Lunching with Bev.

 A long natter, a few hugs and a nice opportunity to spend some time together.

We do like good food and we certainly ate well at lunch today and it was amazing to see what they had done re-purposing and rebuilding  an old mill.

It was our first, and hopefully not the last, lunch since George's funeral.   Having made the trip in the past with Paul I found the drive easy even with the 2 detours for road construction.  I must however bone up on north, south, east and west.  They neglected to put up signs that said....hey Elizabeth this is the way to Cambridge don't worry what direction you need to turn.   I noted landmarks for the trip home.

Cambridge Mill

Bev with her soup of the day.  Cream of broccoli and potato.

My spring garden salad with Ice wine vinaigrette. Loved the mushrooms.

Chicken, cilantro and white cheese stone baked pizza.  Mine.

Bev.'s was mushroom.

Seeing as I was driving and passed on the wine I felt it necessary to have dessert.  Lavender panna cotta with pistachio biscotti.  The coffee was excellent. I had seconds.

View from out table.  Some rain drops on the window.  The rain lasted all of 3 minutes.

Slightly different angle.

On offering today...

 You can click on the recipe to make it more readable, I just scanned the one I had cut from the newspaper.  Far easier than typing it out and less chance of error.  The photo is mine.  I will be making it again but next time I will let the pears ripen a bit more.  I seem to have a problem with pears.  I rush.  I didn't have any almond extract so I doubled the vanilla.

 Yesterday Margaret and I took another bus trip with Redeemer College, this time to Niagara on the Lake to see My Fair Lady .  
A back stage tour and lunch were included as well as a lecture on Monday evening. Costumes were amazing, sets inventive and cast delightful.  A grand day out.

This is a fine example of what happens when you hit the take picture button instead of the turn off button.  At least it's in focus.

Bus trip #2

This time Stratford On. for a Saturday matinee of Kiss Me Kate. I booked myself a ticket to the lecture and show on a last minute whim and Margaret, who loves live performances and music, joined me.

The gardens in front still look nice even this late in the year.

A brown bag lunch was included - fresh turkey, tomato and cheese sandwich, apple, huge chocolate chip cookie and water.

We had a chance to visit the gift shop between lunch and the show and afterwards I got a chance to meet The Bard himself. He wasn't giving autographs.

Some of the critics didn't like the over the top production but I loved the singing, the costumes, the staging .... everything including a fun day out with Margaret.

Street Walking

Margaret and I skipped the gym this morning and headed out early stopping first on Ottawa Street to wander through antique shops. She was after handmade doilies and was quite successful. I just looked at pretty things that I happily left for someone else to dust.

There is the most fantastic artist co-op that opened recently, AllSorts Gallery , where I could have spent a fortune if only my lottery numbers had come up last night.

Driving across town we finally got around to eating lunch at 3ish at the Cheese Shoppe on Locke. Fabulous sandwiches on fresh from the oven baguettes : grilled vegetable with goat cheese, chicken salad with apple slices. We shared. We were stuffed so had to pass on dessert!

Locke Street was once the place for antiques and junk shops but has now gone upscale. There are fewer shops to visit, some having moved to Ottawa St. where the rents are cheaper.

We shop well together and even seeing each other 3 mornings a week manage to find something to natter on about.

....and I did buy. I got a pair of earrings at the artist co-op on Locke : Textures

I could do this over and over and over again

We met Bev. and George in 2006 on a tour in France that included a canal trip in Burgundy. We bonded over fabulous meals and more glasses of wine than I care to remember.

Since then we get together as often as possible ( we live in different cities ) to catch up, eat fabulous food and yes, drink wine.

This time it was the Sole Restaurant and Wine Bar in Waterloo Ontario. I started taking food photos on that trip in France so it was only fitting that I drag out my camera before taking my first bite.
I had .... pan seared sea scallops with bacon and wild mushroom cream topped with parmesan shards.

Then I had ...... grilled chicken, pesto, mozzarella, roasted red pepper, dried tomatoes and pecorino cheese pizza.

I finished with .... orange creme brulee ( with brandy )

We talked, we laughed, the others cleaned their plates. I brought home half the pizza.


Sole restaurant link