice meal, too.  The smoked swordfish appetizer was terrific,

and the black olive sauce for the rabbit had me reaching for more and more bread to mop it up.

And then it was home and not long after that to bed.  56 years in the bag, starting on 57.  Well done, me. 

last weekend in July

Last weekend in July.  The pre-birthday weekend.  We fit in a lot this weekend, or so it felt.  And yet, that was a nice Saturday afternoon nap, I tell you!  So then, let's talk the weekend that was....

Friday I worked from home, and not having to allow for commuting time, plus getting up early, plus staying at Van's overnight meant that I was able to do a good, long morning walk.  Over 8 miles for me.  Not bad!  My step count for July has been pretty darn good.  I was pooped and sweaty come the end of it. 

I was happy to start the day that way, though.  Nicely done, me!

We absolutely love our friends at the restaurants where we are regulars, but we also find ourselves wanting to go to other restaurants sometimes.  Last Friday was one such time.  We sort of tossed around options for dinner, and I found myself not really wanting any of them, until he reminded me of Perle.  We'd enjoyed our last time there, sitting at the bar, so we decided to go back.  Other than cocktails (the La Plage for me),

we shared everything:  bread and butter, escargots, mussels and fries and green salad, Basque cake for dessert. 

A second round of cocktails (Last Words, thank you!) capped the evening there.  Nice time of it, and not too late a meal. 

It was good to have that little bit of change.

Saturday was an easy day with some self-care.  A more casual walk to start the day, then, of course, Conrad and I made our way to Amara. 

Conrad then took care of odds and ends at home whilst I headed off to a massage, a haircut,

and lunch with a friend before meeting Conrad to do some grocery shopping.  That's where I picked up a nice pair of steaks that turned into an enjoyable dinner in

with a bottle of a Justin reserve Cab to pair with the food. 

Cocktails first, of course

- sometimes I like to sip with Conrad while he watches me cook dinner.

Oh, and there was a cute little gift from Courtney and Robert in the mail,

a farfalle (bow tie, get it?) keychain from Eataly. 

Fun!

I was so looking forward to Sunday.  Van had invited Heath and Nicole over, and he was going to grill burgers for us.  He went to such great lengths to make it a lovely evening, and it all paid off.  We hadn't seen Heath since the cocktail party and Nicole in far longer, so it was terrific having them over.  Bonus:  they brought their dogs.  I only got a shot of Rollie, but what a cutie. 

Olive mostly ignored them, so that was a relief.  Anyway, Van

made us mai tais to start with,

then on came the burgers.  Tasty, especially with tater tots. 

Dessert was a carrot cake that he'd picked up.  It all felt very special, a nice way to end 55.

It's taken me days to get this post written.  I fear that I may lapse into some gaps in posting if I'm not careful.  We shall see what August brings! 

two cuties

Yep, a reminder that Olive is so pretty, so adorable.  And so is Conrad!!😉 

burgers and Bordeaux

Summer means a return to the Thursday night burger dinners at Julienne.  Hooray!  Last night was the first of a few opportunities we have planned this summer, and it was a nice evening for it.  A hot day turned into a comfortable evening sitting in shorts and a short sleeve polo-style perforated shirt.  Despite a service hiccup (a nice kid taking care of our table, but having to ask after the wine we ordered and not getting it until after the first course was not the best service), we had a good evening of it.  Conrad and I regaled Van with tales of recent viewings of condos, catching him up on our slow process of trying to find a new place to live.  We enjoyed the three courses,

headed back to his house, watched an episode of Stanley Tucci in Italy, went to bed early.  Nice evening.

Ah, photos!  Gazpacho as my starter, and that was a welcome starter indeed on a summer day. 

I opted for the salmon cake burger instead of a beef burger (we're grilling at Van's on Sunday, after all), and I liked it. 

A wee but dry, but the aioli served with the fries did nicely slathered on the salmon.

Oh, I should add that neither Van nor I opted for the Bordeaux.  Conrad did, though! 

And now on to the weekend!! 

flowers on the morning walks

I go through phases with my walking.  Sometimes I take photos of everything that catches my eye.  Sometimes I'm just out walking for the sake of walking.  Sometimes I listen to music.  Sometimes I listen to CBC Radio programs.  It varies.

