Food & Friendship

Tonight's blog is two-fold.  One part food, one part friendship.  First, the food.  I got together tonight with two special women who I used to be with in MOMs Club.  We met at The Sample Room in Minneapolis.  This was my first time here and it definitely won't be my last.  I loved it! 

They have a unique way of introducing you to different drinks and foods.  They have "flights" of wine, beer and drinks.  I ordered a flight of Euro Reds.  They brought me three small glasses of wine:  Tuttobene Toscana Rosso (Italy); Senorio De P. Pecina, Cosecha, Rioja (Spain); Chateau De Pennautier, Cabardes (France).  After the sampling, I was able to order a full glass of my favorite - which happened to the French wine. 

The food choices were similar.  They had small portions on their menu as well as full size dishes.  I started out with a roasted beet salad that was served with lettuce, beets, blue cheese and sugared pecans.  It was the perfect combination of sweet, sour and savory.  For my next course, I ordered the salmon dish which came with a salmon fillet about the size of a deck of cards.  It was served over creamed and pickled cauliflower with a spinach puree on top.  It was so delicious and a perfect size for me.  No dinner is complete without dessert and the Coconut Creme Brulee was excellent! 

The Sample Room is a quaint little place that got very busy at about 7pm.  We got there at 5:30pm and got a table right away.  Closer to 7pm it got busier and louder and there was about a half hour to forty five minute wait for a table.  Here's a link to their website for more information.  www.the-sample-room.com

I've had a horrible last three weeks.  About three weeks ago I ended up in the emergency room with chest pains.  After many tests and doctor appointments and more tests, I've been told that my problem isn't heart related but stress and anxiety related.  Really???  How could this be when I've been under lots of stress before?  What was the tipping point this time?  Why do I feel like I have to hide my real feelings from everyone?  Can someone die from stress?

Last week I sat sobbing in my doctor's office saying to her, "This is so stupid.  I need to snap out of it.  This is unacceptable behavior.  I want someone to take care of me.  Am I having a nervous breakdown?"  She sat and listened to my rants and then assured me that I wasn't losing my mind and she'd help me work through this.  (She's called me since to check in and is delighted to hear that I'm back to running five miles a day and have reconnected/connected with some supportive friends/family!)

After finding out what has been going on, my sister stepped in with some parenting help, my friend Wendy remained my true and steady confidante and Renee and Karen came back into my life when I needed them most.  

Renee and Karen, I got together with tonight at The Sample Room.  I have known both of them for over fourteen years.  We were in MOMs Club together when we were all stay at home moms looking for playdates for our children and a little adult conversation for ourselves.  We lost touch as our children became school age and their activities had us running to and fro.  Facebook helped us reconnect and when we got together tonight, it was like we had never been apart.  It was an amazing night of food and friendship.  I can't wait to see them both again!

"A good friend is hard to find, hard to lose and impossible to forget."  -Unknown