Love, Honor and Amuse

 I am remembering a rainy October like this one, 18 years ago. Kenmore T station flooded up to the roof - it closed the Green Line for weeks!  And then the sun came out on a beautiful warm Saturday like yesterday, friends and family arrived from all over, and we sang and heard readings.  N and I made promises we wrote ourselves - love, honor and amuse!  We've done it all these years and here's to many more! 

Celebrating our anniversary

Here's the answer to the question, "What did we do for our 18th anniversary?"   We made it a weekend-long celebration with two delicious dinners!  

Saturday, October 25th 
Maine

We drove to Maine!  We spent our honeymoon in Maine, so it always feels right to make it back there.  It only takes an hour to sneak over the border into Kittery.  

We tried a new restaurant to us - the amazing Warren's Lobster House!  Why did I not know about this place?!  Many thanks to the vivacious Vickie for the recommendation!  It's a casual spot along the Portsmouth Harbor, easy to find on Rte 1, with a big sign, huge parking lot, waterfront dining, a huge seafood menu and a 60-item salad bar!  And they make the most delicious pumpkin bread ever!  

We got there at 5 pm and were seated right away.  It got crowded with people waiting by 6 pm, but never got too crazy at the salad bar. 

I had the salad bar.  It comes with all the dinners!  I adored it because it was not just lettuce and garnishes.  I had potato salad and raisin/carrot salad and pasta salad and beets and candied apple slices and edamame and hummus and pita and yum!  And crackers and spread cheese.  And pumpkin bread.  There was soup, too, but I didn't grab that.  I wish we had salad bars around us!  

I had a lobster sampler called "The Triple Play" with boiled claws, stuffed tail and fried popcorn lobster.  The popcorn was a waste… no taste of lobster just little crunchy bits.  The other two parts were a delight!  And the baked potato was perfect.  

N. tried the salmon and shrimp bernaise over rice pilaf.  HIs eyes rolled back in his head upon tasting the sauce.  

We grabbed more pumpkin bread from the salad bar or dessert.  So moist and flavorful!

The service was just right - friendly, efficient and helpful to newcomers.  The prices are very reasonable!  

The sign on the hostess desk says "NO CELL PHONES" which I found a little rude even if it might be a good policy.  No one was paying any attention to that, so I casually took photos of my food as always.  

We bought pumpkin bread to take home - one for the office and one for Vickie.  It's only $3.40 per loaf!   

Sunday, October 26th
Malden

We drove to Malden to eat at our favorite Asian fusion restaurant - All Seasons Table.  We took a couple of theater pals to introduce them to the wonders of this stunning place hidden in a random suburban seedy downtown storefront.  We got the perfect table in the back area, surrounded by orchids and zen decor.  We shared so many dishes!  I had their hot & sour, seafood scallion pancake, and the Mongolian lamb.  N. had the sirloin tips special.  I got to taste a basil tomato seafood Udon dish that seemed like Asian paella!  And several very tasty maki rolls.  N and I shared the fried bananas with coconut ice cream for dessert.  Every single dish makes me think, "Aha!  That's the way it is supposed to taste!"