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! 

third weekend in July

Well, howdy!  I guess that after getting all that NYC blogging out of my system, I needed a few days off.  It's more the case, though, that there were just quiet easy days at home and at work, and I didn't take photos of every single thing.  That's OK!  Really.

So let me check in today.  I've got travel ahead this week, and that will bring some fresh material to blog.  In the meantime, the weekend that was....

Conrad and I did an early and light dinner at Maestro on Friday.  We simply weren't that hungry, that's all.  A cocktail,

a light meal, home to watch some Netflix.  See?  A mild life.  No complaints from us!

Saturday I was in the kitchen.  I made some bread and a chocolate cake and the Prudhomme South Miami Cuban Stew recipe

for dinner (that we had over at Van's) with Lessa and Christian as our guests.  Again, few photos - we were having a nice evening, and I just wanted to enjoy it without documenting every minute of it.  Great to see them again!

Yesterday the three of us

headed to the Los Feliz neighbourhood of LA for an anniversary dinner - tomorrow marks 6 years since we met.  Van had suggested a classic old place, The Dresden, and boy, we were not disappointed.  The food was alright, I won't lie, but the cocktails menu was terrific (this is their Martini '54),

and there was live music in the adjoining bar. 

But I loved the setting - creamy leather booths

and those light fixtures, oh my! 

A place to go back to, maybe when my sister visits later in the year.

Otherwise?  Laundry, morning walks, naps.  A typical weekend.  And I'm very glad for it!