Spooks Fine Dining in Regina, Sask, Canada

This is my College group blog. I do not post often here because we only meet a week per year or 2 but we just had a reunion in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada last week, so I would love to share  this post with you. We all graduated with a Bachelors degree in Medical Technology although 3 of us pursued their education and are now medical doctors. It has been 43 years since we graduated but have kept in touch and we try to meet annually. Whenever we see each other, it is always like old times, and it is so much fun.

 

Whoever is the host, this time was Jazmine, prepares an agenda for us in advance and scheduled one evening, was fine dining. I was of course, assigned to set the table and I was also one of the main chefs, together with Gatchie as pictured below. Unlike me, although I have a natural knack for it , she loves to cook and we learn so much from her.

 

We stayed at Jazmine's sister, Josie's house, that could accommodate all of us since she lives alone and has 6 bedrooms in her home. Thanks, Josie. for your hospitality and putting up with our loud laughter!

 Although Gatch and I were main cooks, we had a lot of assistants.

 I had to rely on whatever Josie has in her home and she had this beautiful formal china with gold edges. I really do not know the pattern name. She also has a beautiful flatware set and stemware set. Thanks for letting us use them, Josie. I brought paper salad plates with ghosts on them, since we call ourselves "The Spooks" in College, to personalize it. I could not bring my ghost ceramic plates from home cause it would be too heavy in my luggage, besides it was already pushed to the limit at 50 pounds.

 Josie also had capiz plate chargers so I used those as well. We added a card table because the dining table would not accommodate all of us. We were 13 all in all, including Jazmines hubby, Zbigniew. We invited him to join us, though he was not with us the whole week. He stayed at their house which was not too far, while Jazmine joined us at Josie's the whole week.

 We had a lot of food to serve so I only placed a small vase that I picked up from one of Josie's occasional tables, for a centerpiece.

 For a napkin ring, I brought an orange ribbon from home, to blend with the orange stars on the paper plates, that I tied around . I brought name labels that I printed from home before I left and then hang a bracelet charm of a plate with spoon, fork and knife, I won on Ebay. We all have a charm bracelet with charms of places that we have been so we can add this to it.

We had so much food and all of them so tasty and delicious! Shown below are grilled flank steak and seafood paella.

 Gatch created this appetizer, prosciutto wrapped cantaloupes and garnished with basil, strawberry and blueberries.

 She also made a grapefruit salad with cucumber cubes, shrimp and I can't remember what else she added but it was so good! I have the recipe but I still have to find where I stored it. Balsamic vinaigrette for dressing. So refreshingly scrumptious! It had salad greens underneath.

 I made the seafood paella and it was also a hit!

 Everybody was excited to take pictures and was just full of admiration. We could not wait to start digging in.

I scattered a glow in the dark ghost all over the table.

 We also had grilled salmon.

 We had ice wine, courtesy of Josie, first time we all had it and it was so good. I wonder if I can find it here. They say it is only available in Canada.

Thanks for stopping by. I miss my friends already and this is something I can always come back to and view and reminisce the good times.

Centerpiece Wed

http://thestylesisters.blogspot.com

Paula's What's It Wed

http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Kathleen's Let's Dish

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Susan's Tablescape Thursday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Kathy's Home and Garden Thursday

http://www.adelightsomelife.com/

Sarah's Homemaking Weekend Link Up party

http://bloggingwhilewaiting.blogspot.com/
Foodie Friday

http://www.designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

 

Thanks also to the hosts I am linked with.

 

Farewell Breakfast on Polish Pottery

We had a week's reunion and the time has come when it was time to leave. Two of the girls, Baby and Nel, left early and John was nice enough to offer to take them to the airport. They left the house at 5 AM. As soon as I bade goodbye to them, I set the table in the kitchen and cooked breakfast while the others were still sleeping.

