Memorial Day weekend, 2023

Rather than break down the entire weekend into separate posts, let's do one larger post, shall we?

It was a good Memorial Day long weekend.  We got some things done.  We had some lazy, easy down time.  I wish I had read a bit more, but ah well.  It was good, nonetheless.

I spent Friday doing interviews during my work-from-home day, then the three of us did an online happy hour(s) with friends in Kentucky.  We hadn't caught up with them in months, so it was well overdue and very welcome.  After we got off that call, I served us up some lamb shanks I had prepared earlier, along with a parsnip puree and a bit of green vegetable. 

A nice red wine,

and that was our evening for the most part.  I think we were to bed fairly early.

Saturday morning was Amara.  Hooray!  Always a treat to make it over there.  The (delicious as ever) usuals for us:  arepa for me, breakfast croissant for Conrad, and a breakfast burrito for Van. 

That was a late breakfast for us, and we didn't bother with lunch after that.

Saturday during the day, we all had various things to get done.  I got into the kitchen, though, and put together pizza dough and sauce as well as a dessert to take over to Van's.  Did I photograph any of them?  Nope.  I thought my cooking was incredibly subpar that day, and I was embarrassed by what I had put together.  I'd rather forget the effort.  Still, it was a nice evening to sit out on the deck.  Van and Conrad enjoyed their drinks while I finished dinner. 

After the meal, we came inside to watch a little RPDR and then head to bed.

Sunday started off cool and cloudy as well, but Conrad and I got the little girl on her leash

and wandered down into San Marino and South Pasadena with her, admiring the flowers

and especially the jasmine that is everywhere, perfuming the air wonderfully. 

When we were back and Van was up and around, I made us all some waffles, scrambled eggs, and bacon.  A bit better than the night before but hardly worth a photo.  Ugh.  Someone teach me to cook properly!

Conrad and I had some errands to get done on Sunday.  First, we bought new phones.  Second, we bought a new washer and dryer.  Third, I ordered a new wine fridge.  I think there was more.  That was a lot, though.  Van came by just before 5, and we wandered over to Maestro for dinner at the bar. 

I was happy to see how busy they were that early on a Sunday.  A lot of energy.  Jo was working the bar that night,

and she does enjoy making a tiki drink, so after I enjoyed my usual mezcal campfire,

I switched to her variation on a planter's punch. 

Tasty!  We shared some guacamole, a salad,

the tetela,

and the mole chicken,

and I was happy.  A little television when we got home. 

And I went to bed early.  Wow.  Saturday night had been a poor night of sleep.  Sunday night?  I think I got nine hours!

A holiday Monday is a nice thing.  Cool weather, no traffic:  Conrad and I walked over 4.5 miles and only had to stop for a signal once.  Nice!  I got back into the kitchen yesterday, and I was on and offline as well.  I also finally swept and hosed down the back patio area - much needed!  Conrad set it up for the three of us to have dinner, but before we ate, we took Van and Olive over to the Caltech campus for a nice walk.  Van, surprisingly, had never been over there in all these years, so it was a treat for him.  And for the little girl, who had new things to sniff!  Once home, I put together some guacamole for us to snack on and put rice on the stove,  Our neighbour, Erik, texted to say he had good news to celebrate and a bottle to share, so I told Conrad to tell him to come over for dinner with his son.  I had plenty of food.  That made for a nice, unplanned dinner party.  The country style pork ribs in tomatillo sauce turned out fairly well, and the apricot and passionfruit souffles were a delight. 

Nice job, Peter.

And now it's a short work week.  I have a road trip to come next weekend, so that should provide some good posts down the line.

if I thought the swimming was bad...

... you can only guess how much a run hurt.

Or perhaps I should say "run".

Tuesday morning last week I got up early and sent Conrad off on a walk with a colleague with whom we'd walked the morning before.  For my part, I went off with another colleague, attempting a run for the first time in far too long.

To my credit, I made it the first whole mile a) without stopping and b) in under ten minutes.  Tiny little pat on the back for that one.  To Brett's credit, he happily switched to walking thereafter whenever I needed it.

All told, we did a little over 4 miles on foot and had a beautiful morning and lots of good conversation to enjoy.

But wow, do I want to be able to run better than that when next we are together for meetings in Chicago, in November.

soba

We so greatly miss our beloved Yoshi's.  For years in Chicago - and even after we moved away - the restaurant remained central to our lives.  We had dear friends there:  owners, staff, and customers.  We celebrated many things there.  We returned regularly and wish we still could.  Several years after Yoshi died, though, his wife, Nobuko, decided it was time to retire.  She moved nearby, and she seems content enjoying her post-restaurant life.  Good!

When we were in Chicago the weekend before this past one, we were invited to come over to Nobuko's and join a number of her friends, including several we knew from our times spent at the restaurant, for a noodle-making demonstration and dinner.  Thus it was that we were treated to an evening featuring Mariko Kallister.

