Dinner/Theatre Club - 11/23/13

We attend three Civic Theatre performances a year and those evenings we dine at the Cottage Bar before the show. Every two months when we're not at the Civic, we take turns choosing a local, casual restaurant to just enjoy dinner together.

So tonight it was dinner and no theatre, with my choice at the Rezervoir Lounge, previously known as the Sazerac Lounge, before the threatened lawsuit (see link).

The reservation was made via facebook messaging with the restaurant, and we

made it early enough to avoid the live music (so we could talk) and also exit

before the appearance of the roller derby girls, which we probably would have enjoyed :-)

 

We settled into our table for 11 and several of us decided to start with the restaurant's previous namesake, the Sazerac. Powerful and delicious.

New Orleans food and beverage is featured, and miscellaneous appetizers were shared all around. Entrees consist of burgers, red beans and rice, the lovely jambalaya and more.

But it's more about the company, so cheers to friends who like to hang out!

 

The Power Went Out - 11/17/13

With the storm mostly passed, I thought I was safe but at 9:45pm the power went out here in Ada. Well, not all of Ada. I could look out my window and see our neighbors west, south, and north with their lights still on. The five households connected on the hill were in the dark.

Monday morning I was still in the dark. Driving out for breakfast and viewing the area, there were many blacked-out areas. With no hot water or power, I started to check out area hotels and decided on Country Inn and Suites ~ refrigerator in room, complimentary breakfast, and view of the highway. Ah well. They had power. Unfortunately, the room doors close so loudly I could hear them all night long. The hotel clerk explained that they were fire doors so that if the room next door caught fire, I wouldn't be burned in my bed.

The damage in our neighbor's yard was bad; a large branch took down a pine tree and both were resting on the wires, the strain of which broke the power pole.

The tree guys were there Monday morning clearing the wires but why would Consumers show up here to relieve 5 homes when thousands were out of power?  Right - they wouldn't. The cats were put in the garage and I headed for the hotel.

I early-checked into the hotel, and the only walking distance restaurant was Malarky's. I spent a few hours there watching IonTV and savoring a perch dinner and Bells Amber Ale.

Tuesday morning, I let the cats out and headed out to meet my son for lunch and run a few errands. It was too early to be back in my hotel room so after I put the cats back in late afternoon, I took an hour walk through Meijer Gardens. It's always my back-to-nature-feel-good place.

Wednesday morning I headed to work after extending my hotel reservation to Friday. In the afternoon I received a text-photo from a neighbor that a consumers crew was there installing a new pole, and my hopes were up.

But what to do with the hotel reservation ~ checkout time at 11:00am. I left it as it was and received a voice mail from another neighbor as I was driving home at 4:15 that the power was on. I continued on home to be sure our house was good and then high-tailed it to the hotel to check out. Five minutes to pack and throw my things in the car and then check-out. The hotel clerk very kindly charged me for just the day rate and I was out of there. Cheers to getting back to a normal life!

Autumn 2013

With tomatoes still ripening on October 1, it was easy to believe it was still summer.

But the fall crocus were blooming, lovely to behold but sad knowing it's the last flower to be seen until spring.

A visit to Meijer Gardens on 10/24 brought forth these lovely colors:

A souvenir from a recent trip to muggy Savannah and more beautiful leaves on 10/26.

The colors just kept on coming...

On this rainy Halloween, the last flower still hung on.

The next day brought more leaves and roses.

On November 2, it was still beautiful.

Downtown Grand Rapids also enjoyed fall beauty.

Photo taken on 11/10, and now two days later, the leaves are down,

and the fat man is on duty.

Enjoy the last rose of summer, 11/12/13.