Delightful!

It was my day to myself - a day each week that I have really come to cherish - and I had decided to get together with some girlfriends for lunch at Houston's and to see Away We Go. I got to the restaurant early in hopes of sitting in the shade, reading a few more pages of My Sister's Keeper and waiting for my friends. There were only two problems with this plan:

1. It was over a 100 degrees at 10:40 in the morning.
2. Houston's isn't open at 10:40 in the morning.

I saw staff milling about, getting ready for the day and I decided to chance it. The beads of sweat were rapidly forming; I had no choice. I pushed on the door and it was open.

Ahhhhh. Air-conditioning!

I stood in the entryway and waited. A hostess came up to clean the podium and asked if she could help me. After our exchange I learned that they didn't open until 11, but she would go ahead and seat me. This was in spite of the fact that I didn't have my full party with me - a previously heavily enforced Houston's seating policy - and they wouldn't be joining me until 11:30. The recession and heat have worn even the diligent Houston's staff down, and I think that's a good thing.

It was nice to have my choice of seats, especially at a place that can command crowds that elicit more than an hour wait during peak times. I chose upstairs, along the row of windows. Jazz played over the sound system, servers and chefs hustled and I was offered an ice cold beverage (Diet Coke with lime) to sip while I slipped in a few more pages. My gal pals started arriving shortly thereafter and we noshed on delicious burgers, baked potato soup, roasted artichokes and key lime pie.

Fast forward... and the reason for this particular Project 182 picture...

I had wanted to see Away We Go and was pleased to see the reviews had it Away We Going beyond the local arthouse theater and onto more screens (a very good sign). The movie was simply, delightful. A talky movie that is great for romantics at heart. It sweet without being sappy, quiet without being boring, and chock full of a quirky and charming supporting cast. Away We Go won't win any awards. It won't beat any box office records. It's just a sweet little film for a blisteringly hot summer day.