Parking for morons

You have to be a total moron to park on a spot that's clearly not a spot but an actual traffic lane in a parking lot. Even when you get out of the car if you look at the entire length of the parking lot, you ought to realize that your car is not on an approved spot.
Then again, maybe your car broke down right there.

The Barrymore, a Great Fine Dining Experience

Lumiere, the half man half candle from Beauty and The Beast said it better, "if you are stressed, it's fine dining we suggest."
I am not a food critique nor would I ever pretend to be one but if I was, here's my review of The Barrymore.
The quote fit the occasion for Melissa and I were due for a little one on one and since I had to work Valentine's we could not celebrate properly. The occasion presented itself with an invitation to try a fairly new restaurant far off the craziness of the strip but not so far that you needed a passport to get to the destination.
The Barrymore is a throwback to old Vegas. Ornately decorated with plush green oversized booths and movie reels lining the entire ceiling. The food and service fit the room. Rich and luxurious offerings that melt in your mouth. A great starter was the macaroni with lobster along with a generous serving of steamed mussels. A third appetizer was the Tuna tartare topped with creme fraiche. Even before we were sat, we began pour experience with a bottle of Shramsberg Mirabelle. A crisp and flavorful sparkling wine without the high price you might find at any other steak house along the strip. This bubbly was perfect for the flavors in our appetizers. Ever had bacon bread? It is part of the bread basket offering along with a freshly toasted baguette and Parmesan lavosh bread.
Our dining experience was capped by a tasting combination of Rib Eye steak, diver scallop and shrimp. A true surf and turf cooked just perfectly. The steak was a long section of the rib eye seared on both sides and cooked just slightly past rare. The meat was moist tender and full of flavor. The sauce accompanying the steak was made with bone marrow and the standard fare for a steak sauce. Scallops and shrimp were cooked just right without toughening the meat. All this sat over mashed potatoes and asparagus. Dessert was fairly standard with a generous serving of berry gelato and a deconstructed cheesecake so moist that it almost had the consistency of Panna Cotta.
I'll say that I can't wait to go back and try their Rib Eye for two, pethaps with a slab of Foie Gras. Their wine list had choices for every budget which makes it convenient for the wine lovers.
The service was professional and attentive without being intrusive.
The Barrymore, google it

16 months and counting

The babies have turned 16 (months) and they are a force to reckon with. They are all walking at this point and talking up a storm. They are the only ones that can understand what each is saying though we can make up and understand some of the words they are saying, particularly with Catherine.Each one has already taken on their own personality with Catherine bieng the ring leader and boss of them all. Charlie does not put up with Catherine's "abuse" and does stick up for herself. cecilia is the more docile and sweet of all three. I have to admit that they are indeed a handful.Financially it is gettig hard with all manner of savings about gone. Of course spending about $800.00 worth of grocieries in about a month does not help. Last year $400.00 alone was for formula for each month. On top of that you have doctor's visits with small co-pays that add up slowly. Thankfully, Melissa might be going back to work this year at her Dad's construction business so that should help out a little.Big Kids are also proving ot be a challenge but I guess it comes with age. Both are slacking off with some of their classes and assignments at school which doesn't make anyone happy, much less them when their privileges get taken away (X-Box, Iphones, Games, extra activities with friends, etc.)Emotionally, multiples take a toll on everyone. We spend less time with the big kids, we spend les time with each other (Melissa and I), so by the time babies are asleep, we are sometimes just exhausted from the day's work. Of course this is more evident with Melissa since she is with all ofthem day in and day out.I do not blame her when she gets mad at any of us because we forget to do something which could have made her day easier. We deserve her wrath.It is a joy to watch the babies at play or just interacting with each other. They bring a lot of happines to all of us. It starts during the morning when they wake up and most of the time, they will have a welcoming smile as you walk into their room. Every expenditure has been worth it. Every waking hour has been worth it. Long nights are pretty much a thing of the past and I know they are still going to change and improve.
It's all good.