Weekend BBQ & Fireworks

What an amazing weekend I just had! It started with my [now] regular Friday evening beach volleyball. The skill level was good and the play was all fun. But this day I realized just what a workout it is on the legs to play on the beach. By the end I was absolutely pooped, and still had to cycle home! Though after a hot shower and few minutes to catch my breath, a friend picked me up and we met the group at Daimasu, a large Japanese restaurant with inexpensive beer and sushi after 9pm. A great choice indeed!

By the time I got home at midnight I was completely exhausted. I melted into my bed and was asleep within minutes. I didn't wake up the next morning until well after 10am. With no milk to make any coffee and a full agenda for the day, I screamed, "#$%*&!@)*^$#"!!! But a quick stop at Starbucks on my way down to the Granville Island Market had me feeling better in no time. I visited several shops down there, buying an assortment of different items for the BBQ that was scheduled later that day ... and for which I had insisted I would provide the food for!
By the time my friend got down to English Bay at 4pm, the beach was already quite full. I joined him about 30 minutes later. The others didn't arrive for another hour or so. Then we started cooking. There was an eclectic assortment of food - chicken, beef, prawns, marlin, sausages, and Waldorf salad - which I think everyone enjoyed. But the piece de resistance was a chocolate fondue experiment.

As I was leaving home I spotted a little fondue pot that I had been given long ago but rarely used. I packed it, along with 5 tea candles, matches, and several small blocks of chocolate. To the pot I added much of the chocolate and 3/4 of a container of whipping creme. Underneath I was able to fit 4 tea candles. At first we didn't think it would melt but slowly it did. And the result was most magnificent. There was one very memorable scene where 4 cute little Asian girls walked by and saw us dipping fruit into the chocolate. I wish I had taken a shot of their jaws hitting the sand!