It's brrrrrrrr brrrrrrrrr COLD here at Brandy Hall, folks! I just got done putting up some of that saran-wrap-like window insolating stuff on our bedroom window...we'll see if it feels less like a refrigerator in there tonight at bedtime. Outside, it was 6 degrees below zero when I went to work this morning. My car was really grumpy about starting, but she did it, good girl. Tomorrow we're supposed to have a high temperature of 10 degrees. Heat wave!!! ;-) I'm re-learning the fine art of bundling up every inch of skin before walking out the door. It takes about five minute just to get all my winter gear on! This is real winter, folks. You can't mess around with weather like this...you have to take it seriously. Bundle ye up!!!
Well, another birthday week has come and gone, and, predictably, my husband and I are another year older. Since our birthdays are separated by 5 days, husband and I decided awhile ago to declare the time between them as "birthday week." The celebrating starts with my birthday and ends with his. Our favorite way to celebrate is treating ourselves to as much yummy food as possible. Each of us gets a birthday dinner out, one to start birthday week and one to finish it. My choice was The Great Impasta (cute name, huh?), which prides itself on its great pasta but also deserves applause for its excellent wine list, first-rate table service (the servers are always clued in about my nut allergy), and lovely ambience. On the evening of my birthday dinner, I had wonderful food, from the salad to the pasta to the chocolate mousse with rasberry topping for dessert. But what really stands out in my mind is the wine. I had the most marvelous glass of chianti. I didn't even know I LIKED chianti. This wine was so melt-in-your-mouth delicious, especially with the particular food I was eating (linguini with feta cheese, mushrooms, and peas) that I had to keep reminding myself that I was sitting in a very nice restaurant, and that repeatedly saying "MMMMMMMM" loudly would probably not be advisable. SO GOOD!!! Sometimes a glass of wine really can be an experience all by itself. It's a remarkable thing. By the way, the wine was Chianti Classico, an Italian wine, 2004. It is one of the house wines at The Great Impasta, so come visit us and we'll go have some. :-)
For husband's birthday, he chose Far-Eastern fare at an awesome pan-Asian place called Miko. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, sushi, sashimi, cooked stuff, etc ...you name it. It is all good. Another stellar meal, this time with a lovely pot of Jasmine tea instead of wine (hot tea was perfect since it was about 2 degrees outside). Husband had Thai curry noodles, I had sushi, and life was good. One neat thing about Miko is the tall fish tanks all around the restaurant. There's something kind of soothing about watching fish. They are beautiful and almost hypnotic.
The food is certainly always a memorable aspect of birthday week, but my favorite part of it is the time away from the grind. My husband and I are both pretty crazy-busy right now. School is really heating up for him, as are some outside-of-school projects. I am busy with all three of my jobs, and I'm also looking for a new day job (which would replace one of the three jobs, the one that's driving me crazy). I had an interview this past week for a neat position (full-time with benefits!!!) at a campus church and foundation at the U of IL. I think it went well. :-) But I digress. Birthday week forced husband and I to take some time to enjoy being together. Those two lovely dinners were so precious because they were relaxed, leisurely, and just the two of us. No schedules, no phone, no internet. Just him and me, good food, conversation, and lots of laughter, a sacred few hours away from all the daily pressures. Time like that is essential. Amen.
We both had many birthday greetings, too, from near and from far. Thanks to all for a lovely birthday week.
Hope everyone started off this week well and warm today. Take care, and please don't be a stranger.
Hugs,
Jessisca :-)
6 comments:
Give E, my happy belateds. I didn't forget him, just haven't been too clued in to reality. Love E, miss E, E needs to write me. Can you spread guilt for me :)?
Tell me the name of the wine. Chianti is the specialty of tuscany, so I'm kind of seeped in it. That way, when I find it, I can have a glass and think of you two.
Hey Julia,
Lovely of you to drop by Brandy Hall, as always. The wine has the very boring name of Chianti Classico, but the taste is ANYTHING but boring. The glass I had was from 2004. Hope you can find some in Italia.
Yes, I'll send some guilt E's way, but not until next week. He's buried right now. I can assure you, though, that he misses and loves you too. I also know he'll appreciate your b-day wishes.
Hugs to you!
Happy birthday to both of you! And yeah, we miss hearing from E at the library too. I'm sure he's busy doing lots of wonderful and exciting things.
Hi Sarah! How are things in dear 'ole Tally? We miss all of you, and the yummy Kitcho library outings. Hope everything is going well there. Please spread our greetings around the library...we think of all of you often! Thanks for dropping by...come back often.
Hugs, Jessisca :-)
Happy belated birthday to both of you!
I've always enjoyed wine most with a cheese, meal or dessert course. It truly belongs to a gourmet meal--esp. Italian! Best wishes to you both.
Hey Thom,
Yes, good wine with cheese is heavenly. And very hobbity, somehow..."there's a bit of cheese here....(Bilbo calling over his shoulder to Gandalf)." Can you tell I'm overdue for my 2007 trilogy viewing? Thanks for dropping by the Hall. :-)
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