Lately it's been more walking for the sake of walking and not so much admiring the things on the walk.  And that's OK.  But I have noticed a few things at least.  A couple of days ago it was this fantastic Cereus cactus bloom in a yard. 

Yesterday it was this glorious perfumed passionflower (and a bunch more of them). 

Lovely.

The step count is going well this month, too, happily! 

Jeni's

It was weekly television date night last night, and for part of it we once again got out of the house.  Dinner in our bellies, and before we watched what turned out to be a really not good movie, Van and I hopped in his car and headed over to the Highland Park neighbourhood of LA to a storefront location for Jeni's ice cream.  It's a cool, funky neighbourhood, sort of hipster, some great old buildings along and just off Figueroa.

I like ice cream, believe me.  It's a nice treat.  It's also not something I seek out a lot.  For one thing, my teeth can be a little sensitive to the cold.  For another, I find so many flavours a little boring, to be honest.  The cold dulls the intensity of flavours, and that doesn't help.  Van, however, LOVES ice cream (and, you know, Conrad really likes it a lot as well), and I was happy to tag along.  Besides which, I've enjoyed some of the Jeni's flavours found in the grocery store.  They're a little different without being too out there, and I appreciate that.

A cup for me, a cone for Van. 

He ended up with a super dark brownie batter ice cream and a honey vanilla.  I didn't mind the chocolate one - I usually don't care for dark chocolate ice cream (and I find chocolate flakes or chips to be a distraction from a good ice cream, by and large).  I went with two seasonal flavours:  the watermelon taffy and the strawberry pretzel pie. 

Not what I might normally get - I like caramels and similar flavours, especially if there is a little salt in it.  But the watermelon was like an intense sweet and sour candy, and the strawberry pretzel pie was reminiscent of a cheesecake.  Not a bad combo.

After we finished our treats, Van picked up four pints of assorted flavours, and it was home to Olive.  Nice little excursion on a warm summer night, though! 

third weekend in July

Hey, it's the weekend update!  Lucky y'all, right?  Here we go!

Friday started out with me doing a mighty mighty long morning walk:  just shy of ten miles.  I was understandably a little worn out the rest of the day, but I rallied for dinner at Maestro.  No Van this time - he was a little under the weather - but we did have a nice time with Stephen. 

Ah, Stephen, someone we didn't see often enough despite him living just over in Glendale.  And now he is all packed up and moving to Texas.  This week.  We wish him well there, what with the new job and being much closer to his daughters and grandson.

Anyway, it was a nice evening outside. 

I stuck with the Maestro margarita, a hibiscus-flavoured drink, and we shared some good food:  guacamole with plantain chips, oysters, the roasted beet salad, and the cochinita pibil.  

I really love that last dish.  Yum!

Conrad and I came home from dinner, poured a little wine, watched some television.  An easy Friday done.

Saturday started out with less walking than the day before.  And, of course, we ended up at Amara.  Rather than having my usual arepa, I split a breakfast burrito

with Conrad. 

Have no fear:  there was a decaf latte for me.

Saturday then unspooled through a day of groceries, some laundry, and tackling some of the accumulation in the one storage room.  That felt good to get done.  Eventually I took up residence in my kitchen where I cobbled up from dim memory a lentil and bacon tart

to serve at room temperature for dinner and served that along with a salad platter (no lettuce - we are being wary of that like many other people) of burrata with crispy prosciutto, tomatoes, nectarines, basil, and mint. 

We had barely finished when Erik from next door showed up at the door to say hello.  That turned into a longer evening with him and his friend, Barry, joining us.  And then, because the dishwasher is on the fritz, I was up until after 11 washing and drying all the dishes by hand.  A lot of time on my feet despite a shorter walk that day, and man oh man, was I exhausted by the time I went to bed.

I let myself stay in bed longer yesterday, and our morning walk was meager.  It was nice to get a morning with some oatmeal and decaf and writing a few notecards to friends.  I made some dinner for Conrad to reheat tonight while I'm at Van's, then set to work on the happy hour cocktails.  That was fun.  Van stuck around for sushi after drinks, and then he headed home while Conrad and I finished up with some travel planning we'd been doing earlier in the day.  To bed after that.

Just a rather ordinary, easy weekend for us.  Nice to have!