Celebrating Ted's 70th

Our good friend Ted would have turned 70 this month. Last night, with Ray and Liz, we celebrated this landmark with Pizza at Skipolini's in Clayton, just as Jim and I had done with him for many birthdays.

 Unfortunately, the fifth member in our "Always Remembering Ted" group, Mary Ann, had other obligations and could not join us this year.

 It was a balmy northern California night so we could comfortably dine on their outdoor patio.

 The menu was the usual: Salad, a few Pizzas, wine, beer, lemonade

and, for a birthday cake, some mini cupcakes that we brought along.

A relaxing evening with good friends and good memories.

Ted, we will always miss you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TED!

Ted would be 68 today. I still think I am going to see him on Sunday mornings at Farmer's Market and, later, for coffee at Whole Foods.

Last night we carried on our Ted Birthday tradition with a pizza dinner at Skipolini's.



Ray and Liz are now part of our celebration of Ted's life and his memory.



Ted, you are always part of our lives.

FATHER'S DAY AT SKIP'S

Last month we combined our traditional Mother's Day pizza outing to Skipolini's in Clayton with Ted's birthday, albeit without Ted.

Last week on Father's Day, Frank was visiting us, so Louie included him in the Father's Day pizza night at Skip's again. Louie has been dining at Skip's since he was a pup...he's always welcome on their outdoor deck.

We shared a big salad and a Mushroom, Olive, and Artchoke Pizza.







Since Frank hadn't been in Clayton in awhile, we walked down Main Street after dinner. This part of town still looks like the old West Town it was when we first discovered it in the 1970s. But, the town is a bit more gentrified now. In the good old days, I would not dare to even walk by the Clayton Club Saloon unescorted.



Today it is still something of a gungy hangout, but now, they even greeted Louie as we passed by. The Clayton Club Saloon dates back to 1873.

For those who find themselves in Clayton over the 4th of July, there are all kinds of festivities going on pretty much all day, starting with a big parade.

PIZZA, WINE, & FRIENDS

Saturday night, J and I celebrated Ted's birthday with a few special people from his life. Unfortunately, Ted is no longer with us to celebrate.

J, Louie, and I always celebrated Ted's birthday with pizza...Usually, pizza at Skipolini's in Clayton where dogs are welcomed on the large outdoor deck. Since Ted's birthday is close to Mother's Day, this also gives Louie the opportunity to take me to dinner for that occasion, at a restaurant where he can join in on the festivities.

We did not want to let our tradition go, so we invited Ray, Al, and Liz to join us as we continue to savor memories of our connections with Ted.

J & I go way back with Skipolini's. When we came to California in the 70s, Skip's only had the Clayton location and Clayton itself was a tiny rustic community. Early on, we "discovered" it because we kept seeing the bumper sticker "Where the Hell is Skipolini"s" on cars. It remains our favorite pizza place, both for its pizzas and its ambiance. And, while, the Clayton Skip's has expanded a bit, it pretty much remains the same, maybe with a few extra pizza combinations, a few other salads in addition to their Traditional Italian salad, and a few more wines and beers from which to choose.

Today Skip's also has restaurants in Antioch and Walnut Creek. And, Clayton's population has greatly increased and there is a new, more modern part of downtown, around the corner from the old old-West downtown. Skipolini's was opened in Clayton in 1974 by Bev and Skip Ipsen. Today, their son, Kent, is president of their small restaurant group.

Skip's remains a popular gathering spot for people of all ages. When we arrived before 6 p.m. almost all the outdoor tables were taken. Fortunately, we were able to share one with some other people...it's that kind of place.



As you can see, there is nothing like pizza and wine or beer, especially when it is shared with friends.



As I have done in the past, I brought a birthday cake, this year a Chocolate Decadence Cake from Whole Foods.



It was a wonderful evening.

Ted, we miss you achingly and hope you were looking down on us Saturday night and smiling.