Our Family Date: Happy Hour

We love food....
I cannot stress that enough...the Rose family LOVES to eat.
That is why almost all of our dates involve food. It is practically at the epicenter of our lives. So we have figured our an ingenious way to try new food at great restaurants while still keeping within our budget:

HAPPY HOUR.

Happy hour was no doubt created by a restauranteer who figured out that if you offered cheap drinks at certain times of the day that you could create more of a profit during slump hours (typically between 4 and 6 pm-- a time that involves no defined meal), thus luring employees to stop for a quick drink and bite to eat on their way home from work. Since the alcohol is where many restaurants make a big profit, they can afford to offer sumptuous food for a fraction of its normal price.

So Richard and I have decided to take advantage of the great food prices and patronize happy hours all over the city. This doesn't mean going to seedy, poorly lit bars full of down on their luck cowboys singing to their beer...
most of these places are the nicest restaurants in town.

This was a great little family date. We brought along some food for Anna and she behaved herself remarkably well. The waiter didn't hesitate a beat when we asked him for a good table where we could bring our stroller.
I didn't think to take pictures of the things we ordered, but we got was this:
1. rustic sweet potatoe fries with 3 dipping sauces
2. soudough grilled cheese sandwich with a tomato reduction (for dipping)
3. figs stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and glazed with a balsamic vinegar reduction
4. a fire grilled pizza with chorizo sausage, onion marmelade and fontina cheese

all for less than $20
Anna's new skill is drinking from a bottle...a real bottle. She doesn't know quite how to work the opening yet without getting water down her front, but it keeps her entertained.