Our neighbor, Rosemary, recently shared some of her homemade sauerkraut wit us. It was so good I ate it all and Jerry didn’t get any. I don’t know if you all know that fermented foods, like sauerkraut, are very good for gut health. And I do have problems with that. It did help, but you have to eat it often, like every day.
The taste sparked a memory of when me and Jerry’s grandmother, Nanny, were canning sauerkraut. I was growing so much cabbage, she taught me what to do with it. Just like with all my tomatoes, we canned everything from stewed tomato’s to ketchup. Cucumber’s to pickles, strawberries to jam, and so on. I loved gardening and learned so much from her.
That’s Nanny on the right and Jerry’s aunt Lucille, Jerry’s mom sister, on the left, in Lucille’s kitchen. You could always find Nanny in the kitchen. She loved to cook. The recipe box was Lucille’s.
Rosemary’s sauerkraut had a very positive effect on my gut. So I felt I had to start making it again or pay her to make it for me. I was afraid to ask for that. So I got me a crock, listened to Rosemary, looked online and I was in business.
My first batch was a little salty, so I adjusted. This is my second batch. I started with two heads of cabbage
You chop, chop, and chop some more until it’s in the form you prefer.This is two heads choppedyou salt it, rest it, and then squeeze it for five minutesYou can see how much it has already reduced, and it’s going reduce even moreYou put it all in the crock Cover it with cabbage leaves, Put special weights on top to keep it under the liquid it produced, put the lid on and wait………at least a week.
And this is what you get. There’s a head of cabbage in each jar. It’s still not as good as hers, but I do like it
We have been eating high on the hog for a few weeks now, and enjoyed every minute. But it’s time to cut that out and eat a little more sensibly now
We had soooo many incredibly delicious meals in Las Vegas. Thank you again Frank&Linda
Plus, Tony&Thuy treated us to a family style dinner at P.F.Changes after our boat ride to celebrate our anniversary. So many delicious choices, the lettuce wraps being my favorite. We brought home the many leftovers, enough tor another meal. Thank you Tony&Thuy
Our gift from Tony &Thuy. This is the an enlargement of the only picture we have of our wedding. Tony wanted to improve the original, but sadly it couldn’t be improved just enlarged. I love it just the way it is and the frame is beautiful and special.
Plus, Linda made us an incredibly delicious dinner on our actual anniversary, November 2nd, served alfresco on their beautiful backyard patio. Mike and Rosemary joined us to help celebrate 🎉 Again we had enough leftovers to make another meal. Thank you again Frank&Linda
pesto salmon-asparagus, blistered tomatoes- baby potatoes-and pumpkin pie with homemade whipping cream
Plus, While Tracy was here we ate at a lot of her favorite places. She misses some of the things she can’t get in North Dakota. She said you can’t get a decent bagel, or jack in the box taco’s, chipotle bowls, strawberry scone’s, InNOut burger, or the famous Costco $1.50 hot dog-drink combo.
It was so nice to have her home again. Thank you for coming to celebrate and spend time with us Tracy💗
Talking about food we just lost our absolute favorite pizza restaurant, Ecco’s. It was Tracy’s favorite also. She was looking forward to eating there while here, so we got in the car, drove there and parked. We headed towards the door and it was covered in paper. We were horribly surprised, it is closed permanently. Never read anything in the paper. After 45 years, I guess the pandemic probably did them in😢we’re going to miss those #77 special pizza’s.
And now it might be happening again to our favorite steak place to hangout.
This is an article in the Long Beach Post by Tim Grobaty.
and so, on Sunday, Tony and Thuy treated us to another dinner for Jerry’s 79th birthday in that very restaurant that could maybe be our last? It is a kitschy place, but we love it that way. Jerry says the steak and lobster is some of the best he’s ever had. I had the Liver and Onions, one of my favorites that most restaurants don’t serve anymore. And it was delicious! I had some leftovers to bring home too. Thanks again Tony&Thuy
kinda looks like a dive, doesn’t it?
