Jill’s party

After such a busy weekend last week, we kept it subdued this weekend with only one social engagement. Not Friday, nice and simple pizza and salad night, then we continued the reversal of our usual pattern of me watching TV and Jill on the computer as she’s very interested in watching the Winter Olympics and I’m in the middle of a massive music project.

Saturday Jill was out for a while, so I got some in some TV, then we switched. At night we went to her company’s annual party, this year held in the National Air and Space Museum annex. We came in and they were taking pictures, the one we got came out ok for me, good for Jill.

Us

Except for being held right next to the SR-71 Blackbird, it was run very much like my company’s party last month, rounds of appetizers, a buffet for dinner, and speeches and awards. I preferred the food here, though Jill liked the food at my company’s party better (I was a big fan of the egg rolls and roast beef). In addition to having free rein to walk around the museum, the simulators and IMAX were open to us and we took advantage and rode the Wings flight simulator, ’twas fun (I would have tried the one that went upside down but didn’t have a chance until after dinner and I had a feeling that wouldn’t have worked well). Before we left, I had to get a photo of that sleek, sexy creature I was next to all night.

Jill and BB

Today was another day at home, but I kept busy, mostly with my project. For dinner I marinated pork chops in this and made black and green beans to go with it, came out pretty well. Then we watched 24 before Jill headed to bed.

VD Weekend

Friday both of us were pretty wiped, so I made a quick dinner of roasted chicken with BBQ sauce, baked potatoes and sauteed asparagus. We watched the Olympic opening ceremonies then made it to bed before we fell asleep downstairs (shame that Rush got preempted, ’cause the new version of “We Are The World” was terrible).

Saturday we got up early enough so a painting contractor could come by to give us an estimate, then I ran some errands. Jill didn’t see me bring in the six bags of groceries, but she did catch me taking her flowers in, but she says she earned it because our first VD she got them later. Soon we headed into DC, Metro was fully open. I’d wanted to do lunch at the Pizzeria Paradiso in Georgetown, but WTOP reported traffic there was a mess, so we headed to the original Dupont location, since they still had a fair amount of beer. We started with the Insalata Italiana, then split the Bosco pizza (nice with added sausage). The beer was good, the standout was the “dessert beer” we shared: Brooklyn Cookie Jar Porter.

Next we went over to the Kennedy Center, where 2/3s of GrooveLily was doing a free performance at the Millennium Stage as part of a Broadway: Today & Tomorrow series. The trio’s found new life as musical creators, and the show featured pieces from their musicals Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes, Long Story Short and Toy Story. It was great and over far too soon, and we headed back home where Jill watched Olympics and I surfed.

Sunday I took Illa for a walk in snow so deep he got stuck and I had to pull him out. In the late afternoon we returned to DC for dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s The Source. Puck isn’t there, but they turn out some damn fine food. We were a bit early so we went to the bar where Jill had a glass of sparkling wine and I had a pear cocktail. We were soon seated and checked out their special VD menu. While I was away from the table, our waitress broke Jill’s glass while gathering up the unused glasses and dumped her wine into her lap. Jill was ok, but the waitress insisted on bringing us both glasses of pricey champagne, which was nice (it also got me a second glass of sake later).

After the amuse bouche of sushi that Jill actually ate (I was surprised), my first course was the “General Tso’s Style” Quail while Jill had a sushi roll with her favorite cooked sushi, both good. She has the seared scallop while I had the surf and turf sushi roll for the second (Kobe beef and lobster). I think we both really enjoyed the next course, where she had duck two ways (including roasted Peking Duck in a steamed Bao bun) and I had lamb two ways (the stir fried Colorado lamb in a lettuce cup was so good even Jill liked it). The dessert of chocolate four ways was excellent as well.

Today we were up early to get to Whitetail soon after it opened. We skied together for a couple runs, then we split up. I did some of the blues, but my favorite was the black “Far Side” on, yes, the far side of the resort. On the way back we stopped at the Buffalo Wing Factory for takeout, Extra Hot and Spicy Honey Garlic Butter for Jill, 911 and General Tso’s for me. Then more Olympics for Jill and computer for me, then I made hot dogs for dinner (I’d wanted to go to Windy City Red Hots for lunch, but they aren’t open on Mondays).

Snowpocalypse 2: Snowmageddon

I was out of the office early on Friday as soon as snow started sticking to the parking lot. I think I left a little early, as accumulation didn’t start for a while at home, and Jill was able to get home safely a couple hours later. I made her favorite winter meal, Cheese and Hot Pepper Chicken, and we shoveled what was there before we went to bed.

Saturday morning we woke to a winter wonderland. I shoveled the steps and sidewalk, then took Illa for a walk. I made oatmeal cherry pancakes for breakfast, then we did another shovel run. I made a gingered chicken dish Jill wasn’t too fond of, then surfed for a while. We shoveled one more time that night, getting most of the snow from around the cars, then I made broiled shrimp with a pineapple salsa and corn fritters for dinner.

parking lot

Sunday it was nice to see no new snow when we woke up, and we went out to finish clearing the cars. We discovered the plows had only made it a third of the way into our parking lot, and went to help get some neighbors’ cars out who needed to get to work. Watched some TV in the afternoon (loved the last two SNL skits), then Jill made guacamole and I assembled a platter of appetizers.

We walked on the street over to the Jewells, where we socialized and pitched in to get the food ready by kickoff. The food was great (especially Janice’s sausage dip), the commercials were ok, and the game itself was really good (we were all rooting for the Saints), made for a great party. When we got home the parking lot was cleared (they must have brought in a front loader), but I went to bed late anyway so I could get to work after rush hour.

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