Lola at the Coffee House, Cafe 101

Dinner can wait then....we began with whole Ahi tuna loin, crusted with a mixture of peppercorns, the seared quickly, and frozen slightly. Thin slices were cut on a meat slicer and chilled for service. The dish was supposed to be served with some dressed baby greens, fried grape leaves (believe me, not my idea) and some loose textured wasabi. Well, I am dexterous with my fingers...I folded over two tuna slices and put them together, folded sides meeting, with a little salad in the middle. The crispy grape leaves were propped up above the tuna. I splashed a little wasabi over the plate, and drizzled a touch of olive oil over the tuna to make it moist. The chef's words were, if I recall: "I'm a little uncomfortable with the appearance of that salad."

very very funny cav...........pornographic tuna.......perfect for the cafe.......Wassau, think you can handle it?

Woosh

Betty is sent to her and Bob's house at the end of the pool ~ of course with treats ~ plus a well intentioned warning about Betty's aim.

Chershire bows offering a tray of Cav's famous tuna salad to the tool belts sitting near the bleachers.

The construction worker seminar dinner scheduled for this evening, and Stradee's picked out a cutie wearing swim trunks, boots, belt, and a grin.

"Lola, he's walking toward me"! Is my hair ok? How bout make-up? Do I need rouge or lip gloss"? He's stopped to bring a friend to the table.

Lola and Stradee greet their new guests demurely (yeah, right) and graciously accept their dinner invitations.

Walking toward the dining room, Lola and Stradee smile as they recount the Pirates creed ~ "Never Give up the ship"!

"Wait Lola" rethinks Stradee. "Do we need chaperones"? :wink:

A bedraggled Eva enters the Cafe', still clutching a handful of wilted geraniums. She plunks them into a carafe of water sitting on the bar and heaves a sigh.

Then a familiar voice stirs her. It is Withers! Here, at the Cafe!

"Withers! It's you! I hardly recognize you without your tux. You look so...so...relaxed! Are you here permanently now? Oh, just helping out today, I see. Well, I guess that's nice. I do hope I'll still see you around now that Lola's closed up the Salon."

Withers fixes Eva a glass of champagne. He knows what she likes. He will have to tell Wassau.

"Is Lola here yet? She is?! Oh good! And some of the others, too? Yes, I think I will join them. Where are they? There's a WHAT outside? A POOL?! How big IS this cafe?!" Tucking her suitcase discreetly behind the bar, Eva takes her champagne and heads for the back door, laughing...

here you go, Eva........here's a little bikini for you........when you're all ready climb up to the top of the very high tree house (ignore that smoking catarpillar up there....he's always a little blue) or sample some of what he's smokin and try out the slide. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. oh, and yes, Withers is my secretary, but he always accompanies me to the cafe and helps out when he's here. Fifi and Jeffers are behind the bar, sampling the booze.......I mean they're serving drinks.

Oh dear Stradee, yes we just might need chaperones for these two...oh my, <slapping mr. fresh hands on his bum> that's private, sir.

whoops ~ Stradee and Lola excuse themselves promising to return later.

"Hi Eva ~ hon, don't look so sad. Lola will reopen the salon for special occasions. Besides, you look fantastic in your new swimsuit. Lets join the swim party. Look, there's the tree house. We'll climb the ladder then dive into the pool from the roof. Unless we stop for a smoke, then I suggest we use the slide instead".

"Meet Betty and Bob, the cafe's darling seals. They have a house by the end of the pool where they hide. Then the little rascals leap playfully at whomever happens to be swimming. Here ya go, some treats for Betty and Bob till ya get aquainted".

"All set?" Here we goooooooooo SPLASH

<Bobbin, tool belt strapped around tux jacket and black top hat, tilted over one eye, sassy walk and saucy talk>

Ok, so has anyone seen that white rabbit? Here, little whitey, here ya go, gotta a little carrot for ya. (snicker)

Howdy ladies, did someone call for a tool belted guy?

