That’s what our waiter and restaurant owner/master chef Juliano told us just before we took our first bites of the desserts we’d happily ordered, after having feasted on a delicious appetizer and three very differently delicious entrees.

He told us that just as he waved a burning bunch of sage in our faces.

The funny thing is, we had just finished a conversation about how no one we know smokes anymore and how great the new, super-strict smoking ban in Calabasas is.

So, we couldn’t help but laugh at Juliano’s stop at our table, even though we’d managed to not laugh the three other times he came by, shirt buttoned in only ONE place, pants AND button-up boxers not buttoned AT ALL. *giggle* I guess you can do that sort of thing when your name’s on the restaurant. *heeeeee*

Okay, so this was the day of dates with couples, really. Even though I started off with JLD and the Chandler Hall (yes, my name was misspelled in the credits) world premiere (oh, and the screening of a very clever, fun, outstanding short called Apocalypse Oz), it was the fun time before and after the screening, hanging out at his pad with the lovely costar/girlfriend Shanna that was the most delightful. (And OMG how precious is their dog Theodore? So precious!) After that, I caught up with Shon and Jodi in another of our famous “we didn’t plan it but it worked out” moments. And, wow! Was Juliano’s YUMMY!!!! I could eat RAW forever! Y’know, if it didn’t cost so freakin’ much. Wow. Good thing for that tax refund, eh Shodi?

Our shared menu:
PUMPKIN TORTELLINI $9.24 Pockets of cheese slightly warm & drizzled with oil & herb or marinara.
GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH $15.70 Thick pine nut cheese between flax and buck crackers w/ guacamole, tomato, & cilantro. Rich.
GREEN CURRY PASTA (THAI) $22.18 Zucchini and mango pasta mixed with an amazing thai nut curry cream topped with coconut noodles.
SUN BURGER BURRITO $12.47 Not as serious as the western bacon double but still quite intriguing… Salad, mustard, ketchup, mayo, pickles, meat, avo or wrapped in a collard green.
APPLE PIE $9.24 Spiced apples & vanilla cream.
CHOCOLATE PARFAIT $9.24 Will definitely do the trick.
BEST EVER CHEESE CAKE $9.24 Ask for the flavor of the day. (It was coconut today. Yum!)

Oh, and KiKi, you are famous in my real life. Shodi asked whether I’d be suggesting that you do a “new thing” and eat at Juliano’s. *giggle*

PS — Is Rachel McAdams a cross between Eliza Dushku and Jennifer Garner or is it just me?