February weekend

Yes, I know:  more Vancouver to come.  Let me, however, take a break from reporting on that trip and just check in on the weekend that was....

Friday!  Friday was a welcome return to Maestro.  I was absolutely enamoured with one of the cocktails that they were still offering, leftover from their Valentine's menu.  A tequila and milk punch drink,

it was delicious.  Rigo suggested I try the strawberry negroni after that,

and it was fine, but the first drink was the clear winner for me.  We didn't eat too much that evening with birria tacos

being such a great choice on a cold (shut up, it was!) evening.  We swung by Delight to pick up dessert on the way home, and that was a lovely evening.

Saturday!  A bit of a walk - I've been so lazy lately - and then on to Amara where we shared a breakfast burrito. 

The day was given over to a lot of small things that accomplished something but left me feeling like I'd done nothing.  We did have a nice dinner last night, though.  Van drove us over to the Los Feliz neighbourhood to meet up with Heath and Nicole,

and we enjoyed dinner at the Dresden Room. 

I loved their special martini, but it was all quite nice.  Shrimp cocktail for me,

then steak frites. 

We shared dessert and wine, and then most of us had a Grasshopper to finish the evening. 

A good meal together.

Sunday!  No photos!  Groceries and massage and some work toward the Vietnam trip.  I put together a grazing board for dinner.

Monday is soon upon us, and a week today we're already into March.  Wow! 

first weekend in October

The weekend started with rain.  It's so odd - that's twice now in the space of a week or so where we had measurable rain but I had no inkling of its potential.  I even went out for a walk on Friday morning, not a long one, and thought how very nice the overcast morning was for a walk, but I assumed it would all lift and dissipate as the marine layer so often does.  But no.  I was doing work at the dining table as I often do, and Van texted us to comment that it was raining his way.  I looked up, and lo!  Rain. 

Not buckets, but clearly rain.  And not for too long.  It let up, and by afternoon, there was some sun coming through.

It wasn't our usual weekend.  Neither of us was in the mood to head to Maestro on Friday night.  Not a reflection on Maestro - we love the place and were delighted to see the photos on Instagram from the owners of the two of them in Mexico at the wedding of one of them.  It was an odd week for me of working two nights late, and I feel like I've dined out a lot lately.  I just wanted to stay in.  Conrad felt the same way, so I poured us a couple of cocktails and set to work on making us a simple dinner of pasta (including - yes, sorry - jarred sauce) and salad.  We opened a decent Italian red,

watched some Great British Bake Off, and that was the evening we needed and had.

Saturday morning was a little more usual, though.  A short walk for me before Conrad was up and at 'em, then another walk of comparable distance with him.  That brought us to Amara for breakfast, a very light one for me - only an empanada. 

But I did have my decaf latte,

and I did have Conrad's fine company!

That got us partway through the morning.  By the time I was home from a haircut

and groceries, it was closing in on noon.  The afternoon mostly passed with us doing housework - my sister will be with us through much of this week, and we needed to have the place tidy for her - and then we got ourselves all pretty for a dinner out.

I think I've posted things with Heath and Nicole in the past.  Heath is, sort of, Van's nephew.  That's a stretch, but it's the easiest way to describe things.  Anyway, Heath's birthday was last Friday, and so we all met up in Santa Monica on Saturday for dinner together. 

Van and I had wanted to get Conrad to The Georgian Room after our nice dinner there last fall, and it felt like a special place to take the young couple.  It's a handsome setting, though they discourage photos inside (Conrad snuck a few when a dessert with candle came out for Heath).  Even the outside is handsome,

tucked around the side of a hotel right on the city's oceanfront boulevard. 

We had a good meal, most of us enjoying steaks, some cocktails and wine as well.  It was really enjoyable, celebrating with them.

Sunday morning I was up before the others, walking around in South Pasadena, having a casual time of it, taking a photo or two. 

Eventually Conrad and I got going a bit, heading for some groceries (with Olive tagging along!),

then coming back to make a light brunch for the three of us - avocado toast with poached egg. 

We headed home after that, getting more cleaning done, then I hopped online for a happy hour with friends.  Conrad and I ended the day with a simple dinner of things set out on a board for grazing.  Some television, a short walk, then to bed early!

All in all, it felt like a simple, basic weekend.  Certainly, I don't have as many photos, and I'm not being all that descriptive.  Still, it was a good weekend, getting some things done, having some social time.  I'm happy with how it all went! 

a wee holiday party

Our busy holiday season of enjoyable social activities continues.  Last night Van hosted a wee party for five of us.  Oh, and Olive.  She certainly was in the mix throughout.

Before we knew Van, he had been married to a man named Doug.  Sadly, Doug died in 2018.  All that Conrad and I know of him are Van's and others' memories and photos.  And now Heath.  Heath is Doug's cousin, perhaps a second cousin.  Van has told us the exact family connection before, but the age difference between Heath and Doug (Doug would have been in his early seventies now, I believe) throws me off.  We met Heath at Thanksgiving when Van invited him to come for dinner, and last night we got the chance to meet Nicole as well.

First off, they are a delightful couple, very good company.  I know them only a little and what strikes me is that they each seem like people who appreciate things - experiences, food and drink, travel, learning, a lot more.  I find that such a terrific quality in people.  Second, they are a connection to Doug, and that's a lovely thing.  I always like when Van shares about Doug and their life together, and I never want him to lose his connection to his late husband.

So we had them over at Van's.  Olive was in her element. 

Not only did she have Conrad at her beck and call,

but she had two more dog lovers to demand attention (and treats) from.  Lucky, happy girl.  Van had purchased light bites and the makings of a particular cocktail, and Conrad and I set to work setting things up. 

I made us all the drinks throughout the night.  There were gifts exchanged,

and Heath and Nicole left with the makings of Last Words at home.

All in all, a very nice night.  Two nights after a fine evening at Mitch and Ted's, we had another opportunity for an intimate gathering.  Conrad and I powered through the dishes and clean up, and this morning, we all got up to find a tidy kitchen and no stress over that!