Hey Guys! Happy Mother's Day weekend!

And to those who celebrate like myself, Happy Puppy Mother's Day!!

Bacon

Maple

I love these babies more than life. They aren't spoiled at all ;-)

Cheers from me to you!

Recently Mr. Epicure and I were in SoCal for a few days to celebrate the memory of my grandmother who sadly passed away a few months back.

She lived a wonderful life. She loved her church, to read books, cross stitching, listening to music (especially Neil Diamond), watching the boats pass in the channel near her house, but most of all she loved chocolate! Sees in particular. She loved to take me whenever I was in town, and would get so excited for the free sample.

She also loved to pick the roses from her garden and arrange them in pretty vases on her kitchen table. We walked by her old house which appeared to be vacant and not in the greatest shape, but in the middle of the wild landscaping I spotted the most perfect single white rose.

I'd like to think that it was a sign from her to thank us for stopping by and to let us know that she was alright.

It really was a beautiful day. The beach was calm, there was a lovely breeze, and we were able to sit and watch the seals as we reflected on our loss.

After leaving her old neighborhood, my aunt and uncle treated us to a fabulous dinner at Rothschild's.

It's a little Italian place my family and I have dined at for years. Besides Disneyland of course, it was always the thing I most looked forward to when visiting my grandmother in the summer.

We would get dressed up, they would welcome my grandpa by name, and treat us exceptionally. The food here has always been spectacular and I was pleased to find that even after all these years, nothing about that has changed.

We started with drinks after they sat us in their formal dining room. Rose for me, Chianti for my aunt, and a Peroni for the hubs. My uncle doesn't drink so he stuck to iced tea.

One thing we all wanted though was their insanely addictive garlic bread. It's smothered in butter, toasted until perfectly crisp, and topped with whisper thin minced garlic, parmesan, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

I dare you to eat just one.

After a long day of travel and flight delays, I decided to fully embrace my comfort food craving. I ordered the Fettuccine Romano for dinner which is pasta with butter, cream, and lots and lots of cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. *swoon*

I did have a salad as well, so I would still consider it a balanced meal ;-)

Both my aunt and my husband got the Fusilli Brocoletto which was my grandmothers favorite dish. It's corkscrew pasta in a white wine sauce with fresh broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, and basil. He practically licked his plate clean.

My uncle got the chicken with white wine and mustard sauces, along with a side of rigatoni a la vodka, and roasted potatoes.

Everything was fantastic per usual, and we ended our meal with a round of coffees and shared a slice of their ice cream pie. It definitely feeds four and then some. It has homemade vanilla ice cream, an Oreo crust, a generous layer of meringue, and is covered in warm milk chocolate and pecan sauces.

Stuffed to the gills, we made our way back closer to San Diego where we were staying with my cousin and her husband. We fell into a deep sleep that night both happily full and content. While I've never lived in California, I went often growing up and always feel at home in a strange way whenever I'm there.

I will be back soon with Part 2 of our trip, and hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekend.

The hubs and I are off to a movie, and then I have meal planning and errands to run before the upcoming week.

On the calendar for next week is another Yelp event, tons of work, and taking my beautiful sister out for a belated birthday dinner.

Until next time friends, take care and eat well!

<3 Elyse