Let's Do Lunch...in Fallbrook

...no, not the diet plan by the same name....I met some friends for lunch...for real...in Fallbrook.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet a couple of ladies that I have, until last weekend, only known through blogging (and an infamous diet forum.) I had such a great time!

Here's how it played out. Grace, who is a fellow blogger and an ex-Kimkins member was out here on the west coast on her way to Alaska on business. Nanci who is also an ex-Kimkins member, and friend to Grace, lives here in Southern California. So we decided it would be fun to meet up half way between where I live and where Nanci lives. We decided that Fallbrook would be a good place to meet and agreed on a time. We exchanged phone numbers and chose a restaurant based on the recommendation of some friends and on the basis of the on-line reviews. On Saturday morning I mapquested my directions and set out for Fallbrook.

It was a beautiful drive. Fallbrook is a charming place nestled among the hills north of San Diego. As I drove to our destination I found myself wondering how I would recognize Grace and Nanci. I couldn't recall ever seeing a picture of Grace with a clear view of her face (now I know it's because Grace doesn't post pictures of herself on her blog) and I don't think I've seen a picture of Nanci at all. I wasn't overly concerned though because I have pictures all over the place so I figured they might recognize me even if I didn't recognize them. Plus, I thought that whichever of us arrived at the restaurant first would just tell the hostess we were meeting friends. I knew that somehow it would work out and we would find each other.

I arrived in Fallbrook and followed my driving directions to the restaurant we chose. Hmmm..it didn't look very busy as I pulled into the lot. The parking lot is behind the restaurant and as I rounded the back of the building I realized, to my surprise, that there were no other cars in the lot....not even one! I parked my car and got out as the realization dawned on me that the restaurant we had chosen was NOT OPEN FOR LUNCH! Even though I knew that the restaurant was closed, I had to make sure. I walked to the front and read the hours on the door...right there near the CLOSED sign!...LOL. Sure enough, they didn't open until 4pm on Saturday.

So I pulled out my phone and called Grace's number. Our very first telephone conversation was me saying, "Grace, you aren't going to believe this but the restaurant is closed." She and Nanci were almost pulling into the parking lot when I called them. So we decided to meet there and then find someplace else to go. The problem of how we would recognize each other was solved! We were the only people there!

We decided it would be a hoot to take a photo of ourselves in front of the closed sign..without Grace's face showing, of course. Here we are...



We also had to take a photo of our feet. I love that Grace likes foot pictures too! Look how feminine and pretty Grace and Nanci's feet are! Mine is the one in the red Chuck Taylor.



We ended up at a sweet little Irish Pub down the street from our original place. We all had steaks and vegetables and salads....and NOT just a "finger grab" of salad either. Nice big steaks, full fat dressing, loads and loads of iced tea. You never would have guessed we all came from a diet forum that promoted starving! We ate and talked and laughed and shared stories. It was as though we had always been friends. I felt comfortable and at ease with these ladies from the moment we met! Lunch lasted from 1pm until after 5pm and I think it would have gone on longer if we hadn't all gotten stiff and sore from the pub chairs!

I am so glad for the opportunity to meet and enjoy the company of these two special ladies! I hope we get to do it again in the near future.
Go on over to Grace's blog and meet her yourself! You won't be sorry...and you'll get to hear about us posing for pictures with a buffalo, under an old pepper tree in the parking lot, next to the young couple who were just parked there trying to enjoy a little weed...we didn't ask them to share...we really didn't.