Montana escape, day 5

Well, howdy!

So let's wrap up Montana.  And, really, there isn't much to say.  We did get a bit of time in Bozeman after checking out and before heading to the airport to grab some lunch and get one or two last photos in town, but not much more.

No, really, the main reason to post something from the last (and travel) day is to post this little cutie.

I put that in my Facebook story, and when I told someone who responded that it was tasty, he was shocked to learn it was edible.  Oh yes.  A little chocolate and raspberry dessert.  I had seen them and other beautiful treats in the hotel cafe for days, and I was bound and determined on my last morning to get one to try!

If previous posts have shown anything, that hotel has an excellent culinary team.  The little chocolate bear was so very tasty.  I almost couldn't eat it, it was so darn cute!

That wraps up Montana, and what a superb escape.  I am so fortunate that Van has treated me to a few trips like this so far.

Montana escape, day 4

Last Wednesday we left the hotel grounds at rather a late time of the morning and drove into Bozeman first, and then on to Livingston.  More of Montana - hooray!!

Bozeman is an attractive town.  A college town.  A destination for lovers of the outdoors.  Apparently a mecca for Californians and others (Boze Angeles is a nickname, or something like that).  It has some terrific historic buildings downtown that have survived and been repurposed. 

We walked around a little, taking photos, then stopped at a Sweet Peaks for a scoop each of the River Float flavour. 

Mmmmm...  After that we poked in a few stores and bought a few souvenirs.  By then it was later in the afternoon, so we hit the road east to get to Livingston in time for an early dinner with Matt

and his family.

I've known Matt professionally for at least a handful of years, but it was only a few years ago that we got to chatting a bit and catching up at conferences over a drink or a bite.  He'd been encouraging me for some time to come visit Montana, and although he and his wife don't live in Bozeman or all that close, it wasn't so far that they didn't want to come through, pick up their son (who is at college in Bozeman), and come for dinner.

Van had found the restaurant

in Livingston in a write up in a magazine or newspaper.  I can't recall which, but maybe the New York Times?  It all sounded good, though - a hip Italian place in a small Montana town that was a thriving arts.  Campione

at 5:00 for five of us, giving us a small window of time to walk the main street before (and then after) dinner

and buy a few more souvenirs.  Matt and his family were a little delayed, but not badly.  Before too long we had an excellent bottle of wine and some appetizers:  meatballs,

ricotta whipped with bone barrow,

smoked cauliflower. 

My entree was the trout

- when in Montana, right?  And then all of us shared the olive oil cake for dessert. 

After a bit of a stroll around town, we split up and headed home.  Van and I got back just as things got dark, a bit of an unnerving drive for us because there is so much wildlife around out there.

Our last full day in Montana was a very good one, indeed.  Friends, souvenirs, good food, sunny skies.  A delight through and through.