It’s the week-end! That means it’s time for Diana’s Weekend Coffee Share! Do join in. No? Well, do not be shy and come and visit us, we are a lovely group, truly we are!
Okay. I lied. It is now Tuesday and I am finally sitting down to do this post! All good if you are no longer in the mood!
If we were having coffee I would start off by showing off the fabulous food I mentioned last time. Well some of it, anyway. I was jealous of my client’s pasta frittata and just so happened to have just enough spaghetti to make my own! Oh my. To be repeated, for sure. I totally forgot to take a picture of the flank steak with Emeril’s Creole Sauce. My bad. However, from the slice I stole, it was delicious, so guess what? I’ll be making it for me too soo!
If we were having coffee, I’d remember my manners and ask you what you would like? I have a whole slew of options, take your pick! I would then apologise for my tardiness. Seriously. Sunday is late enough for a week-end post, Monday would be sort of acceptable, but Tuesday? I think I’m pushing it! I will, however, carry on in hopes that you’ve chosen to stick around anyway…maybe I could bribe you with treats? I was about to make some nice chocolate-chip cookies. Interested?
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I had a lovely time with Patti on Tuesday evening, stuffing our faces with sushi and catching up on each other’s happenings. This was our official Christmas get-together so we came bearing gifts. Knowing she loves a good candlelit bath, I got her a selection of the new season’s scents; she likes to get me things she herself has discovered (lucky me!) so I got this wickedly-coloured lipstick and bronzer. I love when someone else gets you a new colour that you probably wouldn’t have bought for yourself. She calls it vampy! I said I don’t know if it would attract or scare away… Whaddaya think?
If we were having coffee, I’d tell you the rest of the week leading up to Saturday was just regular stuff and that’s okay because we can’t be on the go 24/7, right? Besides, I more than made up for the tranquility on Saturday and Sunday!
Friday was the only day that Zeke and I had a chance to go for one of our good walks. He just loves it when we go to “my” river because he can run free and occasionally play in the water. Thankfully he was smart enough this time to NOT go in! He was hilarious when he walked on the ice and realised it wasn’t necessarily as solid as it seemed! It was not the best day to take pictures – though I did anyway! Can’t help myself!
After my walk, and once Aidan got home, we went to Costco to get the ingredients I needed for my part of the Saturday Potluck taking place at my house as well as food for my customer. As I was walking towards the fruits and veggies, I told myself that it would be beyond fantastic if there were Meyer lemons. I swear, in this neck of the woods, Costco is the ONLY place that ever has them and they have a really short availability span! Well guess what? Happy dance!
These lemons are just so delicious and I was so hoping to get them because one of the dishes I wanted to prepare for Saturday was my scallop carpaccio. Yes, you can use regular lemons or even limes but the flavour you get from the Meyers… oh my! (See what I did there? Such a playa!)
If we were having coffee, I would tell you that one of the things that makes me the happiest is entertaining, having people over for dinner. A full house gives me tremendous joy. Getting together with high school friends? No words. We got together last summer a couple of times, first to see Al DiMeola at the Montreal Jazz Festival and then for a first (of many we all hope) potluck get-together at Martin’s. On New Year’s Day, while on Facebook, faffing around, Sylvie suggested it was time we try to get together again. I totally agreed and next thing you know, invitations were sent out for this coming Saturday (the 9th). We figured those who could, great and those who couldn’t, then next time! I’ve often found that the last minute get-togethers are amongst the most fun. Well, a fun time was indeed had by all!
I did indeed make my carpaccio and the same lentil soup you see above. For starters, Sylvie, who brought delicious meat pie and was the first to arrive, got put to work to help set the table then make the bocconcini-tomato skewers whilc I diced up tomatoes and stuff to make bruschetta. The next to arrive was Isabelle, who brought this delicious multi-layered chocolate cake, was set to work slicing the baguette. Chantal arrived next with her lovely fattoush salad. Right behind her were Marc and Martin, bearing chimichurri shrimp and, as our resident pirate, a bottle of rum! Barely were their coats off when Dany and Giselle arrived with her wonderful canneloni and finally Julie arrived with her fabulous apple and endive salad. Needless to say, pretty much all arrived with a bottle or two of wine, beer, and whatnot. There was food for a small army, of course! Not too many pictures of food were taken, sadly.
