\We have been so busy this week. My mom, stepdad, and sister came here from California to visit Ella before she leaves. The first night, they all arrived at different times, so I decided to make a big smorgasbord of snacks for dinner. I put out cheeses, sliced meats, diced fruit, French bread, hummus with pita chips, vegetables with a yogurt dip, chips and a sour cream dip, olives, and cornichons. We snacked away for hours. As soon as everyone was here, we toasted to family.

The entire visit revolved around food. There was at least ten of us depending on which friend or friends joined in the festivities. The breakfasts were pretty casual because people woke up at different times. I put out bagels and cream cheese, cereals, and fruit. I kept the coffee brewing. This seemed to work well for a large group.

We took them to our favorite sushi restaurant for lunch one day. We ordered so much food. It was wonderful. We ate miso soup, salad with ginger dressing, teriyaki salmon, vegetable tempura, hibachi rice, sushi, and sashimi. My cousin, Alex, ordered some delicious cold sake. We ended the meal with the most amazing oranges. My dad joined us on this culinary experience and loved every minute of it.

Believe it or not, that very same night, we went out to eat at my favorite Indian restaurant. After the sushi lunch, I didn’t think we would be able to eat another meal that same day. Somehow, we persevered. Late into the evening, we rolled into Curry Leaf for another meal. My plan was to drink a glass of wine. I didn’t’ think I could eat another bite. Somehow, as the delicious, colorful, fragrant food landed on the table, I couldn’t resist. I ate some garlic naan bread and paneer tika masala. Then, I tried a bit of the korma. I had to.

A few days before they arrived, Ella, Daphne and I stayed at the Golden Nugget, mainly to use their pool. Going to some of the hotel pools around Vegas is an amazing perk of living here. It is like a mini vacation. The Golden Nugget pool has a water slide, which goes through an aquarium filled with sharks. It’s amazing. We ate lunch at a nice little Italian restaurant. Daphne, Ella and I shared a thin crust margherita pizza. It was perfect. We had the server top it with tons of fresh Parmesan cheese.

This time, our large group decided to stay at the pool in the Palms hotel. We got a cabana and lots of lounge chairs. This was the last hurrah before Ella leaves. I get very sad, as the day of her departure gets close. I tried not to think of it and just enjoyed our little stay at the Palms. This is the perfect time of the year for Vegas pool visits. It is just hot enough to really enjoy the sun but not unbearably hot, as it can at times be in Las Vegas. There is a gentle breeze to cool you off every once in a while as well.

After a few hours in the sun, we worked up an appetite. Ella and I ordered sweet potato fries with melted cheese on top. Daphne ordered a fruit platter. She is so good. We helped her eat that too. When the fries arrived, Ella and I both looked at each other and laughed. There was a humorous amount of cheese on the fries. By this, I mean, not nearly enough. Ella said, “This will not do.” I agreed. Twice afterwards, we had to ask for sides of cheese. We also had sriracha mayonnaise to add a bit of spice. This made the fries even more delicious.

On the final day, we sat around our pool and drank Pimms cups. If you haven’t tried Pimms, you really must. They are so delicious and refreshing. These drinks are perfect for summertime. The best part is how they are filled with fresh fruit and mint. It’s like a fruit salad in every glass. The fruit also makes Pimms cups beautiful. On this day, while we lounged around the pool, I made a pineapple and cucumber salad. I made this salad for the party we had to welcome Ella when she first arrived and she loved it. I thought it would be good to make it again before she leaves.

I love how this salad combines the sweetness of the pineapple with cucumbers. Also, the cilantro and limejuice are the perfect compliments to tie all of these flavors together. It is so easy to make. Once the ingredients are chopped, you mix them together, add the limejuice, and season. That’s it. It is refreshing and perfect for a summer meal or side dish at a picnic or grill out. Ella was so happy when she saw me bringing it out to the table by the pool. I brought out some champagne and the family toasted to another wonderful time spent together. Although, I am sad to see her go, I am grateful to have the time we get to be together and that everyone came to help us celebrate her visit.

Pineapple Cucumber Salad:

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: six

1 pineapple

1 English cucumber

2 limes

cup cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

teaspoon paprika

Peel, core and dice the pineapple. Peel and dice the cucumber. Place pineapple and cucumber in a large bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over them. Zest the lime and toss the zest into the bowl. Sprinkle on the chopped cilantro. Mix this well. Season with salt and pepper. Toss this. Topp with a sprinkle of paprika. Keep chilled until ready to serve.