The better half and I went to Wolf Trap Friday evening to hear Los Lobos and Buddy Guy. If you’ve never been to Wolf Trap I strongly urge you to go. We took a picnic dinner and spread our “Neat Sheet” out on the ground. It rained earlier in the day so we were concerned that once we sat on the Neat Sheet that we’d slide all the way down the hill, but we held tight. The Neat Sheet was awesome. It repelled the damp and was soft enough that I didn’t feel like I was sitting on a tarp. For our picnic we had green olives stuffed with blue cheese, mini pitas and Roasted Sweet Pepper Hummus, Blarney smoked cheese, crackers and an excellent hard salami. We also drank some Trinity Hill, which I think is so awesome that driving to NoVa to get it is not an issue. We also had a Sangiovese as well. Before you start thinking we’re total alcoholics remember that we drank 2 bottles of wine over a long stretch of time.
Los Lobos appeared on stage around 8pm and their first song was a little rough. We thought it kind of sounded like a sound-check but after that they rocked. They played for about an hour and ten minutes and wailed on all their songs. Now I remember why I like them so much. The bari sax was outstanding. 2 drummers–whoa nelly.
Buddy Guy was on stage around 9:15 or 9:30. He was amazing. He plays a mean guitar, is funny and can sing like nobody’s business. At 10 I was in the Ladies (remember the 2 bottles of wine?) and thought I can’t believe it is 10pm and I’m this wound up and this rocked up. A far cry from what I’m normally doing at 10. He went on and played until 10:45 when, apparently, he had to stop–I guess there’s a noise issue with the neighbors.
Saturday morning it was actually sunny for a little while and we met the better half’s aunt and uncle at Anita’s for breakfast. Mexican for breakfast is one of the best ways to start your day…who cares about Wheaties. It was really nice seeing them and his aunt gave us a show when she dropped the ketchup bottle (for her hash browns) into the salsa container. Salsa flew through the air. We all cracked up. I didn’t know this about her but she’s known as the klutzy one in the family.
After breakfast we went to Sutton Place Gourmet and got 2 bottles of the Trinity Hill wine and I got some pate (made Individual Beef Wellingtons for the better half’s birthday–a Rachael Ray recipe). We also went by Whole Foods Grocery and got some Lamb sausage–which is tonight’s feast.
After enduring horrible traffic getting out of NoVa (shame on you people for not voting for the bond that would continue to pay for roads), we turned off in Fredericksburg to get some Carl’s ice cream. To die for. Then we took the scenic route home.
The better half liked all his birthday presents and the dinner. I’ve eaten lots of different things in my life but I still can’t stand liver (of course I got too much pate so I’m not sure who is going to eat that). I thought after becoming a fan of Haggis (a couple of years ago in Scotland) and Steak and Kidney pie (in England) that I would be past my dislike of liver. I almost had to spit the pate into my napkin last night. I think the next time I make the Beef Wellington I’ll use pate on the better half’s and extra mushroom on mine.
For our next trip to Wolf Trap I’m going to come up with a more sophisticated picnic. I should start planning it now…only one month away. Every thing has to be portable in the cooler and easy to eat as we’ll be on the lawn again.