Just a simple setting with no layering, after all, it is for breakfast, so no salads here. I mixed 2 patterns of Polish Pottery plates. I served Filipino sausage called longganisa and we like to dip them in vinegar and that is what those little dipping saucers are for.

At first, I used the origami swan that Jazmine, who was our origami making instructress gave me, for the centerpiece but I had to replace it with a fruit bowl afterwards.

 The ceramic teapot napkin rings were from Pier One, from a long time ago when I still lived in Florida.

I brewed hazelnut coffee and placed it in a Polish pottery pot on a warmer. The little pots contain condiments, vinegar and patis (fish sauce) and I placed vinegar with hot pepper in that ice cream cup on the right.

We had a typical Filipino breakfast, longsilog.....longganisa (sausage), sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (eggs).

and cut up some watermelons

There were other things on our agenda that we still weren't able to do because our week was very hectic and we ran out of time, so we tried to do them that morning, such as blogging instructions. It was a very fast and short lesson. I hope they picked it up because I really want them to contribute to this blog.

 and Karaoke was another activity that we still had to accomplish.

 Then we had to go to the airport to return the rented van and bid farewell to the rest. Jazmine and Josie did not leave until the following day so I was not alone driving home, which was good or it would have me so sad.

Goodbye, Gatch, Tess and Elsie. See you next year! It's been so nice having you all!

Linking with

Kathleen for Let's Dish at

http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Susan for Tablescape Thursday at

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com

The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday at

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Sally's Blue Monday at

http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/

Marty's Tableop Tuesday at

http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for stopping by and a special thanks to those who make these fun parties possible.

Spooks Arrives in Natchez, June 2, 2012

We were all classmates in College and we were the closest of friends ever since. We are all from all the US, Canada and Philippines. We try to have a reunion almost every year in different places. This time, we decided to meeet at Christine's house in Natchez, MS. Shown here are Baby from the Philippines and Nelia from New Jersey while on a lay over at Houston airport.

 

Tess from southern California joined them here. They all came from different places but happened to catch the same flight in Houston.

Finally arrived in Baton Rouge airport, which is the closest airport to Natchez.

 Christine and John picked the girls up from the airport. Lyla from Indiana and Gatchie from St. Louis, actually arrived first.

We rented a 15 passenger van to accomodate all of us and the numerous luggage. As soon as we got to the house, we toured the yard and inside the residence.

We stopped and relaxed and used the massager when we got to the master bedroom.

 Then, it was time for dinner. We were all in awe at the dining table set up. We called ourselves "The Spooks" in College and Christine set the table using salad plates with ghosts on them, to represent the group.

The second batch arrived and shown here also are Elsie from San Diego, CA, Josie and Jazmine from Regina, Canada.

 A close up of the place setting.

 Here is Baby showing her place card.

 We all graduated as Medical Technologists although 3 of us pursued Medicine and became physicians. Thus, the centerpiece includes a microscope, a beaker and a graduated cylinder. It was really personalized for all of us. Thanks to Christine's tablescaping skill!

Gatch went straight to the kitchen and made us this scrumptious sweet and sour red snapper. YUMMMMM!

Christine made chicken tinola, a Filipino dish.

For dessert, Christine made Cassava cake, a native Filipino dessert, served here.

 After dinner came gift giving. Here we are happily showing off some of our gifts. Baby went to Vietnam prior to coming here and brought us gifts from there. SOOOOOOPPPPER!!!!!

Ly and Gatch brought all of us a jewelry set. Here's Jazmine showing us hers.

We have the whole week to look forward too. It's just the beginning and you can already hear everyone's laughter, especially Jazmine's, all over the house. It will definitely be a blast!

We have a few more members who unfortunately did not make it this time and we miss them terribly. Hopefully, they can all join next year, scheduled in Canada.

Thanks for stopping by! We are so glad we could share this special moment with all of you.

I am linking with The Tablescaper's Seasonal Sunday at

http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Thanks for hosting!