Tuesday...I stared out the quiet morning in the roof garden. Years ago, when our family was here for the summer I painted this view...it's changed a bit but the mountains in the distance are still there.
After sipping a cup of tea staring at this gorgeous sight, i want down our first decadent breakfast. Some people had gotten up early for a massage but the rest of us wandered into the dining room at 8:30. Fresh fruit, fresh squeezed orange juice, pancakes, French toast, eggs any way you can think of with re-fried black beans and toast...any combination of the above...Carlos was waiting for orders. By the second morning he knew who took tea, who wanted coffee and what you wanted in it...PLUS he's got a great sense of humor to keep up with us. Esperanza and Lorena had come earlier to fry up piles of bacon and sauté mushrooms...so they were READY for short order.
I don't remember getting dinner last night. You don't remember getting dinner? (What's her name?) I don't remember eating either! Well, you didn't. You went to bed. Well, I can't remember...I only had 2-3 wines. I tried to put my foot down on the floor but I couldn't reach it. He was really cute and he had a really soft neck. That's all- we just made out one night. I was wild but all I did was kiss. Who DIDN'T you make out with? I'm sorry. We don't kiss like that in New Orleans. I've been kissed before but we don't do THAT! You spoke for the WHOLE CITY? Did you have fun? Yes, but he blew in my ear! You're an only child? Yes, but you didn't know because I'm so nice.
Next on the agenda...walking tour.
Man, I forgot how hilly SMA is! Poor Susan in her knee brace decided that she'd go on her own self-regulated tour and the rest of us headed out with Helene Kahn for a walking tour. I liked her from the get-go. She's lived in SMA for over 20 years and her Jewish heritage has given her a passion for art and history that is inquisitive and humorous...and she had a gentle but strong control of the group.
I'm going to give you my 10 minute Virgin lecture. That's all we need ...it's been a long time.
Helene lead us up and over the hills of SMA pointing out churches and her favorite places to eat and shop...including the very important churros and hot chocolate shop. We thanked her...and paid her, and I think everybody else went to lunch on the corner by our house. I went back for a altitude induced nap.
We all wanted to see some more houses like ours, so a local rental agent took us to Casa Hyder, billed as the most popular wedding venue in the Americas...??? The villa has 10 bedrooms, multiple comfy lounging spots, a large pool, a lawn for weddings, and beautiful roof gardens... every inch of it covered with artifacts, masks, textiles and art from all over the world...and all of this is visually held together by luscious dusty red walls, spring green alcoves and mustard colored hallways. It was a feast for the senses. Bee and I live in homes with lots of stuff but as she pointed out later...we were feeling under-decorated.
A little on overload and hot from the unseasonable heat, we arrived back at #7 Pila Seca to refresh and meet for cocktails! This was our medically themed evening...
I've had 2 breast reductions and a face lift and I feel great! I got my mother's finger the week after she died! Just tell me...is it from the genitals of an emu? No, it's emu OIL. I can't make it get bigger. Everything's been injected. As your vertebrae shrink there's nowhere else for your skin to go...it just settles around your neck.
We must, we must, we must increase the bust. The bigger the better, the tighter the sweater. We must....It was a tradition at McGehee's.
We need more than one medical night. No more medical talk!!
Dinner!! We were all looking forward to our rooftop reservation at the trendy restaurant Quince. We settled on a long table under the twinkling stars...and right over the throbbing amplifier for the trendy music put out by the trendy disc-jocky next to us.
I'm very assertive to the point of being rude sometimes.
Bee got us a new table over in an un-opened area where it was MUCH quieter...and much more under-staffed. But it wasn't our poor waiter's fault. The owner (do I want to post his name?) came over to schmooze us which I thought was charming until he said...
No, actually...I'm really a hedge fund manager.
The kitchen was "busy and confused" We were there over two hours before we got dinner. But of course, we were self entertaining...
The woman with no pesos is ordering lobster. I'm ordering butter with my lobster. I'm the customer. I get to ask for what I want. She knows where the bathroom is...she just went. No, that was at lunch. Do you think they went to Maine to get the lobsters instead of the Pacific? Don't get mad...get even. (after the waiter said it would be 30 more seconds)... It's been 30 seconds and 2 1/2 hours.
(Part of the proceeds from dessert go to feed the hungry) We're not going to feed the hungry tonight. We ARE the hungry. Whatever the dessert is, we're not paying for it. Our pesos will live to see another day!
Back at our villa I THINK this was when we started playing cards... this may not be when we started but I think we played when we got back from Quince. I've been playing singles Hand and Foot for years but Kay and Laurie play a partners version 2-3 times a week so I was eager to learn. Who remembers who won that first round and who was the 4th? ...someone with a better memory than mine.
We played while others drifted off to bed and we soon followed.