USA Day, 2026

That title is (perhaps more than) a little disrespectful, I know.  I choose to live in the US, but I also choose to live a little apart from it, and given how the flag and national symbols have been so horribly co-opted by the right in this country, I find it even harder now to note the Fourth of July and offer Americans any sort of congratulations or cheer.  Sorry.

It was no less difficult this year to summon up July 4 cheer.  Aside from the messy political situation, it oddly felt like there wasn't much being done to celebrate.  Oh, sure, we saw flags and bunting and some really awful (and, frankly, disrespectful) fashion decisions - why oh why do USians insist on draping their flag across their tits or butts (if they can dress crudely, I can use crude language).  But there really was no sense anywhere that this was a celebration worthy of attention.  It felt like a summer Saturday, nothing more.

Conrad and I checked out of that awful room and left through the patio door to the parking immediately outside because I was in no mood to be nice to the desk clerks.  We tried meeting up with his family members and mostly failed.  So it was that, come noon CDT, we were at a Culver's in Marinette, WI.  A burger each, onion rings to share. 

Not the healthiest lunch, but certainly an enjoyable one.

From there it was on to Green Bay, with a stop at Klema's (which was Seguin's for so many years),

and that was a welcome return to something a little more luxurious, a little better.  I know, I know, I am a terrible snob.  Sorry.  It was just such a weird and not entirely great visit to Escanaba, and having a good hotel for a night,

and one with a spa (we each got a treatment) and a nice bar and restaurant, was such a balm.  We checked in, sorted ourselves out, then headed to the spa for a while.

After that, we had an easy evening ahead.  We took care of repacking for our travel the next day before we went to dinner, then headed up to Taverne in the Sky for a nice meal, commencing with a cocktail each (Last Word, thank you to them for having green chartreuse)

in the bar with its view of Lambeau Field

before heading into the dining room.  They've spruced things up in there.  They've also got a new chef (who came out to chat with us), and he has focused the menu nicely.  The service was attentive and knowledgeable, too.  Summer is clearly not their busy season, and I'm sure the holiday further affected things.  It was fairly quiet in the dining room, which feels like a luxury in this day and age of loud music and chatter in restaurants.  We were grateful for it all.

The food!  Oysters to start, and I liked the apple brunoise. 

I especially liked the glass of Sardinian wine paired with it just as the host suggested when we were talking with him at the bar.  The tuna crudo was also tasty

- Conrad liked that one a lot.  We also had some bread, which was a nice quality. 

I kind of wish restaurants would stop with the balsamic vinegar thing with bread, but ah well.

I was glad that they had a smaller steak on offer, a 6 oz filet.  Much more than that can be too much meat.  The steak was nicely cooked, the cauliflower was a colourful side, and the parsnip puree was ridiculously silky. 

I could quibble and suggest that it all might have been warmer when it came out, but it was a meal to savour slowly anyway, so it was rather cool by the time I ate my last mouthful.  Dessert was good although it felt a little like something halfway to a great idea. 

The lemon parts were terrific, but the pile of pistachios with the vanilla ice cream did not go with it as well as it could.  We had a lot of desserts on this trip that involved a scoop of ice cream, and I get that it's summer, but I don't think that's always the solution.  The nuts could have been made into something, a praline perhaps.  Still, the dessert was a satisfying way to finish the meal.

As the meal ended, we could see fireworks in the distance from three locations.  These continued on as the skies darkened.  We got back to our room where we could still see fireworks

beyond the Titletown complex. 

We wound down, in no great rush in the morning thanks to proximity to the airport, time of flight, and generally being ready to go.

I don't think Conrad and I really remarked much on it being a national holiday all day, which is so odd for a 250th anniversary.  A milestone that got sidelined.  It was a nice day, though, so I am appreciative of that.

reunited: addendum

I was so excited about the three of us being able to be back together (and yes, I know it was JUST FOUR DAYS) that I neglected to post the dinner picture, thereby satisfying the "Food" part of this blog's name.  Pork chops slow cooked with onions and thyme.  Not a bad Friday evening dinner!

weekend update

It's a long weekend, so it's a little premature to do a weekend update.  On the other hand, it's a quiet, easy Sunday, so let me chime in here before I go do something utterly unproductive....

Friday!  I didn't get photos from most of the evening, but it was a nice one.  Our friend Richard was doing some work in Pasadena, so he came by late afternoon, had a cocktail with Conrad, then Van joined us in time to head to Maestro for dinner at the bar.  After dinner and Richard and Van had gone home, I sipped a bit more wine and read before bed. 

I love that it's getting to be cozy sweater weather!

Saturday morning I headed out on foot, past where the Rose Parade stands are going up at the corner of Orange Grove and Colorado,

past the Ambassador Auditorium. 

I eventually met up with Conrad, who has been dealing with a foot injury, and we had a short remaining walk together.  Then, as you might guess, we ended up at Amara for a satisfying breakfast and lattes.

Saturday afternoon I was in the kitchen pretty much all day.  I made a brown butter blueberry tart

and put together a spinach and caramelized onion

lasagna for dinner at Van's last night.  I also roasted some chunks of delicata squash for a salad of burrata, the squash, and some autumn fruits. 

And I put focaccia dough together.  Busy afternoon.  We enjoyed an aperitivo together - martinis for me and Conrad

- and then Jennifer and Sanders came over to Van's for dinner (along with their dog, Daisy),

and the lasagna made for a satisfying meal.

But boy, was I pooped by the time dinner was done and they had gone home!

I was out the door by 6:30 this morning, having already caught the sunrise from the deck. 

Another lovely morning, another nice walk. 

Just shy of 3.5 miles for me, and I took some photos as I went along.  Random things that caught my eye,

nothing in particular.  Buildings,

plants. 

The guys (and Olive) eventually got up after I got back, and Van made us all breakfast (thank you, Van!).

And now it's back at the condo, most of the afternoon stretching before us with little we need to do.  Natasha will come for dinner, and the leftovers from yesterday will make a fine enough meal.  A day off tomorrow, and an easy day at that.

Happy weekend, friends!

hotel gardens

A small break here before I press on.  I would be remiss if I didn't share photos from the hotel gardens.  The fruits and vegetables they grew supplied the restaurant.  Hotel guests were free to roam the gardens, and there were places to sit and just enjoy the peace of the space. 

The Il Monastero grounds also included a small vineyard.  Indeed, there was wine produced and bottled.  I don't think we tried it, alas, and the vines had been harvested not long before we traveled there.  Still, it made for a lovely setting, especially with part of the castle complex looming above.

Some garden photos, then.  More to come from Ischia and the rest of Italy!