Once everyone had arrived and food placed in ovens, fridges, on top of whatever, we finally got ourselves ready for our Kir Royale toast! I did suggest we get away from the back but they insisted this was representative. All it looks like to me is I have a messy kitchen!
What a great-looking bunch, don’t you think? We cannot have graduated together waaaay back in 1981! We’re too young for that, aren’t we?
We laughed so much that evening, reminiscing, telling stories, joking around. I just live for these… After munching on the shrimp, bruschetta and skewers, we made our way to the dining room. Dany wanted to take a group shot with his camera, using his timer so voilà… La Gang en photo! I didn’t get the memo that the dress code was black or navy blue… sheesh.
We ended up hanging out together until the wee hours of the morning – 4:30 in the morning!
Come Sunday, oh wait, we were already Sunday! So… later in the day, I was lucky enough to spend the whole day with a friend, just enjoying each other’s company, no stresses, no agenda, no obligations. We blunched (closer to lunch then breakfast), sat in the local dive – oh the characters you can meet! and had delicious Cambodian food for supper. Another perfect day that stretched out into another late night! Sheesh!
Like so many, I was shocked and saddened by David Bowie’s death. It’s funny how an artist can affect so many different people. I would not consider myself a die-hard fan though I did enjoy his music enough to have gone to one of his concerts way back when. It’s strange. I was driving to the store to get a few missing ingredients for my client (who was fabulous in allowing me to deliver a day late!) listening to Shift with Tom Allen on CBC Radio 2, and he was playing music that honoured or represented Bowie. He then went on to say how Mozart’s Lacrimosa from his Requiem was a perfect piece to express Bowie’s theatricality and I couldn’t disagree with him. I actually got tears in my eyes…
I wish for you a most fabulous week… even though it’s almost half-way done!
Thank you Diana for hosting this gig every week!
Yes, I can honestly say it’s a shade of lipstick I would never have chosen for myself. 🙂 By the way, I think I may have spotted a typo in your post. You said you and your friends graduated in 1981, which is clearly not possible. Was it perhaps 2001?
I should hope not… not that there is anything wrong with it… 😉 Let’s just say that every time I saw myself in a mirror, I had a start!
Awww… you are so sweet. “Clearly not possible…” – guess we are doing all right as a group then!
Yep, you’re all doing fine. Always nice to see a group of twenty-somethings enjoying themselves. 🙂
Ha ha ha! I officially love you, Bun!
Aw shucks… (Blushes)
Good morning! I knew the reunion event would be grand … but this question came to mind … is most of the talk in English or French?
Now, about that picture … are you trying to give me a heart attack?
Good morning! The talk is about 75% French, though many of us are perfectly bilingual.
Too much?
Oh no … not too much … being that I figured most of the group would be bilingual, I was curious about what was spoken. … but the smiles in the picture cross all language barriers.
So… I’ll keep the lips? 😉
There were no barriers that night, that’s for sure!
A keeper …. and being around good people makes life so much easier.
True that!
Good morning, Signore!
… Good morning .. (Damn, I forgot that!)
Hi Dale, what a lovely lipstick color. I would say go for it. Oh Meyer lemons, good stuff indeed. I am growing them in my backyard; well there is a tree but I have yet to see a lemon on it.
Why thank you! It is quite bright!
Oh! I do hope your tree gives generously!!
I certainly hope so too; maybe this summer…
Fingers crossed!
That color looks maaarvelous on you! Looks like you had so much fun with your classmates! I was admiring your kitchen – I have pendant lights over my island as well! And thank you for the beautiful video – what a touching tribute; brought tears to my eyes as well! Have a good rest of your week, sunshine! 🙂
Hey there Kelly! Why thank you! We had a blast! It is the best part of the house and I shall miss it terribly once I sell it!
Happy you agreed that it was a touching tribute! I love being referred to as sunshine!
