bex77 | Entries tagged with birthday

I had my own version of restaurant week surrounding my birthday!

I made the most of my birthday, stretching out the celebrations to several nights, with several friends and family! I indulged my passion to explore new restaurants and cherish old favorites in six different cities and towns!

1) Tango Argentinian Cuisine in Arlington
http://tangoarlington.com/

They're famous for meats - steaks, sausages, lamb and pork chops - but I was most impressed with the special cold soup - gazpacho - and the polenta with parmesan and malbec mushroom sauce! I had the mile-high pork chop with a delightful side of mashed butternut squash and sweet potato.

2) The Loading Dock in Belmont
http://tmgcos.com/theloadingdockmacom/

We had Sunday brunch at this beautiful new Mediterranean bakery, deli and restaurant. We ate well in a quiet corner of their dining room, and brought home prepared foods like curried cashew chicken salad and soups!

3) Texas Road House in Everett
https://www.texasroadhouse.com/restaurant-locations/massachusetts/everett

We went late evening and found a quiet corner table for their delicious chili, house salads, steak and ribs. Basic American food with country music and dancing servers! And fun non-alcoholic drinks! I had the red raspberry lemonade.

4) Lobsta Land in Gloucester
http://lobstalandrestaurant.com/

My favorite place on Cape Ann with a lovely view of the salt marsh just off Rte 128. I had lobster for lunch! They make a delicious lobster chowder! I was tempted by the lazy man lobster or paella but went with the combo appetizer of crab cakes, coconut shrimp and calamari.

5) Nichols Candy House in Gloucester
https://nicholscandies.com/

This is the best old-fashioned candy shop! It's run by a cheery group of older ladies who walk around the displays while you point at your favorites and they fill a box of handmade chocolate. You can pick up lobster lollipops, jelly beans, poppycock, Boston Baked beans, molasses puffs and more!

6) S&S Deli in Cambridge
http://www.sandsrestaurant.com/

This deli in Inman Square is on my way home from work but we rarely stop. I was starving so we ducked in for dinner. They have a huge menu of deli favorites and basic American breakfast, lunch or dinner choices. Choosing is tough! I ended up with the gazpacho and the most delicious chicken pot pie! Oh... and blueberry blintzes. Mmmm.... they were good at breakfast the next day!

7) La Casa de Pedro in Watertown
http://lacasadepedro.com/watertown/home

We enjoyed the Venezuelan treats at this restaurant with the fanciful tropical interior. I adore their tapas menu! Another place where it's tough to choose. I got to taste the shrimp ceviche, sweet plantains, "Pedro's Old Times with Vargas" - a spicy pork nuggets dish, fried cheese sticks and then the paella - an immense mixture of seafood, rice, and snap peas in a cast iron wok.

8) Oleana in Cambridge
https://www.oleanarestaurant.com/

I was blown away by this place! It's spectacular! I can't believe this was my first time. I tried to make a reservation a week ahead, but ended up on the wait list with little hope. The universe smiled on me - they finally called at 2:30 pm the night I wanted to go saying they had a 6:30 pm table! Perfect! We got an outdoor table in a quiet, covered corner of their magical patio, next to an open plug where I could charge my almost-dead phone! This is another "lots of tapas with a few entrees" place owned by award-winning chef Ana Sortun. If she puts ingredients together, you know they will coordinate to delight your palate! I got to taste several tapas:

Tapas
Deviled eggs with tuna,
Sultan's Delight of tamarind beef short rib with smokey eggplant puree,
Fatteh- Caramelized Onion, Romanesco, Crispy Mushrooms, Pinenuts, Yogurt;
Swordfish special meze

Entrees
Sister's Lemon Chicken with Za’atar, Turkish Cheese Pancake

Hubby's Beef Shish w/ Pepper Relish, Fried Green Tomato, Tomato Brown Butter, Yogurt
My Softshell Crab with Saffron-Almond Skordalia, Heirloom Tomato, Couza Fries w/ Olive tapenade

Desserts
Pistachio Ma’amoul Cookie w/ Lemon Verbena Peaches, Olive Oil Ice Cream
Sweet Corn Ice Cream w/ Blueberry Spoon Sweets, Corn Puff, Sumac Kettle Corn
My first ever Baked Alaska - Coconut Ice Cream and Passion Fruit Caramel

Drinks
My companions enjoyed their creative cocktails. I enjoyed the festive drinks without alcohol! I adored the hibiscus iced tea. And the rooibos hot tea with dessert.

Our server was a friendly, efficient younger woman with a way of asking how things were going that encouraged us to gush compliments to the chef.

It is pricey but worth it for a special occasion!

