5th Quadrant (3901-B N. Williams)

When I was a kid, I used to love to celebrate things. The last day of school. The first day of school. The end of tax season (my dad is an accountant). A new movie coming out on video. Getting a B on a test. The reasons could be ridiculous to some people, but I loved any reason to make a lot of good food, blow up some balloons and have a little party, even if it was just my family and me.

This past week I found myself wanting to celebrate a couple of things in my life - nothing very significant - but I was just so happy at the time that I could not contain myself. I sent out an emergency email to my friends titled I have to celebrate. BINGO. Two of my faithful friends said they would join me - and they didn't even know what we were celebrating.

So I drove out to North Portland to the 5th Quadrant - the new New Old Lompoc - and met my friends for my celebratory dinner. "Do you want a beer menu?" The waitress asked us. Uh oh. "No thanks." Stare. "Well do you want to order any beer?" "No thanks." Stare. "But it's $2 Tuesday!" I think she was frustrated with our non-alcoholic choices for drinks. It was at this point that I thought it would really be handy to have a little tented plastic card that I could set up at the end of the table that said "I am a recovering alcoholic." [I am not a recovering alcoholic. In case you were wondering.]

We did order food. Since that's why we were there. I (still on my salad diet) had the 5th Quadrant Salad with roasted beets, hazelnuts and gorgonzola cheese tossed in an orange vinaigrette with mixed greens. It was pretty tasty. I splurged and got grilled chicken on it [In what sick world is grilled chicken a splurge? Oh yeah. Mine.] Jason got the chicken stuffed with bacon, lemon zest and rosemary and Rich got the Cider Brined Pork Chop with sautéed apples and a cider cream sauce. Wow they looked really good. [I'm speaking about the entrees, but my friends are no slouches, either. They looked at least as good as the chicken and the pork. I think I'll stop there.]

When I looked at these pictures, it made me hungry. And I remember that they smelled so much better than my beet salad. Salads just don't smell as homey as warm potato-y dinners with gravy. Although I did get full from my beet salad - and it was good.

And guess what? I am already ready to celebrate again. This is my 100th post! Jiminy Christmas! Can you believe it? And also. I just bought a plane ticket to San Francisco for a trip in September. That I had only been thinking about but wasn't really serious about, even just earlier tonight. And then boom. I did it. And I decided that it is going to be a trip where I am wild since I have never been there. Go ahead and eat some good food for me and blow up a balloon or two, since we are all out in cyberspace. I will feel your celebration vibes.

All pictures courtesy of Rich Wipf! Thanks!