Well, wherever you land, your sunshiny self will make any kitchen a nice place to be! You inspire me with your cooking! I try, but it’s just not my thing, Dale. I just have to accept it one of these days, honestly! My family knows too… they just want me to stay out of the kitchen! LOL!
Ahhh..thanks.
Well your writing sue inspired me, Kelly! We just have to accept our gifts and less fabulous traits!
Thanks, Dale – yes, you are right 🙂
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE LIPS. YOU LOOKED SO COOL IN YOUR RED DRESS, RED LIPS, HIGH-HEELED SNEAKERS AND FISHNETS WHILE WE TANGO-ED THE NIGHT AWAY. SMASHING!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! THANK YOU! WE DID INDEED HAVE A SMASHING GOOD TIME! XOXO
YOU ROCK, MISSY D.
XOXOXOXOXplus
As do you!!! XOXOXO
I like it (the shade of lipstick). All that food (and mention of food) has made me very hungry. It sounds and looks like a rollicking good time, and the music you posted was sad and beautiful. I was not a die-hard fan, either, but did see Bowie in concert a couple of times. I think what I admire most about him is that he didn’t compromise when it came to his art. Not even at the end.
Thank you for the coffee, and for the glimpse of snow and ice on your walk. We have the winter temperatures, but no snow to show for it. I miss the snow.
Thanks, Robin! So happy you stopped by. That lipstick… I didn’t dare wear it to work!
It was a most wonderfully rollicking good time indeed – can’t wait for the next one!
I think that’s what most admired about Bowie and he had such class until the end…
I actually like snow in winter…
I do too! We used to live in the snowbelt below Lake Erie where we would get 100+ inches of snow most years. It doesn’t snow much where we’re living now. There are more sunny days, but it’s not as much fun. I enjoyed cross-country skiing or just walking in the woods after a good snowfall.
Fun stuff!
What fun with great friends and good food, I love a good gathering too! And I love your lipstick colour too, although I am so weird about brighter colours, always loving them on others but hating them on me. But then I’m weird about a lot of things – necklaces, scarves, that kind of thing, ha!! And your dining room colours are the same as my kitchen/diner – great minds and all that 🙂 I remember shopping at Costco, great place! You bring so much fun and joy to your posts Dale, just what I need on a dark, cold winter’s day. Thank you!
Hey there Sherri! So this is the 3rd comment (and final!) that was in my Spam folder. Bloody hell!
Thanks. Every time I wear it and happen to catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror, I am taken aback! A little less so now but oy, when you are not used to bright…
Yes, great minds indeed!
I am very happy you enjoy my posts. I just put myself into them so, I like to think we are sitting side by side on a couch, sipping whatever beverage the hour allows it to be! 🙂
You found me, yay! I knew I was probably lurking in there somewhere, ha! Bloody hell is right! I will be okay now that you’ve set me free, hooray!! I hope it doesn’t happen again though, it’s been a few times now..thank you!!!
Haha…yes, and after the spam hassles, I think it should be shared bottle of wine. Well, it is lunchtime, for me at least, lol 😀 Have a great weekend Dale, so glad to be in touch again!! xo
Yay indeed! Liberation is great and I’m in for the bottle of wine!
You too, Sherri!
Seems like you need to extend the weekend out to Tuesday, Dale. You won’t hear me complaining about that! I love my long weekends!
Thanks Tom! Couldn’t agree more! Glad you don’t object!
Phew! I’m feeling bloated and all coffee’d out after that! It’s great being a voyeur though. Sounds like a lovely gathering.😊 Px
Ha ha! Voyeur Patsy – your new name!
Not in a creepy way though…. 😉Mwah (without lipstick!)
Oh good..I prefer the non creepy kind… Mwaa (I wiped it off!)
What a delightful coffee date.
Why thank you!!
Vampy lipstick, Meyer lemons, good friends and good eats sounds like one level of paradise:). So glad to see you so happy and enjoying life! Your attitude always inspires me.
Looking at your profile pic, I’d say those lips are pretty vampy too! Seriously, the little things in life can bring so much joy, dontcha think? Life is beautiful and I thank you for letting me know I can be inspiring!
I am an admitted lipstick fanatic:)!
I should show you mine…I was/am a Mary Kay rep…