Lovefest Turns Two

Paraphrased phone conversation between Alex and her mum, Andrea, on Saturday:

Alex: We're going to Wahaca tonight for our anniversary.
Andrea: I thought you were going to Rick's on Monday.
Alex: We are. But we planned to go to Wahaca before we knew about the wine tasting on Monday (our actual anniversary).
Andrea: Do you have to do everything twice?
Alex: Yes.

So Alex and I celebrated our anniversary twice. And really, since it was our second anniversary and there are two of us, it really just made sense (well, it made sense to our stomachs, but maybe not total 'pence' if you know what I mean). At any rate, it was lovely.

Alex had found Wahaca (phonetic spelling of Oaxaca, Mexico) in Covent Garden, read the menu, and decided before she even told me about it that we were going there to celebrate our anniversary. As our anniversary fell on a Monday, we thought the smartest thing was to celebrate it on the Saturday before. Plan #1 was formed.

And excuted on Saturday October 3, 2009.
(Those aren't match books, by the way, but chili seeds!)

We sat down to dinner 9:30 PM, like good Londoners, with Coronas in hand and heated anticipation over the shrimp ceviche and steak burritos.

The shrimp ceviche nearly had me on the floor it was so good,
and it was by far the best dish of the night!

And Alex couldn't leave until we tried the churros--which we quickly devoured, licking the chocolate mug and everything!

Plan #1 was the only plan until I arrived back in London (tell-tale sign?) and we found out at our first night back at Rick's (we love it there, it's around the corner from our house, and I work there one night a week) that they were having their monthly wine tasting night ON our anniversay. Well, it was just too good a deal to pass up. Hence, Plan #2 was booked for October 5, 2009.

We started with aubergine caviar but moved onto wild mushroom risotto with Pucela (Castille y Leon, Spain). Both were to die for.
AND Alex doesn't normally drink red wine or eat mushrooms.

Between courses.
Note the grapes from Rick's garden (we thought of you, Dad)
and the perfectly placed engagement ring.

Our notes sheet. Yay Rick's!
We might have spilled a glass of wine, but who's counting really.

Lovefest turns two! (And got tipsy!)

It was a lovely night and we talked about loads of things--my recent university work, Alex's hospital placement, food mis-adventures and, of course, wedding stuff! We've done quite a lot in recent weeks and there's always something to talk about.

Next on our wedding to-do/ponder list: best ways to gather email/snail mail addresses for our now-ready eco Save-the-Date card; researching and tasting local/organic rose wine, presecco and pink cava; picking a local Cornish keg to have behind the bar; and possible tap water ideas for reception (an idea from Rick actually). Oh yeah, and securing a reception venue. We're so laid back...