How gorgeous and springy are these wedding flowers? Sigh... My friend Kathie made these bouquets, for our friend Mary Heintz's son John's wedding. The talents of my friends just blow me away. Kathie is a fundraiser in her "real" job, but you can tell that her heart lies in the realm of plants, outside and in. If you're needing a gorgeous, affordable bouquet for a wedding or event, let me know (via comments, below). I know she'd do it for you. (And she's gonna kill me for putting this on here, but I can't help it, access to beautiful, affordable flowers is such a treat - one of life's small pleasures, and that's what we're all about here at the moderate epicurean - and she doesn't have a website. Yet. Ha.)

Speaking of Kathie, she, Mary Pappas, and I had lunch with Jim Toscano today. We took him to Lucia's, our favorite ladies' lunch spot, and it was fabulous, as always. We all four had polenta, and DAMN was it good. Soft interior, browned crusty top (I very much admire and appreciate that technique), garnished with olives and paired with a saute of the beautiful vegetables Lucia's does so well. It is always a pleasure to eat there.

And always a pleasure to see Kathie, Mary, and Jim. We presented him with a case of gorgeous, big, Italian red wines, a collective gift from several of his (now) former Park Nicollet Institute employees. I worked with Mark at I Nonni (therefore my trip over, yesterday) to select them and I know Jim and his wife Sharon, and their kids, will all enjoy them. Salute, Jim! (And sorry I made you all late getting back to the office! Put a quarter in me, I'll go for hours... Put a cup of caffeinated coffee in me, which I had this morning, and LOOK OUT! Flyin' arms, shrieking laugh, gab, gab, gab. Yeah. That's me. Thank god for the sake of Park Nicollet's productivity that none of you share an office with me anymore, woops!)

Hmmm...what should I have for dinner? Don't feel much like cooking, not starving but a little hungry...oh! I know! Polenta! Yes, I did make polenta, even after having a hearty portion for my Lucia's Lunch; turns out that lunch just whetted my Polenta Appetite. I'm basically dorkin' out on polenta - who knew it could be done? I had it straight - nothin' but polenta, baby, with a touch of Hope Creamery butter and a sprinkle of coarse salt. Oh, and a teeny little sprinkle of pecorino, parsley, and black pepper, but that was really just garnish. It was all about the polentahhhhh. Was I moderate in my consumption? Surprisingly, yes. Just enough to be 80% full - that's supposedly the trick. So that's my goal. It's not easy to achieve 80% full with polenta, but apparently it can be done. Even by me. How moderate!

Good night, friends. And Nathan. And Baby Cooper. And good-bye March, in like a lion, out like a...OMG, I should have made lamb for dinner! Rack of lamb... With polenta! Ah, well, lamb in April does not suck. Again, good. Night.