Cake Should Be A Food Group!

Thursday was my birthday. I turned 34 and it passed like a blur like any other day. But it was a nice day. *The boy* make me breakfast, I lounged, we saw the parentals and I got nice little gifts including birthday money I'm not sure what to do with and *the boy* took me to La Bodeguita Del Medio for dinner. We ordered a little less this time around but I was still ready to pass out in the restaurant from rum and food overload. Empanadas, croquetas, camarones en mojo (too spicy) and ropa vieja...everything was yum! Even the camarones...except after eating one my tongue was on fire! Thank goodness for the croquetas...those calmed the heat down afterwards!

Around noon, *the boy* sneaked out saying he had to run an errand. Mmm-hmmm....errand. He came back with this.
CAKE!!! I love cake...really, it should be it's own food group. Sometimes I go on a cake diet...and only eat cake...and somehow I lose weight despite eating lots of cake. Obviously, cake diets are not healthy but it's fun once in a while. This was a St. Honore cake...one of my favorites but *the boy* got it at my local bakery instead of making the trek to my long-standing go-to place for St. Honore. I didn't even know my local bakery made this cake! I decided to take it to my parents to share with them and minimize how much cake I'll eat. I haven't been exercising...my pants feel tight...you know the drill. Between the four of us, we devoured the entire cake in one sitting! It was yum!

The rest of the weekend has been nice...quiet with yummy meals in the evening. Yesterday, I went to a couple of morning appointments and the came home and relaxed until it was time to meet up with Claire for dinner at NOPA. We *love* this restaurant. Everytime I come here...it reminds me of the city vibe that I love and sometimes miss...and I feel happy and revitalized. The food never disappoints, I can have elderflower gimlets despite it not being on their cocktail menu and the service is beyond great. It's awesome! It's also cool because Claire and I like to share so we agree on an app, entree, side and dessert and just split everything and then walked out of their satisfied instead of stuffed and ready to roll down the street.

Tonight was filled with more relaxing, a trip back to the parentals to fix a couple of things and errands in the city. *The boy* and I passed by the spot of our first date and we decided to see if we could get a table. Reminisce a little, eat good food and be in a fun family-style place. It was like coming full circle at Capp's Corner. On our first date, we were both so nervous that *the boy* kept announcing he was nervous and barely ate a thing and I kept telling him to stop telling me he was nervous because it was making me nervous and I pushed food around on my plate. After a couple of glasses of wine, we were both more relaxed and having a great time. This time, we talked, ate plenty and then took a little walk around the neighborhood and stopped into his favorite bakery to have a little chat with the owner and have a little coffee before heading home. So far...great birthday weekend!

I'm pretty low-key about my birthday but even more so about this one. Bad year, relationship hoopla, slight hermit-mode...makes me want to hide-out and stitch a ton. I was surprised to find these goodies in the mailbox last week. I received a lovely card with little needlebook from the lovely CarolR and another card and little package from the ever-generous Edgar! And here is what was in Edgar's package. A lovely pinkeep (or pynkeepe as Edgar says) which is CarolR's SewRed design! I thought it was so funny as I was planning to stitch this up soon and now I don't have to. I love the purple and wine color scheme that Edgar picked out and it's found a special place in my living room/stitching nook. Thank you so much Edgar! I love it! Edgar's birthday is also tomorrow so Happy birthday Edgar!
And a little peek into my living room. I do this every year...for my birthday and at Christmas. I tape up the cards to my door so I can see them from where I sit on the futon. I mishmash of cards from stitchy friends, family, friends and co-workers.
So my mom, dad and *the boy's* mom gave me birthday money. I am debating whether I use the money for some semi-essentials like a new wallet and new work flats and you know, be kind of responsible. Or do I go all out on stash. I have 4 BAPs I want to start soon. Two of them are Mary Wigham and Fairy Moon which are both ready to go and fully kitted. But I also plan on stitching The American Sampler and Chatelaine TajMahal. I only have the charts for both. Birthday money would buy me the Taj kit(minus fabric) and all the silk for American Sampler (it's all super pricey) and I'd have to decide on fabric for both. I am so tempted to buy stash even though there is no way I'd be able to start either by the end of the year!! Ay, decisions, decisions.

And I've been stitching. I've been staying up super late each night working on the Letter G. I am really enjoying this so far but I think once I hit the fairy...those fractional stitches will drive me a little batty. *The boy* is amazed at my attitude about this one. I love it!! I really wonder what Letter V will look like...and when it will come out!

I'll work on it a little more tonight but I have the feeling my Tuesday report will be delinquent. Tomorrow will be an all sewing day...lots of homework. Monday is my long day (work from 8am-5pm and sewing class from 530pm - 930pm) plus *the boy* leaves Monday night too. So not much stitching outside of tonight for a few days...

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Until next time...