date night in South Pas

Hey, that was a pretty good run of posts to start off July, right?  Not sustainable - life just doesn't offer that much to blog about every single day, but it was good while it lasted.  But after a very quiet week at work and at home, I'm back!

Van and I moved our standing weekly television date night to Thursday this week and dropped the television component.  Instead, we headed over into South Pasadena to grab dinner and drinks.  Nice evening for it.  We've had a hot midweek here - the temperatures out at work got up to 101 on Wednesday - but it was just good and warm by 6 or so yesterday.  We also don't have the air quality issue that is plaguing a lot of the country and Canada.  Yikes!  Those poor folks.

Anyway, it wasn't too far to drive over and park near where South Pasadena sets up its Thursday farmers market.  Good market.  I need to get to it.  It wasn't our actual objective last night although Van did buy himself some flowers. 

Instead we ordered at the window at South Pas Smash (and sorry, they don't have a website fully up and running to link to).  A smash burger for Van, a fried chicken sandwich for me. 

Good, simple.  I still don't get smash burgers as a thing (why smush the patty and force the juices out when you can have a nice, thick burger?)(I know it's to get more of a crust to interior ratio, but I still don't get it), but oh well.  I'd be fine going back and doing that again.

After the food and a brief wander through the market, we popped into Sid's Bar.  We hadn't know it was a live music night, and we were relieved we got in and got a table and drinks before so many others showed up.  Nice bar, not too lounge-y, not too hip (but definitely hip).  A dive bar for cool kids and older cool kids, if you will.  But they made Last Words, and that was good. 

The folks at the next table were curious, so I let them try mine, and they ended up ordering one for themselves.  Nice place.  Very loud!  Not a Conrad bar.

The evening was drawing in as we left,

and it had cooled off nicely.  We headed back to the car, drove the short distance home, and got Olive fed.  Once she was done eating and Van's flowers were in vases, I was fading, and as had been the case so often this week and last, I was lights out before ten.  Not our usual television date night, but a lovely little date night in any case.