Germany in Advance

I brought Hobbes to his morning vet appointment for the quick and easy microchipping procedure required by the EU. They also certified his prior rabies vaccination, also required. Thank heavens there's no quarantine on the European continent!

Meanwhile Stephanie stayed home to coordinate removal of many of the large furniture items that had been sold to friends and neighbors: a couch and chairs and tables and a 200-lb armoire, among other things. We met friends Sandy & David for an excellent brunch/lunch at all-time favorite restaurant Frontera Grill, whose service has slipped since recently being awarded James Beard's Best Restaurant in the Country. Our wait was 90 minutes and they were out of orange juice. Luckily the kitchen rebounded with its queso fundido and posole rojo. We caught of glimpse of celebrity chef Rick Bayless eating instead of managing in the kitchen.

That afternoon our block on Hoyne Ave. held a neighborhood late-Octoberfest celebration, complete with two-story-tall inflatable jumping castle for the kids and other mayhem. We attended for an hour later in the evening for a few drinks with our excellent friendly neighbors, later meeting up with Trent and Amy at local German bar Laschet's for authentic schnitzel-oriented cuisine, liter-sized lagers and an unsolicited final shot of apple schnapps which the waiter call "German apple juice". We proceeded to competing neighborhood German bar Resi's to try more beer before a short stumble home.