I’m sure the bar has helped keep it aliveNick gives it the two thumbs up. Amy brought a friend. Thank you again Tony for planning everything💗
This has been a very special time in our life, and sharing it with family, friends, and you guys too, has been a blast. A lot of couples don’t make it this far, I guess that’s why they call it a milestone.
Thanks to everyone for gifts, cards, and well wishes for our anniversary. It has been a fun experience and celebration of our 60 years together.
Last Saturday, Tony treated us to another joyous celebration. On a Duffy boat. We cruised around Long Beach harbor, even getting up close to the Queen Mary. Tracy flew from North Dakota as her gift to us. Amy and Emily, with her boyfriend Nick, came also. With their schedules it’s a rare treat to have them both at the same time. Frank and Linda joined us, and Tony and Thuy piloted the boat.We had snacks, champagne, wine, and sparkling juice while enjoying the beautiful weather and scenery. What fun we dad.
Linda was taking most of the pictures
⬆️This was a very interesting boat⬆️
They look like movie stars, don’t they?
You’re a star too Amy
In case you’ve been wondering about the Queen Mary and it’s importance to Long Beach. It closed when Covid hit, and never reopened because of it’s poor condition. Now it’s getting a 5 million dollar renovation, and hopefully open early 2023. Jerry’s farther came home from the war on the Queen Mary.
We passed the Reef restaurant which is where we had dinner the day we got married. We’ve celebrated many anniversaries there over the years. It’s still in business, but they only host large groups now. Our little group didn’t qualify.
Oh, the memories, 🎼sweetened through the ages just like wine 🎼
To make our trip even better, Linda and I had spa pedicures. Thuy’s brother owns a nail shop and we were treated to this special pedicure. You even get warm wax rubbed on your feet at one point. It was divine. If you’ve never had one get out and get one. Even if your feet are ugly, as mine are, they don’t care. You probably should leave a bigger tip if they are ugly though.
WOW!!! No, we didn’t ride in this one. Just posing
I love this picture Linda took of the Paris from across the street. Too bad the fountains weren’t going, huh Ray?Oh, there’s the fountains. Are you happy now Ray?One more picture of the beautiful chandler’s. I wonder how often they have to clean them?An interesting fact as you wait to go in the magic show.And two picture Linda took of the Conservatory at the Bellagio hotel. They got up way early and walked through it. I think they are stunning. One with darkness and one with brightness.
I mentioned before about the new restaurants in the hotel. I only got a picture of the Vanderpump. I loved the decor but we never ate there. It wasn’t open but Linda snuck in and I took her picture. It looks like it could be Lisa Vanderpump of ‘Real Housewives’ fame sitting there.
so, it’s back to the real world now. No more espresso martinis for breakfast, no more two meals a day at MonAmiGabi. No more Vegas shows to go to. No more sticking our fingers in noses. But we have our good friends next door to reminisce about our wonderful trip and thank for our wonderful trip, for years to come.
thanks for following our adventures-I love that you tag along and leave me comments😁
You’re right Sharon, that’s al I can say is “WOW” “
We started out the day with a great breakfast at ~ MonAmiGabi. Where else can you have a Espresso Martini with your bananas foster crepes? And a anniversary chocolate eclair for desert. A great way to start the day.
it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed being in our favorite place with our favorite people. Thank you F&L.
Our tattoos weren’t until 2, so we had time to do the one, and only, time we gamble. We pick a $1 progressive machine for all of us and we put in $21 each. That gives us each 7 pulls with a $3. bet. We see who can win the most. Jerry ended up with $31. But if you count the $21 bet, that’s only $10. I had $30 so really only $$9. You can see our last hand on the machines. By mistake, I picked a machine that you could bet 5 instead of 3. We could have won more with those hands on the other machine. Frank and Linda, we’ll, they lost it all. It was still a lot of fun.
He’s feeling so smug~over a measly $1
So now it’s time to get our tattoos, to catch up with the four we didn’t get because of Covid.
