John, Hex and I spend the weekend in Big Bear with Sam, Justin and Taylor. Sam makes breakfast each morning: bacon and soft-scramble eggs with Boursin; drop biscuits and sausage gravy. John makes dinner and a brunchy nosh: Andy Baraghani’s steak and leek stir-fry, smashed cucumbers; a brie, pear and prosciutto galette; rosemary and thyme focaccia. Taylor makes dinner: a massive dutch oven of slow simmered bolognese. I make snacks and treats throughout the weekend: an asian spin on romesco with a sprawling charcuterie board one day; pears, ski queen cheese and crackers another; warm, blood orange-marinated spicy olives; David Lebovitz’s fresh ginger cake.

The weekend is only slightly marred by a non-stop snow storm, resulting in an impassable road to get out of our rental. On the morning of we spin out of our snow chains twice, then Justin does the same on his car. We shovel almost 500 feet over the course of two and a half hours to finally leave: it rains, snows, and hails the entire time.