On Every Vacation

The big question of the day is..what does today's card say... It's a "Thinking of You" card and he writes: "Hope you have a good today and a better tomorrow"...which is very appropriate for today. It is still pouring here in Newport Beach and lots of much needed rain is still expected. We are already making the best of it by starting out with a wonderful relaxing breakfast at the hotel...multi -grain pancakes with roasted bananas, pecans, oats and maple syrup...and....a smoked omelet with smoked cheese, grilled asparagus and artichokes... and piping hot coffee. It's off to Fashion Island..for you know what! What can we do..we have to go..ITS POURING! So it's a shopping and eating day and not a beach day. Oh well..I'm sure we can handle It. Fashion Island is a popular outdoor shopping area. It is beautifully designed with fountains and koi ponds, restaurants and boutiques and price ranges for everyone.

We enjoy our shopping, sit at one of the many seating areas with a coffee and finally decide on dinner.

Fig & Olive is our choice for dinner. We started with cocktails.I had a Sweet Red Pepper Martini which is Tequila, Aperol, muddled strawberries, lime, passion fruit, sweet red pepper and bitters...Erica had Rossillini...Passionfruit Vodka, freshly squeezed blood orange juice and lime juice. These were a real treat.

While we wait Erica takes out one of her purchases and while we are admiring it the waitress comes over and comments on it as well. We tell her it's our birthdays and we are celebrating. The couple next to us wish us Happy Birthday and tell us it was also her birthday. Our drinks arrive and we all toast the occasion, Our dinners arrive. Erica and I share Fig and Gorgonzola Risoto-(arborio rice, Gorgonzola, fig, marscarpone, parmesian and grilled figs with balsamic glaze) with grilled shrimp and Penne Funghi Tartufo (penne pasta with cremini and black trumpet mushrooms, parmesian, parsley, scallions, white truffle oil) with grilled chicken. We are asked if we would like to order dessert but we've had enough and decide to pass. All of a sudden the waiter come with a dessert sampler with four mini desserts and a raspberry with a candle in it. The dessert plate included a chocolate pot de creme, panna cotta with raspberry sauce, a crunchy praline, and crostini with amarena cherries, marscarpone with basil, on a pistachio shortbread Our hostess comes over and tells us that they couldn't let us leave without wishing us a Happy Birthday! How nice!

so..as you can see..it didn't rain on our parade and we had a very good today and look forward to tomorrow!