Apples to Pizza

So, before all the bachelorette hullabaloo, I went to Target and purchased any number of things, including the 'to go' version of Apples to Apples, which was then played in Saratoga Springs. One night in the past few weeks Ak, J. and L. came over and we played a few rounds. It's a bit more fun with a few more people, but still a good time.
L. left and Ak, J. and I ordered a pineapple and ham pizza from Luigi's. It hit the spot.

Fruit, Radish, Vegetable and Cheese Meals

I'm telling you, I love summer, and I love farmers' markets. It's just a fact. On my return from Saratoga Springs I cut up a few radishes and dug into the goat cheese I bought whilst in New York state.
Another day, the same cheese, only with more radishes, green beans and strawberries.
Yet another day, more green beans, a ridiculously delicious tomato from the Fairmount Farmers' Market, cherries also care of the FM as well as a little more cheese and a boiled organic egg.
In the summer I find myself cooking even less than I usually do. Why cook any of this stuff when it's so delicious straight up raw? Well, the egg was cooked.

Quotation

So, I should at some point do another reading round up. But for now I'm reading Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned. I'm only in the second story, so I don't know how much I will like this book over the long haul, but this particular line is exactly how I feel about beautiful places. It reminded me of last summer's trip to the Adirondacks. It is:

"I did take a kind of comfort that all of this beauty was out here, persisting like mad, whether you hearkened to it or not."

Post-Dinner Saratoga Springs Fun

After the dinner and dessert, we enjoyed the house a bit more. Laughing it up.
Using our hands expressively.
And drinking a fair amount of champagne. V. later told us that, as the designated champagne bottle opener for the weekend, her thumbs were sore for the next week. Thanks for taking one for the team, we couldn't have done it without your sacrifice:)
We then loaded ourselves into three taxis and went to town proper (we were staying on Saratoga Lake). We went to a bar and had cheap but potent drinks (I went with Shirley Temple Blacks).




S. is not just a little bit, but a lot a bit pregnant, but she made the trek out with style, grace and verve.
We then went across the street to a bar with dancing. L. suggested lemon drop shots, and we all nodded...you do not say no to the bride. Guess which one of these ladies did not, in fact, drink it.
Then there was dancing.

Bachelorette Dinner in Saratoga Springs

In the morning I put the massive amount of pork tenderloin L. bought into a brine, and when it became a more dinner-like time, I took it out and grilled it to the best of my abilities.


At one point all of us except L.'s maid of honor and M. were banished to the basement (in a nice way). So, we did as people do and took a ridiculously large number of photographs.
At first we were simply adding one gal at a time.
Then we started giving prompts for each photograph. This I believe is act scared. Or surprised. It's a little up in the air.
This might be rage.
Happy surprise?
No idea.
Pensive. Ish.
I think this is sort of a 'pretend you are laughing' thing.

Prune!



And after a lovely dinner complete with quinoa salad and steamed veggies, we did a massive cake tasting. Not for any purpose (ie, not for L.'s wedding) my favorite was a lemon one.

Yoga, Breakfast, Soccer, Heron and Other Such Things

Soon after my return to the house, most of the girls were led in a yoga session by L.'s friend P. I continue to struggle with the notion of physically exerting myself in front of people, even nice people, so I took photographs instead.


Then mimosas were poured and eggs and bacon cooked up. Thanks to V. for all her bottle opening might, and K. and M. for their breakfast making prowess.

It was an unfortunately drizzly day. It didn't stop us from having a good time, but it did curtail the amount of time we spent in the lake/on the porch. Nonetheless, we saw some birds. This heron was pretty cool.
Just hanging out on a dock is all. We also saw an otter! Or something like an otter. It was very exciting. If I were to have a spirit animal, it would most certainly be an otter.
Then those who hadn't swum the night before took their turn in the water.

L. wanted to watch the US v. UK game and so did I and a few others. So we did.

Anonymity compromised.
Then while dinner preparation was under way, we munched on spanikopita while playing the Apples to Apples game I brought up with me (the poor weather made bocci ball a non-starter).

Nice touch by K.