Getting Farther

The sampler is in the midst of a large cross stitch pattern now.  I've gotten nearly to the bottom of the band, but I haven't even started the three sheep.  Lots to do, lots to do.

Trains!

 Iasi, Romania, now has a train club!  And it was exhibiting at the mall.  There's a lot left to do with their layout, but it's good to see a club starting in such a place.

Quiz Night At Gallo Pub

We went to our first Hospice Angelus quiz night at Gallo Pub the second Wednesday of this month.  The crowd was raucous and fun and the money goes to a good cause.  While there we had dinner, too.  Andreas had a virgin pina colada, and I had gin and tonic and champagne (in separate glasses).  Each of us had a pizza too.  They were good, but not as good as Pizza Caruso.  It was the company we came to be with.

Cornering

I've made it to the corner!  Now all the corners are defined and it's time to work this properly.

Lunch While Shopping

 We were visiting a craft fair and the embroidery exhibit in Riscani with friends early this month and decided it was lunch time.  Knowing that Torro Grill was close by, we stopped in.  Andreas had his usual Greek salad while the rest of us shared a meat plate.  Torro's carpaccio is really good, as i the salami and proscuitto.  One of our friends had chili, which was really soupy.  I think Moldovans don't quite have the concept down yet.  Andreas and another friend had burgers.  They loved them and claim that the burgers are about the best in town.  I had some barbecued chicken.  The chicken was moist but could have used more flavor.  The company was good and the lunch was a great time out.

Back To Green

Back to doing bunches of green.  I -think- this tree is over halfway done.  I'll be glad when it's complete!

Ukranian Food!

 What better way to support Ukraine than to go to a Ukrainian restaurant?  That's what we did as a group early this month as we went to Hutorok on Vasile Alecsandri street here in Chisinau.  The food was awesome, especially if you like pickled apples and watermelon.  Several people had rabbit, which they all gobbled up.  Andreas was one of them.  He also had a Greek salad.  The salads aren't as good as the summer because we're on the last part of lack of veggie season.  I had a beautiful smooth and creamy mushroom soup and chicken.  For some reason, there isn't a photo of my main course.  I also got and shared bacon wrapped fried cheese.  Talk about something that should be done more often....

And the desserts (the last three photos) were enough to come by for themselves.  I had cherry pierogies.  I love fruit flavored pierogies.  I'm not at all fond of the savory ones.  We'll definitely be back.

On To The Castle

It's time to start the final band of this sampler - the sandcastle, which is over one.  The buckets are beginning to get handles and shovels are shoveling along.

Lunch At Seasons

 Sometimes you just have to get away from the embassy cafeteria, especially when it's fish day.  That's what happened to us early this month; we decided to go to the mall and eat at Seasons Brasserie.  It was less blah than the cafeteria, and the atmosphere was certainly nicer.  Andreas loved his club sandwich, as usual.  My soup and Asian salad, though, were just plain bland.  The salad was a mass of gelatinous glass noodles.  The soup was nice and creamy with a hint of garlic but no other taste.  Maybe next time will be better.

Bargelloing Along

Still looking like a baseball, but with bigger seams.

The Golden Stag - Or Name That Animal

Back in the beginning of February we went to The Golden Stag.  It's a tiny restaurant in downtown Chisinau, and our party of ten almost filled it.  We ordered most things ahead so the kitchen could cope.  This restaurant is unusual in that it specializes in wild game.  The experience was unique and wonderful, as was the food.  

I personally tasted deviled quail eggs, several kinds of pickled mushrooms, snails, smoked bear meat, rabbit soup, and pheasant in pineapple sauce.  There were caviar, duck, wild boar, and sundry other dishes on the table.  The food tasted good, especially things like the pheasant and the duck.  The bear tasted more smoky than different from other meats.  We'll be back eventually.  Not only is the place small, it's probably one of the most expensive in town.  That means it's the price of a nice middling restaurant in the US.