Three PM

At three o’clock on Sunday afternoons, I am often taking a nap or doing laundry. Yesterday, however, I was invited to a holiday party which started at, you guessed it, 3 PM. This progressive party started at one house where we had sangria, crab wontons and stuffed mushrooms (which were a little messy and a lot delicious). We rode our bikes a couple of blocks to the next house for some onion canapes (clearly not from the hostess’ Weight Watchers cookbook), pate and bubbly. Back on my bike for a few more blocks, we arrived at another really lovely home where we indulged in stinky cheese – I’ve never met a stinky cheese I didn’t like – and several glasses of Quinta do Crasto Touriga Nacional. We got back on our bikes and headed through Bayview Park – where I heckled some of my tennis playing friends – to another lovely home for more wine and a sausage and broccoli rabe torta. The torta involved crepes and a whole lot of cheese and was quite a hit. Next we ambled a few blocks to my house (where I left my bike for the remainder of the evening) for some French 75s (gin and champagne cocktails), truffled deviled eggs and a marscarpone, pesto and sun-dried tomato “pate”. The iPod dock was hijacked by someone with an iPhone and many playlists and shortly thereafter we were on to the next, and final stop on our eating and drinking tour.

The final stop included spaghetti, Sicilian meatballs, yet more wine and a Secret Santa gift exchange. The evening included a whole lot of good food and drink, but more importantly good cheer. Plus, I learned a very important lesson: I am a bit more relaxed on my bike after a drink or two, but after many I need to leave my bike at home.