Happy Birthday to me today!
It's been an absolutely awesome weekend. I think this may have been my best birthday ever - and I've had some good ones!
Earlier today, Dave and I hit the lakefront, the Third Ward, and Milwaukee's River Walk, and I plan to post about it in the next day or two. For now, though, a recap of my birthday weekend .....
Friday night, Dave and I met Penny and Carlo at Von Trier on Farwell for a few birthday drinks. I don't think I've ever been there, even though it's one of the East Side's most popular bars.
We sat at a table in the back room, which was dim and cozy, with dark walls and decor. When we first got there it was pretty quiet, but it soon filled up completely. Candles were lit on each table, and it was a great spot to have a few beers (or glasses of wine in my case) - and munch some free popcorn and pretzels - and visit.
Yesterday morning we hit the gym, and then in the afternoon we drove to Delafield to meet with the chaplain who will be marrying us. We got some information on how the ceremony will go, we got to know each other a bit, he said a prayer for us, and then he showed us the inside of the chapel since Dave has never been there and since I'd only seen it very briefly. It was so beautiful, and I got a bit choked up as we walked toward the front of the chapel - I thought, holy crap, I'll be walking down this verv aisle in nine short months! I left there walking on a cloud.
When we were back home, we got ready for our evening. Mom and Dale and Dan and Jessica came over around 5:45, we had a quick drink at our apartment, and then we headed to the Lake Park Bistro for our 6:30 reservation. We were led into the dining room and our table was perfect. A birthday card was sitting on the table for me that all of my old coworkers had signed. The night was clear and we could see the moon reflecting off the lake out the windows. We had the lovely Lauren as our server, and almost as soon as we sat down, my old manager Didier - the Bistro's local Frenchman - came over with a bottle of champagne for the table, which was a really nice surprise, and a perfect way to start off the meal.
No one except Dave and me had tried escargot before, and it's one of the things the Bistro does best. We asked for two orders of escargot and one order of shrimp for appetizers. When the appetizers came out, the chef had sent out a pate plate and an order of Foi Gras in addition to what we ordered. The special treatment was completely unexpected, but it was so nice. Everyone loved the escargot, as I knew they would, and the other three choices were delicious, too, as was evident by the five empty plates in the middle of the table. My mom would have you believe that I ate the most of anyone, but I think she's mistaken.
As for our dinners, Jess and I got the Trout - my favorite thing on the menu - and everyone else got the Filet Au Poivre - my other favorite thing on the menu. When it was time for dessert, I had some coffee and we ordered the Biscuit Au Chocolat, the Yvess mousse cake, the special, which was a flourless chocolate cake with cinnamon ice cream and brandied cherries, and of course, creme brulee. When they came out, there was an extra - walnut cake with sauteed pears on top - and my creme brulee had a candle in it, which I made a big, fat wish on as I blew it out.
Mom paid for dinner, which I completely didn't expect, either. I got a lot of hugs before I left, and I walked out feeling very full, and very happy.
If you've never been to the Lake Park Bistro before, I highly, highly recommend you put it on your list of places to go. Save up a little and then prepare yourself to be wowed. The food is some of the best in the city, the setting is beautiful, and the service is exceptional. It's an absolutely delightful dining experience.
We played some Scattergories back at our apartment and visited a while longer, and then they all left around midnight and it was time for round two of my night: dancing with the girls. As I left my place alone, headed for the Fifth Ward, I wasn't really in the mood for dancing, or for being out at all. But I knew that they were expecting me, so I went.
I got to RAIN nightclub and found my friends up on the dance floor. I got a drink and joined them, but my heart really wasn't in it. I swayed a little for about a half an hour, had a second drink in there, and then someone decided that we should go somewhere else and I thought, Thank God. RAIN wasn't really my scene. I love to dance, and I like to get a little crazy from time to time, but the music was bad, the clientele was a little creepy, and I just didn't like the atmosphere.
