Best 30th Birthday morning ever.

Lovelies!  I woke up and found THIS:

So Awesome, right??  I think I may have the best fiance ever.  He's so thoughtful and lovely... He made me breakfast, got me the Canon Rebel camera I've been lusting after for the past 2 years and got me the awesome camera storage bag to go with it!

And he even got me this rockin' 30th B'day cake from Kitchenette!  Isn't it cute!?!  The sprinkles, lovelies!

Yum!  And this afternoon I am going to go to the new Sprinkles cupcakery on the Upper East side and get cupcakes for the little dudes and dudette I nanny for!  We're having an "Auntie Musical 30th Birthday Party"!  Isn't that Brilliant?!

It's good to be 30.

Tall Englishman comes today with Linds-a-lou!!!

Lovelies - the Tall Englishman is flying back from his boys week at St. Martin in the Caribbean today!  Then he's picking up my girlfriend Linds-a-lou and they're both coming to Central P.A. to be with me for my birthday weekend! 

Oh, did I forget to mention that??  Yeah, I'm gonna be 29 on this coming Monday - June 21st! 

The Tall Englishman, Linds-a-lou and all the kids at the Pole of Totems Playhouse are coming to my birthday party on Monday night!  It's an awesome 80's themed Birthday at the Bowling Alley! 

I love that!  And I'm going to dress up in my finest 1980's gear - side pony tail and all!  It's gonna rock!  (and be even better since my lovely friends are going to be there!  Hooray!)

It's made me think of all those 1980's TV shows I loved... Different Strokes, The Facts of Life, Family Ties, and of course.. who can forget... Designing Women.  Keepin' it classy Annie Potts.  Keepin' it classy.

Blue Hill

Lovelies,  I went to a FANTASTIC restaurant last night called Blue Hill.  It's right by Washington Square Park and it's just a wonderful place to eat!

The place is a Manhattan location of the upstate restaurant that is located at Stone Hill Farms.  Everything is freshly picked from the farm, the animals are raised right and fed well - so the meat is PERFECT.  I can't say enough good things about this whole establishment!  

My lovely friend H.Co works there and for my birthday she treated me to a little meal!  Her boyfriend is the sous chef at Blue Hill and he made us somewhere between 8 and 10 courses of little and big dishes!

Pre-meal: Wine (Lovely Barbara from Italy) and bread - oh, god the warm bread and FRESH butter!  (the rest I'll try to remember - it's a little foggy, as I was overcome by food lovin' and also was a little drunk)

Course 1:  Baked Kale with salt.  

Course 2: Little Quarter Sized Almond Puffs with a sweet pea puree in the middle

Course 3:  A neighbor of the celery family, but it's like lettuce - just one slice - doused in citrus and salt and chives.

Course 4: A split pea soup in a shot glass -served cold- yum!

Course 5: More soup - this time hot with shitake mushrooms - and I think it was a different flavor than the one before...

Course 6: A HUGE Scallop with lovely green sweet pea puree around it!  And there was also mushrooms and two little boneless chicken pieces.  Fantastic!

Course 7: I had the lamb & H. Co had the fish.  Let me tell you friends, by this point I was SO full that I had two bites and had to stop eating.  It was delicious and I saved the rest of my lamb with nettles in pea puree for lunch today.  (I just devoured it about 1/2 hour ago...  Was lovely even re-heated)

Course 8: Dessert number 1.  Peanut butter sorbet with strawberry jelly underneath and what tasted like Graham cracker crumbs - delightful!

Course 9: Dessert number 2.  Birthday souffle!  I got my own chocolate souffle with a candle next to it and vanilla sorbet.  The chocolate-y goodness made me so happy!

Course 10: Berries and cream.  The most beautiful fresh strawberries, blueberries and the lightest most lovely cream I've ever had.

Washed it down with a final swig of wine and ROLLED out of the restaurant.  (You know it's bad when you're not carrying that much an you're not that tired, but you have to take a cab home because you're so full!) 

I love this place!  I should really bring all my first dates here...

Great Cards & Big Dreams...

Lovelies, I have received some lovely birthday cards in the mail this past week!  One of which was a thank you card from my friend Yimmy who stayed with me the 2 weeks ago!  

I was kind of down & out, and wavering about my career the other week when he was visiting and gave me some good advice.  And then I got this AWESOME thank you card in the mail from him & wanted to share it with you all!  (And you don't have to believe what I believe to appreciate it  - it's just a really nice card and a good reminder to keep moving forward!)

It's titled "Live with Faith and Your Path in Life Will Become Clear".

As we take our journey through life, we often wonder what will bring us fulfillment.  We have a vague sense that we may have a calling, yet we do not know which way to go.  Always remember that true happiness and purpose will be found in relationships with each other and with God.  It is often through sharing your gifts and talents that your path in life will become clear.  It is when you are "giving" that others can see in you that which is known as "your best self."  Pray, be open to guidance and remember, God Takes Care of your Dreams.  

(I actually teared up a little typing it!)  What a great message!  I love that part that talks about when you share things with others that your path becomes clear.  It's about the process, the journey - not the end result!  

I carry the card in my purse now & try to look at it several times a day!  

(oh and it's from a company called Blue Mountain Arts, should you want to purchase some for your family members...)