#61 - Dinner at Cold Spring Tavern

Took me a while, but when I finally finished this one I finished it good.

For four straight weekends last month I worked in Goleta, helping Denise and her sibling's renovate their rental property.

Their renters of the last nine years or so recently departed, so there was about nine years worth of deferred maintenance to be done before putting it back on the market.  Actually, more like 45 years in some cases, because there's stuff that's never been upgraded in the lifetime of the house; single-pane aluminum sliders, dilapidated patio cover, painting galore.

As if I don't have enough projects to do at my own house.  But these projects took precedence, so off to Goleta we've gone.

Anyways, I decided that as long as I was shackled into forced labor I might as well have a little fun.  So, after working our second straight Saturday we took the entire crew (Pam, Paul, Doug and Sue) to Cold Spring Tavern for dinner.  We were joined by my sister, Linda.  Leo stayed back at the Goleta house with Bear.

Unfortunately, my phone's camera was not cooperating much so I have little in the was of photographic evidence.  I do have this fabulous photograph of Doug and Paul, in front of one of the aging trophies.  I will say this - taxidermy is not forever.  So of these various critter heads are in pretty sad shape.

The food on the other hand is delicious.




I love the Cold Spring Chili, so I had it for an appetizer.  Here's a photo.  Well it's a photo of what was left.

For my entree, the bunny.   Actually, Sauteed Medallions of Rabbit in a Marsala sauce of some type.  Fabulous!

 Not one for dessert, I had some Patrón XO Cafe instead (they were out of Gran Marnier.)  Not too bad at all.

Having completed item #61, I went on, in the spirit of beating a dead horse, and had dinner at Cold Spring again two weekends later.  Linda had mentioned that she had some old tools she was getting rid of and was I interested.  Never passing up an opportunity for more tools, I went with Denise up to the top of the pass, met Linda for dinner (the baby back ribs this time, yummy) and finished up the evening by raiding Linda's garage.  I don't actually need anymore tools, but I figure the boys can certainly use them.

Oh, besides the visits to Cold Spring, there was one other benefit of working on the Goleta house; it gave me the chance to use one of my other fabulous Christmas gifts...

"As seen on TV" the magic wrist band magnetic screw holder thingy that Denise saw fit to buy me.  I will say it provided an excellent workout; climbing up and down the ladder to pick up the bolts and nuts that kept falling off the magnets.  Oh well, I suppose I was exceeding the weight rating.  What it did best was too make my wrist all sweaty.