Biba

Yeah, yeah… I know track competition started up again today, but in my Little Mind, today was the day we went to Biba for lunch. We were joined by Steve and Gina and their good friends, Al and Gloria. Let me begin to describe our meals. First of all, the wine: Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio – my favorite. For starters, I had a Salad Caprese. For my main course, I decided to remain on my gnocchi tasting quest and was rewarded with the lightest, fluffiest dumplings I have ever tasted! Thankfully, they were topped with a light tomato-basil sauce, or the gnocchi would have floated off my plate! The hit of the table? Saffron ravioli stuffed with ricotta, potato and prosciutto in a butter sauce. Gina loved her scampi and DT tried penne with shrimp. We tried two desserts – Chocolate Decadence Cake and a Fruit Tart. The restaurant is elegant and subdued, the staff excellent and attentive. But, the focus is on the food. If you are ever in Sacramento, I recommend you dine at Biba.

We came home and rested after that repast…

Report from Lisa: NIKE had a fashion show today to debut the US Olympic team uniforms. The show was very well attended. There were a few speeches and after-conference-conference featuring the Head Men’s and Women’s Olympic coaches. Lisa met Marion Jones and C.J. Hunter. C.J. was quite anxious for the press conference/fashion show to be over, so he could get to a TV to watch the British Open golf tourney! Lisa took him into her office, so he could watch undisturbed by the press.

Ain’t she sweet and considerate?

Before the fashion show there was a little emergency and NIKE sent Lisa to Nordstrom to fix the problem. Seems some of the male models showed-up to work in boxer shorts, and they would show under the Olympic uniform. Lisa bought a 3-pack of white briefs and drove back (about 3 miles) to the dressing room at the NIKE center. After the models put on the uniforms and the new undies – well… it seemed ANY underwear showed through the skin-tight uniforms! Anyway, let’s just say it was a very interesting fashion show. Our girl is really learning useful skills during her internship, eh?

Lisa came back to Goldie after work. She had a “hard day at the office” – busy with the fashion show, plus her two immediate supervisors went back to Beaverton today – this leaves only 3 more days for Lisa to take over total control of the NIKE press center. She needed fuel for the BC2, and since we are in a ‘self-service state’ (archaic and uncivilized), Dad had to show her how to gas-up a car! After dropping us off at the stadium, Lisa went to Steve and Gina’s to take a night off – and will catch the meet on live television.

My report from the track: Not a big night at the track. It was about 98 degrees today and it didn’t cool-off until after 9:00p. Today was the first day of Decathlon competition. Chris Huggins is in first place tonight. No surprise – too bad Dan O’Brien cannot compete! Lisa’s favorite steeplechaser, Pascal Dobert, won the final and will go to Sydney. We also saw Men’s 400m hurdle heats, Women’s 800m heats and watched Johnny Gray run (most likely) his final competitive race in the 800 meter. He came in last and took a victory lap anyway. The crowd sent him off to retirement in a grateful S.O.