We spent the day with our friends Dmitri and Lena, originally from Moscow and now living down here by the shore. Dmitri and Adam work together, and I just adore Lena. And they wore us out! We got there mid-afternoon and proceeded to go on a nearly 2 hour nature walk through the woods behind their house. I loved every minute of it.

Then we went back to their house where they fed us this incredible spread.

Seriously, it was the 4 of us and their 11-year-old daughter, who left for a sleepover halfway through. Endless steak and sausages, artichokes, Lena’s salsa with olives (her own recipe, I have to have it, it’s amazing), stuffed bread, salad with Russian sunflower oil…it was pretty awesome. All of it was absolutely delicious, and we ate like there was no tomorrow. When we were stuffed beyond belief, Lena got us clean plates and insisted we eat more. Then we cleared the table to make way for dessert. I can’t remember the last time I was plied so completely with nature, piles of food, and great conversation. A wonderful day. Now I’m off for an early night.