A knock on our door around 6:00 p.m. - actually it was the doorbell - announced the arrival of a bottle of Moët & Chandon (non-vintage) extra brut on ice and a delightful selection of appetizers, sent along on behalf of the hotel's general manager as a thank-you for our patronage.
The appetizers included shrimp skewers with lime wedges, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh (buffalo?) mozzarella sandwiched between basil leaves, dried cured ham (Parma?) wrapped around puff-pastry sticks with balsamic vinagrette, and smoked salmon-wrapped hearts of palm, topped with shrimp.
It's a tough job but somebody has to do it.
Kathy and Brian
Two retired educators alternating joyfully between seeing the world and enjoying our eight grandchildren (in order of birth), Jake, Avery, Taegan, Lily, Peyton, Riley, Blane, and Jace.
Kathy and Brian met in the clarinet section of the University of California (Santa Barbara) Symphony Orchestra several decades ago.
Brian's Western Canadian roots and Kathy's Colorado ties resulted in their making beautiful music together along with producing a cross-border crop of descendants.
Kathy spent a year studying in Vienna at the Institute for European Studies and the University of Vienna.
Brian started the school band program in Hope, British Columbia, and later became the high school's vice-principal for 6 years and subsequently principal for 15 years before retiring in 2001.
Kathy, in between raising our three children, taught kindergarten and first grade, middle school, and high school - mathematics, computer studies, ESL, and her first love, band, before retiring in 2001.
We enjoy sharing our travel experiences and providing the odd travel tip to friends, relatives, and visitors.