Going Greek

 Mykonos is yet another restaurant in MallDova.  Unlike most American malls, there are several sit down/service restaurants in the mall.  This one's Greek and on the top floor.  First course was tzaziki and pita bread.  The tzaziki had a nice taste to it, full of yogurt and spices, while the pita was hot and garlic dusted.  Andreas had his usual Greek salad and a gyro.  They don't fill the gyros here as much as they do in the States, so it doesn't have much meat in it.  The sphanokopia? is mine.  It was a phyllo dough filled with cheese, and pretty good.

Ready To Do Wall

All that's left on the bottom left of part five is the wall bit.  That's great progress, especially as I am almost done with part six on the same quarter.  One and a half quarters left to go.

Seasonal Dining

 Seasons advertises itself as a brasserie, and is in the first floor of MallDova.  This was a lunch meal, and I thank the ladies who let me photograph their lunches!  We started off with an order of bruschetta.  Their bread is crisp and the presentation is beautiful, as you can see.  It also tastes wonderful.  Unlike most prosciutto here, the pieces used on the bruschetta are moist and flavorful.  Definitely something we order often.

A couple of others and I had the beef salad.  Beef is problematic here.  It's hard to get some that's not tough and stringy, even with the best cuts.  They managed to get some that was very good.  There's a light balsamic dressing on the salad, and it complemented the beef and greens well.

 Greek salad here.  Most of the time, the locals use the local brinza as feta.  Seasons and some of the other restaurants use Bulgarian feta, which is probably the best feta I've ever tasted.  

Regan, who is gluten intolerant, had the steak medallion in mushroom sauce.  Presentation was impressive.  The top bits are shoestring potatoes and onions, and they tasted good too.  She was very pleased with her meal.

The chicken doesn't look nearly as impressive after the steak, but it tasted good, according to its eater.  This is their teriyaki flavored one.

And now, dessert.  This is a molten lava cake, which was brought to the table warm, along with some fruit and a scoop of ice cream.  Below is a caramelized banana with a brownie and three kinds of sauce, again with a scoop of ice cream.  My favorite is the banana, but both were excellent.

Little Bits of Flowers

This bit looks like more progress.  I've got the beginnings of the central motif done.  There's just not been as much stitching time as usual since I went to the US and came home.  On the other hand, the progress is very visible.

Easter Stuff At MallDova

 I beg pardon for the dark pictures.  They were taken with my phone, and the lighting wasn't that good.  Easter here, for most people, is a week later than in the States because the predominant religion is Orthodox.  The bunnies stationed in the first floor of the mall look somewhat sad and sinister to me, but the kids seemed to like them.

Renzoku Temari

 Temari Challenge, the Yahoo group, had a stitchalong for this design.  I decided  to hop in and did it, too.  I've done this pattern before, and I always love how it comes together.  The pink was serendipity.  I had a pink ball wrapped and didn't have any other plans for it.  I think it came out pretty well.

The Loft Is So Easy

 The Loft is less than three blocks from the embassy, the wait staff speaks some English, and service is relatively fast.  This makes it our "go to" restaurant for quick lunches out.  This particular lunch was in early April.  We still wouldn't go if the food wasn't good, too.  We can get that any day at the embassy cafeteria....

 Andreas had two courses - a pasta and chicken dish that he said was pretty bland, and some other thing with potatoes and cream, which he said tasted better.  My lunch is below: zeama, a sour/salty chicken soup with noodles, and the "warm chicken breast salad".  The salad is mixed greens, no dressing, with sliced chicken breast and a soft boiled egg on top.  The restaurant serves it without dressing; I usually ask for balsamic vinegar.  The greens are invariably fresh, and the egg's yolk, when broken, covers the salad.  The chicken is moist and fairly flavorful, without have any really defined spice.

Building Out

The little bit at the bottom is very close to the bottom edge of the whole piece, so I don't have all that much to go.  The castle itself is beginning to take on life and looks good, even if it's just me saying so.

Dinner At Buffalo Steak House

 This place is probably the most American restaurant we've gone to in Moldova.  It's good, and they import most of their beef.  The pictures are of a dinner for four that we had at the end of March.

Little Bits of Green

Along with the usual filling in the white background, I did a couple of leaves and some more of the yellow vines.  

Moldova's Version Of Denny's

 It never closes and the food is local, good, and inexpensive.  The top is salad.  Second is soleyanka, a soup with things like salami and smoked pork in it.  Next is a placinte cu brinza, a staple.  Mamaligia, another staple, and grilled chicken breast with mushroom sauce.  The restaurant's La Placinte.

Just A Bit More

I don't have much more to do to be all caught up on this.  All I need is two and a half more flowers and a line of chain stitches!

Another Loft Lunch

 I had salad and Andreas had pizza.  Both were up to the usual great standard.

A Bit Of Gift Stash

My mother in law visits stitch shops, and sometimes, I get gifts!  These cute ornaments are what she gave me while on our trip to the States. Even better, I'm doing an ornament challenge next month, so I have a reason to do them soon!

One Rose, Halfway

It doesn't look like much, but at least it's progress.  One of two roses half done on this half of the line, and one and a half to go. 

Behind On Food

I've been so remiss about posting food pictures because I had been procrastinating in getting the photos off my phone.  I did that last night, though, so you get more food!  These pictures were taken at Popasul here in Chisinau in March.  They are a traditional restaurant with great food!  The top is fried mushrooms, then placinte, a local filled pastry.  Under that is some dumplings, and some Greek salad and some rabbit that was excellent.  So was the stroganoff.