September 16, 2009 -- el grito trumped by Eva's birthday

Even though we're not officially celebrating and saying Viva Mexico at 9pm on the 15th of September for el Grito (the celebration of Mexican independence that begins the night before with fireworks and partying in every town in the country and probably in some areas of the US as well), we are celebrating the birth of Eva on the 16th. She however, does not believe that one day is enough recognition and so she wants a whole week devoted to her coming into the world. We negotiated and came to a 3-day window of activity in her honor. Next year, when she turns 50, I may not be so lucky!!!

We began the day before with some shopping (and we'd done some last week so she is well outfitted for her celebrations) and a dinner out that included stuffed baked clams, an Italian delicacy which she adores and which, it turns out, is not all that easy to find in the suburbs of Chicago. We did find them at Cafe Lucci in Glenview, which also served a mean caprese salad, tiramisu, and calamari. Not to mention Campari for Eva and for Sandy, her resussitated love, vodka gimlets!

Wednesday, the actual day of birth, started with a Korean lunch with sister-in-law Tricia and dear friend Linda, then pedicures, and finally dinner in Chicago with Marilla and Rhodri at Carnivale. I'd asked for casual and spicy and Marilla picked out this spot, which besides having a Latin flair is green, so it's good for the planet. "Good for the planet" seems to by my watchword lately and is the only cause which I support wholeheartedly. All the political stuff and other do-good or charitable stuff does not move me in the way that taking care of and even saving our planet does. And most of the news happening on this planet is so negative and awful that I prefer to think only about good things and helpful ones. Anyway, our dinner was fabulous and varied and the venue made us feel Latin all over again.

Thursday, the spillover day, was spent leisurely sleeping in (or as 'in' as our geriatric dog that we're watching allows which is closer to 7am than 10am!!), relaxing, Eva getting a massage from someone who didn't suck, going out for sushi for lunch, and finally having a wonderful dinner out with one of Eva's favorite people... her nephew/godson Vince, at a new Greek restaurant in Winnetka called Avli where they serve the most delicious dessert we'd never heard of -- chocolate baklava. All in all, a grand celebration and a new watch to round it all out.

Septemmber 11, 2009 dinner and remembrance

It's been 8 years since THE 9/11 and it seems a distant memory, but one we remembered and toasted last Friday night. The toast was for peace, which seemed quite appropriately offered by our hostess, Vickie, but in hindsight, the toast was meant to be for getting along, liking and caring about each other, and protecting one another against anything that remotely resembles the events of THAT September 11th, 2001. It was such a horrendous day -- we still cringe as we recall watching the events on TV after barely returning from little brother David's wedding on Cape Cod -- that we choose to forget our sadness and fear and focus on the last eight years of "safety" despite its cost to our freedoms. We hope to keep having these bifurcated thoughts for many years to come.
Vickie and her husband Clint prepared an interesting meal from two very different palates. Vik has become a vegatarian lately, prefering not to eat anything with a parent. Clint is a man after Eva's heart, a true carnivore. So, they served red meat with a vegetarian tart and an organic salad, which was of course followed by deep dark chocolate cake with ice cream!! Everyone raved about it all and devoured every bit.
One highlight of the evening for me was that Clint, a bartender of renowned and talent, remembered that my favorite drink has been for decades a vodka gimlet and had mixed some up. Ah indeed, what a fabulous drink!!!! I recommend vodka gimlets to everyone as the perfect drink -- vodka, Roses' Lime Juice, and shaken cold to be served over ice. Easy and refreshing and delicious and drinkable for an entire evening or lifetime. Then today, Sunday, I was reading the September 14 issue of the New Yorker and what do I find, but a paean to vodka gimlets called "Easy Cocktails from the Cursing Mommy" by Ian Frazier under Shouts and Murmers (for the whole article go to http://www.newyorker.com/). A quick excerpt says "Anyway, as I was saying, making this particular drink , which happens to be a vodka gimlet, is simplicity itself, once you know how. Plus it's so delicious! The tangy tartness of the lime juice combined with the antiseptic astringency of the icy-cold vodka -- wonderful." Check it out and be SURE to have backup bottle of Roses on hand at all times. hehe