Y2 D9

And this boys and girls is why Daddy brings advil with him when he travels. My freaking head... Is it still attached?? Or is it over there with my clothes...

Had a wild time last night as you might be imagining but let's start with the day. Everything in its own time...

Went to leave for work in the morning and when I got in the car, right across the windshield was a giant crack. All the way from the very edge of the window straight across right at vision level. Nice... Luckily I am less than two miles away from the car rental facility and was able to get there without incident. They even upgraded me for my inconvenience. Now let's see if they try to BILL me for it. That's another story. I used to just put it on my Amex which covered things like this, but oh wait, we all know HOW THAT ended don't we kids?

Off to work to teach. Good class. We managed to get through everything by around 3pm. Plus I got all the stuff ready for next week meaning I have today off to do nothing. I asked the class where I should go nearby for "real" food - aka non-chain, worthy of a food snob food. One woman suggested this place called Cowboy Caio. She said it would be right up my alley. Ok. I will check it out. I also asked them where there was a "real" mall as I needed to get some shorts. Same woman, go here there's a Neiman Marcus. Wow, this woman read me way too quickly. :) Both of those are right next to each other in Scottsdale so I went off on a dashing bold adventure. I also needed to know how hard it was getting to Scottsdale in prep for Saturday.

Found the Neiman and got a pair of Theory shorts on sale. Nice dressy but casual shorts. I will look good by the pool today. :) I had the sales guy call Concierge to tell me how to get to the restaurant. Why? Because it's Neiman and you can pull shit like that. Turns out it was *almost* walking distance from there. Perfect.

Got over to where the restaurant is and it's in a little mini-mall tourist trap. Back up, reverse, hold on -- forgot to mention that during the day N1 texted me letting me know my package had arrived. I was very excited about getting back to the hotel at some point to see what said package had in it. I bring it up because she texted me again while I was getting the shorts and I had to tell her to hold on.

Once I got back in the car, I called her back. I was such a little butthead. I walked around the shopping area where the restaurant is looking at jewelry for her, while she was on the phone. I was teasing her like crazy. But we were both having a good laugh out of it. It was all done in fun and jest. Went off to dinner. Went in, sat all the way at the very end of the bar, introduced myself to the expeditor, and told him where I was from and how the place had come highly recommended. We talked for a few minutes while I went over the wine list. I settled on an 05 St Emillion. I then asked him if the chef would do a tasting menu for me. I got to meet the chef and we settled on a six course menu. Ready for it?

Small greens with smoked salmon, air dried corn, isreali couscous and buttermilk dressing
Tiger shrimp lightly coated in cornmeal on a bed of sweet corn grits
Seared scallop on beet infused risotto with chevre and dill <-- my favorite dish
Pork belly with a thai chili cucumber sauce
Pork ass in a red wine gastrique with baby slaw and micro cilantro <--second favorite
Dessert trio of pot d'creme, bread pudding, and an ice cream I would kill your mother for. :)

Not a bad little dinner, eh? Right up my alley. We went through a second bottle, and I invited the expeditor to join me on Saturday if he wants so I don't walk into this party by myself. Plus he knows the area and where to park, etc. Always bring a local baby. I will be going back Saturday before the party to "warm up" and hang out. I felt very welcomed at this place and strongly recommend it to anyone in the Phoenix/Tuscon/Scottsdale area.

Headed back to the hotel and I won't lie, there were a couple of moments where I realized I was "happy" shall we say. Was never worried, but I knew I should stop fucking with my phone and focus. Got back to my room and there is a GIANT box on the desk. WTF?? What the hell did she send me?!?! I called her and opened it with her on the phone. Inside the GIANT box was a tiny box of nine chocolates. And not just normal people chocolate -- sage with honey, passionfruit, pineapple upside down cake -- all of which she picked out -- but the one that stopped me cold. The one that made me want to give this woman everything in the world -- a single small heart shaped chocolate. Peanut butter and jelly. The greatest flavors in a candy ever. The flavors that a chocolate shop in my old town stopped making because I was the only one who bought it. I was such a happy little boy...

We talked for about an hour and then I literally passed out on top of the bed, in my clothes, sideways. And now it's morning, I have nothing to do but sit by the pool and nurse this hangover. And think of her and my chocolate...