September 19, 2025. Breakfast - Granola with peach compote. Lunch - Leftover enchiladas. Dinner - Neighborhood cocktail party

September 19, 2025. Breakfast - Granola with peach compote. Lunch - Leftover enchiladas.  Dinner - Neighborhood cocktail party

Today we worked to host the neighborhood cocktail party. We worked in the yard to set up tables, umbrellas, arrange furniture, and I built a fire in the chiminea.  I ate granola with milk, mango yogurt, and peach compote.

I then worked at my desk mainly trying to get my RMD disbursed and Suzette went to an 11:00 appointment. I was following the market news that was focused on the first day sales of Apple’s new ultra thin phone and its new I Phone 17.  The excitement over the strong interest in the two new phones drove Apple stock up over $8.00 at one point. It closed up $7.62 driving my portfolio another .84% and notching another winning day with a pop of over $30.00 in Oklo stock and a positive close by Nvidia.  

I ate the leftover enchiladas from yesterday’s lunch at Mary and Tito’s for lunch at noon

When she returned Suzette brought me a gift she had bought at a garage sale, a knapsack to take on the trip to Japan.  I will now join the legion of those who wear a knapsack.

We did a final prep and at 4:00 rested for an hour.

Suzette then went to buy ice and I began filling the cheese board with goat, brie, Parmesan, Manchego, a shallot Boursin, and a French blue cheese and slicing and toasting 1 1/2 baguettes. 

Soon after she returned the first person arrived and I opened the Albariño.  Next the Mayor Tim Keller arrived and I poured him an Albariño.

Suzette then put the salmon filet on the broil in the outdoor propane grill. After a few minutes I saw flames coming out of the grill and turned off the heat. It appears that the sugar in the teriyaki sauce marinade had caught on fire that charred the outside but had little effect on the inside that was moist and flavorful.

Suzette soon arrived and put the salmon filet on a cookie sheet and we took it in to the dining room that was filling up with entrees as each couple or person brought a dish to share.  I put out the dates and fresh pistachios. Soon Dale and Jennifer arrived with the best dish of the night, creamy Skagerrora with Boxes of Finn Crisp.

What we discovered almost immediately was that the salmon tasted wonderful sauced with the shrimp salad. Both were a success and people seemed to enjoy the food. There was red pepper hummus, lots of store bought sautéed gyozas with edamame, grapes, egg rolls, and a charcuterie platter.

Amazingly, no one brought a dessert.

Everyone brought bottles of wine also. Here is a picture of some of the wines.

Katie brought an especially interesting wine a Gruner that was organic but had been bottled before the fermentation was complete, so it had a bit of fizzyness.

I also opened the Bandol rose that I thought was a little flat but folks were drinking it.

One of the fellows, David, an attorney with an Indian rights firm seemed to loved wine when we discussed the difference between Ruby and tawny ports, so I took him to the cellar. While we were examining my collection of vintage ports. I saw a 20 year old tawny port and decided to serve it.

When we went back up I poured everyone who wanted it a small sip of the tawny, including the Mayor who had returned.

Most everyone loved the port and it was a nice way to finish the evening on a sweet note.

Everyone started leaving at 8:30 and Diane and Jim were the last to say goodnight at 10:00.

We put up the cheeses and food and went to bed.

Bon Appetit