Monday, July 30, 2007

Gourmet Dining On Sunday....It Doesn't Get Much Better Than That !

It was a dark and rainy night, as the novel began, and my pals, Dr. Marc and Rosie, stopped by and picked me up. We drove to Miami's Calle Ocho to have dinner at a well known restaurant called Casa Juancho. It's an exquisite Spanish restaurant and quite popular here in Miami. We chose Sunday because it's not quite as crowded as other nights and it was full, but not hurried. Marc and Rosie fully enjoyed my discomfort when, before dinner, a group of wandering minstrels, "wandered" to our table and sang 1,234 unknown folk songs in Spanish and occasionally, off key. 

One of the specialties of the house is a dish called paella, which takes a while to prepare, but is well worth the wait. The dish consists of an assortment of lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams and fish in a wine sauce served over yellow rice and is normally prepared for two or more people. A nice white wine and some bread filled the balance of the menu and it was delicious.

I had to order a piece of dark chocolate cake for dessert, served with a chocolate and rasberry sauce, which we all shared. Topped off with a nice cup of expresso, the evening fare was a gourmet's delight. We retired to the bar for after dinner drinks and after listening to a few songs from the entertainer, we left for home. It's been a while since I have dined at Casa Juancho and my hosts, Marc and Rosie, were very gracious. I enjoyed myself completely !

Weekend happenings and observations: Tony Taylor, the co-defendant in the Michael Vick dog fighting nightmare has plea bargained a deal with prosecutors and my thinking is Mr. Vick is in deep caca...... ! Tony Stewart won Nascar's Brickyard 400 Sunday convincingly over Juan Pablo Montoya...... The Iraqui soccer team won the Asian Cup soccer championship and during the fan celebrations, as they are wont to do, killed 4 people and wounded 17 by shooting their weapons into the air. I wonder what part of "what goes up, must come down" don't they understand...... The bankruptcy judge in the O.J. Simpson case is dividing up the rights to his unpublished book today.......

As The Stomach Turns: The Border Patrol agents jailed months ago for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler in the ass are yet unpardoned but, Scooter Libby was...... ! American Idol tryouts are beginning again, ad nauseum. I wonder who will be the "Sanjaya" of this group of wannabes......?

The next time you get one of those aggravating, bullshit solicitations in the mail, try this ! Take the "handy enclosed return envelope" that comes with the crap they send you and fill it with anything handy that doesn't have your name on it. This could be anything from toilet paper to the junk mail they put in your mailbox. Then seal the envelope and drop it in the mail. After they receive enough of their manure returned to them, maybe they'll reconsider sending that crap out. At the very least, the price of their mailing will increase significantly.

The Pictures: These before and after shots are of buildings painted by an artist whose name I only know as Eric. I hope they show as well as the quality pictures that I received today. They are simply fantastic.

This Date In History: 1619; The Virginia House of Burgesses, the first representative assembly in the American colonies, opens in Jamestown, Virginia. 1965; President Lyndon B. Johnson creates the Medicare system.

Birthdays: Emily Bronte, novelist (1818), Henry Ford, auto pioneer (1863), Casey Stengel, Manager of the New York Yankees (1890).

The Hits Just Keep On Coming: Check out the bathroom floor painting. Imagine walking into this bathroom after a couple of cocktails.

                                    

That's it for today, my littele shutterbugs. More tomorrow.

Stay Tuned !

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

We had a wonderful time with you.  I am glad we had the time toghether.  We will do it again.  You are a blast!!!!

Anonymous said...

First...that meal sounds wonderful!!

Second...I'm confused (again) about the floor.   Enlighten me once again, please?

Nancy

Anonymous said...

I tell ya, you know how to have a good time. Don't you know if you give the singers of the 1,234 folk songs $$$ and take your napkin and motion for them to go, they will?   Green works everytime..........but they won't do it for change. I haven't had paella in years and you're right, it's so very good. So, you know how to eat, drink, have dessert and entertain. That's a BIG plus. The pictures you posted are called "trompe l'oeil"   (fool the eye) and I love the examples you gave us. Bathroom is scary, well maybe after a couple of cosmo's it would be ok.  Anne
http://journals.aol.com/ksquester/SaturdaysChild/

Anonymous said...

Once  upon a time, before I was awarded my teaching certificate, I was an aide in an elementary class. The teacher allowed me to do a unit on community workers (actually, she said she hated doing it and was thrilled when someone else would do it!!). I had saved all those envelopes that required no postage and when we studied post office stuff, I had the class (developmenally delayed kids) put the mail-out coupons in them, seal them, and we took them to the front office and mailed them. I've always wanted to see the looks on the faces of those people that had to open those envelopes, only to find a great deal on windows, car washes and the local resturants!

Anywho... I like the work of the artist in your photos today! Thanks for putting the before pictures in, too.... really shows how art can make life a little more fun and relaxing. I really liked the one with the Statue of Liberty. Is that on the nursing building?

I really had to look closely on your bathroom floor pic.... am I correct in thinking you would be 'flying' and looking down?? I can't figure out what that blue thing is.. I need new glasses....

Jackie

Anonymous said...

Loved your pictures! I have to admit, I'd be stunned to walk into that bathroom...sober or not!! LOL!
Sounds like a great evening you had with your friends. I bet you are a lot of fun to go out with!
Pam

Anonymous said...

The meal sounds absolutely delicious, of course anything resembling seafood is always a winner with me. Loved the pictures. Like Jackie said thank you for adding the before and after shots makes it more awe inspiring. As for Michael Vick he will get his in the end one way or another. That bathroom is hilarious. I can see someone tripping big time going in there half canned. (Hugs) Indigo