La Bicyclette ReliveIt!

New Year's Day

was about basking in glorious sunshine, gorgeous blue skies,

white fluffy sand, and icy blue ocean waves

creating the ambience for 

friends frolicking 

with a volleyball

and 

making giant fanny prints in the sand.

This was a gorgeous Carmel-by-the-Sea day

displaying postcard weather that is rarely

enjoyed on this coastal town.

There was not even a breath or wisp of fog in the air.

(I just stuck this pic in because it was taken the night before

on the very same beach in front of a magical sunset,

in the company of lots of lovers saying goodbye to 2011

and it's my favorite picture of TrueLove and I that we took ourselves.)

So we were all working up an appetite.

It's not easy to accommodate 11 people for

a lunch in these tiny quaint 

restaurants

but

the boys rounded us up a perfect spot

at 

La Bicyclette.

This little European style cafe 

holds a special memory for me for it is where

my SweetFriendsAndAllThingsFunAndCelebratoryFriendsTodd&Jill

treated me to a birthday dinner a few years ago.

And during that dinner 

I ordered a Chimay beer.

And yes,

I am blogging about beer.

Even when their food is so fresh and fantastic.

Confession.

Love beer.

Especially a delicious Belgian beer.

They served it to me on a sweet silver tray

that looks like an antique

and they served it with

celery salted cheese.

This was something new!

And wonderful!

I am such a sucker for ambiance and the fine presentation of food.

I was so dazzled by giving beer a special presence and moment on the dinner table.

Every time I've ordered a Chimay since

I would remember my happy thought 

about my first Chimay at La Bicyclette.

So.

Weee!

Here I am again at this magical place

where beer gets it's own little stage.

I ordered one!

With enthusiasm.

Yes,

it was a little embarrassing since all the

healthy-health nuts were ordering

water,

remember we had just been bouncing around at the beach

bumping volleyballs into the picture perfect sky,

sounds like a beer moment to me!

and so there it was.

I was so happy! 

See the cheese and the beautiful friends in the back ground?

See how happy I am?

It even came with a story.

Very very happy!

I am reliving my happy moment and thinking

about how special I am with my special beer, and special cheese chunk,

and special little tray and I'm going to write about it on

my special blog, and specialy-special-special- and then.....

Insert

sounds of shattered glass

WANH-WANH-WANH

the shifting of a musical rift that indicates something 

is not right in Paradise after all-

sound of balloon popping

Why?

What caused this?

reality!

What's that picture?

Oh noooo!

TrueLove's diet coke served on the specialy-special platter!

Well,

there went my little moment.

We all need this once in a while when we start

feeling a bit too specially with ourselves.

Anyways,

it was still very lovely.

I have replaced the happy Chimay moment with

the Chanterelle Mushroom wood fired pizza 

with truffle oil and paper thin lemon.

There is not a flavor like it.

Pairs nicely with the Chimay.

And no more pictures.

Too busy eating.

On our specially special special La Bicyclette plates.

And

then we said our goodbyes after some more

frolicking in front of the cafe.

It's funny that in the picturesque town of Carmel,

with all of it's sweet architecture, blooming gardens, and 

trees that grow right in the middle of sidewalks,

that we'd photograph our giant love fest

right in front of a stop sign.

I love it.

But then we can hassle a few more

passerby's on their romantic walks and 

shoot for a better background.

Why not?

It's New Year's Day and

we were making memories!