Sunday, February 24, 2013

Social Weekend

For those of you reading regularly I'm a bit behind on my blogging and trying to catch up.  About two weeks ago Erin and I had a social weekend with our friends and family.  First was bowling on Friday night with friends at Lucky Strike Lanes.  The downtown location provides a hip atmosphere for drinks, snacks, and bowling.  However, finger foods and public bowling balls don't seem to make the most sanitary combination.  Erin and I had a good time, but had to leave before too long as we were pretty tired from the week of work.

Next, on Saturday night Erin and I met up with her parents for a night of dinner and theater.  For dinner we went to Rioja for a very nice meal.  We then walked over to the theater to watch Romeo and Juliet.  The actors performed well, but it's not a play I particularly enjoyed.  Maybe that's just because it's such a staple of our culture.  I'd prefer to see some adaptation like "Romeo & Juliet - Undead" where the star-crossed lovers return from their graves to exact revenge on their warring families.  In any case it was nice to get out for the night.

On Sunday we joined our Supper club at True Food Kitchen.  The restaurant works to be very green and healthy, but I didn't find my meal to be prepared all that well and the service was pretty slow.  I expected more.  The slow service did give us plenty of time to chat and enjoy the company of one of the couple's baby.

Altogether it was a very social weekend with lots of good friends, family, and food.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Birthday Weekend, Part 1

Three weeks ago it was Erin's birthday and we spent the full weekend celebrating.  We started Saturday morning with brunch at the Hornet with all of our friends.  Erin and I really enjoy going to the Hornet for their $2 build-your-own Bloody Marys and delicious meals.  Getting the Pupusas Rancheros is Erin's delight each time we go while I often enjoy their Bourbon Banana French Toast.  Sharing the experience with our friends made it all the better as we got to catch up on all the latest stories.

After brunch I took Erin to Jared for her pick of necklaces.  It was fun to see the different styles and I'm happy that she was able to find something that she really enjoyed.  Even though she had picked it out herself we still had them wrap it up so she could enjoy opening the present later.

That night we continued towards our goal of going out to each of the "25 Best Restaurants" noted in Denver's 5280 magazine.  That Saturday night I had made reservations at Luca D'Italia, one of the fancier restaurants on the list.  It started with valet parking and a hostess to take our coats.  The fanciness continued when the sommelier came to our table to help us pick out a bottle of wine for the meal we had selected.  The meal included several courses of small, delicious plates that we shared.  It was a long dinner and quite expensive (maybe even a bit over-indulgent), but it was fun to enjoy as a rare treat.

The Sunday morning was more low-key as Erin got to sleep in while I fixed some breakfast for her.  The weather seemed somewhat warm, so we decided to take the motorcycle out for a ride in the afternoon.  While it was nice to get out on the motorcycle the weather soon grew cold and all we could muster was a short ride to the store for some wine.

That night we continued the festivities at Erin's parents place where they were preparing her one of her favorite dishes: Lemon Chicken Picatta.  After drinks and a wonderful meal it was time to open presents as Mike and Susie showed their generosity.  With a delicious dessert and long goodbyes we were on our way home.

Unfortunately, Erin and I both had to work on Monday, the actual day of her birthday.  We made the most of it when we got home that evening by having dinner and opening the last of her presents that had been mailed to her.  It was nice to see all the cards and thoughtful gifts from everyone and it was fun to share in such good times.