Best Birthday Presents Ever!

I had a great birthday yesterday---filled with great conversation with friends, amazing food, and some presents!  Dr. C. came through with this gorgeous flower arrangement, which smells like Hawaii.

I was fortunate to have lunch with two friends at Mille Fleur in Rancho Santa Fe. This is my lunch: the chicken salad with a raspberry vinaigrette, melon and celery root. 

This is the lobster salad with lemon emulsion dressing.

Wiener Schnitzel with butternut squash.

We were celebrating our friends' acceptance to culinary school, and this was the way dessert was presented.  There is a birthday candle in the wine glass--so cute!

For dinner we went to Bice in the Gaslamp District with a dear friend.  Italian, with a very nice vibe, the first course was 5 different Italian cheeses served with Bread and Cie's toasted fig and anise bread, and an assortment of jams to complement the cheeses. 

After a huge day of food, and fun, it was nice to come home and relax, and watch the Padres win their game.  I also opened my last gift, from our Granddaughter.

OK, I collect wind-up toys--I have wind up foods, Santa's, snowmen, pumpkins, sushi, and now I my own wind up Sumo wrestlers.  I can't wait to have them face off!  I'll be back tomorrow with our take 5 recipe til then have a great day.