End of April 2023

Having just recovered from jet lag, we headed south to Arizona for a few days with Maren and family and a reunion with the Boynton siblings. With that, April was gone.

We love to stop in Henderson and have supper at the Greek Bistro

Onion-chopping goggles and dirty martinis

The Youngs back yard is delightful on a perfect spring evening

Gavin smoked ribs for Sunday dinner

They were tender and delicious

The Sicilian Butcher and Baker

Monday supper

Harry David

Salute!

Lake Pleasant at golden hour

Iconic Arizona

Mesa with the Boyntons at Pete's: beloved version of (not) fish

and chips, but the sloppy fish sandwich is good 

Spiffing up the parent's graves

Lolly is a dear

Waldo's BBQ: best onion rings I have ever tasted

Brisket, cornbread, and slaw

The Musical Instruments Museum, Scottsdale

An overwhelming collection of instruments from every tiny

corner of the globe - beautifully displayed

Who doesn't love a calliope?

That old man in the background is exhausted

These girlies were spent, too

Delicious dinner at Allesia's in Mesa

Carbonarra

Up to the Mogollon Rim and the M&K Boynton Cabin

An ATV excursion

Matthew at the wheel

The East Verde River flows year-round 

The big melt and high water was in January

Two of the four Boynton boys

Brig and his excellent mom

Madi was in Peoria for our last night

Back home to the fabulous Utah mountains

That's all for April.

OXO

D.

Days Thirteen and Fourteen - London - April 2023

Our final day in London was pretty chill. We went out for a pub lunch, and later in the day we went to Queensway for a few last items for Deb to take home. We finished up some of the food we had stockpiled, packed, and watched Suits on TV. This trip has been delightful, but we have realized that we are no longer 35 and we are exhausted. The days of running all day, dashing up and down Tube station stairs, and running down Palace Court at the end of an adventure are over. That ship seems to have sailed. 

After all these years we finally tried the Champion, 

just around the corner: it's charming and the food is good

A silly mirror selfie

Debby introduced us to Appletiser - delicious 

Bangers and mash, excellent mac and cheese

It's all about food, now isn't it deah?

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom

(Hagia Sophia) just around the corner on Moscow Road

Our digs for the week (notice large freaky feline lower left)

There! Fixed that

Our bedroom

Main bath

Debby's bedroom

A shoe selfie in the posh side portion of the huge waiting

lounge at LHR on our homeward journey

After a two hour delay, Delta flight 51 to SLC is almost ready to depart

All's well that ends well. Our flight home was smooth as silk, but my legs could hardly hold still, and after a nine hour flight Ann and Stephen picked us up at SLC and we drove home to unpack and go straight to bed.

That's it for this trip.

OXO

D.

Day Twelve - London - April 2023

The sun shone brilliantly on our Easter-weekend visit to Greenwich. We weren't the only ones with the idea of a day out east of London; there were hordes of friend groups and British families along with a fair bunch of tourists. We were back at the flat in time to rest a bit before heading to dinner at a wonderful Indian-inspired eatery recommended by Stephen and Ann. The food was delicious, but one of our team found it hot. We headed to Haymarket where we caught the #139 bus to the Vaudeville Theatre on The Strand for a fabulous performance of SIX, a rousing musical performed by the wives of Henry VIII.

At the Bank Station where we transferred to the Docklands

Light Rail, the GAP could seriously suck you in

During Covid, GBK pared back to just a few restaurants and

this survivor in Greenwich still makes a delicious gorgonzola

and sweet chili burger

Cutty Sark

Dickie wants his shot (cred: Deb)

Turnpin Lane

The Queen's House

Colonnade of the Royal Hospital

The Docklands has a skyline that is constantly changing

Greenwich Church Street with St. Alfege church

Kricket in Soho

The girlies with fresh lime sodas

This is not you father's chicken-kourma-kind-of place

 Grilled lamb leg kosho mangsho, ghee roast hake, 

spring vegetable pao bhaji, grilled butternut squash, 

pilau rice, and wild garlic kulcha

Piccadilly Circus at dusk

Ditto

A golden-hour snap from the bus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields

The Vaudeville Theatre

So how, actually, did we live before selfies?

This all female cast and band was powerful: I felt the spirit 

(frisson) in the finale

That's all for now.

OXO

D.