BECKY! If you re reading this, look at our website!
Today is another “catch me if you can” day. It begins with working around the house, followed by a visit to the doctor (both of us), dinner at a Spanish restaurant, and then to the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center to see Aladin!
After three hours in the office, we had brunch with everything except the cheese and cranberry juice from our garden!
We are happy to announce our full Panama Canal trip is on the website.
We love those beans, and the pamellos were perfect. The weather was warm and clear as a bell.
I had a little salad with the lettuce just picked, and it was so crisp; it was like eating crackers; they were so crunchy!
It does not get fresher than this!
We went to the doctor’s office for some acupuncture treatments for Mary’s back and my sciatica. The treatments seem to work, and they are better than taking a bunch of pills. Her office is close to the theater, so going home made no sense. We selected Vaca since it opened early and was within walking distance of the theater.
Vaca (which means Cow in Spanish) is between the world-famous Segerstrom Center for the Arts and the premiere shopping destination, South Coast Plaza, on Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, California. The space evokes the energy and ambiance of Spain with the comfort of California.
I looked at the bar and thought I had died and gone to heaven! Oh my! Floor-to-ceiling drinks, oh boy. I wanted to order something from the tippy-top, but alas, my eyesight would not support my plan!
There was a wide selection of alcoholic drinks… vast!
Pavlov walks into a bar. The phone rings, and he says, “Damn, I forgot to feed the dog.”
We had a Spanish chardonnay, which was pricey but outstanding! The barkeep knew how to use a camera, which was quite refreshing. We didn’t have our heads cut off!
Hey, how did this happen? We are together in a picture.
I’ve started telling everyone about the benefits of eating dried grapes. It’s all about raisin awareness.
We dined outside, and it was pleasant. The toast was quite interesting. We spread a homemade tomato sauce on the bread, covered the sauce with olive oil, and then added a pinch of sea salt. It was delicious.
We polished this off in about ten seconds.
As usual, Mary brightened up the surroundings.
Yummy!
Since it was a Spanish restaurant, I ordered a selection of their famous ham plus, an oxtail appetizer, and “Datiles Rellenois,” blue cheese stuffed dates, bacon, and honey.
Did You Know? While Spain’s regions vary in their local food traditions, cured Serrano and Ibérico hams are treasured from coast to coast, from the markets of Barcelona to the bars of Galicia and everywhere in between.
Iberico Pork comes from the distinctive Black Iberian Pig. Native to areas of Portugal and central and southern Spain, the pigs’ diet of acorns and elements of the natural forests in these areas directly impacts the meat, giving it a nutty, evocative flavor.
Delicious, even Mary tried it!
I went for the seafood paella. The paella contained prawns, clams, mussels, octopus, saffron bomba rice, and garlic aioli.
Sofrito, the base for paella, is a flavorful mixture of onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers. It’s often called the “secret ingredient” in paella, as it adds a depth of flavor and richness to the dish.
The prawns took some work, but they were well worth it.
Mary saw filet mignon, and that’s all she needed! The cow thought something different!
How could you? Cannibal!
Mary proceeded anyway much to the dismay of our new friend.
Mary thought it was pretty good but NOT as good as the Grill on the ship!
We dined outside, and the overhead heater kept us quite comfortable.
We so enjoy each other’s company; always a laugh and a giggle!
We saw Aladin, which is always a hoot, especially if the genie is good, and tonight he was hilarious!
His expressions and comedic timing was perfect!
The night was magic. A pleasant 70 degrees and a very slight breeze cleared the sky of could, and the stars were out.
We went outside at halftime to get some cold air. Usually, a dark, warm spot after a glass of vino does us in. Not tonight; the show was terrific.
We talked about the plan for Mother’s Day, which is this Sunday! We are ready to go!
Just us!
