Of Long Friendships, Birthdays and Dinner Out

Friendship first - We married in 1983 and lived in the Peppertree Apartments, on PCH in Hermosa.  It's been so long (38 years) that I can't remember whether they moved in after or before we did.  Our apartments were across a stairwell, both two bedroom flats.  A modicum of space.  

All three of them - Dee, Mouton and Richie were and are ardent Dodger fans.  All summer one of the guys would grab a broom and sweep the space between us.  I thought you were supposed to clean  it.  Nah, just any one of them  predicting something called "a sweep" in the lexicon of baseball talk.  

Life moved on with its usual brisk pace and when the owner/manager raised the rent, Richie, for one, said he'd rather  be paying off a mortgage and Mouton bought a condo in Long Beach and Dee a house in Hermosa.  

And life kept briskly marching on which brings us to last night's celebratory dinner for Richie's 80th  birthday at the Charthouse, Redondo - Dee's treat!  Mouton made the reservation and I and the birthday boy showed up, imaginary forks in our chubby little hands.

A word about the Charthouse... it is well known to be one of the priciest places around here.  It is a great location - right on the sand - with picture windows galore which  puts the Charthouse at the top of any tourists list of Must Do's.  And most of them look like they just got off of their yachts.  Great tans, said admiringly.

Now to the critical question - "So what did you eat?"  Drinks - Mouton gin martini, up; me dirty gin martini rocks' (very good because the gin actually tasted like gin.  Richie, gin an tonic; Dee a chardonnay.  

We shared an appetizer of crispy coconut shrimp which was very good - three different dipping sauces - soy, coconut milk and a mild chili.   You can order this for your dinner and next time I will.  

Instead I got shrimp and lobster carbonara a dubious  combination  to me of shrimp, lobster (scanty) and prosciutto in a white wine sauce  It was good, but it wasn't crispy coconut shrimp.

We chatted as the level in the wine glasses went lower and lower.  And then dessert was served and lavish they were.

It should be said that all of the food served us was very good.  I am now saving my   pennies  to go back - you know what for ..snap crackle and pop!  Bring'em on!