For she's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!
At the beginning of June, I wrote an article about elevating the traditional summer barbecue. In the introduction of the topic, I reflected upon the many reasons for celebrations in our family. Explaining that "with Father's Day, Canada Day and three different birthdays to rejoice in, it felt like every other weekend the family was getting together to have another barbecue." I mention this again because Carmelina's birthday marked the end of this long list of dates to celebrate for the summer season. I still can't believe we are a week into August! Our next family milestone won't appear until October 1st, to celebrate both my father's birthday and our parent's wedding anniversary.
And I know what you're thinking, and no, this isn't another post about summer barbecues. This year for Carmelina's birthday, we still had dinner outside, and oddly enough, the grill was flaming, but instead of burgers and potato salad, we enjoyed classic Italian dishes. The main course was a personal pizza for each guest, with a toppings bar that allowed them to customize it to their preferences. With a pizza stone, the pizza pies cooked on the grill, making the dough light and fluffy. As we waited for the pizza to be ready, we nibbled on the antipasto, which consisted of calamari, Caprese salad, salami, fresh bread and the traditional cantaloupe, bocconcini and prosciutto skewers. As our Dining Al Fresco playlist carried on, the family talked loudly over the music and made many hand gestures when words didn't adequately express their meaning. We were all in Italian heaven.
You might have noticed that the YouTube video was a different layout then we usually have on our channel, but then again, it was mainly for our personal enjoyment. There are no entertaining tips in this blog post—no dos and don'ts, no shopping list. Just a "subtle" reminder to enjoy the time you have with friends and family. Celebrate every moment you can and make the most of each passing minute. I had a lovely evening, and now whenever I hear Mambo Italiano, I will fondly recall our grandmother's dance moves as she hip-checked anyone who crossed her path.
Dining Al Fresco Playlist **
To my sister, Carmelina:
I hope your twenty-fifth birthday was an entertaining one and that the new year ahead of you is filled with love and joy. Thank you for being the C in S + C (honestly, I don't know another, so it has to be you). Thank you for always being there and know I'm here for you.
Sincerely,
Sara
** This playlist comes with a disclaimer, S+C is at no fault if your nonna bruises you while on the dance floor throwing moves.
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