Sunset on Sunday

Hello there,

Well it has been quite a weekend and with the sun setting I thought it was a perfect time to pause and reflect on the past 3 days. Wow what a roller coaster. I don't know if I mentioned, but last week I got a new desk chair at the office. We had gotten this chair "made for larger people" and it was not cheap and let me tell you, it was crap. It died fast than a bee losing its' stinger. So we tossed it because the last week or so of using it was like being on a Tilt-A-Whirl at the carnival. So out it went and in came a Serta chair complete with memory foam and it is quite comfortable. One of the last things Trista did. Friday was her last day and oh my did we get to have fireworks as Barb decided to show up on her day off - not a good idea when they did not like each other and well, Trista had nothing to lose. I opted to stay way out of the way and even Debi used the opportunity to pop down and chat for a while. But at least it is done and done and now tomorrow we begin anew with Debi and I am quite excited.

The girls in the back did decide they wanted to do something and so we had a potluck and my cucumber, tomato, mozzarella salad was a hit and the only dish to be completely consumed. It seems that a lot of them changed their minds and went for simple and cheap and no brainer stuff and that was sad. Mine showed I had taken the time to slice and arrange and marinade the salad. I can feel good in that I did what I said I would.

While I had hoped to get out of the office by 2pm, it was closer to 3pm before I was heading south toward Longview. Traffic was pretty heavy and by the time I got to the rest stop south of Olympia, I so needed to take 10 and just let my eyes rest and breath a bit. Back on the road and made good time not speeding as extra patrols were out for the "slow down or pay up" campaign they are doing. Got to Longview by 5:50pm knowing that the dinner started at 7:30pm. Kept going and got to really enjoy a lovely drive along Hwy. 30 on the Oregon side taking me into Astoria. Arrived just after 7pm allowing enough time to quickly freshen up and get Michael and his friend Betty over to dinner at the Bridgewater Bistro.

We arrived and went upstairs. Michael was taking it slow and steady and while you can tell he is tired a bit and lost some weight I was quite pleased to see him out and about. Betty is gearing up for a knee surgery so she took it slow as well. Tony, one of the owners knew both Michael and Betty and greeted them and we took our seats with two couples - Clem & Nancy plus Linda & David. The former were a delight and could talk to all night. The latter were pompous and rude and they could slither back to Portland for all I cared. In fact, Clem was an Olympian for the US Track & Field Team back in 1948 in London in the 1500 meter. Interesting fellow and his wife was a joy and we just had fun all night. I quite enjoyed back slapping Linda over and over without her ever figuring it out. Oh well, the dinner soon began.

Anticipation ran high as Eric Nisley from Dry Hollow Vineyards lead us on our journey through the wines. Their vineyard's annual production is 750 cases. That is about the production of one day at some of the bigger places. They mostly sell at their vineyard and ship. Some shops are beginning to carry their product, but very selectively. We kicked off the evening with a Chardonnay 2008 and then Enjoyed an Estate Merlot 2008. The former is just not my thing but was drinkable. It worked with the salad but the latter was quite cherry flavored and worked nicely with the second course. I'll get to food in a moment. He then jumped to a Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 that was luscious and held up nicely even for being young and then surprised us all by opening a bottle from his library of 2005 Cab. What a treat. Then, as if to really keep it rolling the next course had an Estate Syrah 2008 and it was just a real crowd pleaser and then he goes and pulls out a 2004 - no longer available as less than 10 bottle are left and treats us to a taste. Can we just dial 911-Heaven! He polished of the evening with a dessert wine form The Pines Vineyard located next door to his. It was a Sweet Sierra and it was quite good.

As wonderful as the wines were I so wish I could report the same of the food and I cannot. It was a classic case of where the chef just went way too overboard and was trying to match too many flavors to the dinner. STOP! Let one of two pop and blend. Where to begin...the "spring salad" could have been light and fun but 8 plus items in it from Dungeness crab that was miss prepared with way too much garlic to "mozzarella pearls" - whatever those were to be to apple discs and grape tomatoes and the shave gold and red beets plus the salad douched in olive oil - UGH! Then tossed in some alfalfa sprouts...stop the madness. It was so bad the Chardonnay shined! Then the next course got mixed up and they served the Rhubarb and Merlot Sorbet. Why so soon. It was slated for between the 2nd and 3rd course and they put it after the first. What ever, who knew what would happen next. I don't think anyone really knew. We just went with it. After the sorbet, the Quail an Vin arrived stuffed with brie, marionberries, onions and Oregon truffles. It was served with a sauce vin rouge. Surprisingly it held up to the cherry taste in the Merlot and in the end was my favorite course. So with three courses to go and this was my favorite = Ouch!

They tried something interesting and that was a Pork and Porcini "Osso Bucco" style that was served on a bed of spaghetti. So much hope and yet so cold by the time we got it that it was unenjoyable. More and more food was being left on the plate, not a good sign. But hey the Cab was awesome and we just talked wine. Then came the most anticipated dish - Zucchini Dumpling. Stuffed with foie gras and buffalo mousseline served with golden beets and a Syrah demi-glace sauce. It arrived and the strips of zucchini had been cut no more than a half-inch wide and "woven" into the outer layer like a basket. It "looked" amazing and then you tasted it. I say this with all sincerity - it was wretched. Where was the foie gras? The zucchini basket was a lovely idea and what Lynne Pelletier put in there was horrid. The buffalo was too intense for what she wanted to do. Yes, it is a flavor that could stand with a Syrah, but not like this.

Dessert was approaching and was a Wild Huckleberry "Bete Noir" and all I can say was that while it was described as a dark chocolate molten cake with blue huckleberry-zinfandel sauce with whipped cream on top, it was pretty sad to have Tony fess up that parts of it came from Safeway because Ann, their usual chef had another commitment. They knew this was happening for months, why not prepare. Why resort to Safeway. But the Sweet Sierra was a delight and we all were laughing and well, the night was done. Three hours of food and wine and talking, heck we even found out Eric, the wine maker's day job is being the DA for Wasco County.

We made our way back to the hotel and to sleep quite quickly. Michael and Betty wanted to have breakfast as Betty was beginning a new chapter in her life Saturday by moving to Oregon to be closer to her daughter, son-in -law and granddaughter. I let them have some time and then headed down for a quick bite before hitting the road. Wanted to get back by noon or so to avoid the throngs of people arriving for the Sounders game and then the Mariner's game. It was almost perfect, but did park by 12:15pm. Spent the afternoon being domestic and getting things caught up, even got a nap in. Enjoyed a special on PBS last night about the development of the power station up at Snoqualmie Falls.


Today was a lovely day and got to chat with Ani in California and then do a few more chores before hosting Catan and then on to dinner. The above is a picture of some lovely flowers Moonsong brought to celebrate spring. Bluebells, lilacs, Azalea and Rosemary all make for a lovely centerpiece. Well, I have rambled and it is growing late. Time to read a bit and call it a night. Cheers!