so this is what a neighborhood is like!

I think I'm really starting to get into this urbansuburban neighborhood thing. Not only do our neighbors help push our car out of the snow (4 times and counting), add salt to our steps if they are up before us, guard our place from their front porch perches in the summer, and share recipes and much needed alcohol when none of us can leave the block- but now I can add "progressive dinner" to the list of awesome things (yes, I said and meant awesome) that our neighbors do!

On Saturday night, we, along with 3 other houses on the block, hosted a progressive dinner. The theme was supposed to be about celebrating the food of your "people"- but ended up being more of a south of the border festival. (by the way, Reg's haitian ancestry beat out my people's culinary prowess which centers primarily around the boiled potato- both the slovaks and the irish do a mean potato!) We were the last house, so we did dessert- rum cake (lots of butter, lots of sugar, lots of rum), coconut and dark chocolate macaroons, and rum punch. Our neighbors from Ghana and Jamaica/Grenada made goat stew and fried plantains, the one from LA made lime-cilantro-chicken and beans, the Colorado couple did a tequila tasting and had homemade tortillas, chicken, salsa, and fried hot peppers.

Below is a photo of our spread right before the guests arrived. I also have to mention that we FINALLY put up some curtains in the dining room. Now these lovely neighbors can't see everything we eat and do, and I'm less worried about getting killed when home alone (irrational, maybe, but still, I tend to slink around avoiding the windows when Reg is away, which makes living difficult).





Please note (but only briefly) the lack of crown mouldings and poor paint-edging. We are getting to it! Slow but steady. I'm just glad we have some curtains!

The next day was Valentine's day. We love any excuse to go to dinner, or have a celebration, so this is always a welcome day. I know, all you Valentine's haters- blah blah blah, its not a real holiday, the mail still comes, it's made by the card and chocolate industry, wah, wah, wah. You know what? I like cards and I like chocolate. And I like any day that motivates my lovely hub to get out of bed and make (from scratch!) crepes, whipped cream, and mimosas!



He's adorable and I'm not afraid to say it!
Later that evening we went with about 5 other couples to a great party held in our neighborhood called, Love of Friends. It benefits planned parenthood and is a night of open bar, live music, art from local artists and excellent food. It was a good time, even if it was a school night and we had to be in (relatively) early.

Happy Valentine's Day to all! Friends, Family, Neighbors!
I hear our next door neighbor shoveling, so I think that's my cue to leave for the bus while the sidewalks are still clear! (another 4" of snow to fall today...grrrr....)