For this edition of the PhotoFriday event, with the theme of “Old,” I dug up this photo from my trip to Turkey in 2001 with my mom, her sister and brother-in-law, and two other couples who are friends of theirs. This is the base of an Egyptian obelisk, one of the ancient artifacts in the Hippodrome, the Roman-style arena in the center of Istanbul, where sporting events, bazaars, weddings, political events, and royal appearances took place. It is almost 3,500 years old.

I’m still going to dinner with friends almost every Wednesday evening, and this summer has been especially fun, because Ghent, the neighborhood in Norfolk where I work, has been the site of a Taste of Ghent event.

Every Wednesday during the summer, a group of restaurants has offered a fixed-price, three-course meal for $18. There is one or more appetizers to choose from, usually two main courses, and a dessert. So far, for me, the most memorable was at The New Belmont: a house salad; tempura-fried lobster tail with raspberry cream; and chocolate mousse. It was perfectly prepared and just delicious. Can’t beat that for $18.

Last week, we went to Amalfi, an Italian place, for another very good meal. I had a house salad with Italian dressing, chicken breast stuffed with spinach and fontina, and a cannoli dessert; Barbara and Liz both ordered salmon, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Barbara got the tiramisu and Liz ordered a Napoleon. We shared the desserts. Yummy!