Lasagna Night At the Ceo’s
2019.09.28, Sunday, Canyon Country
If during one of our recent general meetings, you witnessed a crowd of people gathered around the signup table and wondered what the fuss was about, it was most likely that they were signing up for the fourth annual Lasagna Dinner at the home of Don and Connie Ceo!
Because of space limitations, the event is limited to fifty people, and when you consider the delicious food and warm hospitality, you begin to understand why it fills up so quickly. Of course, this year was no exception, and a cool, early-fall evening was the perfect back-drop for good friends, and delicious Italian comfort food.
Since Don and Connie are always the consummate hosts, they make sure everyone is met with warm greetings, well-crafted cocktails, and an array of appetizers, many of which were provided by the club members in attendance.
With the nibbling and refreshments covered, everyone relaxed out on the covered patio. But it wasn’t long before dinner was called, and we were presented with an inviting buffet of warm rolls, fresh salad, and of course, the main entree of piping hot lasagna with its classic layers of pasta, cheese, and homemade sauce that all combined into a deep, rich, irresistible flavor.
There was also an ample amount of the best Italian sausage and peppers I’ve had in a long time. Seriously, this was so good!
After dinner we had an impressive selection of member provided desserts that included, cheese cakes, cookies, lemon bars, cobblers, cream puffs, and individual fruit tarts.
After dinner we kicked-back and lingered around the tables, and it wasn’t long before a card game broke out. The sounds of silver coins tinking together on the table was reminiscent of old-school Vegas as card players tried to bluff their way to winning enough cash for a down payment on a new C8.
Okay, maybe not, but if nothing else a lot of dimes and quarters changed ownership. At the same time, out on the patio a game of Shut the Box got started, and again untold riches were won and lost.
So next year, if the duo of Don and Connie are so gracious as to host a 5th annual event, be sure to get your name on the list early.
The Outback claims to be the home of juicy steaks, spirited drinks, and true Aussie hospitality. So, in that spirit, I personally skipped the entrée and went straight for the platypus pie, while I think it was Mark Ware who had a hopping good sandwich with the house special, a Kangaroo Burger.
But seriously, we had a good time, and there was a variety of food choices delivered up and down the table. The warm rye bread and butter are always a nice beginning, and some of the appetizers included their famous Bloomin’ Onion and Aussie Fries, and the entrees ran the gamut from ribeye’s and chicken fried chicken, to lobster tails and burgers. Our servers were pleasant, attentive, and tried to stay organized against our often-disorganized group, which helped to make the meal just that much nicer.
After checking-in with the staff, we met our golf pro, and were promptly fitted with our club and individually colored golf balls that would be ours for the rest of the day – providing we could find them. Then, dividing into teams of mixed doubles, we headed off to the first carpet covered tee box.
However, the talk around the clubhouse was that Tom Tomlinson had topped the leaderboard, and was last seen running around waving his golf towel in the air, and high-fiving with the spectators, although this could not be confirmed.
We gathered on a perfect So-Cal Saturday morning at the Copperhill Walmart for coffee and chatter before the drivers’ meeting where we were promised to be taken west along Highway 126 towards the coast. There, we would be given additional instructions.
Normally a trip to any courthouse comes with an expected level of anxiety in anticipation of the bureaucratic experience that awaits us, but not for this trip. 
Once we were well-nourished, we held our customary drivers meeting, and immediately after that the cars rumbled to life. Following the usual radio check, we lined up for the trip that would take us several hours south on the 15 freeway to our first destination, Old Town Temecula.
After lunch a we took a short stroll along Main Street where, wouldn’t you know it, we found an ice cream shop! After everyone was well stocked on sweets and treats, we headed back to our cars for the next leg of our journey, our hotel near Alpine, California.
After a quick stop to give our cars a fresh drink of T-Rex juice, we ascended up into the clouds along Hwy 79, through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park for the short, yet amazingly beautiful, thirty-five-mile trip to the little town of Julian.
Once in Julian, we found it to be a charming, turn of the century gold mining town from the 1800s. Normally a busy southern California destination, it was not very crowded. Of course, it was the middle of the week, and in the off-season, and with the drizzle and unexpectedly cold wind, the weather felt like a scene right out of the movie, Ice Station Zebra. Maybe I exaggerate a little on that point, but it was darn chilly. 
But still undaunted, we braved the elements to make our way on foot along Main Street where many of the shops had their wood stoves going, so the warmth of the fires was very welcoming.
