Happy Moanday: Happy Birthday!

I'm twenty-threeeeee (plus one day)! It's very exciting, although I think I've so far passed most of the major birthday milestones and now all I have to look forward to is reduced fines for renting cars and running for the Senate, woohoo!

I celebrated my birthday the best way I know how--food! Dave took me out to fancy dining (and less fancy but more enjoyable dining) the whole weekend, after he scrapped his idea to make me a three-course Indian meal (still woulda been good, baby). It was wonderful!


We started with the Border Cafe (natch), upping the margarita count (to two!) since Dave's soccer game that night was cancelled, meaning he didn't have to play and I didn't have to stay awake to watch. The next night we hopped from square to square, starting with some pre-dinner ice cream (at Herrell's, the lovely local ice cream parlor. One wonderful summer my friend Tom worked there and regularly supplied me with free ice cream sundaes. I gained five fantastic pounds that summer...). We went to Christopher's, where I had to skip their mouth-watering garlic steak tips (it being Friday) for a charred and disappointing salmon.

The next day we enjoyed pancakes a la Kevin and Eileen before getting gussied up for my fancy birthday dinner. Since it was Restaurant Week in Boston and I was wearing my fancy but crazy-painful shoes, Dave booked a table at Chez Henri, the fancy French restaurant near his house. The food was minimal and ok--it reminded me and Dave of that commercial where the couple is all excited to be at the fancy restaurant and then gets their dinners and is like, "It's like elf food..." Because it was prix fixe, we had dessert--a syrup-soaked Tres Leches cake and a chocolate cake that for some reason had habanero chilies in them. I stuck to the decorate scoop of chocolate ice cream.

We finished things off the last day with lunch at Charlie's, where we both had double cheeseburgers (although only I had the foresight to order their amazing waffle fries). My hips feel rounder, but my stomach feels happier, which I consider a pretty good trade.

Now I'm back in New York, ready for another week of cooking, groceries, etc. etc. I am traveling again this weekend, again back to Boston, this time to see Dave's parents as they visit him Boston-side, but I'll be at home for a whole week, meaning I should be able to get at least two different meals in. Last week I wanted to make myself some Italian Wedding Soup before I realized I made enough lasagna to feed the New Zealand army (I still have a little less than half growing mold in my fridge), and I still have the ingredients. I stored the beef in my freezer, so it should be fine, but I may have to pick up some fresh spinach. I've also been craving Indian food, ever since Dave said he would make it for me, but that's sort of a big meal, so I doubt I'll make it. Probably I'll get myself another soup or a simple salad (I know! salad!), but all in all, should be a week of meals fit for a 23-year-old.