Ate dinner tonight for my Dad's birthday. It was really so very nice. Went to Bravo, in the Adam's Mark. It used to be our go-to special occasion restaurant and its been at least a year since we were there. It was delicious. Our waiter Steven had the most amazing voice (they sing) and really seemed to enjoy the song he did (On The Street Where You Live, which I also loved because it was from My Fair Lady which is one of my favorite Audrey Hepburn (even though Marni Nixon ((yes I had to look it up to see who sang, I couldn't remember )) movies, I mean Rex Harrison is dreamy and the story is timeless...) which was great. I usually try and go for a meat dish of some kind because they usually accent with a really great starch accompaniment. I ordered the rib eye, medium rare (and it was cooked PERFECTLY even a little on the rare side which I love) but instead of potato they did a celeriac galette that was divine, I don't know if they roasted the celeraic but it was almost sweet, like parsnip... wow would that have been delicious. The rib eye had a poached crab meat which was fine but really unnecessary I was thinking. It was good and buttery but really.... not all that important to the grand feel of the meal. I thought it really could have been a great addition had they seasoned it at all, but it was literally lump crab meat piled on top of the steak. Even the fat had a nice roasted melty facet to it which I ate a little of. The sauce for the dish (on mine) was a butter something, but my Dad's had a nice demi glace probably (since he ordered his without the crab) which I think would have been better.

I wanted to take pictures but my Mom doesn't understand that it is ok to take pictures of your food now. She and my Grandfather had the potato crusted halibut with a pea risotto. Hard to tell if there was much potato really encrusting the fish or not, we have done it with the starch surrounding the fish, this looked like a traditional crusting not enveloping. I don't think they liked it very much. I had a taste of the risotto. It was good. Nice and cheesy. It had a nice Parmesan sourness, there were whole peas in the rice which the one that I caught was a little crunchy which was weird. The plate was dressed with an almost fushia vinegar (probably cherry) that was also unnecessary. I liked the little bite of uber sour that hit the bottom of the risotto but not what made the dish and it was its undoing in my mom's pallete I think.

We had a Vahlrona chocolate cake with raspberry sauce for dessert, the waitstaff came and sang quite a rousing birthday song which was quite surprising in its layers (each person sang something different it was a nice little round but shocking because it came out of nowhere) . They had a desert on the menu which looked really interesting...lavender infused strawberries with shortcake. I need to try that. It just sounded good, but no one else thought so. So chocolate cake it is. I really have to say that I sincerely appreciate that they didn't try to sell anything "molten" and thankfully I think that food fad is over as I am seeing it less and less... who needs a half cooked chocolate cake on a plate anymore.

I was talking to my friend H who I really need to get to the restaurant she works at Cafe Star in the next week. The chef Rebecca Weitzman there is leaving to go back to New York (which I had read about on Chow but didn't confirm until this morning) and I still haven't been there and need to go or I will be sadly missing out.

I had some fun shopping today. Went to Steve and Barry's, which was interesting. Really everything in the store is under twenty dollars for the most part. I got some really great shirts, things that I can casgh down or dress up for work. The credit card machine was down and some people were unhappy because they couldn't buy their shirts. One gal was really upset, her total came to $12.48, she didn't have it in her checking account. Yikes. I happily wrote the check for $66.68 for the two sweatshirts, 2 pink sweatshirt coat like things, one white ruffle front shirt, one black ruffle front tshirt, one pique short sleeved pink tucked shirt, turquoise polo shirt and one multi colored pin tuck shirt with embroidered placqutte top. I mean seriously, you shouldn't be shopping if you don't have thirteen dollars in your checking account girlfriend. The kids behind the counter probably had seen it all day but still it was shocking to me. I asked if I could call periodically to see if the items they show online are available in the store and the guy who was ringing me up was so nice, he said "of course, we would love to hear from you again". How nice is that to hear from some disaffected 17 year old retail slave? They have a customer in me that is for sure. Yes my boy friend Isaac Mizrahi still holds my inexpensive fashion heart, but Steve and Barry are my back ups I think.

Ran to Super Target over by Southwest Plaza too. It is interesting because in the past week I have been to 6 different Targets and each one carries different stuff. It is weird. This one had all the Halloween candy and stuff out. I love this time of the year because it is all about grossout candy and skulls. It was fun. But all I needed was wrapping paper. I ended up buying a headband, rhinestone bracelet, sunglasses (since mine broke in the car), mini tootsie pops (it might be a good cigarette substitute), some clearance coral decorations (which I put in my glass fish, but don't like so I have to come up with something else) for two dollars and the wrapping paper (all for under fifty bucks, which believe me is VERY good for me in Target).

Tomorrow I have a couple other little errands to run, I need to get something to wear to shul for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kipper that is appropriate and nice and decent shoes. I have to get some casual pants that are nice enough for this resort we are going to in Vegas. I also really would like to find a swim suit as well (I am going to have to go to Swim and Things and pay through the nose I think since I waited way too long and the season is sooooo over here I think).
Its difficult to believe that it is only Saturday evening. I feel like I should be getting ready to go to work already. I am so thrilled to have one more day of this glorious weekend. I look forward to enjoying it. I hope you do too.