Today was an excellent day to let myself get carried along on other people's plans. I am so glad I turned the reins over to my friends all day. My mah jongg master needed to make a Trader Joe's/Whole Foods run, and took me along for the ride. I got the couple things I went there for, plus enough to fill a single grocery bag and triple the amount I intended to spend. But I came home with some fun stuff, and finally solved a big mystery I had about Whole Foods. Every time I walked past the beer & wine section and the meat counter, I noticed a strong floral scent. I could never figure out what was causing it. For years I kept looking up in those sections, thinking maybe they had potted flowers for sale and on display up high, or maybe incense burning and pumping through the ventilation system. I didn't just catch this scent at this location. I encountered it in Tulsa and Boulder too. It really bothered me, not knowing. Today I took the time to investigate, and followed my nose down the cleaning supplies aisle. There it was, as strong as can be, coming from geranium-scented dryer sheets. I don't know that they were more appealing to me than my usual brand, but I bought them, just because I finally figured this out after years of wondering whether I was having an olfactory hallucination. Now my laundry room smells nice, though.
I went on a date tonight. The Bonfire leader had tickets to see Ray Lamontagne, and though I couldn't have named a single one of his songs, I agreed to be her last-minute substitution when her original date fell through. We had a good time, spending way too much money on crappy beer and wine, and bonding with the couple seated next to us, who we met for the first time as the opening act concluded. By the time we were seated, the fossilized muscle relaxant I had taken earlier loosened up my back (finally, after a week of pain), and it loosened up my mouth and attitude too. For being at a concert of 95% unfamiliar music (I did recognize one song), I had a terrific night. I will agree with my date's assessment of the venue: it did not lend itself to rocking out, or even grooving along with the acts on stage. The seats were small and more tightly packed than an airplane, and the atmosphere was oddly dampening. There was no place to dance. Poor Bonfire leader was as fidgety as she could be, in the confining seating. We didn't end up waiting for the encore.
In two dramatically different situations, I had extended conversations with local chefs today. This is a particularly good thing around here, since it is still the top tourist destination in the country, primarily because this place is an unparalleled foodie paradise. In Whole Foods, a hip bearded chef gave me tips on how to make perfect quinoa (so naturally I bought a bag of the variety he recommended, to try it), and then tonight, we learned that the woman of the neighboring couple at the concert was also a local chef. We talked for a long time before the show started, and then more as all of us women took a group potty break. We got her contact information, and I sincerely hope we see these guys again. She was a keeper.
I promised a friend I would give her some pictures of town down by the coast, so as my mah jongg master drove, I took a handful of shots out the windows. Hopefully these will tide her over, while she's so homesick for the Low Country. It was the best opportunity I had for touristy photos today.
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