Spring unsprung and a sick son (bad cough), yet doing our best to keep chins up. Good thing we Minnesotans are hardy, yah, otherwise we might complain or something. Ahem.

I'll stick to the highlights.

Saturday night, John and I attended a fundraiser. Wha? Alright, I admit the term fundraiser doesn't usually conjure images of hilarity, but Suz and The Coreman (our wisely chosen guests) know how to put the fun in fundraiser, baby, I highly recommend them for your next gig. (Dial 867-5309 to hire them. Just kidding. If you don't get it, click through the link. If you still don't get it, you're too young/old, which you should feel good about, so no big. Apparently, cold weather dorks me right out...) Somehow there were four bottles of wine on the table for the four of us (I bought two, not sure how that happened), which meant leaving two bottles to waste, rather a bummer. But since I'm not complaining, and it was for charity...hopefully someone enjoyed both bottles.

Sunday night, Stu the Wine Genius + Hijinxing with My Minxes = FAB! Yes, Susie, Kim, and I hosted good-sport Stu (pictured here with his wife, Debbie) on Feminine Hijinx for a wine tasting. Because he chose the wines, they were incredible. Total. Blast. Yum. (Wines forthcoming, I lazily didn't write them down, but will have links soon...)

Monday lunch, Minneapolis Club tomato soup and foodie chat with new friends Gary Johnson and Rebecca Monro, covering health, co-ops, vegetarianism, lentil varieties, and achieving the perfect split-pea puree. That's my kind of lunch.

Monday dinner, a chewy, hearty rigatoni with spicy cauliflower sauce for John and me, as well as fava bean salad with Parmesan and spring onions pour moi (I finally got to those favas). Delicious.

Tomorrow we'll celebrate Nathan's birthday, cough be damned. Sunday night a farewell dinner for my parents, I've got several tasty possibilities spinning 'round my head.

Next week, a Wednesday launch party (that we can't attend, noooo!) for Rudy Maxa's new PBS series, Rudy Maxa's World. But, never fear, we're hosting a dinner for Rudy & Ana Scofield, Stu (The Wine Genius) & Debbie Williams, and Rishia & Andrew Zimmern mere days afterward, that we can attend (since it's, er, here at our house). Oh yeah, serious food and wine will be had (although, I should mention that I'm the one cooking, so I can't guarantee how serious the food will be, but between Stu & Rudy, I know the wine will be great.) I'll most certainly give the menu my best go, so stay tuned...