Ropa Vieja

This afternoon we left work early and drove to Cumberland, MD. It took us about an hour and 40 minutes and I chose to go down the back roads (127 through Paw Paw, WV and other very curvy-roaded towns) to make the drive a little more fun. By the time we got there, Jack was telling us "Get out" and tugging at his carseat straps. I dropped he and Kyle off at the Holiday Inn and parked across the street in the parking garage that was free on weekends.

We checked into the room and then hit the road. I had looked at the Downtown Cumberland website before we came, so knew that they were still having the Friday After Five event with live music on thier walking mall. We headed that way and stopped at a Cuban restaurant that I found online and decided that we definitely wanted to attend. It is called the Banana Cafe and just opened in Cumberland. The only other location is in DC. Their menu was fabulous and Kyle, Jack, and I had an assortment of chips and fresh salsa, empanadas, ropa vieja (what I ordered), and a Chef's Special mixed grill with quail, sausage, shrimp and the most garlic-y mashed potatoes you can imagine. While we were waiting for food, I told Jack what we ordered and he insisted several times that he would like "rice and beans." The kid would subsist on rice, beans, and applesauce if allowed. So, he ate all of the aformentioned items (save the shrimp) but enjoyed the rice and beans best. We contemplated getting him some guacamole, but cheaped out at the $6 they were asking for it.

After dinner we stopped and listened to music- the band was covering "Smoke on the Water" when we came out and Jack enjoyed both the noise and the people. We stopped at a fountain to watch the water, strolled past shops and people with loveable dogs, and stopped to let Jack gaze at the giant snow-globe-like Halloween decorations outside- filled with various goblins and witches with swirling ghosts and bats aplenty.

We then headed towards the Creamery for some ice cream. We chose the Ying Yang (yes, YING yang) which was a scoop of vanilla, a scoop of chocolate, hot fudge, marshmallow topping with whipped cream and two cherries on top. Jack delighted in eating the sweet treat, but was more excited about the swivel stools at the counter and the plethora of ladies who wanted to dote on him.

We headed back to the hotel to get ready for our big day with Thomas. The evening was great- Jack was cooperative, the food and dessert were delicious, and the town was welcoming and friendly. Much like the ropa vieja, everything seemed to just fit and feel so comfortable and familiar. Definitely an evening to rememeber fondly.