Now where was I?

Oh yes, I had finished the PDX trip post and we had friends over for dinner the night after we got home... Sheila & Mary, Laure (with new baby Hugo and six year old Alix) and Lee and Neil - just a nice evening of friends gathered on the occasion of the introduction of Hugo to the Chicago friends.

We had some good wines to go along with crab lasagne, green beans, salad and a cherry almond crostada for dessert....

Then the gang got together at Sheila & Mary's place on Saturday and grew when Arno arrived from NYC and Ross & Dario from St Louis (where they moved two weeks ago) with four year old Andrea in tow... the kids played; the adults drank and ate and talked and talked and talked....

the meal was Sheila's fabulous smoked ribs and chicken with a terrific rice salad and slaw and Mary's famous Tres Leches cake... all yum - along with some spectacular wines transported by us but a gift to the group event from Neil - 1976 and 1978 burgundies!

Then we started our first leg of the farewell tour - with dinner at Orange Garden - old old old place in the hood for Chinese and Bien Me Sabe - the new-ish Venezuelan place in the hood....

Then tonight we joined the Chicago Gourmets dining club for a dinner at the Duck Inn... good duck as always...

the regular menu from the Duck Inn- front and back -

Chef Kevin Hickey (shown below) explained how the name was taken from a diner his family ran in the neighborhood in the early decades of the 20th century and how his dad still lived nearby and his dad's bowling trophy is in the bar here.  He grows produce in his dad's yard.  He also gave some of the history of the tavern where the Duck Inn is now located... fun background info!

the wines poured - we had talked about bringing our own but decided against it- I had the red and it was drinkable - have no idea about the white...LOL

these flowers (at each table) were from Don Newcomb's garden- he always does the most lovely arrangements!

The mural is called Duck Under Water--- 

the kitchen hard at work -

the menu for the evening-

a vinyl collection in the bar provides many choices for background music -

and tomorrow night a collaboration dinner with Spiaggia and Osteria Langhe, after we attend at least part of the condo board meeting.... having some fun now! LOL and then the following night a fund raiser dinner at Monteverde (for the Chicago Food Depository) so more to follow as always.  Then we need to stay home a night or two to pack for our trip to the Republic of Georgia.

zoom zoom zoom.... and not the Mazda one - this is the sound of time flying by and the upcoming arrival of Florida time.... stay tuned!