We headed West to the Tipsy Parson, a quaint and crowded little spot in Chelsea that was hip and hot enough to require a reservation. Thankfully I have a honey who can be very convincing and after a perfectly timed wait that involved cocktails and birthday presents, we had ourselves a table. Like so many restaurants of late, this spot had that homey, rustic, comfort kind of vibe that I absolutely love. It's like being in someone's kitchen if that someone decorates like Martha Stewart and cooks like her, too. We started off with some unexpected apps - fried green tomatoes and fried oysters. Of course I'm a fan of anything that's fried, especially if it's buttery and briney or a vegetable so that I can pretend there's some semblance of healthiness to it. Next came our entrees. Normally, I choose the best dish on the menu and everyone at the table is envious of me; it must be a trait that I got from my father because last night, his was the tastiest selection, though no one else chose badly. He had the pork belly with butternut squash puree and cavatelli and cheese, I chose the sliced duck breast with a sweet cherry sauce, corn spoon bread and candied brussel sprouts that were so itty bitty baby that they almost made me forget about the pear. Lizzie B went with flank steak on top of spinach puree with a mushroom medley while honey had the papardelle with venison ragu. Mmmm just like they claim, it was belly filling goodness. So much so that we weren't able to squeeze in dessert. Not that I needed it with vacation right around the corner; I want as much space available in my stomach so that I can fill it with beignets!
But wait... the gifts! How could I have forgotten the gifts? For my Sweet 16 I received two very special, very memorable gifts. I got my first pair of Frye boots just like the ones my mom had when she was younger. They were very of the times with a zipper up the side and a clunky heel but I loved them and seriously wore the heck out of them. The other gift was a little but of razzle dazzle for my ears. Classy, chic and simple, my earrings made me feel like a glamor queen. Like my boots, I wore them nearly every single day. But then, tragedy struck - I was burgled! They stole nearly everything of value, including family heirlooms and my razzle dazzle. They even went so far as to go through my board games in search of real money and not Monopoly money. Soon after, on a snowy evening, I slipped on some ice coming of the M train and slid all the way down the steps, bruising my tailbone and cracking the wooden sole of my boots. It was a very sad day but it was even sadder when the shoemaker told me that it would cost more to repair them than to buy a new pair. I was heartbroken. But for my birthday the next year, I got a brand new pair, even more classic than the last ones and I wear the heck out of them all year round. So much so that I need to have them resoled each year, right around my birthday. And then they're like brand new but even better because they're all worn in! And this year, my folks surprised me with some new razzle dazzle for my lonely lobes! It's like I'm 16 all over again, except instead of a busy colorguard schedule, I have a busy work schedule, and I'm a little less insecure and I've done a lot more cool stuff. But I'm still a teenage girl at heart (working with a gaggle of kids certainly helps me feel young,) and these birthday gifts just reminded me that just because I'm adding another candle to my cake, it doesn't mean I can't have Sweet 16 shenanigans anymore! And they will be had - tomorrow honey and I are off to NOLA for some birthday frolicking and fun times. I can't wait! Bon voyage and happy birthday to me!
No comments:
Post a Comment