Exactly one year ago my celebratory adventures began. How fitting that they would end ringing in the new year just like they began. This time in San Diego with Matt and Emily as hosts. Our nonstop flight was uneventful and took under six hours. M&Em met us at the airport and whisked us away for a quick alfresco lunch before we headed to their place to prepare our entries for the evening’s Top Chef competition. Required ingredient: lemon.

Leni and George, Emily’s parents, hosted and ended up being formidable competitors both in deliciousness as well as presentation. The other competitors were the five Filkeys, Emily’s sister’s family: Erynn, Gabe, Issac, Kaidin, and Layla. Dan and I provided chef hats and aprons for everyone in the hopes our generosity (think paper hats) would glean more votes. Spoiler alert: they did not fall for it. Emily and Matt provided New Years lays; English crackers, the kind that pop and have paper hats, toys, and jokes inside; and made a Happy New Year banner. Spoiler alert: no blue ribbons for them either.

The evening was a blast! George and Leni had two tables set up with lemon themed table decorations. Think lemons artfully displayed in bowls with huge lemon drops scattered around. So festive! When one of Gabe and Erynn’s sons saw the dining room all set up he said, “Get in here, there’s candy all over the table.” So cute!

Each family could submit as many entries as they wanted in two categories: h’ordeuvres and dessert. We took turns presenting our entries with inflated descriptions of their flavor profiles and preparation intricacies. First place in the h’ordeuvre category went to Leni for her chicken meatballs. First place in the dessert category went to 9 year old Issac for his trifle parfait. Please do not let it leak out that we lost to a 9 year old. A charming 9 year old with his finger, obviously, on the culinary pulse of this diverse group, but never the less. Between categories we played Pictionary. Girls against boys.

We watched the ball drop in Time Square at 9:00 (midnight on the East Coast) and gradually said our good byes and headed back to M&Em’s after a fun, funny, great New Years Eve!

The rest of the long weekend passed in a blur of well paced, get-your-fun-on activities: walks on the beach, fire pit and barbecue at home, and a Mayan exhibition. No surprise is that my belated birthday celebration was a highlight. From party hats to breakfast on the beach at a train station turned restaurant to a gift bag full of goodies to an amazing dinner out to brunch at the rooftop restaurant Mr. A’s that has a view of the city that would make a grown (wo)man cry. It was a wonderful getaway and a terrific finale to my 17 retirement adventures in celebration of 17 years at ASIS!