8p.m. – Atlanta, GA

Last night’s dinner was wittily acerbic, gracefully playful and wonderfully & complexly comfortable. A juxtapostition, sure, but a more perfectly balanced dinner was never so sure footedly executed.

Phil & I were greeted at the door with a simple Southern Salsa, Chicken Ranch Dip and Champagne. Perfect! After a food-free afternoon we were starving!

We moved onto a Hot Mama Mary for a starter. Lee, our host, had mused aloud to his mother one day en route to Montgomery, AL – that he’d never had a hot bloody mary before. He aimed to try it and so the Hot Bloody Mary was born last night.

Later we passed around Lee’s Mama’s perfectly prepared recipes for Marinated Loin, Spicy Corn Melt, Pimiento-fused Asparagus, Whole Creamer Potatoes and Au Jus. Die. SO delicious, my stomach died and went to heaven.

I think we all were full, happy and in great spirits. We love you Hotlanta.