The best Champagne...

In the middle of serving eight people breakfast, the phone rang. It doesn't happen often. It was from Illinois, the mother of a bride, calling to ask us to provide a beautiful bouquet and a bottle of the best Champagne for the newlyweds when they arrive on their honeymoon the next day. She wanted it put on her charge account, not on the room account. OK, we can do that.

I went back to the table, and told the guests what the request was, and told them we know nothing about Champagne. What should we get?

David from San Diego got up and went into his bedroom, and came back out with a chilled bottle of some kind of "Dom" Champagne, and told us this was the best. He owns his own pharmaceutical company, and claims to be a connoisseur of wines and Champagne in particular. No reason to doubt him. Everyone discussed their favorites, and made their own suggestions.

After the guests had gone on to their activities for the day, Bob and I went to Foodland, the local market in the Princeville Center (there is no actual liquor store) to try to find the Champagne. As we were standing there before the chilled wines, a youngish man volunteered to tell us all about the ones there. He convinced us of one on sale for only $49.99 that he said everybody loves.

Since we already have bouquets in the guest rooms, we decided to buy two gorgeous leis. We reasoned that the bride and groom can wear them everywhere, and get more enjoyment out of them (and attention). We placed these things in the little refrigerator in the Honeymoon Suite, with a note that said they were from the bride's mother.

The newlyweds Craig and Jennifer arrived that evening.

Everyone hung around the breakfast table next morning, drinking coffee until about 10:00, telling of their adventures the day before, their favorite beaches, their favorite restaurants. Then the subject changed to weddings when the newlyweds came in. They had gotten married at The Green Church, in Hanalei (photograph in an earlier Blog). They thanked us for the gifts (from her mom) in the fridge. We had them go get the leis and put them on. During breakfast, Jennifer's lei came apart, so I dashed to the market and was able to replace it.

A few days later, Jennifer came out of their room to say that Craig was sick with the same stuff she'd had, a cold, laryngitis and a fever. Next morning, I made "Sam's Simple Quiches", using Alice's delicate, rich, crisp, tender pie shells (that's another story), and fixed triple berry smoothies, and had lots of sliced papaya, and fresh pineapple. Jennifer said Craig's fever had broken, but he was sleeping. She told him about the homemade quiche, and later took him a breakfast tray, and he finished every crumb. They told us that any time we come to Chicago, we can stay with them. :-)

Craig told us that his dog has already left him for Jennifer.

Bob quipped, "Good trade!"

Oh, the name of that Champagne which we couldn't find, was Dom Parignon.