Crazy good time...

...with my hubby last night on our date. We started with a drink at Centanni's. We hadn't been there before but had heard a couple good reviews. Also, it's located in the same area as the restaurant where we were having dinner (more on that soon). The outside of the building did not portray what was to be found inside. From the outside, it looked more like a pizza place than the swanky lounge we discovered upon entering. The brick pizza oven, covered in blue mosaic glass and chrome accents was a functional art sculpture. The martini menu was a bit overrun with "fruity" choices and the accommodations were slightly crowded with heavy barstools and a few too many tables for the space. On a better note, martinis were generous and we bumped into some friends who arrived to test the pizza (it's starting to feel like "home" around here). 

After our drink we headed over to Restaurant 503 (that's the area code for West Linn) for our dinner reservation. The weather was great so we decided on a table on the front patio. While the patio did overlook the parking lot, West Linn is so abundant in trees, flowers, and greenery of every hue, it hardly mattered. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. Tuna tartar for a starter; we shared a butter lettuce and phyllo wrapped goat cheese salad. I had seared Dayboat Scallops over heirloom tomatoes with oyster mushrooms, fresh corn and a light basil sauce. The side of polenta was creamy and buttery. Greg ordered braised short ribs with a horseradish crust over wilted greens and smashed gold potatoes. Yummy! The bottle of Gypsy Dancer pinot was amazing. 

With absolutely no room for dessert, we headed over to our friends' house for a glass of wine and a couple more hours of "grown up" conversation. We visited in the backyard next to the fire pit and under the Big Dipper--have I mentioned how beautiful it is up here??? 

The evening was so much fun. It was nice to get a little dressed up and have some one-on-one time with my husband. It was great to be out in our 'hood' and have it feel more like home. I enjoyed every bite of my meal and hope it doesn't do too much damage on the scale when I weigh-in on Tuesday morning! I hope this might inspire you to make a date with your honey and get it on the calendar today!