Monday, May 31, 2010

Perfect weekend. Perfect!

First, I want you to have the full experience so please scroll all the way down to engage the playlist. Then come on back up.


You know how sometimes the planets line up in perfect order, the circumstances are just right, the pieces fall into place, and everything goes your way with practically no effort on your part at all? It's a gift from the heavens in the form of a perfect day. I love it when that happens. Who doesn't love it when that happens?

I got three of these perfect-day-gifts in a row. What an amazing weekend!

Over the course of Thursday and Friday I got my errands done, paperwork handled, the house cleaned, refrigerator stocked, checkbook balanced, and baby loved. Amidst this activity there was time made for some self-indulgence: Ada & I took a nap on a rainy afternoon, I buffed, scrubbed, plucked and polished in preparation for our Saturday date, and I went to my most favorite clothing store to get an outfit for our Saturday date. This last effort resulted in some shoes so cute I can hardly keep myself from wearing them 24/7.  With all of my chores done, I was free to play (another feeling I love a lot).

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Fresh peonies on my dresser.

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I drank crap like this and I liked it!

Saturday morning we packed up the wee one and drove off to the East Bay. Ada stayed with Grammy & Grampy while Mommy & Daddy had a very special date. Tim planned the whole day and I had no idea what we were doing except for that I knew we were headed for Napa. My man is a good man.

First stop: Del Dotto

There was beautiful opera playing throughout the place. The cool of the caves contrasted the warmth outside. The earthy scent of grapes artfully transitioned into wine waiting to be savored hung in the air. The cave tour began with this stunning scene:

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Our guide deftly used his thief to deliver, amongst other things, the only cabernet franc I've ever liked. It's a future and we bought it.

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The end of our tour - a glass and a half of wine and, given the surroundings, I'm feeling very romantic.

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It was a gorgeous day so we drove around a bit:

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We stopped in to one of our favorites for a tasting. It's been a whole 10 months since we've been there.

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On to lunch at Bouchon. Rated one of the top 100 Bay Area restaurants, it did not disappoint. Kushi oysters with champagne. Who knew lamb could taste like that? I love any dessert made with rosemary. My new shoes waiting outside the restaurant:

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Tim gave me my Mothers Day present. Lisa Leonard made this necklace and I LOVE IT!!  My man is a good man. Did I already say that?


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We got to Grammy and Grampy's to hug and kiss our girl, who had a very good day. Rob let me borrow two boxes of cookbooks that were her mothers. Some of them date back to 1913! Sweet lord. So funny, some of them say things like "Crisco. It's Digestable!" and "...the woman who is too busy to sift her flour before measuring it may add as much as 1/2 cup to her cake and ruin it." Man, they didn't hold back with the kind of truth that makes you feel like a lazy loser.

By the time we got home the Lucas family was waiting for us! JOY!! I love visiting with friends.

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The last time we saw then we had gone to their home in Seattle. Tim L and I were both sick while both Patricia and I were both pregnant. You might think that we don't sound like a fun bunch. Actually, our first night there we stayed up until 3 or 4 catching up and chatting. Now, we trade stories about baby raisin' are in bed by 10 o'clock with the excuse that it's so the babies can sleep but we all know better - we are exhausted.

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Tim and Tim knew each other since med school. I'm not even going there with the stories because it's rude to rat out a friend but let's just say that seeing these two guys pushing strollers with their daughters in them? Hysterical!

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Perhaps our girl will be competitive? She was certainly inspired to see Sophia toddling all over the place. So she gave it a try. Look out!!

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Ada is walking so fast the camera can't keep up with her. Seriously, folks? That took all of 4 days to develop!


And the weekend isn't even over yet!
I love this life.