I encourage you to read the linked Chicago Reader article - it's very interesting.  For us, though, it was just so cool.  This methodical, patient, precise approach to making something we might take for granted, especially those of us who are not Japanese and may not have the same level of appreciation for this food.  Soba are buckwheat noodles, in this case prepared freshly, cooked quickly, and served chilled with a light sipping sauce.

It's a treat to watch someone who excels at something do that thing.  It's all the more so when they welcome questions and interaction.  And then imagine it as something you can smell (the buckwheat flour had a subtle, nutty scent) and then eat as well as watch.

We're so happy we've been able to stay in touch with our Chicago friends and enjoy their company when we come to town.  And we're especially delighted that Nobuko included us in such a lovely gathering.

and then we made it to Chicago

Conrad still thinks - I think! - that I hate his family.  I don't.  Far from it.  And I don't hate his hometown either.  But I have to admit, I don't find it especially fun or interesting to venture up there.  It's like my own hometown - small, centered on a dying industry, brain drain, isolated.  The advantage to going to my home town (twice since 2003, that's it) is that I still know people there.  When we go to Escanaba, we visit no one.  No friends.  Just family.  Lovely family, but as they grow older, we do less and less with them.  I wish we did more.  Ah well.

I am writing this on Sunday night (May 28).  A week ago, Conrad and I flew down from Green Bay to Chicago. 

I love Chicago.  Come on - if you have read this blog in its distant past, you will know that I - we - had a rich, happy life in Chicago.  Ten years in SoCal, and yet, Chicago remains my favourite US city so readily.  Bring me there any time.

We made the rookie mistake of taking the Blue Line

into the city from ORD to our hotel - I say that because we were blithely unaware of service disruptions because of line improvement.  An hour and a half later, which included a shuttle bus between Addison and Western, we made it to the hotel.  And then it was over an hour until we could check in.  We wandered up to Eataly and grabbed an afternoon snack of calamari

and a spritz. 

At long last, though, we checked into the hotel.  Ahhhhhh.

So good to be back in the city no matter the inconvenience!

..., paper, scissors

I really am behind, aren't I?

Saturday, May 20 (!!), Conrad and I had some free time on our hands before going to spend time with his family.  Not enough time to go somewhere like Marquette, but free time nonetheless.  So we hopped in the car and motored around his corner of the UP.

Which included Rock, MI.

Which led to us joking about paper, scissors, and even lizard and Spock.  BBT reference.  Someone might get that.

People in Chicago who knew the UP a little (and a number of people did) would rave to us about how beautiful that part of Michigan is.  And in some parts, it is.  Not in Conrad's part, not really.  Very scrubby, very swampy.  Pretty in parts, wet in others. 

It has its own appeal, but it's far from majestic.  That said, it was a lovely day for a drive.  We stopped only once, at a park by the Rapid River to walk down by the river and get some shots of the falls.  Or rapids - you decide.

A nice drive, though.  I like when Conrad points out to me the places that have some meaning to him from his younger years.  And I just like time with him, period.

two great tastes that, well...?

I know that I am not the only one out there who does this when traveling:  go into grocery stores to see what sort of local/regional/non-US items that may be for sale.  Sometimes you find things that you want to try or bring home (if you can), and sometimes you just sort of look at those things and think, hmmm.

S'mores and wine?  Tough to pair, perhaps, though likely easier with some dessert or fortified wines.  S'mores flavour in wine?  Ah.

Look, I didn't try it.  No opportunity, basically.  And look, I get called a food snob, but I am totally for anyone eating the things they like.  So there.  Would I try this?  Yep.  Am I likely to enjoy it?  Probably not.  But it really was cool to see this product and imagine all the winery developing it, testing it, and marketing it.  Clearly, there is some audience for it in Escanaba!

a good boy and his stick

In our brief time together with Conrad's family on the Saturday afternoon and evening, we visited Conrad's nephew Dan at his home.  That meant we got to meet Ace. 

Ace is a good boy, very friendly, and hey!  Look at that stick he was so proud to tote around.

What a handsome, happy dog!

A week ago I was in a plane

And then I was on another plane.  But yes, a week ago at this time, I was most of the way to Chicago.

It was a very early morning when I headed to LAX. 

I was out of bed shortly after 3 that morning, so you can well imagine I had a mighty good nap on the plane!  It was a smooth flight, on time, nothing remarkable.  I made it to Chicago, had a Zoom meeting while I refueled in the United Lounge, then boarded another plane.  Green Bay was the second destination, and flying in, that adjective was apt.  Wisconsin looked marvelously green down there. 

It was fully spring, mayflies and all.  Conrad (YAY!) met me at the airport

and drove us north to the land of Old Dutch dill pickle chips. 

Yep, Escanaba for two nights together. 

Not quite as deep into spring there, but definitely spring nonetheless!

More to come from the most recent Midwest jaunt!