Good Food, Better Company

Last night Mr. K and I met two of our friends for a tasty dinner of burgers at a little pub. They had introduced it to us a while back and it probably has the best burgers I've had in Edinburgh. From the outside it kind of looks like a bit of a dump, but it's apparently under new ownership and the inside has been nicely renovated. It's also dog friendly and most times that we've been there, there have been furry friends about. We've seen everything from Labs to little Westies hanging out while their people tucked into burgers or had a few pints. Our friends have a black Lab named Jango, but he didn't accompany them last night. He's five days older than Hermione and definitely is still full of Labrador puppiness.
When Mr. K and I arrived Mama Jango and Daddy were waiting for us. It had been a really sunny and warm day and so the place was quite busy; not to mention, kind of warm. Most places in Edinburgh don't have air conditioning because they really don't need it. Nala settled nicely at my side and the server brought her a bowl of water as per the norm. Not only do they offer good service to its people patrons, but the four legged ones are looked after as well.
We had a great meal, just chatting and laughing. Jango Mama brought me a small gift. It is a set of miniature spoons with all of the provinces of Canada on each one. Her father had recently past away and the spoons were his. I didn't realise how much sentiment they held for her until she told me that they used to be tucked into a card table that she could remember opening up and seeing the spoons when she was a kid. I was really touched and plan on hanging the set on a wall somewhere in our flat-probably the kitchen; seems fitting. After she showed me the spoons and I explained provinces and territories, we ordered our food. I usually order the same burger called the Pioneer, but I decided to be a bit more adventurous and order a burger called the Shroom. I love the Pioneer so much, but if one burger is good the rest should be too, right? The Shroom didn't disappoint. It was a giant Portobello mushroom covered in melted cheese, a Chili mayo, tomato and some other tasty herbs. It was fantastic. Our table was reserved for eight and so when we were finished eating, we moved to a different bar to have a drink. That's the thing about living in a capital city: you are never left wishing for somewhere to go.
although I loved dinner, it was kind of a relief to get outside. It had been really warm in the pub which meant it was also a bit stuffy. We walked a few short blocks over to a bar and found some seats outside. It was still a mild night and it was very enjoyable to sit out on the patio.
Jango Daddy went off to buy us some drinks, leaving the rest of us to settle in. Each of the patio tables were sitting on a section of fake grass. I'm assuming it was to add to the decor as well as mark out each seating area, but when I asked Nala to "down" she had to think about it. She hesitantly sniffed the fuzzy plastic stuff, placed a front paw on it and slowly slid to the ground. All the while she was staring suspiciously at the stuff covering the pavement. Eventually, she settled in and I think she found the fake grass comfortable. It was certainly better than just lying on the pavement.
We all sat out chatting for quite a while, sipping on our drinks and enjoying he evening. A few pet dogs passed us by, but Nala hardly moved; not even when two miniature Poodles pranced past her face. We stayed out long enough for the temperature to drop and the wind to pick up. Jango Mama had to work in the morning, so when we all started getting goosebumps, we called it a night; a very enjoyable night.
There's nothing like a night filled with good food and even better company; fuzzy beings included.