We started the weekend by taking in a performance of Pat's Office Band. The group was performing for a retirement celebration, and Emily made her stage debut, singing a duet with Pat.... "Anyone Else But You" by the Moldy Peaches.
Next, it was a day at the races in honor our friend Eli's 10th birthday, and a stop off at Portland's annual Bastille Day Festival with our own personal French culture expert, Maxime.
Yesterday we celebrated Maxime's 15th birthday with a Hungarian twist - a szalonna* party that we'd planned with our dinner club group. Despite the well known fact that it never rains in Oregon after July 4th, Pat got a chance to show off his creativity with duct tape and wire ties to create a make-shift awning for our deck - thus keeping the unexpected rain from spoiling the fun.
Here's a photo album from the weekend. In addition, the boys tried their hand at a skate park last evening. Click this link to see those photos.
* Szalonna is Hungarian for bacon. Szalonna is a back bacon made of smoked pork fat with the rind and is part of a Hungarian tradition. In the traditional gypsy-style. szalonna is skewered on a rod and roasted over an open fire pit. Once it starts to sizzle and drip with grease, the szalonna is removed from the fire and the grease is allowed to drip onto a slice of freshly baked rye bread. Sliced onion, green peppers, sliced radishes, szalonna shavings, and salt are used to add flavor to the slice of bread, and then more drippings are followed to top it off. Preparation, cooking and serving remain a longstanding summer tradition among American Hungarians.
