June 2017 - Week 3

Monday 12th to Sunday 18th June 2017

Monday I went to Sliema to do some shopping. I took the chance to walk along the promenade soaking up the views across the water to Valletta. It never fails to inspire. For dinner I had left over chicken vindaloo with spicy wedges; Sam has salmon with broccoli and cauliflower.

Tuesday I went to Pretty Bay for a walk around the promenade, beach and marina, going through town and past the impressive church. I really do like it there; it is a shame it is so off the beaten track. For dinner we had frozen pizzas.

Wednesday we shopped. Sam cooked stuffed peppers for dinner then made a Christmas cake for my birthday!

Thursday for brunch I went to Debbie’s Café in Mellieha. The table was dirty, the service terrible, the bacon and egg ciabatta was poor and, to cap it all, they “accidently” tried to over-charge me. I should have gone swimming with Sam!

In the evening we went to a revamped Miracles. It is now more chic with a focus on cocktails, a VIP area and a pared down menu. I had a Mai Tai and a Long Island Iced Tea. Sam had a Mojito and a frozen Margarita. They were all very good. We went to Acqua Marina for dinner. We shared mixed hors d’oeuvres then I had pork fillet with a cream and green peppercorn sauce and Sam had pasta with sepia al nero. It was all very good and as usual the staff treated us like old friends. For dessert we went to Congusto for superb ice cream.

Friday we stayed in and worked and chilled. Tina came around for dinner (Chris is away) and Sam cooked an amazing meal. We started with soft, ripe, sharp peaches baked with mozzarella and Parma ham and drizzled with balsamic. You know what they say about a few ingredients cooked well and boy, was this ever a perfect example of that. She followed that with spaghetti Genovese, then served a strawberry and kiwi pavlova. She really excelled herself and made my birthday eve very special. After dinner we sat on the terrace watching the world go by, shooting the breeze, looking at the stars, admiring the boats in the bay, breathing the sultry summer air and listening to the sounds that make up a summer’s evening and, you know what, that’s not a bad way to spend a mid-June birthday weekend.

Saturday – happy birthday to me! We went to the Apple’s Eye and sat on their terrace overlooking the beach, drinking cappuccini and eating bacon and egg toasties. For lunch I had a slice of my excellent birthday cake.

In the evening we went to St Julians. We went to the Quarterdeck Bar at the Hilton hotel overlooking the marina. I had a Budwiser followed by a bitter cocktail; Sam had a couple of Mojitos. We had dinner at the Hilton’s Thai restaurant, The Blue Elephant. I got to choose the food, because it was my birthday, so of course I chose the vegetarian banquet. And it was fab, if a little bit unimaginative. We started with spring rolls, tofu, a mushroom salad and tempura vegetables, then had a Thai coconut, bean curd and mushroom soup, then the mains which included Pad Thai noodles, a mushroom and tofu green curry and three mixed vegetable dishes, each with a different sauce. To finish we had fresh fruit with ice cream and, because it was my birthday, they also served a slice of rich chocolate cake with a sparkler! The restaurant itself is lovely with a waterfall and a large pond with carp and tables separated by various shrubs and plants. The service was great and, although it’s not cheap, we can’t wait to go back.

Sunday was Fathers’ Day. We chilled out. Tina popped around for tea and cake. We had pizzas for dinner.