The Consulate, Gilligan's Island, and More Spanish Cooking

Our visa applications have been successfully submitted!  During our meetings Tuesday morning, we received commendations for our perfectly prepared paperwork (all credit goes to Jerry).

MY ACCORDION FILE TAKEN TO THE CONSULATE.  JERRY HAD ONE, TOO.

Everything was in perfect order.  Our health insurance was exactly what was required.  Our translations were certified as needed.  Our photos were the right size.  We had enough copies (and then some) of all the originals.  When we arrived at the consulate, we were greeted warmly.  The people we worked with were charming, knowledgeable, and exceptionally efficient.  It was a great experience.  We should have our visas in three months.  Maybe less.  So, now we just relax.  Well, really, now we can focus entirely on getting rid of our stuff.

MARINER'S VILLAGE, WHERE WE LIVED.  NO, THAT'S NOT JERRY IN THE BOAT.

On our way home from the consulate, we went by way of Marina del Rey — where we lived for seven months in '82/'83 — and had lunch at The Warehouse.  We chose the place just because we happened to pass it as we drove around the Marina.  Once we walked in the door, however, I recognized it as a place we frequented when we lived there.  It was easy to recognize.  Nothing had changed.  All the decor — including the carpeting and upholstery I'm pretty certain — was exactly as it had been in 1983.  Sadly, the place had the smell of 30-year-old carpet and upholstery.  But, the mahi mahi sandwiches were excellent.  So it wasn't a bad choice.  In case you never knew, the "tropic port" depicted in the opening credits of "Gilligan's Island" was in reality Marina del Rey.

GILLIGAN. THE SKIPPER, TOO.  THE MILLIONAIRE AND HIS... ETC.

Wednesday night, Jerry cooked up another delicious dinner from the pages of his Spanish cookbook, "The New Spanish Table."  This time we had Moorish Chicken and Nut Pie (olive oil, onion, chicken stock, chicken, paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne, tomatoes, raisins, sea salt, puff pastry, pine nuts, almonds, egg, milk, and finished off with confectioner's sugar).  Unbelievably good.  And we managed to restrain ourselves, which meant we had enough for lunch on Thursday.

MOORISH CHICKEN AND NUT PIE.

Today, we met a dear and wonderful San Diego friend for a farewell-for-now lunch at The Public House in Temecula.  If you haven't been there and you can get there, you should.  Unusual menu.  Fantastic food.  The best, by far, service.  Huge portions.  We finished off, well Jerry and I did, with their "S'mores" dessert, which was sinful and, if possible, even better than it sounded (graham cracker, marshmallow, chocolate ganache, chocolate brownie, fresh vanilla cream).

OUR S'MORES AT THE PUBLIC HOUSE...  BEFORE WE HAD AT IT.