When I started at my last job I bought a video iPod and started subscribing to a bunch of podcasts. I started listening to:

1. Fox and the city (which referred me to)
2. Yeast Radio (which referred me to)
3. PNS Explosion (still a favorite, which referred me to)
4. The Daily Purge (still a favorite, cohosted by Rob Lindley who also cohosts)
5. How Much Do We Love (the primary hostess being Sara)

Then, seemingly randomly, I got an e-mail from Sara asking me why she found pics of a particular corporate christmas party in my flickr stream. Because she was ALSO at that same party, and she is friends with a coworker of mine.

Shortly after that was the next year’s corporate holiday party, and we decided to meet up, drink, and have a fabulous time. We have since hung out a couple of times and are becoming friends.

The internets are a strange and wonderful series of tubes.

Last night she invited me to her new place, and she cooked a fantastic meal: NY Strip Steaks, broiled beets, baby broccoli, fresh corn, and a yummy blue cheese sauce to schmear on anything that would hold still. Even better I got an EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK of the winner of her recent Summer Cocktail Recipe Contest, which I am simply not at liberty to divulge, but I can report was de-effing-licious. I brought the liquor portion (inexpensive vodka, but the bottle was super cute and she loves her some touch-of-fancy, done and done), ice, and mixers.

We also watched the latest very “meh” episode of So You Think You Can Dance, which is normally entertaining, but not so much last night. Almost all of the dancing was underwhelming, yet the judges were screaming and hooting and gushing like I have never seen. We were both wondering if we would have enjoyed it by ourselves, but I am pretty sure that’s not the case. Neil didn’t even take off his shirt to redeem himself. Meh.

Thanks goodness for dessert, which was her fresh made plum cobbler–with plums she plucked from her backyard–served with vanilla whipped cream. That was a nice finish.

Thanks for a wonderful evening, Sara!