Yee Haw! December Girls’ Dinner

We chose the brand new Bar Toma for our December dinner.  Tony Mantuano from Top Chef Masters is the chef.  It’s a cute little joint with an ample bar.  It looks like it would be a fabulous spring and summer spot because it has the big windows that look like garage doors that would roll up for some al fresco dining.

We were under the impression that the restaurant didn’t take reservations (it now does), so a few of us selflessly volunteered to belly up to the bar an hour early to put our names on the list.  Jodi and I arrived around 5:45 and got started on the wine.  Jodee and Heather arrived a bit later, and then it was time for more wine and snacks!  We had calamari, potato chips (that had a yummy orange flavor), a mozzarella cheese plate (that was freaking awesome), and a margarita pizza.  Hmm, did I say snacks? 

When the rest of our party arrived, we were seated and we started on the next bottle of wine. Yee Haw!  We ordered two salads and four pizzas for the seven of us.  We thought it might be too much food because of our earlier ‘snacks’.  But, don’t you worry, we did just fine.  We had a spinach pizza, goat cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, and another pizza with meat on it.  Now, the pizzas are much fancier than just a ‘spinach’ or ‘goat cheese’ pizza.  They were really tasty.  I think most people favored the goat cheese pizza.  Oh, goat cheese, how I love thee.

Oh wait!  I’m ahead of myself.  After we ordered our food, we started in on our yearly grab bag gift exchange.  There were some damn fine gifts on that table: fancy pampered chef goodies, awesome earrings, a wine aerator, fancy lotions and pedicure socks, fancy lipgloss, cute fingerless gloves and candle, and an infinity scarf.  I think everyone went home happy with their gift.  I know I did.  I finally own a wine aerator. 

After dinner, we had some fancy gelato and were treated to some tasty prosecco.


After dinner, someone had the great idea to belly back up to the bar, so four of us went back to the bar.  Aimee, Jodee, Beth, and I chatted and laughed and drank more wine.  I really love public transportation. I never have to worry about getting home; I just hop on the red line and it lets me off at my front door.  The thing I do have to worry about is getting to the L station after too much wine.  We said our good-byes, and Jodee and I started walking a bit so she could catch a cab, and then I continued on to the L station.  But, then I figured out, I had walked too far.  So, I turned back and I figure I probably walked about ½ mile out of my way.  The funny thing is, is that I didn’t even remember about it until the next morning when Jodee texted me. That’s what happens when I try to keep up with Jodee at the bar.

Anyway, it was a REALLY fun evening, and those pizzas rocked!  I will definitely be back to Bar Toma.

I'm Dog-Tired

I am dog-sitting for cute Gabby.  That means there are two cats and two dogs in my small condo this week.  It also means I sleep in the back bedroom on a twin trundle bed close to the floor so that the dogs are able to jump up on the bed without yelling (barking) at me for assistance.
Last night, as I was trying to fall asleep, I was wishing how I could have someone take a picture of me with my menagerie of animals.  But, if I were to ask Ignacio to come in to take a picture of the spectacle, most of the animals would jump out of bed, and then it would take me another 20 minutes to calm everyone down, and get cozy in bed.
So, I did the next best thing.  I hired an artist to draw their best rendition of my nighttime follies.

 So, there is Gabby, the dog, at my head (it is cold in the bedroom), Sweetness, the cat, next to the pillow, Camel, the dog, trying her best to spoon with me.
Yes, my feet hang off of the bed.
No, I dare not move the entire night, lest I wake someone up, and then they all get up, and want to pee or want to play or want treats or want a belly rub.  I stay as still as possible the entire night.
Yes, I wake up stiff and achy. 
No, I haven’t made it to the gym this week.
Yes, I am still waiting for the fourth animal to join us.

(I am really liking how thin the artist depicted me)

Who Me?

I walked in the door from the gym this morning and my dog, Camel, came to greet me like normal, but there was something really big in her mouth.

When I go to the gym, I don’t wear my contacts, so I could not make out what Camel had in her mouth.  So, I went in for a closer look, and she had a big ass piece of bread in her mouth!

Here is what I think went down: Piccolo (one of the cats) jumped on the counter in an attempt to make her and Sweetness (the other cat) a picnic lunch.  In Piccolo’s frustration at her inability to get the twist-tie off of the bread, she knocked the entire package to the floor so that Camel would do the grunt work (and take the blame should they get caught in the act).  Camel obliged and went at that twist-tie and package. 
By the time I arrived, the bread bag had a nice hole in it, and I did find the twist-tie in the carpet.  Piccolo must have taken off when she heard my key in the door, and poor Camel just got caught in the act.