MJ1 at Cafe Jonah/Gina & Will Planning a Trip to Italy

US Journal

Friday, May 10, 2013

MJ1 at Café Jonah

Café Jonah has become one of our very favorite places to go for breakfast or lunch, so when Jason suggested that our Marriage Journey group meet there for brunch today, we thought that was a grand idea. The food is natural and fantastic, and the added benefit is that Chef Sue is Jason’s wife, so a member of our MJ1 group…even more splendid! Ten of the 12 in our group were available to meet, and it was a fabulous reunion. We spent our usual time catching up on what has been happening in everyone’s lives this year. We did Skype with the group in the fall, but it was precious for us to get to have this face-to-face event together. Thanks to all of you for an extra special time with extra special people sharing extra special food in an extra special place! J

Gina and Will at Our House

Our big job at dinner tonight with Gina and Will at our house was to help them think through their next visit to Italy. They really are eager to meet with our Italian immobiliare and friend Luca to search for a house to buy. They are also interested in having access to the Giro – the huge bike race all over Italy. The limiting factor for them is that they want to spend only 3 days on this wonderful adventure! It pays to have Delta Air Lines benefits, right? We shared yet another great meal with Gina’s scrumptious spinach cheese spread (Enzo, it reminded me so much of “my” cheese spread that you make! YUM!) with olive bread for appetizer, pastas of beet with ricotta and a sturdy one with rye flour with stinging nettle and poppy seed, a salad, then strawberries with balsamic on top for dessert! Oh my! Gina and Will looked with Peter at the maps of Italy, He gave them sage advice about where NOT to stay and helped them think through their priorities and the time they planned to have. I don’t know what they will end up doing, but it was fun to dream with them about their possibilities.

By the way, Will, Happy Birthday a month ago! Sorry we missed it then, but we hope you'll enjoy your pasta scooper and Italian book now!!!

We’ll see you in June, Will and Gina, at your house when your parents come for a visit! We can hardly wait!

Colleen