Weekend Dinners

I can't even tell you how great this weekend was, being surrounded by friends with whom you can have easy conversation and delicious food.  I think that simple activity is so emotionally fulfilling and energizing, and when done with the right company, ambiance, and food--it is priceless.

Saturday night the ND crew in LA got together for a late dinner to celebrate Joey's engagement! We went to Little Sister and then to Bottega Louie across the street for some delicious sweet and savory treats and late night coffees and lattes served in tiny espresso cups. It is the first time the 5 of us, and of course, Chris have gotten together in LA, and the conversation was so easy and comfortable, I know we all walked away thinking, why don't we do this more often.  Even though we've all changed so much, I love that we can fall right into conversation and understand immediately where the other is coming from-- after all 10 years of friendship does that right?

We had no problems devouring that delicious pear tart. 

Sunday night we were treated to some savory, luxurious, seriously delicious French food at a restaurant in Industrial District of LA called Church and State.  John and Zhu Dan are friends we met through another friend in LA, though I knew of Zhu Dan and had met her a few times in D.C.  They are pregnant with their first baby but wanted to treat us to dinner to celebrate our wedding.  Even though we have only hung out with this couple a few times in LA, to the extent I was SHOCKED she was pregnant (having not hung out for 8 months), when we get together, we have such easy, funny, and meaningful conversations.  I wasn't able to take photos because I left my phone at home, but I managed to ask Chris to snap a picture of these delicious little escargots soaked in pesto and eaten in delicious little caps of delicate bread.  It was my first encounter with escargots, and it was a good encounter. I'm excited to try more.