Picnic in the Theater Lobby ~ Perfect!

                             

For several years, my friend Audrey has included me in tickets for a couple of shows at the Seattle Rep.

Here's the drill: I'd pick her up at the ferry terminal and then we'd decide what to do for a small dinner. Some times it was a wonderful wine bar near the theater. Or, other times, we'd cruise the deli aisle at Metropolitan Market up the street and eat in the small cafe near the deli.

The last few times, we packed a picnic and brought it to the theater lobby. I'm sure this breaks at least half a dozen laws, but . . .

It's a classic picnic. A baguette, a bottle of wine, some cheese and fruit. We bring a couple of linen napkins, two wine glasses, a cork screw and some spreaders.

Sure the lobby picnic has it's pitfalls. When we went to see I am my own wife, we ended up misplacing one of Audrey's napkins and my corkscrew. When she went to the next production, she stopped by the "Lost and Found" to retrieve the errant items. They barely even gave her "the eyebrow" when she picked them up.

Last night, we went to see Clybourne Park. And, our little (probably totally illegal) picnic went off without a hitch! I brought the baguette, the brie, the fresh strawberries, the oblong celadon plate, the spreaders, a bread knife and the linen napkins in a festive tote from my friend, Sally. Audrey brought the wine, the glasses, the cork screw and of course, the tickets and parking voucher.

Everything was just what you'd want in a picnic ~ perhaps, most astonishingly the strawberries. I'm always leery of store-bought strawberries ~ always in the winter, but especially at the beginning of the season. These were completely beautiful but . . . experience has shown that the more beautiful the strawberry, the more likely it is to be flavourless. Really beautiful but tasteless strawberries always remind me of a room full of 18 year old beauty queens. Beautiful but not much going on otherwise. Depressing, in a way.

But, these were not 18 year old beauty queens. They were not only beautiful but toothsome and delicious.

And, what a picnic. One woman stopped by to give us homemade oatmeal cookies. Another couple joined us at our little table. Very convivial. Very casual. Very perfect in every way. The production was stunning. A wonderful evening.

Day 30 Everyday Grateful ~

Talked with Audrey while walking 

to the REP about what

wonderful lives  we have and

how much we have to be grateful for.

True, all true . . .

Sunny

Happy

Leftovers

My friend Barb sent me home with a doggie bag of goodies from yesterday's Cinco De Mayo fest de mange. At about 6:30, I got everything out and started fixing the leftovers for dinner.

While I was filling all the bowls, I really had to laugh remembering a story a friend told me when I was in college. It's the famous "leftovers" story at her parents' home. Her father was an exec at Roman Meal bread in Tacoma. Her mother was used to entertaining corporate visitors in their wonderful custom Mid-century home overlooking the Narrows Bridge.

On one occasion, Ray called home late in the afternoon to say that a delegation of Japanese clients made an impromptu visit to the offices of Roman Meal and wanted to come to their home for dinner. "How soon" was the question. "In about an hour" was the shocking answer.

There wasn't time to go to the store.

When everyone arrived, the table was set with Jean's wonderful hand-throw pottery plates in the dining room with a view of the bridge. On the table were bowls and bowls of one wonderful thing after another. With yummy noises from every side of the table, the delegation tucked into their amazing dinner. Over coffee and desert, one of the Japanese visitors said, "That was so wonderful. What was it?" "Leftovers," deadpanned Jean.

The twist to the story is that every time the delegation came to Tacoma to meet with Ray at Roman Meal, they wanted to know if they could come over for "leftovers" again.

That about sums up Barb's refrigerator. One toothsome thing after another ready for a complete dinner or a midnight snack.

I didn't have to add much to finish off this meal. I whipped up some of my special fresh black bean salsa, bought some cilantro and sour cream, decanted all the wonderful things Barb had sent home with me into pretty bowls, got out my rectangular celadon plates, linen napkins and my Frank's Red Hot and voila ~ leftovers.

Delicious leftovers!

Refrigerators are really indicative of the people who live in the house. Barb's is full of everything required to make nearly every dish she might have in mind for the week. Mine is full of condiments: fresh bagels, cream cheese, capers, my smoked salmon, some Tillamook cheeses, Plochman's mustard, butter, whole milk. Not a single real meal in the whole ice box ~ except breakfast. I'm sure it says something about me; I'm just not sure what.

