Saturday Night at the Beach

Jill, Lenny, Michael and I went to Sun and Surf last night to meet the Trotti family for dinner. Sun and Surf is their beach club, it's right next to ours.

We ate outside: Spicy shrimp, turkey club, burgers, salad, chicken sandwiches and lots of drinks. We walked along the beach to get there and went back the same way, of course, the latter walk was in the DARK. Thank god Michael knows where he's going!

The food was good and the conversation was lively. We had a really good time and decided that we should do this more often. It was very nice of the Trotti family to invite us!

We are going back to the beach today and dinner has not been discussed yet...

Tonight, Tonight...

Tonight I made Frenched lamb chops with rosemary on the grill. Everyone loved them! Also made creamed spinach...likewise...a hit. And with the water that I blanched the spinach in, I made soup.

Now I am doing all of the laundry on Ryan's floor so Margo can function with him tomorrow and finish packing.

PS: Jesse came over for dinner and it was great to see him smile and laugh and eat. He even mentioned that his overly long math class was only on Thursdays and he could deal with it!

Beach this weekend...

One More Day in Ithaca

I am leaving Ithaca tomorrow. But today, I have one more day in Ithaca.

I love spending time with our family up here...with their friends...with the environment...with Wegmans (god I love that supermarket). I have been there every day since I've gotten here :)

Yesterday, Ryan and I shopped for his bbq, then he went to court to fight a parking ticket and Chrysalis and I prepared his food. We made: Greek pasta salad, pesto pasta salad, veggies on skewers, turkey burgers and marinated tofu.

Later I cooked it all on the grill along with veggie burgers (from the package) and all went well. My first experience grilling. Lots of firsts for me up here :)

His party was fun and all his friends are sweet and cute and they laugh a lot. I left about 9 with Chrysalis to go to Uriah's birthday party at his parents home. That was fun too. His family is great. His grandpa was in construction and built the Fairfax Bridge and Washington Bridge, among many other things. Very interesting man. His grandma is funny and witty and great to talk to. His mom and dad are welcoming and warm. It was very nice to be included.

After they played canasta (I watched, what do I know about card games?), we went downtown to Madeline's for bourbon night (Leslie's dad would have loved it). I had cabernet (party pooper). They have a wide selection of single malt scotch too.

Today Ryan and I are shopping for his last minute items (toiletries, backpack, etc.). Tonight maybe we'll go see Sim Redmond on the Commons. And tomorrow is home :)

Marinara

First attempt at fresh tomato sauce went pretty well.

Set a pot of water to boil, collected tomatoes, basil (also from Margo's garden), garlic, salt, olive oil. Blanched each tomato for about 20 seconds and the skins were really easy to peel off. Then scooped out the seeds, cut up the meat of the tomato and added them to the pan of chopped garlic sauteing in olive oil. Cooked it down, added salt and pepper and some more olive oil.

Served over rigatoni, it was good, flavorful but a bit sweet for me. I left it to cook down more and when Margo came home it was a better thickness.

Tonight Ryan is having a going away bbq and he has asked me to help. So whatever he needs I will do for him :)

Tomorrow Chrysalis wants Frenched Lamb chops with rosemary. I will try to make them on the grill which I have never done, but I think they'll be really good that way. And I will probably make Ryan his creamed spinach too (from fresh spinach with heavy cream etc).

Hoping Jesse is having a good day :)

In Ithaca

We are here! With our family! Brought Jesse to school yesterday. Moved in, unpacked, shopped.

Went to dinner last night at The Ale House in downtown Ithaca. Great Food! Chrysalis and I ordered the same thing (of course) grilled cheese with tomato soup (Jill would have ordered the same as well). Mike had a blackened haddock po-boy, my Michael had grilled chicken caesar and really good onion soup (made with 5 kinds of onion and topped with a fried onion ring), Ryan ordered Greek flatbread pizza (my second choice)and Uriah had a giant, overloaded burger. Varied selection of beers (Joe would have appreciated those).

Tonight I will attempt fresh marinara sauce with tomatoes from Margo's garden.

Michael left this morning and I am coming home Friday.

So far, so good :)

The Last Supper

Our last night together before Jesse goes to college...

Jesse requested dinner at 6pm...steak (skirt steak teriyaki), cous cous (garlic) and spinach (sauteed with garlic-my choice, not his, but he ate it).

My boys are now at the gas station, filling up, checking oil, air pressure, etc...

Michael spent today running around buying Jesse emergency supplies for the car, and things like windex, washer fluid, anti-freeze, etc...Then he came home and packed all of Jesse's stuff into 2 enormous duffles (soft trunks). Plus there's more stuff that can't/won't fit. Good thing we're taking two cars.

Leaving tomorrow...sad and exciting.

PS: Dinner last night at Joe and Denise's was all I thought it would be...salmon, chicken sliders, pin wheel steak, antipasto salad, potato salad, guacamole, olives, cheese, broccoli rabe with white beans, shrimp salad and wine and great company :)

Tonight

Tonight Michael's mom came for dinner. I made chicken cutlet, risotto bianco and Greek salad. Staples in our house, and she liked everything!

I had plans today to do at least one million things, but ended up on the computer for hours, which I have never done before. I was hoping from one site to the next, looking for the best prices and ways to buy Jesse's college textbooks. Quite involved. But finally done. Most sent directly to his dorm and some he can pick up in his school bookstore.

Tomorrow, I have a million and one things to do...