Time to talk birthday celebrations, only TWO weeks later.

[helenkacan]

Well, I've sorta, kinda been preoccupied. No kidding.

But ... anyway, that baby brother of mine sent me a menu to the restaurant he'd chosen. Of course, he wouldn't tell me the name. Buuuuuut, I'd typed the name of the city (adjoining ours) and "fine dining" into Yahoo and the results came up with Ruth's Chris in the number one position. Which yielded the menu in question when I entered the site.

So I knew where we were going. But what was I going to wear. Ack. Especially as everything was all over in the new place. I decided on one of my special thrift shop finds from church: a long, low-cut, black dress with extra-special dress-maker's touches, aka short zippers at the sleeves, so they could hug the wrist and forearm, and wee straps'n'snaps that encircled bra straps, so they wouldn't show. Whoever donated this dress at church was a real angel. My coverup would be my regular sparkly capelet (which was filthy because I'd been wearing it all week over my nightie while carting stuff off to the trash). So I tried washing it in the sink on Saturday morning and then realized I didn't have the energy to wring the water out. So I dragged it as well as a whole pile of nighties to wash them in a machine.

Later in the afternoon, I had to go back down to my old place to shower, change and do my makeup. I decided to affix my short ponytail piece to the back of my head and topped it off with one of my fabulous, futuristic hats. I just wish I'd kept any of my hatpins, because I had to keep perfectly poised. For jewelry, I added my Dior sparkly sphere (containing lipgloss) dangling around my neck and Art Deco earrings from the Museum Collection.

Brian arrived, wearing his linen look. Anyway, I felt quite regal and was trying not to let my lingering oochies and ouchies affect me. When we entered, we were led to a booth (as I can't sit in chairs without arms). The tablecloths sparkled with glittery confetti (stars and HappyBirthdays), so that was sweet. We each had a Chocolate Cherry martini to start. Oh ... yummmmm. And we decided on the special Prix Fixe menu, both ordering an 11 oz. Filet (his was medium-rare, outside blackened, Chicago style, and mine was rare, baby). I chose Lobster Bisque as my starter and Brian had the Harvest Salad (which he'd had before). We filled up (perhaps a bit too much) on the baguette slices and whipped butter. My side was sauteed mushrooms while Brian had the garlic green beans. I had a couple, but had to abstain from more, as I was on duty the next day. The dessert was a raspberry-chocolate tartuffo. But, that wasn't all, as the birthday girl was presented with a long wedge of flourless chocolate cake that had Happy Birthday written in chocolate icing across one corner. But we were both so stuffed, so we just had a chocolate espresso martini. And that was even though we'd only eaten half of our meal, taking the rest home.

When the manager came by, I just happened to mention that this was the best steak I'd ever had in my life. Waaaaay better than Morton's. There was just something about the fact that each bite just about dissolved in the mouth. The staff call it "supple".

But that wasn't all. I also got a pig-noise b-day card (squeeee, or should that be oink?) as well as a giftie wrapped in red paper. Yes, I know, I know, I'm not supposed to be accumulating STUFF (and Brian knows that fact ALL too well), but he gave me another set of 4 piggie head'n'tail corn holders! So I now have 8, though I'm not sure where the first 4 are.

Anyway, that was my lovely, lovely, lovely and elegant birthday celebration.

Comments

[kishiriadgr.livejournal.com]

I've only been to Ruth's Criss once, when Ryan's mom took the three of us out for dinner there. The food is marvelous, but definitely a once-a-year thing at most! I had seared ahi tuna since I'm not into big pieces of beef. Steve and Ryan had the steak.