While I may not be able to whip up a meal at a moment's notice, I take comfort in this: Several years ago, I did a multi-year project for a Microsoft billionaire. He was famous for having a quart of freshly squeezed orange juice, 6 -8 different bottles of hand-crafted microbrews and half a dozen bottles of different mustards and nothing else in his refrigerator.

The refrigerator and leftovers. It's a mystery.

Day 26 Everyday Grateful ~  Ella Fitzgerald Singing

The Gershwin Songbook on the stereo,

the doors open to the back deck,

a sunny beautiful day.

Leftovers.

Thankful.

Planting the Pots on the Deck

Gawd, what a day! Ron and Karen came over. Many flats of annuals, some perennials, many bags of potting soil, a box containing several plastic bags of Miracle Grow, a couple of tarps. All the pots on the back deck were emptied. The soil was replaced, fertilized and fluffed within an inch of its life. Decisions were made. What goes where? Which goes with what? Waddayah mean, there are six more pots? Many were roped into the process including my darling exchange student from Saudi Arabia.

Warm. Sunny. And, the satisfaction of a completed project. Everyone participated including Ramses. He's all about being part of the action.

Then dinner. Karen whipped up an amazing medley of pasta, Alfredo sauce, shrimp, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, some garlic and onion. Sourdough bread warming in the oven. And, voila! Dinner.

And, not quite best of all but nearly ~ the first dinner of the year on the back deck. Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but, one of the best things about Seattle? No mosquitoes. You can actually sit outside and feel the air and not get dragged off by biting, sucking, itching insects. Like I said ~ we live in paradise.

And, the outdoor furniture? In my continuing quest for vintage and salvage. I bought the galvanized basket when I. Magnin's was closing. I think it was probably display piece; bought the glass top at Pier One; the chairs are Martha from Target and, the hurricane lantern? A complete score! Bought at a yard sale in Lewiston, Idaho on a scorching hot day in the summer when I was over taking care of my father. $42.

OMG ~ I had to sit down when I found the label ~ Chapman! Still in the line for $1500! 

Another reason to keep your eyes open. Amazing things are out there.

And, as we were going from pot to pot, one of the pots of daffodils was definitely saying, "see you next year." So I braided the greens and in a couple of weeks, when all the energy has gone back into bulbs, this pot will sleep until next spring.

The Champagne Sabre

My oldest son, known far and wide as The Bear, has a heightened sense of fun. When he's not being Mr. International Law Attorney in Milan, he's being Mr. Wine, Mr. Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil, Mr. LaScala, Mr. Lake Como, Mr. Italian Sensibility.

He is, in fact, Mr. Enchanted April.

And, Mr. Steeltrap Memory. At dinner, I never know whether we'll hear a full rendition of Monty Python's swallow and the coconut complete with all the voices or a thoughtful analysis of how the Italians ended up hanging out with Hitler. Fascinating young man.

A couple of years ago, I was visiting at Christmas and the following ensued:

"Here, hold this and follow me," he said, as he handed me a Champagne flute. We walked out onto the balcony. And, with a flourish, he hauls out a sabre. Yikes, I thought ~ that looks deadly.

"Now, get ready."

"Get ready for what?" I said.

"You'll know," he said. With a sweep of his arm, he quickly and firmly slid the saber up the neck of the bottle of DOC Prosecco and P*O*P! The entire cork with its cage and the neck of the bottle flew off and sparkling wine bubbled out into my flute.

I mean, how fun is that!!!

I am a firm believer in having a case (or, in these lean times, at least six bottles) of a nice Champagne or DOC Prosecco on hand to be able to celebrate any occasion large or small in style. Your best friend just decided to join the gym? Champagne. You've finished your taxes? Champagne. Your neighbor just met a lovely woman? You're gonna need Champagne. And, if you just can't think of how to spend a couple of hundred dollars, you might consider a Champagne sabre . . . or, a very large kitchen knife.

At the rate we are launching Champagne corks off my son's balcony, I predict, we will very soon have enough basketed corks to decorate the Christmas tree. Now, that is something to celebrate!

Cheers! Salute! Cin-Cin!

 

http://www.amazon.com/HomeAndWine-com-Laguiole-Champagne-Sabre/dp/B000U8CXK2

http://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Champagne-Bottle-with-a-Sword