<taking microphone on the stage (and keeping one foot on the floor) Cheshire sings in his best Cohen/Cocker voice>

If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of lover
I'll wear a mask for you
If you want a partner
Take my hand
If you want to strike me down in anger
Here I stand
I'm your man

If you want a boxer
I'll step into the ring for you
And if you want a doctor
I'll examine every inch of you
If you want a driver
Climb inside
If you want to take me for a ride
You know you can
I'm your man


Ah, the moon's too bright
The chain's too tight
The beast won't go to sleep
I've been running through these promises to you
That I made and I could not keep
Ah but a man never got a woman back
Not by begging on his knees
Or I'd crawl to you baby
And I'd fall at your feet
And I'd howl at your beauty
Like a dog in heat
And I'd claw at your heart
And I'd tear at your sheet
I'd say please, please
I'm your man


And if you've got to sleep
A moment on the road
I will steer for you
And if you want to work the street alone
I'll disappear for you
If you want a father for your child
Or only want to walk with me a while
Across the sand
I'm your man


If you want a lover
I'll do anything you ask me to
And if you want another kind of love
I'll wear a mask for you

Diane, otherwise known as the nun gone bad, breezes in and asks for a glass of champagne before sliding down the treehouse slide, splashing into the pool with Betty and Bob.
Lola, I've really missed the cafe, thanks for reviving it for all us oldtimers.
Time to breeze back out into the world of packing for a move. Cheers, everyone, the company doesn't get any better than in the cafe.

A lady approaches the stage with a smile ~ gently receives the microphone from Cheshire.

Faith Hill's ~ Breathe

I can feel the magic in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face
And I've never been this swept away
All my thoughts seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The world just seems to fade away
The only thing I hear is the beating of your heart

Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
And suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need to be
Is just caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby isn't that the way love's supposed to be?
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe

In a way I know my hearts just waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
Closer than I've ever felt before
And I know and you know
There's no need for words right now

Caught up in the touch
Slow and steady rush
Baby isn't that the way love's supposed to be?

I can feel you breathe, just breathe
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way..........

Straight To The Top (rhumba)

Written by tom waits and greg cohen


I'm going straight to the top
Oh yea up where the air is
Fresh and clean
I'm going straight up to the top
If you know me, you know what i mean
I can't let sorrow
Try and pull ol' frankie down
Live for tomorrow i have found you
I'm going straight up to the top
Up where the air is fresh and clean
I know that i will never stop, oh no
Until i know i'm wild and free
Just like a champagne bubble
Pop pop pop
I'm like those birdies
High up in the trees
I can't let sorrow
Pull ol' frankie down
Live for tomorrow
I have found you
I'm going straight up to the top oh yeah
Up where the air is fresh and clean

Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave but don't leave me
Look around and choose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Run rabbit run
Dig that hole, forget the sun,
And when at last the work is done
Don't sit down it's time to start another one
For long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
And balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave.

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

,When Love Beckons You, Follow Him
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions
May wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
As the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you
So shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth
So is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses
Your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and
Shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Kahlil Gibran

Lovely Stradee, very nice choice........Lola stops by to grab a quick bite and then is off to her apartment to have a talk with her friend and do her writing work. Deadline Sept. 2

Eva is settling in here at the Cafe'. She has been playing ball with the seal pups all day. But it is time to go. She has travel plans for the Labor Day weekend. See you on Tuesday!

Bye ladies ~ Eva, have a great weekend ~ Lola, much luck with your friend and writing project

Well guys, have landscaping plans for the rest of the week, and guests arriving for the weekend. See ya all in a few days!

see ya..........I think I'll give it a breather too. Sometimes I think we should all be more forgiving around here. Not quite so quick to judge each other and more open to differences in personal styles............. my head needs a rest. See you all in a few days.

Good Morning everyone...............just coming in for coffee and a quick kiss around the room. I'll sit here in the sunny spot, which isn't sunny today, rain, rain everywhere.........but the sun will return eventually. But as I was saying, I'll just sit here in this sunny spot and drink my coffee for a bit before returning to do work. There's a person in my apartment who is sawing tiles and moving walls and making dust.......all while I'm trying to work. He's a pleasant type, but how was I supposed to know that tool belt meant more than chronic fun? Ah well, you take the good with the unexpected.

So I'll just take a break here and then maybe Wassau will let me bring my lap top over here and go into the back room to work.

As I was saying...........good morning everyone.

nun's gone bad,
no brownies in sight,
it seem's we're in a dreadful plight....
i'll restring my fiddles,
and play us some tunes
as harvest time will be here soon.....

hi Mikey, welcome! I'm going to bed for tonight. See you all in the morning.........very nice verse there, Mikey. And we'll have to ask Diane to bring us some of those brownies tomorrow. Will ya do it, Diane? Or must I ask the nun?