Dear Friends,

I think I'm still trying to recover from last Sunday's Garden Party (see photos from the event here). For those of you who made it out - so grateful that you could join us. For those who didn't - let me tell you - you missed an awesome party and we missed you.

Truth is, I wasn't sure what to expect. We had rescheduled from the week before due to a bad weather forecast. We still weren't sure whether we'd have clear skies this time around or how many people would actually show.

That afternoon during setup, we all agreed that we got lucky - it was sunny and the temperature was perfectly in the mid-80's. At 5:30 pm, I was thinking of what we might have forgotten and just plain hoping for a decent turnout. Well, that's about the last thing I remember before a wall of excited folks came swarming through the parking lot and made a beeline for the bar.

This wasn't our leisurely dinner service. These folks needed refreshments fast! For the next 2 hours, Betty, Whitney, Christa, and I (with help from Hall and Chase and several others), did our best to get our guests drinks - bubbles and rosés were the clear stars of the evening. It sure was a long line, but we pushed through. I was reminded, not for the last time that evening, of how amazing our team is.

The kitchen knocked it out of the park too. We sent out rounds of snacks, including frites, mussels, sliders and crostini. Folks happily munched away while enjoying the patio space. Guests were treated to the ongoing record DJ-ing of TFB employee Oskar (he LOVES the Beatles) and the handy grill work of Josh Williams, our operations manager/outdoor cooking master. Our garden was full of old friends and restaurant regulars, but I was also thrilled to see many new faces within the crowd.

Once everything calmed down and most of the guests had departed, the staff sat around the picnic table to eat grilled steak, fish, and veggies. We all had big smiles of accomplishment on our faces. It's a satisfying feeling to put a lot of energy into an evening and then watch it unfold so well. Our restaurant is truly supported by an outstanding community.

So once again - huge thank you to all who came out. We couldn't have felt more loved and appreciated. This weekend, Chef Mike is rolling out another version of the lamb curry for the prix fixe. The starter looks like it will be a lemon/ricotta ravioli. Hope you can join us to eat in the garden - you know, al fresco.

bon appetit - love to all,

murph

ps - I'm going to the beach for a few days - catch y'all on the flip side.