Chowder for dinner under eye of Versace

We stayed outside in Washington DC's suburban Falls Creek, Virginia, across the state line yet still part of the metropolis. We were lucky enough to stay with Ann and Oliver Ryan (Katie Duncan's aunt and uncle) who were the most wonderful hosts imaginable.

And while I was loitering in the public gallery of the senate and wandering unsupervised around the Capitol after hours, looking for the exit, Georgie and Ann were, of course, shopping. Georgie came away with a new hat, Burberry purse, jacket, two pairs of shoes - and a look of satisfaction and contentment that I find, myself, is more often generated by a good meal.

Suffice to say, we had a few of those as well. Ann introduced us to a wharf fish market whose produce was probably on a par with much we buy in New Zealand, allowing us to concoct a good Kiwi seafood chowder for dinner that night. Accompanied, of course, by Allan Scott and Kim Crawford wines. The fluffy furball called Versace looked on.