David's Visit

Well, FIRST of all, while I was so happy to get to see David again, I was so sad Paul couldn't come.  It just wasn't the same without him.

In setting the scene for the weekend, I shall refer to this article in the Denver Post:

102-degree reading breaks Denver temperature record

It was hot.  We have ceiling fans, box fans and a small air conditioning window unit in the dining room which all adds up to a near-constant oppressive heat.

Which explains a lot of sleepiness and lounging on the couch.  (Thank God for that couch.)

Friday, I picked David up from DIA and we fought traffic all the way to Garbanzos.  When we finally got there, we were both starving.  But the guy in front of us had apparently never been to one (or to a restaurant or out in public, is my guess), so the employees took turns walking him through the process of pointing at what he wanted.

Garbanzos is GOOD and David agrees.

So then my big idea was to go to Lowry for a free concert.  Concerned it would only be the two of us, David asked what I had done to alienate everyone.  Or, he wondered, is Paul the real draw?

On the way to Lowry, my AT light went on on my dashboard.  *waiting for it*  Exactly.  I had no idea what that meant, either.  So, David pulled out the car manual.  It basically said to stop driving immediately.  Not satisfied with that explanation, David Googled it on his phone (Thank God for the iPhone) and before it fully loaded, he read aloud the words "major mechanical".  Super.

We went anyways and immediately realized it was not for us.  I can't quite explain why.  Too white.  Too many kids.  Too many people sway-dancing.  We spotted a Salty Rita's and headed right for it.

I forget what David is showing me here.  But what's up with the 2 nosy girls behind him?

A marg each under our belts, we decided to walk over to Savory Spice, but it was closed.  We then decided to brave the crowd and get our $5 burrito and drink at Qdoba.  As soon as we walked it, though, it looked like Disneyland--there was a line 8 miles long!  I heard David behind me, "How dedicated are we to this?"  Not very.

So we drove all the way back to my house in what apparently was my undriveable car.  On the way, I pointed out Jordan's Bistro by DU.  As we arrived at my house, we had finally decided Jordan's looked like our best option.  So we drove over there.  (One hundred degrees, people!!)

We split a $5 pizzas and had a couple of beers.  Then headed home for some couch time.  In fact, David and I were sprawled-out asleep on it when Brian got home.

Kelly came and hung out with us Sat.  I had to take my car in (oil change and turning the AT light off = $100), so she drove us around town.  It was fun.  We helped her pick out a dress for an upcoming wedding (no, not HER wedding), then ate lunch at Thai Basil.

That place is so very good.  We had sesame chicken and Pad Thai.  I had a Thai iced tea which came from a warning from David.  Which came true, but still--SO good.

When we got back to the couch, I made mojitos.  

See?  Mo-HEE-to.

David was appalled we didn't have a muddler.  As he went on and on about it, he sounded JUST LIKE BRIAN.  I decided they were in cahoots.

B and I decided to take David to one of our favorite restaurants, Bones.  It is just about perfect.

  See?  These are the pork belly sticky buns.

We sat at the bar because it's tiny and we couldn't make timely reservations.  B commented that it might not have been the best idea to sit next to the grill on a hot day (102 degrees, remember?).  It was hot, but so fun to watch the chefs in action.  

We had:

• pork belly sticky buns

• escargot potstickers

• ramen with poached lobster, edamame and miso lobster broth.

Incredible.  Seriously.  Best meal ever.

David eating with gusto

Brian had been up eeeeaaarrrllly, so we took him back home.  Meanwhile, we were supposed to meet Sarah Uptown.  I told her 10 minutes and we showed up in 35.  Good ol' good-natured Sarah!

"Hiyaaaah!!"

We met her at JR's after she said the drag show at Hamburger Mary's sounded depressing.  We drank vodka sodas with lime.  Damn, they were strong.

Not that you'd know it from this picture or anything as we used each other for support.

I had intended on a somewhat early evening and driving home.  But, after a short nap in the car, decided that wasn't such a hot idea.  Here's Sarah hailing us a cab:

 

 

 

"Hiyaaaaah!!!"

And then...  this:

*still waiting for a cab*

Yeah, it was That Kind of night.

We got into the cab around 3am.  We took Sarah home first ("Byeee!!"), then chatted up the cabbie on the way home.  

We then proceeded to sleep it off.  Well, me more so than David.

The first order of business Sun, then, was obviously to go get the car.  But first I had to find my key.  And I couldn't.  I have NO EARTHLY IDEA what happened to it.  And no, I didn't have a spare.  I bought the car in Feb and it was on my to-do list, but you know how those things go.

So we called Kelly,  She'd know what to do!

