Seasonal Sensations

 

Friday, June 29, 2012 – Seasonal Sensations

I just got back from a wonderful lunch of seasonal specialties at Seasons 52.  Some of the items we enjoyed were flatbread with roasted eggplant and tomatoes, flatbread with artichokes and feta, mini-tacos, peppers stuffed with mushrooms, grilled tofu with mango chutney, and three amazing salads.  The occasion was the first official “Girls’ Day Out” get-together.  I’m part of an informal group of women teachers from AHS who want to meet periodically during the summer for fun adventures.  Our original plan was to go into DC, see the new exhibit at the National Archives, and then have tapas for lunch at Jaleo.  But with the weather forecast warning of excessive heat (temperatures over 100!), we decided to postpone any outdoor activities.  Instead, we met at Tysons Corner Center (the local mall), which has a bountiful array of eating options.  Seasons 52 turned out to be a perfect place for our group of five, with its healthy menu, reasonable portion size, and fabulous flavors.  We even ordered (and shared) five mini-desserts, passing them around the table in counter-clockwise fashion so everyone could sample them. 

Elliott (and Sylvester, his 4-wheeler) came along for the ride, although not for our lunch.  While we were willing to make him an honorary member of the group, he preferred to go off on his own once we arrived at Tysons.  The plan worked out beautifully.  Since he no longer drives, he has lost the opportunity for independent outings, and he was delighted to have a couple of hours to himself.  With no one to hurry him along, he was free to wander through the mall and to browse in stores at leisure.  When he got hungry, he noticed signs for what he thought was a restaurant called American Grill.  He kept walking through the mall, following the signs, looking for the restaurant, until he finally realized that the American Grill was actually the store called American Girl.  Rest assured that he didn’t starve.  He stopped at Panera for soup and a sandwich.

When we met up after lunch, he was sitting contentedly on a bench, reading his Kindle.  He still felt full of energy after more than two hours of walking.  Even though it was hot outside, he insisted on going for a short walk after we got home.  In fact, he said all the walking made him feel better.  So keep on walking, Elliott!