Consuming Mass Quantities

It's Sunday, and the food orgy is now done. Wifey and I had 2 huge meals Friday and Saturday night.

Friday, Wifey's neighborhood book club, husband's division, hosted us at Jody and Bob's house. Bob made some terrific tenderloin, and chased it with big stone crabs, and Jodi's brownies. It was a delightful dinner, with 5 neighborhood ladies, and 3 of us men (one husband was home sick, and the other was at his job in upstate NY).

We drank beer and wine, and shared stories of grown or nearly grown kids, as well as tales of old Miami, and long closed bars and restaurants (I had almost forgotten about an old law school haunt, Ludways).

We laughed, and fueled by wine, came up with the idea of a calendar of topless neighborhood women. But cooler heads appraised this honestly, and al agreed that the only "month" that would sell would belong to one local wife, who, it is rumored, worked in the adult entertainment industry before becoming a stepmom and dog walker...

NONE of the men's photos would sell like those fireman calendars...

Last night Wifey and I were invited by friends Victoria and Alan to a South Beach Wine and Food festival event in the Design District. 4 restaurants each served a dish, paired with wine, and the vintners and chefs said a few words about their offerings. We'd then get up and walk to the next venue, like kids on a field trip.

The evening was delightful, with a chamber of commerce moon over Miami, and we met some neat folks from all over the country. One tall fellow claimed to be an evangelist from Tulsa, but was accompanied by 3 hot ladies, 2 of whom ended up dirty dancing at the after party. Either he was putting us on, which is my theory, or he heads a religion that I plan to take serious interest in.

Wifey and I aren't foodies, and were glad we didn't pay for the tickets, which were about $300 per person. For that price, we'd have enjoyed several dinners at the restuarants, over the course of months.

Still, it was a chance to "get out of Kansas," as Wifey calls it when we find ourselves among more arty and unusual people than we encounter in the suburbs.

And, I learned that Stag's Leap, my favorite winery for red wine, also makes an excellent chardonay...

So, today it's recovery from the orgy of food and drink, but, all in all, it was a terrific, indulgent weekend.