So Avdi, Jess, K., and I went to this wonderful little oasis of Olio, offering small plates of excellent Middle Eastern/Israeli dishes, fresh-baked pita and other ME breads and exquisite hand-crafted drinks.  Mine was a wonderful blend of pepper-infused Tequila, Mezcal, cassis, lime, and ginger beer.  They ordered a table-full of different foods to dip into.  The building used to be a 1930s Standard Oil filling station, renovated but retaining some of the old urban industrial style.  It’s surrounded by a charming garden and greenhouses.

Then we adjourned to Avdi’s, where he concocted another exquisite classic drink for us to try, featuring Empress gin (purple, a recurring theme today), yellow Chartreuse, dry vermouth, and orange bitters, also excellent and photogenic.  We couldn’t even finish this one drink!

It being like 60º out, we took a walk in the neighborhood.  A&J talked “shop”, while I just got exercise.  We found this adorable fairy garden along the way.

Now I’m back home for now, but tomorrow it’s back over there overnight.

I’m already having the best birthday ever, and it’s not even my birthday yet.