We began with another lovely breakfast here at the Inn. Today it was a berry smoothies, followed by grilled pineapple with a vanilla creme, baked french toast with cranberry-orange sauce and pork sausage. Yum.

Then we headed across the street to the Blue Giraffe, site of our annual ‘couples massage’. This year we didn’t do a side by side (since I can’t lie on my tummy for any length of time, nor on my left side); instead J. had a full body (swedish) massage and I had a reflexology massage. It was heaven. And absolutely no surprise that the only ‘OUCH’ spot on my feet was linked to my ‘chest area’.

Sasha, btw, has destroyed her new crate. We didn’t like her usual, metal sided, crate because it is heavy and awkward to travel with, so I went and got a large canvas, folding one instead. We liked traveling with it, and she was fine in it on the first day. Last night she met us at the door, having ripped open the side. SIGH. So now when we leave the room we have to put her into the bathroom. She hates it, but we can’t trust her on her own.

This mostly means that the ‘alone time’ we had scheduled is now nonexistent. (Or nearly so.)

So, we headed back to the room to get her and then up to Pasta Piatti for lunch. They have tables outside, so we tied her to my chair and ordered a very nice lunch. We began with their calamari — always a favorite. They have a new salad, Caldo Balsamico — spinach with warm sauteed pears, toasted walnuts, carmelized baby onion, bacon, ricotta salata, and a balsamic vinaigrette.  Both were incredibly good, although the calamari (for once) was good, not great (it needed about 30 seconds more in the cooking, I think). The salad was perfect.

For our main, J. had the meatball sandwich and I tried the crab ravioli. The sandwich was very good, J. tells me, but the ravioli was only ok. Lots of things in the bowl, so the crab flavor really didn’t come through. Worse, when I just ate a ravioli, it still didn’t come through. The essence was there, but it was more like a cheese ravioli than I felt was acceptable. That’s surprising, because PP has been a favorite for years. Its still on our recommended list.

J. went to see Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, while I went back to the room for a relaxing afternoon. He’s out getting dinner, and running Sasha at the dog park. Then he went to see Pride and Prejudice while I continued to relax. All in all, a lovely day.