We all stood around the bar for about 20 minutes before finally deciding to head to Out N About, a gay bar on 1st St, to meet up with Christi's girlfriend, Tara, and some of her friends. The group had taken a cab from Christi's place to RAIN, and I said that I was parked right down the street, so we piled eight people into my little Corolla and drove on over. It was pretty funny.
We walked into Out N About and found Tara on the dance floor. We got some drinks and started to dance, and I immediately started to have more fun. (Maybe it was the lack of stupid guys hitting on us.) We got a few weird looks from people, but when a girl named Abby came up to me a few minutes later, she told me that she thought it was great that me and all my straight friends could be so comfortable there. I asked how she knew automatically that the majority of us were straight, and she said she could tell from our little shirts and our purses. She had us there, and I had to laugh. 
The music at Out N About was ten million times better than that at RAIN, and I danced up a storm. My friend Angel and I went up to the DJ and requested the Cha Cha slide (yes, my favorite) – a song that most other bars wouldn't think of playing – and he told us that one of the bartenders had taken it home and not brought it back. So I half-kiddingly said, "Well then, how about the Electric Slide then?" and he said "ok, sure." No sooner had we made it back to the group that sure enough, the Electric Slide was starting!
Christi and I started it out and soon the entire dance floor was doing the slide in unison. I know a lot of people think that sounds pretty lame, but man, I love a bar that will play the Electric Slide for me.
The time went way too quickly and soon it was last call. I said good night to everyone and drove on home, completely high (on life, that is) because of the near perfect night.
This morning I awoke around 10:15 a.m. and it felt like the day after my birthday rather than the actual day. Dave and I walked to Einstein Bagels and got bagels and coffee, and I lounged around with the morning paper for a while. We spent an hour or two this afternoon bumming around Milwaukee, which like I said, I'll post about soon.
Later in the afternoon we visited Metro Market, still the best grocery store ever, and got way too much food for my birthday dinner. We got stuffed mushrooms, spinach dip and bread, a pizza, and a birthday cake. We ate the food with a movie we rented – Red Eye with Rachel MdAdams. We rented it at Hollywood Video, and I got it for free since it was birthday! I'm glad I did, too, because the movie was really not good at all.
Just now we had birthday cake. I lit a tea light to blow out since I didn't have real birthday candles, and Dave even sang happy birthday. The cake was perfect for two people (ok, four – we ate more than half of it and we're full beyond belief) and delicious – and only $5.99. You really can't beat that. 
So that's the story of my weekend, and it's back to reality tomorrow.
Yes, I like to milk birthdays for all they're worth. I can't understand how people don't enjoy birthdays – it's the one day the world celebrates YOU! I couldn't have asked for a better weekend, or for better people in my life for that matter. I'm extremely thankful!
Here's hoping my 24th year will be the best one so far, just as this birthday was.
Those cakes at Metro Market are THE BEST. The buttercream is so good and at $5.99, you are right, you really can't beat it. Put them in the fridge for a while before eating and it is even more heavenly. Happy Birthday!
Posted by: kelly | January 16, 2006 at 09:46 AM
I think you finally succeeded in convincing me to head over to the Bistro. But not for snails. I'll eat anything, but that's fricking gross.
Anyway, happy birthday.
Oh, and I thought that cake was ceramic when I looked at the first picture.
Posted by: Andre | January 16, 2006 at 10:02 AM
Happy Birthday Erin!
Posted by: Derek | January 16, 2006 at 10:40 AM
Sounds like you had an absolutely fabulous birthday doll!
You guys really are the best. I had a blast on Saturday night.
Happy Birthday again Love!
~ Christi
Posted by: Christi | January 16, 2006 at 10:48 AM
Happy Birthday, Erin! I'm so glad that you had a good time. I'm sorry I missed it - I was definitely thinking of you all! I owe you a drink the next time I come home.
Lots of birthday love,
Amanda
Posted by: Amanda | January 16, 2006 at 03:41 PM
Happy Birthday Erin!!!
Posted by: Charlie | January 22, 2006 at 02:38 PM