She drove us to the car and we tried to use The Secret(tm) to find the key, but the stupid Secret(tm) doesn't work (or, maybe I did have some doubt it would work and that's why it didn't work. It's sort of a complicated principle.) So we ate breakfast at Steuben's.  It was good.  And we all needed it (Kelly had had her own drink-fest the night before).  

Anyway.  I decided to call some locksmiths from home.  Kelly dropped us off and there was some more couch-sitting until I hit upon one that said he'd meet me at the car in an hour.

Not wanting to bother Kelly, I devised a plan to take the bus.

David was not what you'd call "enthusiastic" about this plan.

But, he went through with it.  Mostly because I hadn't yet burst into tears re: the whole key thing.

It was too hot in the sun, so we waited across the street in the shade and then scurried across it when we saw the bus coming.

It was air conditioned, so that was a treat.  What was not a treat was the old man who got on at Wash Park, then turned to face us as the bus took off.  He started chatting in a mumbling sort of way about the heat... and 2 year olds... and gorillas... at least that was what we could make out without asking him to speak up. 

We successfully did not engage with him, so arrived downtown in good time.  Oh--and this is after the bus TURNED at one point unexpectedly.  Still, it got us way closer than we would have been otherwise (remember: it was record-breaking hot).  

We went to Hamburger Mary's for a milkshake since we arrived too early for the locksmith.

Doesn't that look good?  Yeah, well, it wasn't.  It was too milky and had no flavor.  We were not impressed.

So added to THAT letdown, while there, the locksmith called to say he couldn't make a key without towing it to the dealer.  But dealerships are closed on Sundays.  At least I didn't have to worry about a parking ticket!!

So then we headed back to the bus stop.  David had already looked up the schedule (again: thank God for that iPhone) and we knew we had a wait.  As we waited, this woman approached us and said two things:

"The bus comes every half hour.  I don't know what to tell you."

We were like, "Okaaaay..."

Then she walked away, but mumbled that it was 1:30pm and about 95 degrees.

We sat for some time.  I took pictures of the tree overhead.

Then Crazy Lady (I should also mention she was wearing long sleeves and pants--all black) came back!  She sat down beside us and started talking about how there are so many crazy people out there (*wide-eyed look exchanged between me and David*).  Then B called, so I left those two alone.

Next thing I know, Kelly's on her way.  I'll let David explain how that came about.

Sunday night was City Park Jazz.  Having to come pick us up, there wasn't time to make anything, so the 3 of us stopped at the store.  I had to do some convincing to still go (again, it was near 100 degrees and it had been, as I described, a long-ass day).

We made it to the Park.  We couldn't really hear the music and it was hella crowded, but always fun to join the community and have a picnic with friends!

The adorable couple.

The other adorable couple.

*Not pictured: Karen was there, too*

Sarah took us home and we were spent.

Monday morning, I walked David to the lightrail and sent him on his way, then headed to work.  After work, everyone came over for a bbq.  Yay!!

Right before everyone got there, Brian had "there's not enough food panic".  We've all had it when we host.  You don't want people to be satisfied--you want them STUFFED!  So I had to run to the store for hamburger.  

When everyone arrived, B then Sarah made mojitos.  Official Drink of the Summer.  Brian did all the cooking.  

 At the grill.

The food came out in courses:

• crab cakes

• crab-stuffed shrimp

• adobo chicken

• ribs

• hamburgers

Not to mention the chickpea salad, quinoa salad, watermelon, chips and salsa, leftover boneless chicken wings, and tomato-cucumber salad.  See now why I was reluctant to make that last trip to the store?

Anyways, it was, as expected, a fun time.

 David being hilarious.

David talking to Paul.  Hi, Paul!!

At one point, about a dozen flies descended on the food at the table.  We kept trying to shoo them away.  I noticed one fly sitting on the electric wires above us watching his minions.  

They eventually left and, sure enough--when I looked up the Fly Leader was gone, too.

Karen made a chocolate pudding pie for dessert.

YUM!

I wanted to add this photo last.  I'm not sure what ruined it for David, but he's obviously stopped having a good time.

Tues, B drove David downtown (after giving me a look like some friend I was being for NOT driving him to the Convention Center) and I went (yes, AGAIN) to work.  Via email, Kelly and I hatched a plan for the evening to go to happy hour at Lime and eat $1 tacos.

When I got there, those 2 were well into the chips and salsa and their 1st margaritas.  I took one sip of mine and it gave me goosebumps--they were ridiculously strong for $3.

But the tacos were excellent, esp for $1.

I should also mentioned it rained on us so we had to move inside.  The record-breaking heat had FINALLY broken!

David and I headed back home and watched Pawn Stars.  (Paul's thinking, "What? No "America: The Story of Us"?"  Waited for B to get home, watched Glee, went to bed.

I drove him to the lightrail station the next morning and said goodbye.  It sure was a fun weekend!!!