Rejuvenated and ready to play host again, I prepped the household for a proper dinner. Susan said she liked Italian food, and pasta is in my wheelhouse, but I decided to branch out a little and cook something with shrimp. I rarely eat shrimp, in fact, I tried it for the first time this summer, but I found a recipe for a New Orleans/Cajun style pasta with shrimp and andouille sausage that I had to try.
Directions for the dish are here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grants-special-mardi-gras-pasta/detail.aspx and I fully suggest checking it out and trying to make it yourself. It was easy and it turned out great. On the side I did a simple green salad and some fruit. Susan and Sano brought cookies for dessert and some wine and beers.
This wasn't only a special date because it got me back in the kitchen and ready to follow through with my plans, it was also particularly significant because Susan and Sano decided to date the night Erica and I were married, after she returned home from our Wedding. At the time, Sano was just a roommate. But they both had crushes and Susan spilled her guts after our emotionally charged reception, full of teary-eyed speeches. So in a small way, Erica and I are connected to the beginning of their relationship.
In High School, Susan was a good friend of mine during senior year. I was eager to meet Sano, because I hadn't seen or heard much from Susan essentially since the Wedding (04/18/2009). Susan is a busy woman, with a highly successful position at Microsoft. Now with her new Prince Charming around, I wanted to see the man who was taking up all her time.
Sano is freaking awesome. I was not let down. He met our group of friends while attending Western in Bellingham. He lived with Josh Callahan, who is a crew legend for being the nice guy blueprint. And Sano fits the bill: social, friendly, caring and comfortable. It made Erica and I very happy to see Susan with a man who clearly adores her and treats her well. I couldn't possibly approve more. He's great.
So we ate dinner, had drinks, did some Table Topics (of course) and then ate dessert. Susan mentioned that a co-worker was celebrating her birthday at King's Hardware in Ballard, a bar I used to work for. So we hopped in Erica's car and drove down there to check out the scene. It was crowded and loud, like usual, so we grabbed one drink and then made an exit. When we returned to the Castle, Susan and Sano parted ways with us.
It was a pleasant dinner and I think Susan was one of Erica's favorite guests. They have since made plans to go watch horror movies, an activity both Sano and I pass on and thus they are deprived of. Their company was awesome and this was definitely a top shelf date.
Next week, now that I am back in the right mindset and cooking again, I am having over the best chef I know, Rob Milliron, and his lovely wife Nicole. Rob and I have a deep history, as he is one of the city's only successful hip hop promoters. Not only did he give me a shot as a rapper early in my career, he also got me hired at Homegrown. So I owe him a lot, but I will start with my best effort at a home cooked meal. STAY TUNED.
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