I recommend all these spots to you for happy eating!

My birthday was a REALLY GOOD DAY ™.

The weather was perfect - another clear, dry, cool 70's delight!

The best thing I did was to take off from work! I still woke up early but enjoyed connecting with all the folks who spread good wishes around my Facebook wall and texted and emailed and called!

N. went out to get breakfast from Dunkin' Donuts and we watched the light and fun Robin Hood episode of "Doctor Who."

I had a short bout of "what am I doing with my life?!" that my birthdays always seem to bring about, but tamped it down with some help from my pals and some theater work!

I meant to take a nap, but the greetings kept rolling in and I kept answering until it was time to head out for supper. It was so wonderful to be with my sister E. and her family! She treated N. and I to a spectacular Spanish tapas dinner at Dali in Somerville. We had their back dining room to ourselves, surrounded by the copper celling and pots and pans! We ordered a plethora of small plates and shared. I started with a fun non-alcoholic drink: the Oscaritos, which is a refreshing mix of lime juice and mint and fizzy water. I adore places that have festive drinks for those of us who can't do liquor!

We shared so many dishes I'm not sure I can recall them all! So many amazing tastes! The highlights were the
- gazpacho, so cold, fresh and spicy,
- the ceviche with it's protein-rich mix of cold seafood and citrus,
- deep-fried cheese with honey and sweet onions
- baked goat cheese with tomato and basil
- beef short ribs in Rioja wine sauce
- duck in berry sauce,
- scallops in saffron cream
- pheasant with bacon and mushrooms
- lamb meatballs with tomato mint sauce
- prunes wrapped in bacon filled with goat cheer and almonds
- grilled baby lamb chops with peach sauce - this was my niece's choice and definitely the best of the evening with the most tender lamb I've ever eaten, marinated in delicious spices and covered in a perfect fruity sauce!

There were several other dishes I wanted to try - their menu is astonishing!

For dessert I had their cool and smooth flan, covered in candied clementines! The waiters gathered around to sing happy birthday with tambourines and present me with their metal frog candelabra! My brother-in-law took a fun photo of me giggling at all that!

I took a few photos - pop over to Facebook if you want to see them.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes and being part of a wonderful day!

Crossposts: http://bex77.livejournal.com/168527.html

It's my birthday and I'll write if I want to! I am taking the day off from work!

I am so lucky to have special people in my life to celebrate my birthday!

It's a beautiful day! The Facebook messages and texts and emails are rolling in!

I started celebrating early!

Sunday RI Adventure

The weather was perfect - clear with a few high clouds now and then, breezy, 70… it looked like the opening of "The Simpsons!" The sun made everything look so crisp and beautiful! It was especially appreciated after the muggy 90's and fierce thunderstorms of Saturday.

N and I made a day of it, heading out on a RI adventure! I have never seen the roads so empty! It was glorious to sail down I-93 and Rte 24.

Lunch at Quito's

We started the day in Bristol with a parking spot right out front of Quito's, a fun seafood restaurant with a covered deck right on the harbor! We shared a flight of chowders! We got a great table right at the front looking out over the big boats and beautiful water. It was great to compare the Manhattan, New England and Rhode Island versions of this classic. I liked the tomatoey Manhattan more than I thought I might, did not really care for the clear broth briny RI and adore their New England. N. had the grilled chili lime shrimp which I found tough, dry and hard to get off the skewers. The stuffed quahog was not great either… the stuffing was packed down and dry even after a liberal dosing of lemon juice. Our second course was better with crunchy clam fritters and coconut mango shrimp. N's fish and chips had two huge squares of perfect fish.

South Beach wading

We motored on along the little roads of Tiverton and Little Compton, past the cow pastures and wineries and beautiful bays to the fantastic secret South Beach. N. played "I'm All About the Bass" for me until we crossed into the area were there is no cell signal or wifi, so we went off the grid! They've stopped charging for parking! We pulled most of the way down and got a beachfront parking spot. I took a bunch of photos and a video! There were a lot of people in the water, so I decided to be brave. I rolled up my pant legs, shucked my socks and clogs and waded in! It was lovely! N. tried it too! It was a little hairy getting back to the car through the stones and getting our feet cleaned off and back into our shoes, but we managed together. After a quick look at the peaceful Tuniper Pond across the road, we headed back North.

Farmstand colors

We pulled in at Walker's Farm Stand. I hadn't been there before. It's a quintessential family farm with a mix of their homegrown veggies and stuff from elsewhere, ith some cheeses and milk and goodies for the tourists. I got a couple ears of corn, then popped in to Wilma's Bakery for walnut pumpkin bread and a fresh lemonade! The displays in the farm stand were so pretty, I dashed back to the car for my phone and snapped a few photos, then walked down to the fields to look out over the bay and take some more!

