My mom's birthday got me thinking about this year's Harley 110th Anniversary.
Saturday I wandered the same streets looking for that special gift that once were open only to cycles and thousands of pedestrians. Sounds of loud music competed with Milwaukee Iron four-strokes as hordes of concert-goers gathered at Cutler Park for the free concerts Labor Day Weekend five years ago.
I should have left a little earlier. I noticed too late that several stores close by 5:00 Saturday afternoon. Even though the Poppin' On Broadway's sign said open till 3:00, the doors were still open after 5:30. Cathy produced a great-looking boxed coffee cup for Mom from the back room after I'd mentioned why I was there. She also showed me a prototype package of 110th Anniversary Harley black and orange popcorn. She wouldn't sell it to me, but presumably it's hog flavored... bacon?
Our Harley conversation had me remembering what a great thing Bethesda Events put together with Weekend In Waukesha. I'd never seen so many people downtown! I'd love to see something like it again this year, but it probably won't happen. The partners in Bethesda Events were also the developers of the Black Trumpet Restaurant and Clarke Hotel and you already know how that turned out.
Even though I had a gift certificate to the Clarke Hotel and Black Trumpet courtesy of Scrooge, (don't ask) we never ate or stayed there. Oddly enough, though, Mom decided she'd like to celebrate her birthday with Sunday brunch at Andrew's in the Delafield Hotel. I say oddly, because Andrew Ruggeri with Andrew's was a Black Trumpet and Bethesda partner. It's all connected in an odd sort of way: Harley popcorn, anniversary, Bethesda Events, Black Trumpet, Andrew's...
Needless to say Andrew's isn't the type of restaurant we're most familiar with, but were thoroughly impressed nevertheless. I could've done without the live harp music, too high-falutin for my taste, but oh! the food! Each plate was an art piece to be devoured with the eyes first until they're fully satisfied. I took many photos because I didn't want the best part to go to waste, but the food really did taste as good as it looked.
Really, the best part of the meal was the celebration of my mother. . . but the food was a close second.