The only way to spend the church's date night is drinking and playing pool

I felt almost bad telling people when we got back to the church to pick up our kids. But you know what? I had an amazing time.

We went to Frank N Stein's, a pub & grill that B goes to for poker games. It may sound bad, but it was a nicer place than I expected it to be. I mentioned this to B and he said, "What, you think I've been hanging out in a dive?" Yeah, he's so 80s.

The one thing they don't have going for them is their selection of girly drinks. I guess since it's a sports bar I'll let them get away with it. But only because they have a pool table that's only $1 per game. I settled for a rum & Coke. It'll do. Even if it isn't frozen. Or fruity. The bartender looked at me like I'd grown a horn right smack in the middle of my forehead when I asked if they had any flavored rum. Was that wrong?

We were joined by some friends mid-pool. We played two games, both of which I whooped butt on. The first game was lost by B sinking the 8. I legitimately won the second game by sinking the 8 at *whew* exactly the right time in exactly the right pocket. Because you know I'm good like that. I should even get Brownie points for taking that game to teach J how to play pool. She had never played. How can one be 25 and never have played pool? This kind of circumstance is beyond my comprehension. With instruction (because you all know how much I love to teach), she sank 3 of mine that game. Yeah, baby!

B claims that I have an "evil pool look." I laugh it off, but my sister swears it, too. Apparently when I'm concentrating right before taking a shot I look like the devil incarnate. How's that for a compliment??? ;)

We ate burgers, fajitas, onion rings, and fried mushrooms. Needless to say, no one was counting calories that night. As if the beer that we drank didn't constitute a meal's worth of calories anyway.

Today was SOOO hectic. After picking up the Angel Food order and getting my nails done, I went with Izzy and some friends to Central Market (my favorite place to shop!). I don't get to go there very often, so normal things are out of the question. Thankfully, CM has a load of not-so-normal things, and even some what-the-heck things. These are a lot more fun to buy.

Some takes of the day include a small sprig of fresh mint, orugula and mushroom pasta in bumblebee stripes, freshly made honey-roasted peanut butter (as in I watched it being made), lamb patties with feta and mint, strawberry apple juice, four small bags of various organic granolas to go with my yogurt (Hawaiian, strawberry vanilla, etc), and millet bread. What we don't eat of the bread I plan to give to Kai. Haha.

The friends that came to CM with me came over for dinner, and from our purchases we made raspberry chipotle chicken, fresh rosemary and olive oil red potatoes, and the most veggiefied salad I think I've ever seen, topped with a pomegranate hibiscus dressing.

Yummmmmmmmmmm.

I think I may be getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Before I eat us out of house and home on a CM-induced foodie frenzy, here's some pics from last night:


Me & J over dinner... very interesting trying to aim the camera at both of us over that huge table.


Apparently the mushroom-onion-swiss burger induces comas.


The Evil Pool Look, an attempt to capture the uncapturable. Although I've been told since I knew I was getting my photo taken, I toned it down quite a bit. Personally I think I look as cuddly as a bunny. If only the red eyes didn't give me away!!!