Grinnell's Beach Beauty

They've locked the gate and the bathrooms. Bleh! But the views of the little island and the big house and the boats and the water are still spectacular.

General Store Treats

We went on to Fall River to find the Sky Beverage General Store. It's a beautiful rehab of an old factory building with a convenience store, frozen yogurt shop, candy store and cigar shop! We got a few Jelly Belly Beans with odd flavors like "Movie Popcorn" and made use of their strong wifi signal to upload photos.

Dinner Delights

Then it was time to go back to Tiverton for an incredible dinner overlooking Mount Hope Bay at The Boat House. We had the corner table overlooking the bay! Sarah was our waitress. Not the best we've had but a bubbly geeky enthusiastic server with a passion for a clean table. We started with their warm sourdough rolls and whipped butter in the cute little paper bag. N. had their Hall of Fame spicy corn chowder with chorizo, while I tried their clam chowder. Both are delicious! We shared the field greens with goat cheese and pecans in a champagne vinaigrette and then splurged on the raw bar sampler with 4 cocktail shrimp, 4 Point Judith Oysters and 4 Little Neck clams. I gloried in the baked stuffed lobster with bay scallop and shrimp stuffing... so divine! He had their sirloin steak with fried parmesan gnocchi and the fries. The impossibly young looking manager with the braces stopped by to wish me a happy birthday. He got a little verkelmpt when we told him this is our "go-to place" for special days. We watched the sunset over the bay as they brought me a little dessert with a candle - the dark chocolate budino (mousse) with hazelnuts and whipped cream, which was free! They didn't have hot chocolate so I had an ice cold glass of skim milk. Such a special place!

There was heavier traffic going back, but it moved along and managed to "make a pocket" away from most cars most of the way. We made it home in record time - just 66 minutes! Whee!

I uploaded way too many photos to Facebook. Please check them out over there. The sunshine made everything look spectacular!

This is the life!!!!

Current Mood: bouncy
Current Location: home
Crossposts: http://bex77.livejournal.com/168357.html

I did three things today! Been awhile since I had the chance and the stamina to do that.

N. and I drove to Providence and back before noon to get the sound equipment for Theatre@First's next show. It was an easy drive today - no traffic! It's great to see the outdoor stage taking shape for the Shakespeare in the park that opens Thursday.

We took my mom to a housewarming in Arlington. So wonderful to see an amazing new home for one of the theater peeps.

Then we headed out to Rocky Neck in Gloucester. I can't believe I've been going to Gloucester for years and never discovered this wonderful enclave of artists' studios and restaurants and incredible scenery!

We went to The Rudder Restaurant. It is a hopping spot - an open air spot with a covered deck that looks out over the harbor. I had a delicious dinner. I started with a grilled shrimp and chorizo skewers over garlic polenta. I tasted N.'s clam chowder - very creamy and full of clams and potatoes. I had the seafood risotto - clams, mussels, scallops and shrimp in a garlic sauce over cheesy arborio rice. N. had tuna tartare and a grilled ahi tuna steak with a coconut risotto cake in a ginger soy sauce. I watched the sunset over the ocean... That place restores my soul!

Crossposts: http://bex77.livejournal.com/146748.html

What a week it has been! Lots of birthday celebrations. It was incredible to hear from or eat with so many people! I feel celebrated and humble, and a bit overwhelmed.

It became a bit of an experiment in communication modes.

Here's how the data played out:
- Facebook 52 wall messages
- LJ 4 comments
- Email 2 (former co-worker, college friend)
- Phone 3 (mom, older sister, and one other)
- Ecard 1 (former co-worker)
- Physical card 1 (N's dad)

So Facebook is definitely the place to be on your birthday! I heard from friends in South Africa, Sweden, many states including Hawai'i, and Australia! Nothing like a worldwide birthday!

My student workers presented me with a red velvet cupcake, and my co-workers gave me Burdick's chocolate!

I was also blessed with a fabulous series of birthday dinners.

Wednesday - The Red House with Neil for lobster risotto etc.

Friday - Chez Elizabeth's with A, J and N.
Fried chicken, roasted broccoli, rice and gravy, followed by peach/blueberry cobbler with mascarpone whipped cream. And the company of my favorite three-year-old. Hooray!

Saturday - fun with theater people - a table for six at Shanghai Village in Arlington, MA for drinks with umbrellas, shared appetizers and entrees!

Sunday - more fun with theater people - a table for ten at the brand new Foundry in Davis Square. Corn chowder and spaetzle, then a free slice of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis. Finally, a birthday cake! Fun place to see and be seen.

