Three Beautiful Things 11-04-2023: Lunch at Meltz with the Fellas, Chillin' at The Lounge, A Robust Moroccan Dinner

1. Mike Stafford was visiting family in Kellogg and Coeur d'Alene. Ed, Stu, and I met up with him in Coeur d'Alene at Meltz, a cozy melted cheese sandwich spot in a strip mall near the corner of Kathleen and Ramsey Road. Meltz has an extensive menu of grilled cheese sandwiches with all kinds of combinations of cheeses, meats, vegetables, and other condiments and sauces along with homemade potato chips, dips, and different soups and salads.  They sell a big cookie, too. 

This was my first visit to Meltz and decided to try the Simpleton, a grilled sandwich blending pepper jack cheese, garlic grilled chicken, bacon, diced tomato, green onion, and avocado ranch dressing. I also enjoyed a cup of tomato basil bisque. 

The soup and sandwich worked for me. 

So did spending about an hour yakkin' with three lifelong friends about any number of subjects, all in good humor and mutual enjoyment. 

2. I arrived home, joined Copper and Luna on the bed and took a luxurious post-Meltz coma nap. Not long after I woke up, Ed texted me that he was going to The Lounge and wondered if I'd like to go up.

Yes I did.

I rocketed uptown, plopped down next to Ed, said hi to and talked a bit to Abby and Kate, ordered a 7 & 7, and settled in for a superb session.

Ed and I yakked. Tracy joined in a couple of times. Ed left after a couple of beers, but Charlie was playing blues on the wireless jukebox and I wanted to hear more of the fantastic music he was playing, enjoy another cocktail or two, and yak some more with Bob. Charlie's music kept getting better and better and Charlie told me about growing up in Texas where his dad ran a blues bar next to an auto repair shop and how, as a result, he came by his love of the blues. 

I cut myself off before long, hung around for nearly another hour, drinking water.

I didn't want to leave. It was a mellow night at The Lounge. The music was awesome. Bob had time to yak about music and his upcoming trip to Vegas and San Diego.

But, alas, I wanted to see how Debbie was doing, have some dinner, and continue to relax at home. 

3. During the day, Debbie fixed a Moroccan chicken dish -- I'd call it a stew -- with orzo and chickpeas and vegetables and a superb spice blend she'd purchased. I topped my bowl of this awesome stew with croutons from Great Harvest and loved relaxing, yakking with Debbie, and warming myself with Debbie's great dinner dish.