SagiFuckinTtarius

Yesterday, I turned 35. It was lovely.

You see, for the last several years, for some reason, my birthday (December 8) seemed to be peppered with minor personal little black clouds of one kind or another. Strife with parents (my mother forgot to call, or was she mad about something and so deliberately didn't call?), and other things that I frankly can't remember but which made the days immediately prior to the big 3-5 smattered with a bit of, well, not dread but more like slight amounts of sad distress. So this week, while my birthday approached and I was busy with work and home stuff, I had in the back of my mind some excitement about my birthday but also some slight amounts of sad distress.

Then, the day arrived. Up before the alarm went off, greeted by my surprisingly friendly for that time of the morning cats and my surprisingly awake for that time of the morning partner, even had time for cinnamon toast before leaving for work. A little flowered gift bag containing a very pretty beaded necklace from my dear assistant and friend awaited me on my desk, and 10:30 AM brought on a mid-morning cupcake snack from my bosses and co-workers, complete with singing and birthday candle. MMmmmm, cupcakes!

Dinner at Restaurant Zoe in Belltown capped off the day. I'd read about this restaurant now and then over the last year or so, and visited its website (tantalized for the most part, I admit, by the tasty sounding drinks made with gin and lime!) from time to time with the hope of someday actually walking through the door. Finally, we went, and it was wonderful. The pear salad with prosciutto and onion; the beef coulet atop crushed potatoes; the rice pudding crepe with chocolate cherry ice cream. "Y" to the "um," people. This was fabulous.

The maitre 'd started our evening by noting that he'd heard a "fellow Sagittarius" was at the table. I didn't see that long-desired minty limey ginny drink on the menu, so I asked if I could have one of their featured non-alcoholic drinks with gin added -- "we have just the drink for you," said our bubbly and beautifully flamey waiter, "it's called the Delicious, and it is." Of course, I ordered two. Tart, sweet, that juniper ginny undertone that stays with you all night as a reminder of the celebration.

The chef/owner, Scott Staples, visited our table several times over the course of the evening...just to check in, to wish me a Happy Birthday, and to offer to hang up my jacket, which while on the back of my chair was getting stepped on. Sometimes dining gourmet feels faux, yes? You know, stiff waiters, mystery ingredients, hushed conversations. Not at Zoe. It was comfortable, loud, friendly, and I wasn't even afraid to request that my beef be prepared medium rather than medium rare. And they were polite enough to accommodate my request.

And then, the presentation of the present by Ms. Better Half. It was wonderful, too, as she is. High tech, something I've yearned for, thoughtful, and surely to provide hours and hours of entertainment. I love it, and her.

Happy Birthday to me, and to all of my fellow and sister Sagittarians out in the world!

(The title, by the way: reference to what a dear and outrageous friend of mine once put on a birthday cake for me and another dear friend of ours, many years ago).

Thank you to CHOTDA for posting her beautiful cupcake photos on Flickr, and for allowing for the noncommercial display of this photo.