Lunch was at the Miner’s Dinner, a 50’s themed café located in one of the town’s many historic buildings, this one dating back 1886 when it was first opened as a general store. The food was good, plentiful, and included an old-fashioned soda fountain. They did not take Vons cards.
But in the end, we all had a piece of the pie – some had their pie at the restaurant, while others had at this place or that one, but none of the pie lovers went away pieless. Some of us even got pie to take home – yum!
Anyway, back at the Viejas Resort, we had some time to relax and unwind before dinner at the highly touted, Grove Steakhouse located inside the casino. But wait, what’s this? Closed on Tuesdays? Okay, who does that? This a major resort, and they close their marque steakhouse on the very evening that we planned to dine there. Honestly, who does that? The other restaurants don’t close. The steakhouses in Vegas don’t close. So why this one? The audacity of these people.
On our third and final morning, the clouds and rain had set in as we met for a pre-trip breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast most caravanned home together, while a few used the opportunity to stop and see friends, or take a short side trip. Regardless of the route home, it was a great end to a fun, enjoyable, and well-planned trip.
They greeted us with baskets of warm bread-sticks, bowls of Italian dressed salad, and wine that ran freely.
Well, maybe not so much the wine, but the rest of it was plentiful. It was a great Taste of the Town.
One of the most popular aspects of the Olive Garden are the combination plates made up of pasta and other Italian favorites, and this night they did not disappoint. Other popular entrées included the chicken and shrimp carbonara, meat lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo, and the wide variety of frittatas—there was something for every Italian food lover. Some of the members even took advantage of the $5.00 take home entrees, for meals the next day!
Please join us next month at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, located at 27063 McBean Parkway, in the Prominade Shopping Center. mark your calendars, and we’ll see you there!![019 KHTS Santa Clarita Home and Garden Show Home And [...]](https://scvcc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/019-KHTS-Santa-Clarita-Home-and-Garden-Show-Home-And-...-1160x665.svg "019 KHTS Santa Clarita Home and Garden Show Home And [...]")
As always, George Thomas and his crew did a great job accommodating us, and if anyone went away hungry, then it was pretty much their own fault.
The staff was great and as we were directed into the lot, the impressive line of Vettes immediately began to draw the attention of onlookers, as it did throughout the day.
Armed with lawn chairs and coolers, we spent the afternoon relaxing at the park and roaming through the large variety of community booths and vendors that were on display, including those from the Emergency Expo and the Arts and Crafts Fair.
For those that wanted a little something to nosh on, we enjoyed more food and treats from the wide array of food trucks that were in attendance.
When thirty of us arrived in eighteen cars, the front lot of the dealership was ready for us, as their usual inventory of cars and trucks had been relocated to the K-Mart lot as part of their annual tent sale. Of course, the friendly dealership staff were there to help us park, and throughout the afternoon they proved to be gracious hosts.
A substantial influx of Corvettes from the Redline and Ventura Corvette Clubs were already onsite, and after we got parked, the front lot of the dealership contained at total of forty-two visiting Corvettes! There was also a half dozen more really shiny ones that still had that new car smell, window stickers, and big orange discount tags hanging from the mirrors. It was a worthy line-up indeed. The event was a great opportunity to not only support the dealership, but to meet our friends from the other clubs as well.
We were presented with an excellent lunch from the very popular, Laird’s BBQ, who we will see again in June at our annual picnic. The spread provided for us included sausage, tri-tip, and grilled chicken, along with all the fixin’s, including some spicy beans and potato salad. 
After lunch, John Macik, of Santa Paula Chevrolet, offered some words of appreciation for our support throughout the year, and to further emphasize the point—as if the great lunch wasn’t enough—he held a raffle for a number of prizes that included, free oil changes, alignments, and air conditioning services.
The amazing spring weather made for a perfect evening of conversation, laughs, and biscuits n’ butter!
The members’ dinner choices ran the menu from freshly battered southern fried chicken strips, to the crispy Caesar salad, and many of the house favorites such as the fried chicken and gravy, smoked beef brisket, and baby back ribs, all of which included the full complement of side dishes and beverages.
The friendly wait staff worked hard to set up for our group, and they helped make our meal enjoyable with friendly and efficient service.
After dinner, the evening was just too beautiful to call it a night, so a small but dedicated team set out on a reconnaissance mission to Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt, where the mission was deemed successful.