August 9, 2023 Lunch - Filiberto’s Beef Enchiladas Dinner - Vara - Paella and Braised Romaine Salad

 August 9, 2023 Lunch - Filiberto’s Beef Enchiladas  Dinner - Vara - Paella and Braised Romaine Salad

I woke up at 7:00 and showered and dressed in a suit for the first time since before Covid.

I ate a bowl of granola with milk, yogurt, and blueberries at 8:30 when my client and his brother and sister came for court.

We drove to the courthouse for the first live hearing there since before Covid.

It was a one hour hearing and it was magical.  I still had the level of intensity to command a presence in court.  I got the three results I wanted to get: an order staying all proceedings for six weeks until I return from my trip, an Order granting me retroactive leave to exceed page limits for the Reply I filed, and a deferral of consideration of sanctions for Plaintiff’s Motion for Protective Order.

And Richard and Elizabeth were not sanctioned for discovery inadequacies.

A clean sweep by my reckoning.

After the hearing at around 11:00 Henry drove Elizabeth and me  to Filberto’s. We went through the drive up window line and waited while they made the enchiladas. They then drove me home. I put the enchiladas in the fridge and worked until 1:00 when I reheated and ate 1 of the two enchiladas and some of the beans.

I then folded and packed my shirts for the trip and then drove to Shahin’s office where we spent 2 1/2 hours completing my taxes.

At 5:00 I got into the rush traffic but I arrived home safely, although I had to jam my way going south across Lomas because it was full of cars going west.

When I arrived at home I helped Suzette in the garden and then tying down the new tarp I bought around the table and chairs under the gazebo to protect them from the rain.

Willy came around 6:30 and drove us to Vara. This was the first day to pick up the new allotment.  We also wanted to eat dinner.

We sat in the large tasting room and each ordered a different flight: Suzette ordered whiskies, including her favorite Rum/rye, Willy ordered a flight of three vermouths , and I ordered a basic flight of Carinena, Grenache, and Tempranillo that gave me a chance to taste three of the main wine grapes side by side. Willy liked the two dry vermouths and Suzette liked the whiskies.

Our waitress was knowledgeable and attentive without being bossy or servile. We ordered a large seafood and chicken Paella and a braised Romaine heart salad.

The romaine salad was served first. It was lightly braised and dressed with an interesting sweet and spicy dressing and was sprinkled with fresh corn kernels that I found interesting.  I divided the half head of romaine into thirds and we each took a third for a nice light appetizer.

Then in a little while a large golden paella stuffed with shrimp, mussels, chunks of chicken and small clams was served.  I could see threads of saffron and there was a slight toasted crust on the bottom of the pan that Willy, our new official Spanish food expert, told us was the sign of a good paella.

We enjoyed digging soft clumps of baked rice with shellfish out of the pan with the deer horn handled serving fork that came with the paella.

We ate as much as we could and then asked the waitress to box the rest to take home.

After dinner Willy picked up our allotment of six bottles; two Cava brute, three Grenache roses, and a Grenache. 

When we arrived home Willy brought in the box of wine and put the potted palm on the rolling footed new plant stand I bought at Home Depot yesterday.

I gave Willy the bottle of the newly released Spanish Grenache, which grape is now one of his favorite wines and we said goodnight.

Suzette and I worked for a while and then went to bed around 10:00.

Bon Appetit