Read my lips: No More Cooking

It has been oh so easy to focus on the stress and chaos of the last few weeks, but one of the advantages of having to keep the house squeaky clean at all times is that it is impractical to cook.  So in an attempt to make life easier, we have adopted an all-take-out all-the-time eating approach.  Not the best for the waistline or the wallet, but it is absolutely fabulous for the convenience seeker.

Last night we splurged and had a good-bye dinner with some peeps at Volt (Bryan Voltaggio's place of Top Chef!).  Love, love and love.  G says it is the most expensive meal he never ate, but the foodies had an absolute blast, and we got to meet Bryan (!) who was extremely gracious and nice to take a couple of pics with us!

My friend S and I have discussed many a season of Top Chef together, so it was appropriate that we take this pic.

An action shot in the kitchen!  I was like, where is Tom?  Where is Padma?  Gail, is that you????

All of the ingredients were seasonal (of course) and the dishes were unique pairings of flavors.  The menu offered your choice of two 7-course meals (a protein-based or a vegetarian-based) and each course came with an entire new set of tableware and dishes.  Wait staff and wine experts were only a hand-wave away at all times, and it was a glorious experience.

I ordered the protein-based course and G ordered the vegetarian-based one, so that I could indulge in his as well.  I took just a few pics.

My first course, from left to right:  A corn "hushpuppy", veal carpaccio; a vegetarian "oyster" made from some ingredients that I can't remember.

My favorite course: goat-cheese stuffed ravioli with sea foam, bacon and local herbs.  Sea foam, people!  Seaaaaaa Foammmmmmmm!

One of G's vegetarian dishes: a cucumber soup with fresh carrot, ginger and local edible flowers.  We all took turns helping ourselves to G's dishes.

It was a pretty penny and kind of a last hoorah as we said goodbye to some good friends.  It was fine dining at its absolute best - wish you guys could have shared it with us!  It was a great, relaxing way to celebrate a quick wind down of the last six weeks!

Now I need to hit the gym...