When you reach a certain age, you don’t need more stuff, so for my Mom’s (undisclosed) Birthday, I made her a special Birthday Dinner. She’s a Western Woman and loves Steak and Potatoes, so that’s what we had. Her boyfriend Bob, my sister Elise and Elise’s boyfriend Bill joined us last Sunday night.

I got New York Strip Steaks (my favorite) at Wild Fork, Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes and Prosciutto Asparagus Bundles (Ina’s Make it Ahead) for a side. At my sister Elise’s suggestion, I served Smilin’ Bob’s Fish Dip for an appetizer, with veggies, saltines and hot sauce. Since I was having meat for dinner, I like to have seafood as a starter and, since the meal was heavy-ish, I served a first course of a Crunchy Iceberg Salad (also an Ina Garden recipe). Elise made a delicious Lemon Cake for dessert with two kinds of frozen treats- Talenti’s Strawberry Sorbet and Vanilla.

Zeke grilled the steaks, which I’d rubbed with a Spicy Coffee Rub. They came out a little on the chewy side, through no fault of his, but everyone seemed to enjoy them and we had a fun conversation at dinner. Even though I’ve known my Mom my whole life, I always learn something new about her every time we’re together. This time I found out her favorite steak is a Rib Eye (wish I’d known that before!).

I got to watch Celine this week at Emma and Gui’s on Tuesday. They are doing well, trying to learn to manage without much sleep and adjusting to life with a tiny baby. Emma said everyone talks about the sleep deprivation, but no one talks about how your whole life changes with the arrival of a baby.

Also, poor little Celine has tummy troubles, which makes her a little fussy in the evening (also known as “arsenic hour”). While I was babysitting, Celine’s Great Aunt Becky came over to see her, with her daughter Emory. It was Emory’s first time meeting Celine. Their dog Lucy hopped into Emory’s lap, because she’s a baby too! A little green eyed monster action happening here.

My friend Guta loved the Labneh Ice Cream (mentioned in a previous post) so much that she insisted I show her how to make it. So I had a little Cooking Class, teaching the recipe from David Lebowitz’s great book- The Perfect Scoop. Louisa Stickle, another Book Club Member and a Villager, joined us in the class, where I also taught them how to make the Pistachio-Sesame Seed Brittle that goes with it. Both recipes are very simple and we had fun. Guta is going to buy the Ice Cream Cookbook and an Ice Cream maker. I sent them home with a container of the ice cream and brittle. Sweet Dreams!

We tried another French restaurant for Miami Spice this week- Bouchon Bistro in the La Palma historic building in Coral Gables. We went with friends Martha and Luis, who had been before. While I enjoyed our meal and the atmosphere, I think I prefer Le Petit Maison a little more. The bread was warm, the wine was cold and the dessert memorable at LPM, which I can’t say for Bouchon. I guess I just expected to be blown away by a Thomas Keller restaurant, but this was no French Laundry. C’est la vie. Still, it was a nice night out.

We headed to the Keys for the weekend.

It’s been such a rainy August here in Miami. It is normally June where it rains every day, but this year it seems to be August. We didn’t do much in the Keys, but it was relaxing and we made it back Sunday to host Emma and Gui for dinner.

Zeke had a hankering for Faidley’s Crab Cakes, so he made some, which we served with lemon wedges and homemade tartar sauce. We had Key Largo Fisheries Lobster Bisque to start and sides were easy-Corn on the Cob and a Cucumber Salad. Emma brought two kinds of Talenti– Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Sorbet– for dessert, kind of sacrilegious since I’ve been making my own ice cream, but I am not offended (much). We now have ice cream coming out of our ears.

My sister Elise stopped by and got to meet Celine for the first time! She was thrilled with the little bundle and offered Emma tips, as her first son Micheal had colic. She was about to start her new job as an Assistant Kindergarten Teacher the next day. While she loved being a School Nurse, she didn’t love not having summers off and the Class Trips, so she’s excited to start this new chapter in her life. She will be a great Kindergarten Assistant!

It’s been a strange summer, as a lot of people are away and we didn’t travel much, except for to Colorado in the beginning of June. While the weather’s been incredibly hot and rainy lately, I’m trying to enjoy this last hurrah of lazy summer days. So smelling the jasmine blooming outside, swimming and trying out fun restaurants for Miami Spice. Because, before we know it, Fall will be upon us, with packed schedules and then, the Holidays; it all goes by in a flash. Like a fellow yogi told me her 90-year-old father once said: “Life is like a roll of toilet paper, it goes faster towards the end.”

“Summer Breeze, makes me fine, Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind.”

Seals and Croft

Up Next: Sappore di Mare review