Still have to work in dinner with my parents.

Many thanks to anyone who was in touch, and special thanks to N. and E. for arranging such great get-togethers!

Woot!

Current Mood: ecstatic

In March 2024 I got talking with Neil about my 50th birthday in 2009 and couldn't recall what I did. I dug up old emails to create a record of the amazing festivities! I had lots of birthday celebrating.

My uber-generous little sister got us 4th row seats to see a Cirque du Soleil show in Boston Aug. 29 and took me out for a tasty Chinese dinner.
Saturday Neil took me away overnight to our favorite hotel in Waterbury CT to soak in their whirlpool and eat a fabulous dinner. We headed out Saturday morning and drove down to Bridgeport, CT to see where our pal Becky D hangs her hat these days. She has a gorgeous, brandy-new apartment downtown in an area that is resurrecting itself. We worshiped her kitty, then she took us to lunch at El Idolo, an Ecuadoran place. We had plantains and cheese, then I tried their "shrimp casserole" which was not that at all, but lots of shrimp in a lovely orange sauce, sort of like butternut squash bisque, over rice. Yum. We drove around Bridgeport, saw the lovely waterfront along the Sound and the University of Bridgeport and the new minor league baseball stadium

We headed north to Waterbury, just 30 minutes up Rte 8, to the marvelous Courtyard by Marriott. They'd been sold out when I looked online and called Friday, so I'd made a reservation across the street, but when I walked in, they had a room! We had a relaxing soak in their huge whirlpool then enjoyed some "Mythbusters" on the LG LED flat screen TV. Heh, Then came the higlight of the weekend - an elegant dinner at Diorio's Restaurant. http://www.diorios.com/. We made a reservation for the quiet dining room that is separate from the big bar area with booths. We started with the hot antipasto - samples of shrimp scampi, crab cakes, eggplant rollatini and fried mozzarella. The lobster bisque followed...a revelation. It was water-based instead of creamy, and had a ton of shredded lobster meat, so you got it in every bite. N. had the NY strip steak au poivre - a huge rectangle 2 inches high, with garlic mashed potatoes and sliced zucchini. This is the steak he dreams about - the marinade is incredible! I ordered the special twin lobster tails, taken from the shell then settled back on it for effect, stuffed with lump crab meat, pistachio and bread crumbs, accompanied by the same sides. Each bite was divine. We shared a slice of banofeee pie for dessert - a light, heavenly mixture of chocolate crust, toffee cream, bananas, whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Our waitress was fun - a nifty young woman who wants to be an actress, Jennifer. We took over two hours to eat, so I was pleasantly full rather than overstuffed.

Sunday was another beautiful day! We had the hot breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby. They put out an amazing spread of fruit, scrambled eggs, hash, home fries, sausage, bacon, french toast, make-your-waffles, muffins, breads, coffee cake, cereals, yogurt...yum. We packed up and headed east.

We stopped in Vernon, CT at the quintessential NY-style deli, Rein's. http://vernon.reinsdeli.com/ordereze/default.aspx We got a variety of goodies to bring home - Reuben sandwich, half sour pickles, sour cream coffee cake, spicy beef chili, herring in cream sauce, Dr. Brown's sodas, and pecan pie.

Monday my parents took me out for a nice lunch at Jimmy's Steer House - I had baked stuffed schrod and rice pilaf with spinach. I had a ghiradelli brownie sundae...yum.

Tuesday the students at the Bok Center were wonderful to me! James brought me cookies from Burdick's, another student gave me a tiara, and a third brought cupcakes from Sweet, a new bakery in Harvard Square

I spent my actual birthday with Alice. Alice sang to me and gave me a big hug. We shared a bologna sandwich and watched TV. Her mom reported, "She made her first pun yesterday! She asked her mom what was for dinner, and E said "Beef stew. Do you like beef stew?" And she replied, "I stew! I stew!" Bad pun, but great to know that she is good enough at language to play with it. She knew exactly what she'd done, made an impy little face."

Wednesday I took myself to the Barnes & Noble book store in Framingham for a book reading by my favorite blogger, Jon Katz. He brought his dog, Izzy, and talked about his new book about whether dogs have souls.

Thursday we had dinner at Helmand with Judy Yen and Renee Johnson. Their kaddo caused Renee to say it was the best thing she ever put in her mouth!

For a final flourish, we took two other theater folks out to Framingham to the Olive Garden I'd discovered on my trip out there earlier in the week. I had a sausage festival of sausage soup, their pasta bowl with a sausage tomato sauce over oriechette with sausage on the side! Heh