Catch Up #2 - Universal Diner

This was their favorite photo from the night. 

Last Saturday night, Sam and I sat down to do a bit of our summer road trip planning.  I just realized I probably haven't written about that at all.  Whoops!  Sidenote:  So really quickly, Sam and I are going on a Pacific Northwestern road trip from July 17 - July 24.  We're starting off in Portland by visiting our amazing friends the Wolvies and then will loop up to Seattle and back in a week.  Should be a perfect chance to get some travel in before heading back to BSB on  July 29.   

So, now onto Universal.  As you can tell from our photos, we had a great time.  Maybe a little too much.  No  Never! 

So, after starting our trip planning at my house (an hour and half online pricing flights from Chicago and Pittsburg), we realized that we needed a little more time to do some searches and Sam was tired after having done school work all day.  This meant it was time for dinner.  I was in a going out kinda mood. I narrowed it down to three choices.  Crepe Royal, Bar Brahama (a samba bar) and a Mexican restaurant.   

We called Andrea and after having a glass of  wine at my house, Universal was chosen.  Not even in the original choices but just what I was hoping for.  Universal is Andrea's favorite restaurant in Brasilia.  And I was reminded why that night.

I had a yummy bananna risotto and chicken dish.  Sam had a dish called "Sexy Shrimp" and Andrea had bbq ribs.  We sipped the night away while listening to a mismash of American and Brazilian music.  Everything from Lady Gaga to 1960s pop music.  The place grew quite crowded with the b-day girls behind us who eventually wound up dancing on the bar. 

We had a great time chatting, laughing and trying to hear each other as the music grew louder.  Sometime later in the evening, after we'd finished dinner, a man approached our table and asked if we could condense to one.  We had been sitting at 2 small tables.  We all thought he was the manager or something so we did.  Wound up that he wasn't.  He was just a patron.  He sat down alone for about an hour. 

At this point it was fine for us to be a little cozy since dinner was over and we were just sipping cocktails.  Later though, his "friend" arrived.  They were chatting in Portuguese but then at one point he leaned over ot us and spoke to us in English.  He said how appreciative he was for our move.  That's when the champaign started flowing.  They shared two bottles with us.  We didn't stay much into the 2nd bottle as we were all feeling a little tired (as you can see in the pic of Sam with the second bottle).  We closed the place!  We even beat most of the Brazilians. 

The point of this post was just to recall a fun night, share that I think more of this type of activity...just hanging out with friends at fun places...this is what's gonna get me through this final five weeks.  So much to do but if I make sure to take some time to unwind it can be done.  Especially with the great friends I have here.