We couldn’t get the guy that did the original tattoo, so our artist was Chico. His eyelids were even tattooed.
There’s plastic wrap covering the tattoo so it looks funny. By the time we see all of you they will be healed. The heart, instead of a star, is for our 60th year together. WOW! How did we accomplish that?
We had a early dinner at MAG as we started referring to it that night. We had steak. Soooo gooood. We were all happy campers. Even my espresso martini was smiling. It looks like Ziggy, don’t you think Celia?
Our friendly waiter showed us a picture of a street he passes by all the time. Cute huh? We didn’t see as many Elvis on the sidewalk this time. But there were a lot of these beauties.
we were treated to a comedy and magic show after dinner. It was right next door at Ballys.
He did a lot of standard tricks which were even more amazing seeing them so close up. A lot of card tricks you can’t figure out how it’s done. This trick his wife who help’s out and a audience member to check it out, watch as the magician gets in the box. She gets on top then pulls up the cover and she ends up in the box and he’s on top of the box. It was an old trick but great to see it live. It happens so fast. WOW! He’s telling jokes and engaging the audience as he performs. Funny and entertaining.
It was another marvelous day. Thank you again F&L. I hated to see it end. But as they say “all good things must come to an end”. It was a fantastic 4 days. We love you💗
We look forward to our home cooked anniversary dinner with you tonight. I’m so happy Mike and Rosemary are joining us.
I have another adventure on a Duffy boat to share.
This was a trip of a lifetime. An all expense paid whirlwind excursion of one of our favorite places, the “city that never sleeps”. Our neighbors of 33 years and best friends, Frank and Linda, treated us for our 60th wedding anniversary. WOW!
Our first stop was the Cracker Barrel in Apple Valley for lunch. Everyone probably knows by now how much we love Cracker Barrel. So I was thrilled when Frank suggested we stop there for lunch. It was as delicious as ever.
After a pit stop and then a Starbucks stop, and of course, a gas stop, it was straight to the strip. Straight to the Paris Hotel
that’s MonAmiGabi in front where we ate four times. WOW!
checking in, look at that chandelier WOW!
Frank did all the driving this trip which Jerry appreciated so much. He used valet parking so there was no schelpping to and from the parking garage. We even took a taxi once. WOW!
That first night we ate at ‘Emerils’ the chef known for his catch phrase -‘BAM’- at the MGM. You know the one don’t you? Right, that one. There are so many chef named/inspired restaurants there now. look who’s at the Paris.
The MGM is where the CirqueDuSoliel’s ‘KA’ was performing. We were treated to front row seats of this spectacular, entertaining and awe inspiring show. We all loved and enjoyed it.(Check out the trailer on line).
You can’t take pictures of the show so Linda got a few before it started. The theater was huge. WOW!
The next morning we had a great breakfast at MonAmiGabiand then headed to the south outlet mall. Linda was wanting to find the Williams Sonoma outlet store. But it was no longer there. Dissapointed, we headed back to Planet Hollywood to make our tattoo appointments for the next day. We had lunch in the ‘Miracle Mile shops, and then headed back to the Paris for cocktails. We sat at a nice open air bar where you can see all the action going on around you.
We were having so much fun Frank bought us another round of drinks. As we sat there, we could see every type of person, all looking and checking out the machines, trying to find that one that’s going to hit a jackpot. But you can’t tell anymore when they do. there’s no bells going off, no one yelling “i won”. I kinda miss that sound and also the money hitting those metal trays. It’s unmistakable. Right?
I love the ceiling in the Paris
We got called into eat and sat on the patio of MonAmiGabi, at the rail, looking at the fountains of the Bellagio. WOW! Jerry and I got our favorite meal, the skate, it was delicious. We all enjoyed our food and people watching again, as they walked by on the sidewalk – all looking up at the Eiffel Tower.
It’s the city that never sleeps, but of course we did have to sleep. We said our good nights and headed to our rooms.
Once in awhile-now and again-this is us 