Me in PC: Dinner at the St. Regis.

I never have a hard time coming up with a reason to celebrate. (And by “celebrate,” I clearly mean “drink champagne.”) But on Wednesday, we received good news regarding the end of a source of stress in our lives. Impromptu date nights are the BEST.

We headed toward Deer Valley, the high-end ski resort with the glorious outdoor amphitheater– the one where we’ve enjoyed many summer concerts over the years (remember this and this?). Deer Valley is also home to the St. Regis, where we planned to have cocktails and dinner. The only way to get to the hotel is a tram-on-tracks called a funicular.

Say that word and try not to smile. Funicular. Funicular. SO FUN.

There was a crowd gathering on the grass for another concert as we rode up the hill. The sun was just setting behind the hill. I love the perspective from up high!

The St. Regis is beautiful and grand. Instead of the restaurant, we opted to sit at the bar, where we could still enjoy the full J & G Grill menu. On a Wednesday, things were relatively quiet. First up: a drink. John ordered his usual martini, and I chose the first drink on the cocktail menu. Bubbly and St. Germain together = YUM.

John and I clinked glasses, munching on rosemary popcorn and chatting with Mary, the bartender. We knew we were ordering too much food, but it was hard to choose. The mussels were a no-brainer.

I should stop right here and say that my last meal would likely involve fresh shellfish in some sort of rich white wine broth with buttery, charred grill bread on the side. Which is basically what landed in front of us in a heavy black pot. Scrumptious!

By the time our salad of local greens, apple, and big chunks of bleu cheese arrived, I was already feeling full. (The bread, you guys. I love the dunking of the bread.) John ordered a fabulous bottle of red wine, which was served in those extra large glasses– those are my favorite.

Honestly, I was blissfully satisfied at this point- and then our entrees arrived. My pork chop was succulent and delicious, served with a tangy and spicy BBQ sauce and a fresh summer bean salad. Despite the fact that I don’t usually eat veal, I tasted a bite of John’s Milanese- superb.

A few bites in, we asked for a to-go box, coffees, and the dessert menu. It was a celebration dinner, after all.

There were plenty of yummy options on the dessert menu, but it took approximately 2 seconds for us to choose the salted caramel ice cream with candied popcorn. Mary mentioned that earlier in the year, they’d tried to mix up the menu and this dish was removed. There were so many complaints that they brought it back, and with good reason- it was divine. Look at our happy faces!

The ride back down the funicular was just as pretty as the ride up- the stars twinkled in the full moon sky. Someday I’ll learn how to photograph the moon.

Whether it was the happy news, less stress, or our full bellies, we slept well on Wednesday night.

I dreamed of mussels and ice cream. 

In the funicular.

**More of ME in PC can be found here!**